Egg laying at Grafton - maybe!!

There seem to be far fewer sightings this year, than normal, at this early stage. I'm meeting a lot of people, who tell me that they have seen nothing and, on my visits to Gratin Wood, I've noticed far fewer individuals in flight, than normal. But they are around and, today was my best day of the flight season, so far. I saw four individuals: one flying over the old pond into oaks behind; one flying into the wood from the orchard and two females low down on the narrow path to the west of the old pond.

I think, but I'm not sure, that both of the females were ovipositing. They were crawling along young blackthorn shoots, fluttering low down and basking briefly, but I did not actually see egg-laying or find any eggs.

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