A Long-tailed Blue butterfly was an unexpected but very welcome recent arrival to our Cornish garden.
Being my first Long-tailed Blue in the British Isles I could scarcely believe my eyes when it dived at speed onto a lavender bush not a metre in front of me.
Not having the camera with me was an issue! Fortunately I was able to cup the little butterfly gently in my hands and take inside to photograph and confirm identity before releasing.
European butterfly gallery
More butterflies can be seen in the British Isles butterfly gallery and European Butterfly gallery
The weather has broken now but large numbers of migrants have arrived in recent weeks into the UK. Many Jersey Tigers reported, including one in the garden trap. Several Death’s-head Hawkmoths and caterpillars and 3 Convolvulus Hawkmoth caterpillars.