Enchanting sight of wild chanterelles

It may be stale news by the time you read this, but following the recent “no butterflies this year” narrative of my last two columns, I have begun to see red admirals and peacocks flitting over the purple (or, sometimes, creamy) buddleia still, happily, in flower. 

Early last week, the first ‘wave’ of red admiral migrants arrived in my part of West Cork, but I have yet to see a painted lady.

Late in the week, peacocks became relatively plentiful, and speckled woods were flying in the sun-dappled corridors between trees or corridors of fuchsia. Tortoiseshells were still very rare, as were small heaths, and or ringlets. With the fine weather, we may be seeing them soon.