#also completely unrelated but there is a moth in my room and it keeps flying into my face

[sleepiies-mc]

meat crow has brought you a gift! [the gift is meat♡]

[dansnaturepictures]

Sixth instalment of my 10 wildlife/photography highlights blogs for 2020: My great butterfly (and moth, dragon/damselfly, beetle, flower and other insect) year Part 2

As I said in my post on Monday, due to the level of writing I have done about my butterfly and other insect/flower year for these posts this year I have, like I do with birds in this thread every year, done two posts about them this year. I had the opportunity to do this as the pandemic meant our June Anglesey holiday was postponed to next year and some day trips that would in other years get their own highlights post were amalgamated into my highlights post about my week off in June my last post when they occurred. I began writing the part 2 for butterflies etc. literally the day after that week off so it makes this week very chronological for the posts when I was well into the writing of these posts. I toyed with the idea of doing a separate post about some of the other insects and flowers I’ve seen this year for these blogs, an idea as a backup in case I got slots freed up I have every year for these posts but a lot of notable other insect/flower moments happened the same day or right after butterfly ones so it made sense to keep notable days/walks this year together. This therefore is descriptions of the best bits of what happened next in my butterfly year from late June onwards with mentions of the other insects/flowers.

The day after the week off on my Lakeside daily exercise walk it was great to see Small Skipper and Marbled White still plentiful as I said they had become at Lakeside towards the end of the last butterfly post, I even saw some away from their usual grassland on the concrete by beach lake. Ringlet, Comma, Meadow Browns still very plentiful, Common Blue Damselfly and some other interesting looking insects also stood out for sightings that day. The next day it was nice to see Ringlet and pyramidal orchid again at Lakeside looking nice in the rain, a walk where it was nice to see raindrops on flowers something I loved noticing this June and throughout the year a simple joy I found in life on the walk and at home and the area I nickname ‘Marbled White meadow’ looking a nice yellowy and red colour compared to when I saw it last before leave with certain flowers out. The next day after seeing and photographing a bee on it as mentioned in my last butterflies highlight post and seeing Large White checking out the others of the plant we have in the back garden during my week off I was happy to see one of my favourite butterflies the Red Admiral on the butterfly bush out the front. In more overcast, humid and showery conditions that lunch time with some sun poking through here and there I saw my first Gatekeeper actually at Lakeside of 2020 a key cog in the summer butterfly wheel here which was nice. That walk on a day I got so many intimate wildlife moments was one characterised by seeing nice views of lush green vegetation against grey skies and also as I had noticed in weeks before some early autumn leaves. On a completely unrelated note really but I had nowhere else to mention a notable event this year in these blogs that night I witnessed a sky phenomenon of a really nice orange and red sunset against dark, big and black clouds, some rain coming out of them therefore for the first time ever for me with a sunset a rainbow about too in my best ever year of rainbows. Through both the east and west facing windows of our house I was witnessing one of the most dramatic sky scenes I had ever seen! And even better everyone else in the house and my Dad at his noticed it and loads of people on social media posted pictures of the sky too so it was a real unifying moment and standout one for me this year. That night a key memory is walking into my room to do something and thinking “Oh why have I left the light on in here” when in fact it was the glow of the sky scene outside lighting up my room. The next day I saw loads of Ringlets with wings open at Lakeside at lunch and a Marbled White moving about looking quite freshly emerged. One of my best 24 hour periods during a working week this year for photos and wildlife I think coming nicely after the week off. The next day it was nice to see Small and Large Skipper battling each other a brilliant view of the latter which I took the first picture in this photoset of it was great to see both together and get a rare chance to compare them the Small Skippers really are much smaller, Ringlets, a landed Gatekeeper, Holly Blue, a great Brimstone view and more at Lakeside.

The weekend that followed on quite a sunny day I had a nice walk at Stockbridge Down where upon seeing Dark Green Fritillary I reflected on what a wonderful year I have had for seeing this species at local places here and Martin Down and Durlston in my week off where I might not normally get the chance to visit and see them I saw so many and so well and close up across the board I really enjoyed them this year. It was also great to see Silver Y moth here, my fairly long-awaited first Cinnabar moth caterpillars of the year on the everywhere emerging it seemed ragwort a classic little part of summer those small orange and black caterpillars I love seeing them I had seen the adults here the time we came here before that so it came full circle a great chance of a species to see adult and caterpillar each year and some nice common red solider beetles. I saw some more of the latter with one flying nicely too at Lakeside in the week that followed a great addition to my great year of beetles and starting to learn and love them more in 2020 this species helped define my summer.

In this rich, colourful and precious meadow habitat the day after National Meadow day other key butterflies I saw that day were; Peacock, Comma, Marbled White, Small Coppers, many Marbled Whites, Gatekeeper well as well as Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Common Blue, Adonis Blue, lots of Red Admirals and Large Skipper. On lunch time walks during that following week at Lakeside in quite grey conditions at times it was evidence of the peak butterfly season time of year July is that Ringlet and Gatekeeper were commonplace with great views too at times, alongside Marbled White, Large White, Small Skipper, Meadow Browns and Holly Blue seen well.

The Thursday of that week at Lakeside I snuck in a ‘Big Butterfly Count’ survey a week ahead of its start date as the website allowed you too submit sightings/counts then. I always do this at Lakeside quite often more than once in a year and usually after work. So it made a nice change to do one on a lunch time with working at home and it’s always one of the points in a year and summer I look forward to most, it really like the ‘Big Garden Birdwatch’ feels like I’m doing my bit for nature and finding out what species are where and how they’re doing so it felt both thrilling and satisfying to take part again. One of the reasons I love doing it is that it’s done in July into August deliberately to focus on the key species Butterfly Conservation want to monitor in particular as it’s the point of the year the greatest number of species are about. Gatekeeper’s arrival onto my regular Lakeside butterfly scene this year and longer and longer grasses set the stage for the count at Lakeside for me with the species I always see in them all about. But I had this desperation to get a count submitted ahead of time as I’d been seeing Marbled Whites and Small Skippers for over a month at this point so I wanted to get them in on a count as well as Ringlets that never seem to last long at Lakeside before it was too late. That Thursday I did count eight different species, Meadow Brown, Marbled White and Small Skipper the most numerous on sixteen, nine and eight seen respectively. The perhaps still early Gatekeeper and Large White were next on three each, this walk also presented me the chance for my first macro and open winged Gatekeeper photograph this year, then a standout one Common Blue and also one Large Skipper and one Ringlet completed my sightings. As I walked through the meadow by the woods during the 15 minutes of counting I suddenly remembered the unique charm of it as you walk through fields and just see one Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper after another in particular you distinguish between them and try to keep track of them. A great thing to be overwhelmed by in a sense its good news in this world if you are inundated. It was quite high numbers for a grey day walk which did have a sun trying to poke through but had slight rain as well. This really got me well in the mood for the survey proper. It was also great to see yet more common red soldier beetles on the flowers that day too.

I did another warm up ‘Big Butterfly count’ at Lakeside the next day and despite a bit more obvious sun other than that similar conditions I saw less butterflies but the same amount of species. Meadow Browns dominated again with six seen, I saw three Large Whites again and three Ringlets more than the day before, less Small Skippers but still some with three, two Gatekeepers and one Speckled Wood I also saw in the 15 minutes of counting. It was also great to see two Common Blues, I remarked how for a butterfly I barely saw at or associated with the grasses of Lakeside for years which I often see in Big Butterfly counts when I am perhaps really looking more deeply I have this year started to see them consistently here and it makes sense with the habitat but it’s still nice to see them close to home. I took the second picture in this photoset of a Common Blue that day. I also made it – technically – a third Big Butterfly Count running I’d seen a Brown Argus in at Lakeside that day with one seen it’s becoming my tradition to see one here one that’s quite a rare butterfly for the site I guess an urban one whilst doing this survey. The one thing I really wanted to do this year in the Big Butterfly count whilst working from home and having the time to be at Lakeside so much was do them at different bits of Lakeside and compare results. It was interesting the Thursday which I didn’t on the Friday I walked through the meadow by the woodland patch entrance in the south west of the site beside the lake. This area was teeming with butterflies and the results reflected that with more individual butterflies the day I covered it so I found this area I don’t often or ever in years visit to watch butterflies really where I’ve spent so much time at is rich in butterfly life and quite interesting as it’s a relatively small isolated patch compared to the others. That night in more consistently sunny and quite hot conditions I did another Lakeside walk as I often did on Fridays and I did an impromptu second ‘Big Butterfly Count’ of the day when a Comma kept landing on me briefly, a Red Admiral one of my favourites was about and I saw Ringlet and I got a great view of a Large White landed in the tree and path area behind the visitor centre and steam railway station. Nice bright sunny light against very green trees and a Swift gliding against a blue sky helped make this a perfect summer evening and memory this year.

I spent a section of our walk the next day at Whitefield Moor in the New Forest butterfly counting too with some of the target species seen, on an afternoon 10 years after the point I consider the moment I got interested in butterflies where I also saw my first Common Grayling of 2020 one of my favourites and such a precious butterfly for me. I wrote about this afternoon fully in my third of these posts last week about our New Forest trips this year. I celebrated this big butterfly anniversary for me a lot on social media. Beforehand that day a pretty hot and sunny one it was brilliant to see a Large White in the back garden on the buddleia and just enjoy the buddleia in the evening in really amazing summer light. The next day at Stockbridge Down I was absolutely thrilled to see my first Chalkhill Blues of 2020. We saw many of these speciality here and silky and milky butterflies one of my favourites and it was a true honour to see them again on a hot day, exactly what July is all about for me really. This special butterfly was my milestone 40th this year I was elated to reach 40 butterfly species for the third year running and at that stage it made my year list my third highest ever for butterflies. I also had a stunning moment when we realised an ambition and saw a Hummingbird hawk-moth flying around our first ever and one we’d wanted to see for ages. A headline really of a smashing list of new moths I’ve seen this year for me in a very strong year for seeing them for me where I have learnt and got a little more interested in them. I was happy to see it. The amount of butterflies around in a meadow area and on some bushes on this hot day defined the day. There were just so many species and a butterfly everywhere I looked I did not know where to look at times. It was like the seabird cliff equivalent of butterflies really something I love so much seeing dozens and dozens on birds in a short space this was vibrant meadow today teeming with life. I photographed so many butterflies that day as well as brilliant flowers I saw that I kindly had identified for me in Twitter’s “#WildFlowerHour” common restharrow and rosebay willowherb which I had seen here the Sunday before dominating the landscape too. It turned out a Large White in a key photo I took that day was on a devil’s-bit scabious a flower I would later learn, I noticed this in November when I used the photo for my #AButterflyADay one of a few daily past photo tweeting activities I did during lockdowns this year. I would go onto to contribute to and look at #WildFlowerHour a lot more in line with the PlantNet app I downloaded in my delve into flowers this year. The rosebay willowherb became one of my standout flowers this year seeing so many of them in a year I really delved into flowers. I could not resist submitting some data again to Big Butterfly Count this was some of the most butterflies I’d seen together at once this year something I found so precious and really felt a lot. The results I kept and submitted for the species they want records for was; Meadow Brown 20, Marbled White 7, Gatekeeper 6, Chalkhill Blue 5, Dark Green Fritillary 5, Large White 5, Red Admiral 3, Peacock 2, Small Copper 2, Ringlet 2, Brimstone 1, Comma 1, Brown Argus 1, Green-veined White 1, Holly Blue 1, Large Skipper 1, Small Skipper 1, Silver-washed Fritillary 1 and Small Tortoiseshell 1. That day I also saw Large White, Small Tortoiseshell and Yellow Shell moth flying over or in the garden which was great. The next day back at Lakeside it was great to see a few Black-tailed Skimmers again a brilliant dragonfly to have so close to home.

That following Thursday on the official eve of the ‘Big Butterfly count’ it was great to see so many of the species I saw a lot during those weeks again at Lakeside as well as a burnet moth flying, as well as get cracking views of Cinnabar moth caterpillar which I took the third picture in this photoset of and a Banded Demoiselle which was nice. I did another ‘Big Butterfly Count’ in the meadow area by the entrance to the woods in the south west of the site that Friday a very hot and sunny day. In the count I saw 15 Meadow Browns, 6 Gatekeepers, 6 Six-spot Burnet moths funnily enough including two mating, 4 Large Whites, 4 Small Skippers, 2 Peacocks and 1 Brown Argus, Common Blue and Marbled White in the 15 minutes. A pretty similar amount to what I counted at this location the Thursday before when you could submit results. During this time here I also saw more common red soldier beetle and cinnabar moth caterpillars on ragwort. Beforehand I submitted more count data when I saw two Large Whites from home in and around the garden again. When at Lakeside for another walk that evening I did another ‘Big Butterfly Count’ at the Marbled White meadow area a name I give the meadows of the south eastern bit of the site. Gatekeeper came out on top with 8 seen in a tight race beating Meadow Brown into second with 7, I also counted 6 Large Whites, 3 Small Whites, 1 Common Blue, 1 Green-veined White, 1 of one of my favourites the Red Admiral and 1 Speckled Wood. Again similar numbers to when I counted at this part of the site the Friday before, and a little less than the place by the woods as it was the week before too. Which proved my theory about more butterflies being at that point at Lakeside whilst there were absolutely so many at both. The two big species observations are that perhaps I was right to do some counts around the weekend before here and elsewhere early as I only saw one Marbled White that day and didn’t see any Ringlets so some species technically in this early butterfly year could have had lesser numbers during the count. The other is from doing them the week before the Gatekeepers seemed lower and could not compete with its partner as the most numerous butterflies each year really the Meadow Brown. The Gatekeepers emerge later even they emerged earlier this year though but we were a week on in their season and there’s was more about then we were still quite early in their season so it makes a difference. It at that stage meant there were only two of the Big Butterfly Count target species I was yet to observe in a 15 minutes of counting so far which felt great. More great fun had counting butterflies that day it really is so rewarding to do and makes your mind feel so focused and enriched when out on hot and sunny days. Also nice to see a Black-tailed Skimmer at Lakeside that day. I took the fourth picture in this photoset of a lovely ladybird that day. The next day I saw Large White really well in the garden and a Holly Blue flying over which I submitted to the count after seeing lots of butterflies at Fleming Park that day a very hot and sunny summer day. On the day after I saw a storm of Gatekeepers, Six-spot Burnet, Meadow Brown and Small White butterflies during some more butterfly counting at Lakeside on another lovely relaxed day, but a greyer one so this was nice. Large and Small Whites seemed to be recorded very well by me and others and have a good year in the Big Butterfly Count 2020.

I began that next week with a butterfly filled and very hot and sunny day off first going to Peartree Green, where I did another big butterfly count in which I managed to see my most butterflies of one species at that stage in the 15 minutes with 25 Gatekeepers seen. This felt amazing. It was probably when we were there at the height of a hot morning the most individual butterflies I had counted in this survey this year at that stage all together, as I also saw 12 Large White, 2 Meadow Brown, 2 Small Skipper and 1 Holly Blue, Marbled White, Peacock and Red Admiral each. We then moved onto West Wood when my Mum based on walks she had there without me on hot and sunny days this year said I would see a lot of butterflies and sure enough we did walking along the paths. As we approached a bubbling piece of buddleia or butterfly bush I did another big butterfly count. This patch of counting absolutely topped the one in the morning for amount I saw and Meadow Brown regained its crown as the butterfly I have seen most of at once with 31 seen, the Gatekeeper was less numerous but still present here as I saw 10. There were also 15 Peacocks, more Large Whites with 11 seen. A pleasing 8 Ringlets they had quietened down at that stage as well as 6 Small Skippers, 5 Red Admiral, 3 Brimstone 1 Comma, 1 Dark Green Fritillary, 1 Green-veined White 1, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Large Skipper, 1 Silver-washed Fritillary and 1 Speckled Wood completed the count. As we walked on we reached a patch of flowers and thick vegetation where my Mum had said she’d seen hundreds of butterflies together before. This was no exaggeration as on these plants it was absolutely covered in butterflies. It was sensational to see and was like a seabird colony covering a cliff for scale and magnitude. There were particularly masses of Peacocks one of my best ever moments with this species. But Brimstone, Red Admiral, Comma, Meadow Brown, Large White and Large Skipper were also present. This was absolutely a sight to behold, it was an unimaginable amount of butterflies all soaking up the sun together. And I found it a real leveller. Some there were my favourite butterflies, some quite rare, other more ordinary but together they made this scene adorable, captivating and unbelievable. I didn’t get any butterfly year ticks that day or see anything new but I can still describe it as one of my best ever days of butterfly watching which whilst it’s not always about the lists still speaks volumes I think. I had simply never seen scenes like this in ten years of butterfly watching. A wow moment in nature. I was so lucky to have this at this supreme patch of butterflies. That day I also got perhaps my best ever Scarlet tiger moth views really seeing this stunning moth one of my favourites and a quintessential part of summer with its amazing colours so close I took a standout picture in my year of this one. I also saw another amazing beetle my first ever black and yellow longhorn beetle fitting into this year well which was great. Away from insects a Roe Deer crossing the path closely to us a couple of times was very pleasant that day too. That day I took the fifth and sixth pictures in this photoset of a Large White butterfly and Brimstone and Large Skipper together a photo of the likes I’d not taken before getting two species together in focus in shot which was what the day was all about really. In hindsight that day was one of my best wildlife and photography days of my year with how much I saw so well, but when doing my end of year posts and others that involved selecting my strongest pictures of the year photos from this day of which I took around 30 I think especially the insects cropped up again and again it had so many of my favourite pictures that day.

On another very hot and sunny one the next day I did another Big Butterfly Count on a pleasant Lakeside lunch time that began as soon as I got out the door with two of fourteen Large Whites counted in the time in our garden. As I walked along the path at the north of the site a Gatekeeper stronghold in the bushy vegetation above the grass down the side came good as I saw seventeen of these, at that stage the highest of any one species I’d seen in a count at Lakeside this year. Three Meadow Brown and Common Blue and two Speckled Wood completed the count. It was also great to see Small Skipper and Brown Argus that day as well as Blue-tailed Damselflies and Emperor dragonfly at Lakeside and a dragonfly I didn’t quite get time to identify flying towards me in the estate as I got home. The Gatekeeper fest continued the next day at Lakeside another great day as I saw 26 during another big butterfly count. Large White and Meadow Brown continued to do well with 12 and 7 seen respectively, as well as 2 Small Whites and 1 Comma, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Peacock and Speckled Wood. That day I also got another brilliant view of a Roe Deer close by walking through the grasses in the south east of the site. The next day I did an impromptu big butterfly count whilst walking around the lakes at Lakeside when I spotted Brimstone which I hardly ever see there and one of two Speckled Woods I counted during the time. Also in the count I saw; six Gatekeeper and Large White, three Meadow Browns their numbers were heading down on my Lakeside counts they had been out for so long that summer there by that point with Marbled Whites not present at all really at that stage there, one Common Blue and as I walked up the path from the lakes to the entrance between the fenced off nature reserve I saw a Six-spot Burnet moth not far from the spot I saw my first burnet moth 10 years ago a Five-spot Burnet which started my love affair with burnet moths a key stage in my little interest in moths early on which we’re obviously in the anniversary year for so that was nice. I had a dragonfly bonanza of sorts that day with yet another brilliant and close up Emperor view and another Black-tailed Skimmer over the lake. I got a fitting great few views of dragonflies that week for national dragonfly week. That next day the Friday I saw more white butterflies in the garden possibly a small this time as well as whites made our garden their home, a day sunflowers in the garden had began to really come out a bit seeing these iconic flowers in our garden and photographing them was a joy. I also saw Red Admiral and another dragonfly outside the house and at Lakeside which was nice that day. I did a big butterfly count again at lunch time on my walk focusing on the bushy areas beside Lakeside Country Park to the north in which I saw; 8 Gatekeeper, 5 Large White, 3 Meadow Brown and 1 Holly Blue, Ringlet, Small White and Speckled Wood. That evening I made the most of summer and light, sunny, hot and peaceful evenings and being based at home for work by taking my by that point regular Friday evening walk to start the weekend which felt great. The next day on a walk it rained from start to finish the other side of the upper car park at Martin Down I still saw quite a few moths, and it was remarkable to see a big snail a Roman or Burgundy or (which I preferred as a name) Edible snail they’re all among various names for it a brilliant species to see very distinctive, pretty and hard to miss. I photographed this as well as a slug in the garden when home making the most of wildlife on a wet day in the summer.  

The next day I had one of my most memorable afternoons of the year at a colourful looking largely cloudy but with sun coming through Stockbridge Down, one of my best days of 2020 as Man United my football team progressed into the Champions League beating Leicester City to finish third in the Premier League. At Stockbridge Down I was treated to scores and seas of Chalkhilll Blues flying over the rich meadows with many landed, both male and female. I took the seventh picture in this photoset of one. I saw perhaps more together than I ever had before that day a local speciality at the peak of their summer season. I really got to appreciate them as one of my favourite butterflies that day male and female, another experience this summer I loved seeing lots of butterflies at once. Of course impressively for how cloudy it was at times I did another big butterfly count that day, during this I saw 15 Meadow Browns, 6 Large Whites, 5 Gatekeepers, 4 Six-spot Burnet moths, 1 Brimstone, Brown Argus, Dark Green Fritillary, Peacock, Ringlet, Silver Y moth to mean the only species I was yet to see on one of these counts the species they are after sightings of was Painted Lady at that stage and also 1 Small Copper and Small Skipper. It was interesting the little local variations in my top 3 butterflies for these counts this year. Large Whites I saw a lot of everywhere. But I seemed to see Gatekeeper as the most I saw during a count more in urban locations but I saw more Meadow Browns in the rural locations. But the other did tend to do well in the counts for their not so strong area each time. That day I also loved seeing crickets flitting about and other little moths. That day it was nice to notice and photograph harebells, some fantastic and pretty purply flowers one of my favourites to learn thus year. When home I saw a bee on one of the sunflowers in the garden which was lovely.

On the Wednesday that following week I did my next big butterfly count as a hot and sunny patch which I had my lunch time walk within brought out so many in the grasses of Lakeside. I saw especially lots of Six-spot Burnet moth like the one in the eighth picture in this photoset, Common Blue and Brown Argus there which was great with three, four and six seen respectively whilst counting. I also saw; more Large Whites than anything with twelve, four Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers and one Brimstone, Holly Blue, Red Admiral and Small Skipper. I saw a dragonfly but couldn’t quite see what too on a very memorable walk that day for photos and wildlife. It felt quite fitting as this year 10 years on from seeing it the anniversary year I worked out from a photo what I thought was my first ever Six-spot Burnet at Lakeside in 2010 which I got excited about was actually a Five-spot Burnet. So I realised it was that species that made me fall in love with burnets, but I was so excited about Six-spot Burnet back then and still love them now so that and other times especially during the big butterfly count where they are a target species I have seen them has really made me celebrate and appreciate them views of them really stood out that day. I saw another decent batch of butterflies the next day on my walk at Lakeside a very hot and sunny one, submitting some more data to big butterfly count. It was interesting to see both blues booming that week with more Common Blues and a Holly Blue close to the house as well as a Small Heath my first for months on the green outside adding to the variety of butterflies I have seen immediately outside home this year. That Friday on the hottest day of the year at that stage it was nice to see a Small Tortoiseshell close beside the house. And I saw slightly less numbers possibly because of the heat so they weren’t flying to alert me to them possibly because a lot of the species seasons were getting on in a big butterfly count I found interesting to do at Lakeside in very hot conditions. This included a notable 8 Speckled Wood in the woods, 9 Large White, 4 Meadow Brown, another notable haul of Common Blues seen with 3, 2 Gatekeepers and 1 Brown Argus in the time counting. It was still a very decent amount of butterflies it was lovely to see dancing along on a very hot and sunny day for sure making me really feel at the peak of summer days as I did a lot that week as perhaps things looked to go a bit quiet with day flying moths and butterflies but then that week I saw so many and was reminded the peak peak season was still upon us. I also saw two more quick dragonflies I couldn’t quite see what that day and a Cinnabar moth caterpillar, ladybird and cricket in the grass.

Our August began at Emer Bog and Baddesley Common reserve in Hampshire where on a sun in and out and even at one point slightly rainy afternoon half of the productive first half hour of the walk was spent doing a big butterfly count with an impressive 23 Gatekeepers seen with one Meadow Brown and Common Blue and other butterflies later on in the walk. That day on one piece of booming ragwort I saw one of the Gatekeepers, of course Cinnabar moth caterpillars and common red soldier beetle once more on this flower and also another insect that seems to like ragwort my first ever Antler moth a very pretty one to see. A fifth new identified moth for me in 2020 at that stage as zooming in on nature in my walks rather continued and this being a year I really celebrated moths and noticed and enjoyed them which was great. I took a picture of this one where you could see the yellow from the plant on its antenna which was great. The delve into moths continued that day when we saw a striking caterpillar later on in the walk which turned out to be a Buff-tip moth caterpillar. A fantastic walk of insects and more headlined by these two. The next day back at the beautiful looking Magdalen Hill despite a few showers in the walk on a sunny start and sunny at times I did another big butterfly count. In this it was the first time ever for me I think that Common Blue came out on top in the 15 minutes with 13 seen, the mass second emergence of blues I’d seen at that point continued with two Small Blues the latest in the year I’ve ever seen them and it does seem they emerge a second time in late August so again the butterfly year was shown to be ahead and 1 Holly Blue. Of course my three other leaders in counts this year Gatekeeper with 1, Meadow Brown with 2 and Large White with 4 also featured as well as 3 Six-spot Burnet moths.  As this walk went on it was lovely to see many more Chalkhill Blues this year. Beautiful sights, as was a few poppies in the fields there I took a standout picture of one, meaning that was four species of blue seen that day quite memorable. I did a more specific big butterfly count in the nature reserve area at Lakeside the next day seeing five Meadow Browns, two Large Whites and one Gatekeeper. I also really continued to see and photograph the many brilliant sunflowers we had in our garden over those two days I really did love seeing them this year. On that Wednesday it was a goal achieved this summer to count a Small Copper at Lakeside during a big butterfly count again as I had in my first ever count in 2016. Seeing this one very well and taking a picture in the south eastern meadow areas of the site, alongside 19 Large Whites, 7 Meadow Brown, more great blues with 3 Common and 2 Holly, 2 Small White and 1 Brimstone, Comma and just the one Gatekeeper as they went a bit quiet on those days and Meadow Browns increased a bit, was part of a real burst of butterflies I saw so many again on a hot and sunny walk. It felt fantastic. That night we were lucky and happy to see a bat flying around out the window my first of the year.

I had a great insect day at Lakeside on my walk at lunch time 6th August getting cracking Black-tailed Skimmer and Emperor views a day after seeing a Common Darter there reflecting on with those two especially how I have discovered whilst working from home just how good my local Lakeside is for dragon and damselflies. That day I also saw scores of common red soldier beetles on some nice white flowers which was great. Butterfly wise I loved seeing Brimstone and Large White really well on that walk, I photographed two Speckled Woods late on memorably along the woodland path to the west of the site. That day I didn’t do a big butterfly count I did a memorable one the day before but I reflected with it coming to an end how much I had enjoyed taking part again and again for that month or so. I thought Butterfly Conservation did a fantastic job running the count again it was so easy to do and I just loved having the chance to tell them what butterflies were about and how many in my local Lakeside and other strong butterfly locations in a national and regional context in Hampshire. I felt I was doing my bit and I especially loved the leaderboard on the website at that stage I was 40th out of the millions that took part in terms of how many butterflies I had seen in all my various counts I had counted nearly 700 butterflies in the counts which opened my eyes it was rather good this year for how many butterflies I saw in the summer I must say but to just how many butterflies I do see whilst out in summer especially. The next day was the hottest UK August day since 2003 and I had the pleasure of two Friday Lakeside walks which were very atmospheric that lunch time in the sun with many people enjoying it and relaxing and time full evening vibes it was so light, still, clear and summery. During it all I saw many butterflies; lots of Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns at Lakeside, Large White and a blue possibly in our garden beforehand, some others I didn’t see well enough to identify and a moth or two with one coming in the house that boiling night too. A bee had nearly flown in my room that day and I saw memorable flowers at home and in the wild the sunflowers, fuchsia and buddleia in the garden featuring a lot again I loved seeing them this year as I produced nearly 40 pictures that day! Something that would become common especially for Fridays as the year went on.

As the heatwave continued we went to Farlington Marshes where I had an amazing time for seeing butterflies that Saturday. We firstly finally saw my first Painted Lady of the year a very key species for me to see this year one I always aim to see. It was lovely to see this one and another and what’s more I was able to then include it in a big butterfly count a day before it closed. Meaning for the first time since I started doing this citizen science project in 2016 that every species you can submit sightings of I managed to see at least once in a count which I was proud of. That day was rather stolen though by views of well into double figures of Wall Browns flying around, great to see after getting a quick view of my first of the year flying over the car park at Portland in June. They really were so in place in this dry coastal habitat on one of the hottest days of the year, it was actually the first I had ever seen in Hampshire my home county, and it seems loads emerged in the country over the first part of that heatwave so it was brilliant to be part of it. I also saw as I often do at that time of year here a good few Small Heaths. Completing my butterfly count there were seven Gatekeepers, three Meadow Browns, two Common Blue and Large White and one Peacock and Small White. All of this really underpinned what I’ve learnt the last couple of years and our last visit here in the late spring that this nature reserve we’ve always known for birds is a fantastic location for butterflies too with so many about in the season. It does stand to reason actually as its renowned for its rare and varied grasses I was once told on an information tour round there but it’s something I never truly embraced before. I enjoyed seeing some lovely rock samphire flowers that hot day too.

The next day on the last day of the survey the big butterfly count came to the best possible end for me when among two that day at different locations the other I wrote about in my New Forest highlights post I did an epic one at the beautiful Old Winchester Hill in the South Downs National Park on one of the hottest days of the year. Old Winchester Hill is just a charming meadow adorned landscape in the downs, it simply one of Hampshire’s most beautiful spots in my eyes so it was amazing to be there on what is a now annual visit for us it’s come back into our lives majorly since 2018 thanks to butterflies it was somewhere we discovered early last decade possibly late the one before that. It was another day this year where I saw hundreds of butterflies, 40 Meadow Browns in the 15 minute count led the way as well as 6 Gatekeeper, 6 Large White, 4 Common Blue, 1 Brimstone, Red Admiral, Six-spot Burnet and Small White. That day I also saw many Small Heaths, Brown Argus, Adonis Blue and hundreds of Chalkhill Blues overall once more probably some even tried to land on me which was a sensational intimate wildlife moment for me this year and seeing them all again was just incredible. But most notably on that scorching walk at Old Winchester Hill I saw my first Silver-spotted Skipper and Clouded Yellows of the year seeing three each. It was amazing two of my best butterflies of the year simply, ones I could not guarantee I would see but this place more so for the former but with the latter in my head too gave me the hope to see them and I was so happy I did. I loved sitting on the grass photographing a Silver-spotted Skipper close up and seeing a Clouded Yellow dart past and another land put me in heaven it was more intimate moments. It was one of those utopian afternoons where everything I hoped to happen did really with top birds seen too. The Silver-spotted Skipper and Clouded Yellow sightings together with that Painted Lady at Farlington took my year list over two days from a worthy 40 to a magical 43, overtaking my 2018 total and making my 2020 butterfly year list my second highest ever behind last year. This is no less than my 2020 butterflies deserved for how amazing it’s been, with the amount of butterflies I saw and how positive it all was because from the spring emergence onwards it was to the harrowing backdrop of the huge impact on everyone’s lives the coronavirus had and the lockdown and that. Seeing butterflies were an amazing thing to keep me going during the initial bits of that time. But the restrictions easing to allow slightly further afield travel to exercise happened at the right time for me to luckily see my usual variety of butterflies in years as spring marched on. Then as we hurtled towards summer there was the most notable thing of my butterfly year being how early everything was with my first sighting of nearly every butterfly this year being either my earliest or second earliest ever sighting of one in a year. The whole season was a little ahead. Fitting that the Silver-spotted Skipper was my earliest and Clouded Yellow my third earliest ever sightings of the species in a year. Then through summer the big thing for me I think was the amount of days I saw hundreds of butterflies usually with one lead species but many species together which were exceptional moments and that day was definitely in the top four so far for that. But like the day here last year I saw the Silver-spotted Skipper happiness at this happening at the height of the heatwave was tinged with a little sadness these were my last additions to my butterfly year list this year. What a quick it seemed but sensational journey I have been on for sure. But I’d have taken 43 before the year began and would have jumped at it when lockdown which was needed I would never argue against that the health and wellbeing of everyone came first made it look like it may be difficult to see many of the usual species this year due to locations they are at. I knew there were two species geographically I would not see this year. So to miss out on very few I could have seen is phenomenal I feel and made me so happy. So I was just thrilled with how I’ve done. That day I also saw some brilliant flowers in the meadow everywhere during wildflower hour on Twitter I was told two were Perforate St. John’s-wort and Small Scabious both I had seen a lot of other places this year both were beautiful.

Small Heath and Meadow Brown were lovely pretty butterflies to see quite well as the heatwave continued that following week at Lakeside. That night a lovely big moth flew in to the living room and bounced off the walls, ceiling and light brilliant to watch. As was a reddish insect possibly a moth in the woods south of the bowl at Lakeside a nice fairly secluded little path I’d found the next day and a Meadow Brown surprisingly in this shaded area on another very scorching and sunny day. On a peaceful evening that night to the backdrop of a nice sunset sky I saw another lovely little moth as I went in my room after coming back from a socially distant visit to my Dad’s house that night. My light was off at that point and it flew and fluttered towards the window so I opened it with it on it in case it wanted to get outside. If they’re attracted to a light on inside I’ll probably leave them in for the evening but this one had probably got in either tonight or last night and wanted to get out. After I photographed it on the window it flew off outside into the summer night and there was something quite magic about that. Seeing it against some red in the sky was very interesting in the heat wave. The next day I saw a third Small Dusty Wave moth in the house this year getting very close to it, and alongside some butterflies a beautiful female Common Darter starred on a Lakeside walk that lunch time I took a picture of it so a great couple of moments. On that Friday I saw Meadow Brown and Large White at Lakeside on a lunch time walk it was brilliant to see many pond skaters on a lake and photograph one another lovely insect to enjoy seeing this year. That night belonged to moths with including the Small Dusty Wave from the day before four moths flying into our living room and settled at once. One we didn’t see landed for very long so couldn’t tell which, one was a Yellow Shell one I know well on the eve of my 10 year anniversary of seeing my first ever and the other turned out to be a Heart and Dart one that landed very nicely and I took a macro photo of which I was pleased with the ninth in this photoset one of my best moth photos this year. Another new moth for me this year and this capped off a super summer week of moths for me with so many seen and I felt so interested in and engaged by them. It’s interesting as the butterfly year showed signs of slowing down a bit with my last year ticks, moths then took centre stage as so many are about as the summer gets later. The next morning on a showery day a massive bumble bee came into my room through an open window and tried to get out the closed window. It climbed up the window repeatedly in anticipation then slumped back down when it realised it couldn’t fly out of the top. I stood on my bed beside with a glass and an envelope with something in it to attempt a rescue. I watched it and connected to it, studying its movement and picking my moment. I struck just right and interrupted its rhythm to perfection it seemed by putting the glass over it to capture it. I checked the bee was in the glass, and slid the envelope over the bottom. As I moved the glass and envelope away I just caught sight of it moving in the glass. Then I hung it out of the window with the envelope removed and it flew out. As I watched it fly back into the open air I was relieved that this glorious wild creature was back out into the wild. A rewarding moment. And talking of glass that evening when home I took another picture of the Small Dusty Wave moth in the house on the mirror in the living room which made it a very interesting and unique photo opportunity showing its reflection.

At Hayling Island’s Earnley Triangle and oyterbeds that Sunday that followed I saw some nice butterflies on a rainy turned sunny in the end day including Peacock and Comma and a nice little moth which was great. I photographed a Yellow Shell moth that stayed in the living room a bit that night. I enjoyed the Yellow Shell again the next night, a Monday at Lakeside at lunch I saw and photographed Large White butterfly and saw Meadow Brown well in a sunny patch of a changeable weather day as a whole. That hot period of time I was thrilled to see Large White and Red Admiral in the garden one of my best garden butterfly moments this year it was very precious when I got home. The next day I noted lots more Large Whites at Lakeside in patches of sun which was brilliant to see. I am not sure if it was the decrease in variety of butterfly species at Lakeside making them stand out but Large Whites seemed to be on the increase those few days at Lakeside which was nice for mid-August really. When home that day I was delighted to take a picture of an orange flower one of a patch I took loads of in the garden especially in sunny conditions this year and enjoyed with a lovely minute snail on it in the sun. The next day a very wet one alongside seeing and photographing garden birds in the rain which was enjoyable I noticed perhaps something they helped to create by scattering a seed on the balcony a lovely sunflower there I’d never seen one on the balcony before and when I went to take a photo I noticed a bee on it in a strong year for sunflowers at home I loved seeing them whilst working from home. The next day a much sunnier and hotter one I saw Meadow Brown, Comma and Large White at Lakeside as well as a great view of a lovely male Common Darter in the sun. That night I saw my first ever Box tree moth at home adding to my year and especially summer with so many about of moths well they are so beautiful a lovely black and white moth very striking. Over those next few weeks we had loads around the house and garden. A day I had amazing times on the eve of Devon as I said in my second favourite birds post taking one of the highest amounts and some of my best pictures whilst working from home that day. The next morning we left for our Devon and Cornwall weekend away which I posted about in the eighth of these posts talking about butterflies, other insects and flowers seen during it. The night we returned home we got a very interesting and pretty moth in the house a very unique looking one. I later found out it was an Orange Swift thanks to the kind help of MothIDUK on Twitter a tool I have used so much in my deeper delve into moths this year one of the best moths generally and new moths I have seen for me this year.

The night we returned from Devon I loved photographing a sunflower on the balcony again as I did a lot and we saw a further moth in the garden that Wednesday lunch time another nice one a Willow beauty, before I went on a walk where I was reminded strong butterfly experiences could still be had late on in the peak season in the grasses of Lakeside as I saw many Large Whites what a year I had for them and got really close to and photographed a female Common Blue another Lakeside star for me this unique year. Very nice moments, with one of a few lovely crickets seen this year seen nearby. That Friday I was delighted to see a common green lacewing in the kitchen on the ceiling another fantastic, beautiful and unique insect for me to see especially locally this year. I also loved seeing Great Willowherb at Lakeside flower wise that day not the first time I had seen some here I saw loads late summer this year in my deeper delve into flowers but it was the first time after I found out what it was so I enjoyed taking a picture! I was delighted to get a great Small Copper view as well as see Meadow Brown and Large White and a Southern Hawker flying and looking us in the eye as they are famous for in mid-late summer at Hook-with-Warsash the next day August bank holiday Saturday. I saw Small White and a nice moth later that day when we moved onto Farlington Marshes. In a time when seeing butterflies in a day wasn’t a given anymore with the peak season coming to an end on August bank holiday Monday it was nice to return to the beautiful Old Winchester Hill mostly for birdwatching purposes this time and see Speckled Wood, Peacock and a few Meadow Browns and Large Whites. That day I marvelled at its landscape once again we walked a different way at the top of the place mostly, and it was especially lovely seeing its meadow habitat still in full flair and supporting insects I saw another nice snail that day too and being reminded you can see down to the coast from this big beauty spot I saw the Isle of Wight and Fawley Power station that day. A very memorable day.

The next day at Lakeside it was nice to see another female Common Darter very well a great moment, as well some more St. John’s-wort flower a lovely yellow one I have seen so many this year especially at Lakeside and that night a nice dark brown moth a form of Box-tree moth came in the house which I photographed among a few others seen which was great. The day after I saw some Large White butterflies at Lakeside, another Box tree moth on the buddleia outside as we were inundated with them and some smashing red flowers growing beside the house possibly a snapdragon as I saw some of these growing outside our fence further up and photographed them and enjoyed them this year. The next day I was delighted to see a Common Darter dragonfly a star of those few weeks outside of the house around the vegetation such a lovely species to have so close to home. The next day I saw Speckled Wood and Large White at Lakeside which was nice, as other insects stole the show rather including my first ever known sighting of a really fresh, bright, colourful and lovely looking cyrphus ribesii hoverfly what a beautiful creature to see. I noticed it on the green out the front on my way to Lakeside that lunch time whilst looking at a wonderful spider I saw really well and photographed in a nice web. A generally special and packed day for wildlife and photos for me this year that Friday. I also saw some great flowers that day such as bird’s foot trefoil which I saw so much of in the grass by Lakeside this year and musk mallow which was the same story. The next day as I saw Large Whites at Pennington on a sunny afternoon I decided that day to add three species to my list of favourite butterflies, Green Hairstreak, Marbled White and Brown Argus formerly on my B list of favourite butterflies achieving a promotion after I had a strong 2020 for all and decided I loved them enough to call them favourites. I added species to both my bird and butterfly B lists that day too I like to have thinks and make additions/promotions in March and September each year now, mammals and dragonflies I have a list of favourites but not B lists and whilst I added no mammals Black-tailed Skimmer and Four-spotted Chaser joined their keeled and broad-bodies relatives on my list of favourite dragon and damselflies alongside the Emperor that day too. Alongside the whites dominating the usual species hanging on at the end of the summer on the 6th September the next day I saw I think my latest Common Grayling in a year at Ashley Walk in the New Forest a lovely faded one adding well to the ones I saw in July. I photographed hebe, rose and sedum in the garden that day beforehand which was nice.

To start the new week in early September I enjoyed seeing another spider in my room in the shower a small one and more Common Darters at Lakeside. I also had one of my best ever flower days in the year I am waking up to flowers and learning more and more of them with a greater appetite to notice and photograph them with my new macro lens and with my PlantNet app in hand to help ID them. I got stunning views of as well as nice flowers at home at Lakeside an array of wild flowers I had seen a lot of at Lakeside already this year; Great Willowherb, Purple Loosestrife, Bird’s-foot trefoil, Meadow-cranes bill and buttercup some I learned and consolidated my knowledge on what they were and this just scratched the surface of amazing flowers I saw that day. It was a brilliant botanical year for me up until that point with some of my greatest moments of my year seeing flowers but knowing what more of them were really gave my flower days substance and made it even more exciting to learn and watch them. In autumnal times these flowers in the sun here gave me a slice of summer. The next day there was more of a slice of summer with hot and sunny weather bringing out a good few more butterflies on my daily Lakeside walk notably Speckled Woods one I got very close to and took a picture of and Large Whites, I also saw Emperor and Common Darter dragonfly there that day too a day a wasp flew into my room. Speckled Wood, Large White, Common Darter and Emperor were stars the next day and the day after at Lakeside too, even if it was the peak season end signalling sign being the day I noticed most of Lakeside’s meadows had been mowed with some bits left on the margins with flowers and for insects, in something of an Indian summer for butterflies and those two species in particular in hot and quite sunny weather. I enjoyed fantastic views of an early autumnal boom of the bright and big orange Californian poppies and other flowers on the patch of flowers in the estate I always love seeing and enjoyed immensely photographing them so many times macro shots and views over or the bed in views that week.

I had a monumental moment in my late peak butterfly season when I saw a pale form of another Clouded Yellow on the green outside the house on my way back from Lakeside on 11th September. What a moment to see the something of an enigma of a charming butterfly twice in a year (a month and two days after my first 2020) sighting for the second year running and for the third September on the trot. Seeing an almost white one is not something you see every day either but seeing a butterfly of this calibre which I hope I’ll see every year but it’s never guaranteed more or less outside the house was phenomenal and I loved it joining other notable species I’d seen on this green for the first time ever in this area this year something working from home walks were so good for. I also saw Speckled Wood with Large White in the garden I’d never seen the former in our garden before when I got home and Common Darter and other dragonflies well at Lakeside. Finding some poor man’s weather-glass lovely little red flowers another standout one I’ve seen and learned this year in on the green among more great flowers that day stood out too including daisy like ones I’ve had the best year especially locally for daisies from the lovely oxeye down to the little ones. The next day at Farlington Marshes where we had seen one before in 2018 I was delighted to see a Clouded Yellow fly over in the grasses by the stream. It marked the first time I’d seen this butterfly on three occasions in one year and first time I’d seen two in two days as in a brilliant period of hot and sunny September weather it became a boom year of Clouded Yellows for me really. Exceptional to see, alongside a few of the reserve in late summer specialities I’ve noticed Small Heath, Comma, some Large Whites and a dragonfly that flew very fast and many flowers. It was a good moth night that night too with two great ones seen and I photographed at home including my first ever Garden Carpet moth another great one to see this year.

The next day we went to Martin Down I had never been in September before and whilst you could make out subtle differences to coming when I normally do in the peak butterfly season like angles of sunlight it being so sunny throughout and the high temperature out during a patch of very warm and sunny weather it felt very much like coming here in high spring and summer. Quite confusing in my mind out of context then that the meadows were still brimming with wildflowers which looked lovely but the circus of butterflies was barely there. That was only because a lot had just come to the end of their seasons and were not around anymore. But I did see a whole host of all-season and re-emerging butterflies here that day, most notably Small Copper and Small Heath with some great views of so many of both that afternoon two very nice butterflies. Large White, Peacocks and Meadow Brown were also around on another top day for lots of wildlife seen generally a memorable one. It also became a day for wildflowers largely with so many great ones seen of different colours and shapes I loved that variety of these special organisms, in my growing flower interest the ones I recognised or found out what they are were devil’s-bit scabious, small scabious, common/yellow toadflax or “butter-and-eggs”, common knapweed, rosebay willowherb, harebell one of a few in this group I had seen and photographed before elsewhere this year and enjoyed and some yellow ones possibly a type of ragwort as I love seeing hebe, sunflower and more in the garden before and after our walk that day and getting photos. The next day in a very hot and sunny one in the heatwave I had a brilliant day for butterflies, other insects and other wildlife/flowers at home and Lakeside as I enjoyed seeing Small Copper at Lakeside, Brimstone in the garden for the first ever time I think battling with Large White on the buddleia in the back garden I took the tenth and final picture in this photoset of the Brimstone, my first damselfly for a while a Blue-tailed Damselfly at Lakeside, some dragonflies flying very fast likely an Emperor included, agrimony flower at Lakeside a long yellow one I enjoyed seeing so much of at Lakeside in the meadows this year, a brilliant view of a slow worm at Lakeside, the Californian poppies and others at the flower bed in the estate looked very big which I found interesting that and by them on a really nice spider web I saw a cranefly which was interesting.

I had one of my dragonfly moments of the year the next day at Lakeside seeing another incredibly special one for me I never imagined were at Lakeside really so it showed me once more just what I can see when I open my eyes as in the midst of the heatwave that was upon us I was thrilled to see a special Migrant Hawker over the lakes. My first of the year and only third ever which was a truly brilliant moment with one of our best and mostly lovely coloured dragonflies of the brown, blue and black it was a male I had not often seen the males. This was a good moment for me to continue to learn the species quite a bit too which I liked a strong memory of this Indian summer. This added a late bit of gloss to my dragonfly and damselfly year list as it reached a figure of 14 I was happy with. That afternoon I saw a little dock bug in my room and photographed it before letting it out back into the wild, Common Darter was also a star at Lakeside that day. When I got to Lakeside on my walk on another extremely hot day the heat once more carried on a resurgence of butterflies being about in that period, both Speckled Wood and especially Small Copper are ones I saw in great numbers then alongside Large White at a few locations including here some newer ones emerging perhaps and I loved in the sun taking pictures of Speckled Wood and Small Copper with my macro lens. A great walk seeing them in the sun that day. That night like many as I sat after work the evening was set to a nice almost lazy shine of the sun creating a shaded garden and atmosphere which with the sun setting earlier and earlier as summer made it’s long exit made me nostalgic to how it was at this time of day when I first began working from home in March into April. I was enthused to check the sun setting that if I could after hearing about the dust plumes that had come from the US wildfires coming over to create dramatic sunsets a quite sombre but in a weird way beautifully natural thought showing we are all connected and this could travel and I was delighted to see another nice one that week a beautiful end to a beautiful day. The next day on the balcony I saw a wasp and a spider in its web. I believe the wasp had been ensnared and was to be fed on as I watched it desperately try to escape whilst the spider supervised. I was lucky to witness a though brutal quite fascinating piece of nature up close that day. On my Lakeside walk I enjoyed views of Red Admiral, Speckled Wood again, Small White, Migrant Hawker dragonfly again and Common Darter, a nice big brown moth and some speedwell flowers too as I saw another sunflower around the house in the front garden when home. The next day I liked seeing dragonflies again at Lakeside, another sunflower at home in the patch of flowers outside the fence a nice flower moment despite seeing the beautiful patch in the estate mowed all over which was sad like the mushrooms I mentioned that were in my next of these highlights blogs about autumn, Box Tree moth outside at Lakeside and on the green rather than at home and a Comma and a few other butterflies at Lakeside. I had some great butterfly (and other insect and flower) moments when we went away to Norfolk the following week which I post about in my ninth of these blogs.

On the Saturday we returned from Norfolk I enjoyed seeing hebe, dahlia, fuchsia and more in the garden in bright sunshine and a very nice “T-shaped moth” a plume one I believe in the kitchen. The next day at Fleet Pond in nice sunshine I enjoyed seeing Specked Wood and Migrant Hawker, as well as a growing patch of flowers comically for us situated outside of our fence including sunflower, the snapdragons I noticed frequently here and others. Highlights on my walk to and from Lakeside that lunch time on the Monday that followed included a late Comma I saw one the next day too, a broad-leaved clover I liked photographing and a crane fly and a worm I got pictures of and enjoyed seeing too. I enjoyed seeing Common Darters at Lakeside the next day too. On that Thursday at Lakeside Country Park I loved seeing two Common Darters joined together so in the middle of mating as I had done with damselflies in the spring here and a Migrant Hawker flying over in a nice bright sunny patch. Some white flowering on nettles possibly bee nettles caught my eye at Lakeside that day too as did a pink flower at home in the garden that lunch time. That Saturday as stormy weather emerged and the peak butterfly season was really quietening down I did enjoy a Speckled Wood and quick views of an unidentified dragonfly at Farlington Marshes which was nice. That next Monday I liked seeing a late Large White really on the green out the front and forget-me-nots more lovely flowers to observe over Lakeside on a strong day for flowers where I took lots of pictures of them in the garden one memorably a picture of one on the balcony in slight sunlight reflected onto the screen of the fence. That day I also took a memorable picture of a bumble bee and a hoverfly on the buddleia bush as this plant still really provided into the autumn for these which was so nice. The next day I saw a few Speckled Woods at Lakeside getting one of my best butterfly moments of the year with one seeing it up so close and getting a picture I was happy with. I got nicely close to it on a sunny patch of a day and the way it was flying and landing it was an though it was newly emerged which was interesting. This intimate and connected to nature moment made me really realise how close to the end of the peak butterfly days and days I could take photos of them we were I wasn’t seeing butterflies every day at that stage in changeable weather. I enjoyed a lot of great late butterfly moments here with Speckled Wood this season. A fantastic natural moment, and I loved seeing Migrant Hawkers again at Lakeside that day and Common Darters flying over a flooded area stuck long in the mind.

I saw a few species of butterflies at Lakeside on Wednesday 7th October in some nice sunshine, Speckled Wood and Large White then a dark and orange one I couldn’t quite make out a nice reminder of summer that day. I also enjoyed seeing and photographing a bee nicely and Common Darter dragonflies at Lakeside that day and I had magical moments with more plume moths in the house this year with two seen on the roof and one photographed and another landed on my face, hand, laptop screen and glass which I had a little bit of juice left in so this was a great intimate moment. I got a brilliant Speckled Wood moment that Thursday lunch time as well seeing two together with one flying into the closed wing landed other and regularly opening its wings they both landed on leaves well at Lakeside’s northern path area I enjoyed taking a picture of one of these too as I really enjoyed a late Speckled Wood surge at the start of October. That Friday at Lakeside in grass by a lake by the lake I saw a Common Blue butterfly which was a surprise. Then I saw two dragonflies which I am seeing a lot of over Lakeside during those weeks Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers with pairs of both looking to mate which was really interesting making it memorable for a sunny day. I also enjoyed seeing some blueweed there and taking picture of it flowers I liked seeing in early June too. That Sunday at Pennington by the coast the marshes I liked seeing Large White and some sea aster photographing the latter. I saw a lot of nice and late flowers those weeks both at home and in the wild alongside some more autumnal perhaps bramble flower that I really enjoyed a lot at Lakeside as I really noticed this year like no other how late flowers last in years as a whole. Or it being my first year of deeply observing flowers I didn’t really know but others observed that this is a notable thing of 2020 so many flowers staying out later. On Thursday 15th October on a very hot and sunny day I got another fantastic Speckled Wood view almost walking into it focusing my eyes on a bush and then all of a sudden seeing it there in front of me. I noticed nice flowers and joined-together Common Darters that day too, I saw both of these things the next really sunny day too. That following Sunday night a plume moth in the house landed on my water bottle lid right beside me making for a great photo opportunity, it stayed on my untouched in that time bottle lid for an hour or more a really intimate wild moment. I really did see so many of these plume moths in the house this year which was fantastic. I saw all sorts of insects in the house and whilst working from home really took notice of lots of lovely little insects which was a key theme of my year. The plume was still around the next evening after I walked at a still quite green looking Lakeside that Monday and all through the sunny walk I was delighted to see Common Darter dragonflies still doing well in October. That day it really was teeming with them I did see so many. The highlight of the day was seeing a male and female together, they were mating I got a nice picture of this or just starting mating as mating dragonflies are usually in a heart shape from the two of their bodies together quite beautifully. These two clearly had their reproductive organs connected but they were flying about and landed briefly so it was perhaps before the heart shape was formed to complete the copulation. I had seen the Common Darters particularly and other dragonflies do this at Lakeside a lot of times this year those few weeks being joined together in such a strong dragonfly and damselfly year I’ve had generally and at Lakeside. This moment and that day a strong part of that this year. That Thursday on a very sunny day I enjoyed seeing another spider in the house which was lovely as well as enjoy lots of flowers at home and see a another broad-leaved clover flower at Lakeside. The next day I loved seeing another Migrant Hawker there on a sunny Friday lunch time.

The following Monday I enjoyed seeing a Common Darter at Lakeside again as it became a bit of a day of flowers with broad-leaved clover and daisy seen very well by me on the way out of Lakeside and I took pictures and I took pictures of some pink and red ones in the garden which I had looked forward to doing so that day a sunny one, an interesting small moth possibly a brown house one as I had seen before was in my room that day too. I enjoyed seeing a hawker dragonfly either migrant (most likely) or southern by the Lakeside entrance that Wednesday still hanging on nearly into November by that point. I saw lots of daisies and broad-leaved clovers around those weeks flower species really hanging on. It stood out getting into the winter seeing the clovers alongside other stars of my flower year really nicely seen a great reminder of summer sea aster and common toadflax the next day at Lymington in the Lymington-Keyhaven nature reserve at the bottom of the New Forest. In my bonus eleventh highlights post this year about my November and December I also wrote about topics covered in this blog.

[starlling-writes]

Bewitching Monsters - Leshen

Series Rating: 18+ Chapter Contains: swearing, sexual scenes Pairing: f/genderfluid BeMo Masterlist   ☆  Writing Masterlist

A/N: If you reblog this, PLEASE DO NOT TAG IT AS WEND*GO! This is not a wend*go. While the leshen in this story might shift and appear similar to the common image of a one, it’s completely unrelated to any of the Indigenous Americans’ folklore of said creature. Sure, it’s a more well known tag than leshen, but that’s not the point. If I see you tagging this as wend*go, you’re gonna get blocked.

— — —

My limbs stung like hell as heat returned to them. Sitting up was a struggle, but I needed to move, needed to get my circulation up. I didn’t recognize where I was. It was a cozy log cabin a bit smaller than my own home. I didn’t remember how I got here.

After escaping the castle of some murderous vampires, I hopped on my broom and started my way home. I avoided the train, knowing they’d look for me there. Flying would take longer, but I was banking on the vampires checking my home and moving on by the time I got there. I also banked on Vérus not putting up with any lookout they might try leaving.

My broom was only able to carry me a few hours away before it needed to recharge. By then I was well into the woods. I took my cloak from my haversack to keep warm. While I didn’t need to worry about its warmth spell running out, it wasn’t a true solution against the cold. I quickly realized my folly in my rushed decision to stay off the beaten paths. There were plenty of dead branches around for a fire. But without some sort of shelter, this situation would quickly become as deadly as the one I just escaped from.

Someone had to have rescued me. But who? And how far off my path had they taken me?

“Hello?” I tentatively called out. The only things I heard were the crackling fire and the wind hissing outside.

Walking sent needles up through my legs. I wobbled my way through the house, checking the rooms, finding no one. The smell of fresh bread led me to the kitchen. There was a small loaf sitting on the table, cooling on a cloth, and the sight of it made my stomach grumble.

“Help yourself.”

I screamed and whipped around. I tripped over my feet and my hip met the edge of the table. Ignoring the pain burning in my side, I met the concerned eyes of a moth. If I had met them outside, I would have easily mistaken them for a snow sculpture if they stood still. Even their robes were icy white.

“Careful.” They tentatively held out a hand towards me, ready to assist. “Take it slow. You’re safe here. My name is Theophania.”

“Hello.” I bowed my head; it was a bit late for greetings but better than never. “You can call me Witch.”

“What were you doing in the woods?”

“Running from death.”

“Well you nearly meet it anyways.” She went to the fireplace and removed the lid from the cauldron hanging over the fire. The rich scent of stew wafted around me. “Soup is nearly done. Please, relax. You can eat in here or out on the couch. You can even eat while in the bath, if you so choose.” She laughed lightly to herself as she stirred the stew.

“I’m sorry, but where exactly am I?”

Theophania set down the spoon and replaced the lid on the cauldron. She turned and looked at me, her eyes haunting voids that revealed nothing. Her antenna, however, drooped back, giving me a sense of unease. “You’re in der Schwarzwald. Or Feldberg Forest, as most outsiders call it.”

You’ve heard tales of these woods. The forest was an entity of its own, one obstinately set against letting any society try to tame it. It wasn’t a place to go wandering. Tales say, if you were lucky, you’d just wander for endless hours and end up roughly where you started. If you weren’t lucky, the woods would become your grave. It was hard to say what stories were true and what ones were fanciful tales for entertainment.

As my situation sunk in, Theo slowly nodded. “Rest up. You’ll be meeting the waldschrat soon.”

Waldschrat—who or what was that?

 Theo was a lovely host during the two long days before I met the waldschrat. She gave me space, cooked phenomenal meals, and it was beyond cozy to snuggle with her on the couch while drinking tea.

While all that was nice, it didn’t dissuade my anxiety.

I knew it was time the moment Theo walked into the room. Her antennas were down flat and she held her hands tightly in front of her. I threw on my cloak and boots and followed her out.

The walk was silent, save for the crunching of snow under my feet. I thought of using my broom but now didn’t feel like the time to use any magic. Gods, the silence was imposing. Did anything else live in these woods? There were no other houses along our walk. I didn’t even find eyes watching from the shadows.

Theo stopped and I almost ran into her. My focus had been scattered everywhere else but snapped to mass of branches and moss in front of us. There was no snow on it. She grabbed my arm and yanked me down to my knees like her. Curse the freezing snow. As soon as she released me, I adjusted my cloak under the knees to fight against the chill.

The air rushed from behind us and swirled in a mini cyclone around the snowless mound. Then it moved. The mound grew and contorted, taking on the form of a satyr. A nightmarish satyr. A skull emerged from the branches, a raccoon I think. Blue fire sparked to life in its eyes. Ah. Waldschrat must be their term for leshen, I thought.

“Sorcerer,” crept a voice, like a whisper grew legs and skittered around like a frantic bug. “How did you come by my favor?”

It would be easier to answer if I knew what their favor was. The leshen approached, shifting as they did. Now they looked like a cervitaur with a fox skull—still nightmarish too. They hooked a claw under the twig necklace. Clarity struck. “A vampire named Aleril gave it to me before I fled Castelul Corvinilor.”

“Ah. Him.” They pulled their claw away, letting the necklace fall against my skin. It no longer felt like metal. I wanted to look, to see if it was different now, but I didn’t dare look away from the leshen. “Tell me, sorcerer. Can you cast a Grand Rite?”

“I can.”

“Then how about a bargain? I shall take you to the edge of my woods, if you perform the Rite.”

“Forgive my forwardness—why do you need a Grand Rite?”

The leshen shifted again to an amorphic mound of underbrush and detritus. “Sustenance has become scarce. I am hoping the Rite will help aid in the matter.”

Surely there were better rituals than the Grand Rite for such a thing, but I didn’t argue. “Has a druid not been able to help?”

“There’s no longer any close enough to bargain.”

“I see.” I wasn’t sure how much help I could be. I wanted to help; but as a witch, I wasn’t sure if what they were offering would equal the payment for such a ritual. I called to the Grand Scales. The ibis was sitting in its nest and regarded me for a long moment before making its decision. As I thought, the ritual required more. Hopefully the leshen won’t mind. “I can perform the Rite. However, as I am a witch, my magic will cost more than just safe travel.”

Judging by how they shifted back to a looming, monstrous form complete with wolf skull, I’d say the leshen wasn’t fond of my response. “What are your demands then?”

It was taking everything I had not to shiver. “As this is your forest, I’ll need you to participate in the Rite with me and lend some of your magic to the spell.”

They cocked their head like a quizzical animal. “Is that all?”

“No,” I hesitated. “I’ll need a spell in return.”

“What spell?” they growled.

Finding words was difficult now. “The Scales weren’t very… concise on that part. But there’s some spell you know that I apparently require.” When they didn’t respond, I rambled on. “Of course, I wouldn’t teach the spell with anyone else; and I swear by the Grand Scales to not abuse it. Or maybe you could just cast it for me when I need it, that way you don’t even have to teach it—”

“Very well,” they cut me off.

 The rest of the day, and into the next, everyone prepped for the ritual. There were a surprising number of forest folk now. Mostly, they gathered enough ribbon for the maypole—and dying more red ribbon. Some prepared food for a small feast afterwards. All simple work, but time consuming.

When it was time for the ritual, it was amazing to see how beautiful the ritual space was. Eight saplings circled the center, stretching up and meeting in the center to form a cage around the area I’d perform the Rite. At the top of the trees, the ribbons were secured in a red-white alternating pattern. Faerie lights bobbed around, giving off gentle light.

I approached the central area and noticed delicate runes carved into the saplings. In the middle laid a bed of furs. Hopefully they’d be enough to keep me warm because I wouldn’t be able to rely on my cloak during the ritual. I sat down and started meditating, getting into the proper headspace.

By the time I was ready, the leshen was already patiently waiting beside me in a humanoid form with an elk skull. “You ready?” I asked.

“At your leisure,” they nodded.

I removed my robe and shivered as goosebumps instantly covered my body—skyclad outside in winter was a bitch. I settled before my singing bowl, thankful for the furs. I picked up the mallet, hit the edge three times, then slowly drew the mallet around the rim of the bowl. The hum hung in the air as I carried out the start of the ritual. Just before the note died out, I rang the bowl three more times.

Then the band kicked up. Okay, it wasn’t much of a band, but there were enough drums, a couple fiddles, and a flute to make a nice tune. Other members of the forest took up their ribbons. I moved over to the leshen and straddled over them. They already shifted their form appropriately. Then, on cue, the forest dwellers started weaving the maypole ribbons as I lowered myself down onto the leshen’s phallus.

A creature like a leshen had no need for sex, so I wasn’t surprised by their lack of skill. But I was fine with doing all the work. It actually made it easier to channel the magic that way. I leaned forward, splaying my hands across their chest and pushing them down. This position was much better than lotus. A growl rumbled from the leshen. Then they grabbed my hips and met my rhythm. Either they were a quick learner or I was very wrong about my initial assumption.

I was not complaining.

The leshen surprised me further when I felt a large press against my entrance. I let out a gasp then glanced down between my legs. Before, the leshen’s phallus had been basic and human. Now it had a lovely knot towards the base of the shaft.

“Would you prefer I changed back?” they asked.

“No, it’s fine. I was just surprised.” I pushed down and relished how the knot stretched me. It was even more delightful as it popped in and out of me as I continued riding them. How was this the first time I fucked someone with a knot? Sure, I had a dildo or two with them, but they obviously didn’t have the same wonderful power that the leshen was putting into their thrusts.

“Fuck me from behind,” I panted. If I wasn’t so focused on the ecstasy I would have been more impressed—and maybe a bit creeped out—by how the leshen simply flowed and shifted, reforming behind me while they never stopped thrusting deep into me.

Perks of a shifter species.

Another great thing was that, since the leshen was mostly wood, it felt like I was being spanked with a paddle with each pump. Would they leave my ass red and bruised? The thought sent a rush of excitement pulsing through me.

I wouldn’t be surprised if I came before the maypole finished.

Holding myself up grew difficult. I slid down onto my forearms, my face burying into the warm furs. I no longer needed their warmth. My fingers dug into the fur as moan after moan rocked out of me. I was drowning in bliss.

The leshen’s grip constricted tight around my lower body. I wasn’t sure about them, but I wasn’t going to last much longer. Between the knot, the paddling, and the tight binding… Damn, this had been such a turn of events. I was grateful now for all the circumstances that led to this wonderful Rite.

My orgasm hit and washed through me, blocking out the world for a moment. After the initial wave of pleasure, I focused and weaved the energy we had built for the spell. The leshen release their grip and sat back on the furs beside me. I gradually got to my feet—with a little help from them—and finished off the ritual. If this Rite didn’t help bring fertility to this forest, I had no idea what would.

With the ritual done, I plopped back down on the furs, stretched, then curled up on my side. “I’m going to take a nap now, if that’s alright.”

The leshen leaned over and nuzzled my hair. They pulled my discarded cloak over me before settling against my back. “Rest well, little one.”

— — —

A/N: If you reblog this, PLEASE DO NOT TAG IT AS WEND*GO! This is not a wend*go. If I see you tagging this as such, you’re gonna get blocked.

BeMo Masterlist  ☆  Writing Masterlist Story:  Previous   —   Next

[lunadensmidnightprowl]

New Moon Dreams - Chapter 2

Well here’s chapter 2 of New Moon Dreams!

~~~ Wifi Has Changed Us ~~~

Alexia had always been careful to keep her superhero alias as Lunaden from her friends, family, and adopted sister/crush, Claire.  But as the Lunaden fan base grows after her epic save of Paris, and evidence that could unearth her secret becomes apparent, Claire isn't the only one who grows suspicious of Alexia.  The superheroine's identity is at risk, will it stay a secret, especially from Claire?

3rd Person POV

        If you had looked up one fateful night, two nights before it all began, you would have seen the hero trio running across rooftops, hurrying to take down a rerisen foe.  You would have seen Ladybug call her Lucky Charm, Chat Noir wield his Cataclysm, and Lunaden bring an Eclipse to her form.  You would have seen the villain fall under their might, brought down by their force, then be risen again as the evil was taken out of him.  You would have seen the restoration of life from just two words, the call of victory from the heroes, and their disappearance.  Lunaden and Chat, blending into the night like they owned it, Ladybug not finding it hard to vanish as well, they were not to be seen until they were called for yet again.  But that would be sooner than they thought.

~ Alexia ~ 

(This little section is actually the day before that fateful night mentioned above - like this is what happened, then what happened on the night)

        It had been a week after her defeat of the villain Sculptori as her super alias Lunaden, but she was already noticing the wolf heroine's rising fame.  However, she wasn't so sure how well she liked it, there were, well, problems that could arise with it.  Alexia had done a little research on the beginning of Ladybug and Chat Noir just for an idea what it might be like for her as she started her regime over Paris.  It seemed that there had been people who were set on finding their secret identities, people who were still trying.

        Sure, there were problems being a new superhero, but there had to be good things about being one too.  Alexia didn't mind one of them when she discovered it a few days ago.

* 4 Days Ago *

        "Hey Claire," Alexia said, walking down the hall and opening the door to her sister's room, "Mom wants to know what you... whoa."

        "What was that?" Claire asked innocently, turning off her computer and swiveling around in her chair to face Alexia.

        "What was that?" Alexia sent the question back at her, crossing her arms as she did so.

        "What was what?" 

        Alexia put her arms down and walked over to Claire, the girl was shuffling somewhat nervously in her chair.  "What was that on your computer?"

        "Homework," Claire replied.

        "Then why did you turn it off when I came in?" Alexia countered.

        "Surprise project."

        Alexia was the master of secrets and lies in her household, though no one knew that, you kinda had to be if you were a superhero.  She saw right through this little cover pulled to hide her real actions.  "I'm in all of your classes, we have no surprise project."

        "Extra credit," Claire tried again.

        "I've never seen you raise your hand in class or go and talk to the teacher," Alexia said.

        "I emailed her," she lied.

        "No you didn't."  Whatever she had been doing, Alexia was determined to find out because Claire seemed to be digging herself deeper and deeper into a hole just to get out of the situation.

        "Yes I did."

        "No you didn't."

        And so it went.

        "Ok fine!  It's not extra credit." Claire cracked.

        "Then what is it?" Alexia asked.

        "Private."

        "C'mon, you can tell me," she begged.

        Claire groaned, putting her forehead to her desk, "You never rest do you?"

        Alexia put her head next to Claire's now raised head, "Never," she said with a cheeky smile.

        Claire sighed, she just wanted for this to end, "You promise you won't tell?"

        Alexia thought of all the secrets she had that only her kwami knew, who for the record, was also a secret.  "I promise."

        She sighed again and turned on her computer. 

        If Alexia had been drinking anything she would have done a spit take, "You have a crush on Lunaden?"

        "Yes, and I'm already regretting telling you," Claire said through narrowed eyes.

        "Well, its just that you don't have to feel embarrassed about that.  There are probably plenty of people at school have a crush on Ladybug and Chat Noir, Lunaden too no doubt."  Alexia said.

        Claire looked almost hopeful, probably relieved she wasn't alone in a boat, "You really think so?"

        Alexia was confident, "I know so."  She walked back out of the room, stopping at the doorway so she could mime zipping up her mouth, "My lips are sealed."  She walked down the hall again before stopping, peeking once more into the doorway, this time miming unzipping her mouth, "By the way, what do you want for dinner?"

* Back to the Present-ish/Time Skip * - brought to you by Skai's obsession of candied fruit  (I literally don't know right now)

        Ever since Alexia found out about her sister's crush on her superhero self, she longed to reveal her secret to Claire.  It was kinda funny, Alexia liked Claire, but Claire like Lunaden, who happened to be Alexia but she didn't know it.

        "It's for the greater good," Lunaden said one night, climbing in through her window after a superhero exploit (It is that fateful night).  She sulked over and laid face down on her bed, "If I told her no doubt it would somehow get to Hawk Moth and then so many people would be in danger."

        She detransformed, fading back into Alexia, no longer powering her owner's superhero form, Skai zipped over to a bag of candied fruit left on Alexia's desk and began ferreting around in it.  "Maybe once Hawk Moth's defeated you'll be able to tell her Lexi," Skai said after stuffing her mouth, poking her head out of the bag.

        Alexia rolled onto her back and smiled at her kwami, "Maybe, but for now I'll just add it to the pile of things I want to tell her.  Right next to my crush on her."

        "You should really get on that," Skai commented, putting one more piece of fruit into her mouth before flying to rest on the pillow beside Alexia's head.

        The girl finally started to relax, "I'm not worried about it Skai.  As long as Claire has a crush on Lunaden, then I have time."

~ Claire ~

        Claire listened for any sounds that might have come from her family, she wanted to make sure they were asleep before she was going to do anything.  Upon hearing nothing but familiar nighttime noises, she carefully and quietly climbed out of bed and over to her computer.  The screen lit up and it hummed to life as Claire placed her hand onto the mouse.  It clicked under her hand as she moved from website to website.  The earbuds that had been placed into her ears buzzed as she watched video after video.

        It was hours when Claire finally grew tired of her project and began to close the many tabs and windows on her computer.  Before she turned off the device however she stared at her week old desktop picture, it had been screenshotted from some news footage.

        As she admired her desktop, Claire absentmindedly fingered a necklace that usually hid behind her shirt.  The necklace was silver chain and heart pendant, something that had been supposed to have been given to a crush almost a moon ago.  Reflected light from the computer screen flashed across the pendant before it was released from the girl's grasp, falling back into place around her neck.

        Claire placed her left index and middle fingers to her lips and then to a certain spot on the computer screen.  "I will find you, and then we will be together at last..."  The computer was shut off and the room plunged into complete darkness.

~ Alya ~

        Alya woke up early the next morning to several new comments on her Ladyblog.  Ever since Lunaden's legendary save of Paris, anything on the blog mentioning the superhero got plagued with comments, about one thing.

        At first Alya tried to dissuade the idea, it hadn't worked with Ladybug and Chat Noir so why try with Lunaden?  However, after reading so many pleas and requests, Alya couldn't help but start to feel intrigued by the idea herself.  Lunaden had never said she couldn't try...

        She excitedly started to work, adrenaline pumping through her veins, this would be her biggest story yet.  Alya had barely started before a memory or the wolf hero flickered through her subconscious, "Can I trust you?" the vision asked.  She shook her head, that had nothing to do with what she was doing now, completely unrelated.  But, was it?

~ Alexia ~ 

        Alexia was proud of how far Claire had come in confidence ever since they moved to Paris, especially with all the akuma attacks.  She no longer dragged the girl around, so Claire walked off when Alexia stopped to talk to her friends.  Claire waved a 'See you later' to Alexia before starting up the steps, Alexia could feel a blush creeping onto her face before it disappeared with Alya's words.

        "I've found something out about Lunaden."

        She was talking to Alexia and Marinette but Alexia hadn't been paying her that much attention until that sentence.

        I've found something out about Lunaden.

        What did she find out?  Did she know that she was Lunaden?" Alexia was screaming in terror on the inside, paling in the face on the outside.

        Suddenly, Claire stood beside Alexia again, she was interested in what Alya had to say.  Neither Marinette nor Alya noticed Claire and Alexia just tried to control the worry starting to show in her face so she didn't give away her identity herself.

        "You know that app I have that can break down voices?" Alya asked Marinette, then addressed both of her friends, "Well according to it, Lunaden, just like Ladybug, is a girl our age."

        "That's really great bu-" Alexia started to fake a congratulations but she got interrupted by Marinette.

        "I don't think you should be trying to figure out Lunaden's secret identity," she said.

        Both Alexia and Alya looked at her quizzically, Marinette wasn't usually like this.  "Girl why not?" Alya protested.

        "Because!" Marinette waved her arms around for emphasise, "You could put everyone she knows in danger if Hawk Moth finds out who she is."

        Alya waved this away, "I wouldn't tell, I'd help her fight crime!"

        Alexia stifled a laugh, Alya, or should she say, Rena Rouge, already helped with that.

        The two looked like they were going to say something else but the bell rang, making the four of them sprint for their classroom.

        "Saved by the bell," Alexia murmured.

***

        That day was hotter than usual, every classroom filled with a stifling and muggy heat.

        After lunch, it was even hotter.  Beads of sweat rolled down Alexia's face continuously, other people having similar reactions.  Alexia was hating what she wearing, black jeans, a blue long sleeved shirt, and a purple hoodie like vest, why did it have to be so hot?  She was even dispising her signature footwear, red high top converse.

        "Ms. Bustier," Mylene raised her hand, "Can we please open a window or something?"

        Everyone was thankful for the kind teacher who agreed.  They weren't so happy though when a swarm of pigeons flew into the room, about 17 or so.  Several went after Chloe and her "BFF" Sabrina, appearing to be trying to peck them to death, the other pigeons were flying around the classroom causing disorder.  

        No one noticed when Alexia pulled out her phone and stared at it from its hiding place under her desk.  "Mr. Pigeon," she growled, turning on the news, "I should have known."

        Alexia raised her hand and asked to go to the bathroom, but it was almost impossible to tell if Ms. Bustier allowed her to leave.  So Alexia just left.

        She raced down the hall, sprinting into the bathroom as fast as she could, hearing footsteps behind her.  Quickly locking herself in a stall, she transformed.  "Skai, Howl Time!" she whispered and as soon as she got her powers she leapt out of the small window in the bathroom, right as the door started to open behind her.

~ Lunaden POV ~  (*gasp* yes I am starting to do first person POVs :P)

        I was standing on a rooftop, about 3 blocks from school, trying to find Mr. Pigeon.  This was the craziest villain name of them all, I mean, who names themselves Mr. Pigeon?  But I wasn't just trying to locate this bad news birdy bandit but also waiting for Little Cat and Ladybug, they had still not become active according to my disc.  I closed it back up, sighing as I did so, and went back to searching for the feathery fiend from my post.

        "How's it going Lulu?  Are you working like a dog?" a voice asked behind me a few minutes later.  I jumped a little, surprised by Chat Noir's sudden appearance.

        Regaining my composure and adding a deadpan expression, I shrugged, "Eh..."

        "What do you think this bird brain's squawking about now?" I asked as Ladybug jumped up beside us.

        "No idea, he may have a grudge against the mayor or his daughter though, I saw her being attacked by pigeons earlier," the bug responded.  "We have to find him first."

        "I'm no bird dog but I'll try my best," I smiled, pointing at my nose to indicate that I have a strong sense of smell.  I leapt to my feet and walked around the rooftop, sniffing the air.

        "Lucky," I heard Noir mutter.

        "And why is it that I'm lucky Little Chat?" I asked, stopping my search to look at him.

        He looked taken aback that I had heard him.  I snickered, "Strong sense of hearing too," the fluffy ears on the top of my head twitched.

        "He's allergic to feathers," Ladybug said.

        "Well that's helpful," I smirked, turning back to sniff out Mr. Pigeon.

***

        "Pound it," the three of us heroes said as Mr. Pigeon turned back into Mr. Ramier and everything returned to normal.

        My miraculous beeps, another blue point bites the dust, "I've gotta run!" I said quickly hurrying away and into an alley.

        "Silent Night," I say and detransform.  Even without my powers I have an excellent sense of hearing and I could make out footsteps coming closer to my alley.

        I panicked and ran, turning to the left as I reached the end of the alley and running onto a sideroad.  Sprinting back to the school, using anything for cover to lose my pursuer.

        Coming up to school I thought I lost them, breathing out in relief.

***

        I ran to keep up with Lunaden as she disappeared into an alley, this was my chance to figure her out.  Setting my phone to record, a flash of blue light came out of the alley and I ran forward even faster, maybe I could catch her!

        Lunaden must have heard me coming because she ran, her shadow vanishing as she ran around a corner.  I kept after her but she seemed to have disappeared entirely when I came to the other side of the alley.

        Sighing with disappointment, I turned off the camera and pulled up the footage I had managed to get.  There was the flash of blue light, the camera jiggling as I ran, and then the girl's shadow turning a corner.  A splash of color caught my attention, pausing the video right before the shadow vanished, I saw it.  Lunaden's shoe.  The camera had managed to get a picture of what her shoe looked like as it peeked around the corner.

        A lead!  I had a lead to find out who Lunaden was, it was someone who wore this kind of shoe, a red high top converse.

(Oh no! 😱 Alya found out Lunaden's shoe which also happens to be Alexia's signature shoe!)

~ Alexia POV ~

        My phone chirped with a new text as I was making my way back to Ms. Bustier's class.

*To you and Marinette*

Alya:  I got a lead on Lunaden!  Her shoe is a red high top converse

        I was screaming inside my head, not wanting to attrack attention if I did it out loud.

Marinette:  Doesn't Lexi wear the same kind of shoe?

        I tried to stifle a scream when I read that, I did scream but thankfully it wasn't that loud.  Why Marinette? Why? 

Alexia:  You guys remember I'm on this chat right?

Alexia:  And before you ask, no, I am not Lunaden

Alya:  You're still on the suspect list, not many people wear that kind of shoe

Alexia:  C'mon Alls, I'm not Lunaden  I'd tell you if I was

Marinette:  Well if I was Lunaden I wouldn't tell you guys to protect my identity

Alexia:  Well in all seriousness Mari, are you Lunaden?

Alexia:  jk  I know you're not

Alya:  True, her hair color isn't the same  wait, girls I just thought of something

Alexia:  Alls, later  cuz don't we have to be in class?

***

        Alya approached me after school when I was in the locker room, grabbing some things from my locker before I headed home.

        "Hey Alls," I said, "Whatcha need?"

        "Oh nothing," she replied, then whispered the next part, "...Lunaden."

        "Wh-what?!" I sputtered, "I'm not Lunaden."

        "Girl I know you are.  Your shoes match the picture of Lunaden's shoe I got earlier today, you have brown hair, in a braid I might add, like her, your eyes are also exactly like hers." Alya said.

        I was getting frustrated and kind of desperate at this point, "No." I said firmly, "I Am. Not. Lunaden."

        Alya was oblivious to my rising anger and seemed to only process that I had denied being the wolf heroine once more.  "C'mon it's obvious girl."

        "I AM FLIPPING NOT HER ALYA!!!" I screamed, my temper finally getting the better of me.  "Just quit your little obsession before you do something that you regret!" 

        Everyone was staring at me, my face was red not only from anger but also from embarrassment, I ran.  Leaving a very hurt, and somewhat ticked, Alya behind.

3rd Person POV

        Alya was walking home, staring at her phone as she made her way down the sidewalk.  The phone was split screened between a picture of Lunaden's civilian shoe and a picture of Alexia's shoes.

        The akuma fluttered down, being absorbed into the phone and the device went dark, Hawk Moth speaking through it.

        "Nice to see you again Lady Wifi.  You believe your friend is lying to you, hiding the truth.  Just like before I'm giving you the power to expose the liars and unmask the truth.  These powers come at price and you know what I want, but there's something more, Lunaden's miraculous as well." Hawk Moth said.

        "Liars are losers Hawk Moth," Alya, er, Lady Wifi said. "The truth is what I'll tell," she smirked.

        And Alya was akumatized.

~ Alexia POV ~

        I was doing my homework, ugh, and still being a little frustrated with Alya.  She never gave up did she?

        Relieved for the distraction of my phone buzzing with a news alert, I set my homework aside and picked it up.  Almost immediately dropping it afterwards, I was sure what was on the screen when I abandoned the device was the news caption, 'Lady Wifi Returns'.

        I ran upstairs and into my room, locking the door before I ran to the other side of the room and opened the window, crawling through it and onto the fire escape.

        "Skai, Howl Time!" I said and transformed, before I jumped off of the structure and onto a rooftop nearby.  Running across rooftops I met up with Ladybug and Chat Noir, it wasn't that hard to find Wifi after that.  She was going down the street, floating along on a play symbol, throwing pauses at people who were wearing red shoes.

        "You're not Lunaden," she said every time after she froze someone.

        I didn't like her freezing innocent people so I called down to her, "Of course they're not Glitch!  I'm Lunaden!"

        She turned and looked up at us, a grin on her face, "Oh I know that."  And she disappeared.

        "Where did she go?" I heard Chat ask but I was already on top of the situation, looking around for her.  I found her standing farther down the street, cars in front of her jammed in traffic.

        The girl in black projected her image into the sky, "Your heroes are going to be torn between two, the truth and where their morality lies, or, hundreds of innocent lives."

        The projection disappeared and Wifi flew up on her play symbol.  She fired pauses into the lines of cars stationary on the street, trapping people inside.  Then she threw a fast forward symbol at a bus still several blocks away.  Based on its direction, it would smash into all the cars stuck to the pavement, probably killing the people inside.

        Lady Wifi cackled and digitized into little particles.  I could just make out the direction she was going in before the particles disappeared from sight.

        "Guys, I know where she's going!" I yelled.

        "Then go!  I'll take care of the bus!" Ladybug yelled back before she pulled herself with her yoyo to go stop the oncoming vehicle.

        I left, leaving Chat to stand there like an idiot, trying to decide what he should do.

***

        As I neared my apartment building, I saw a bright flash from the kitchen where I had left my phone.  I ran faster, Wifi searching my kitchen for myself, well, Alexia.  She left the room and burst into Claire's seconds later, dragging the girl in glasses out and into the living room.

        I burst through the unlocked glass door of the balcony and into the room, Wifi shot a lock symbol towards me but I ducked and the symbol locked the doors instead.  It wasn't even seconds later before I saw the boy in the black cat suit banging on the doors out of the corner of my eye.

        I ignored him and focused all of my attention on Wifi who had Claire in a chokehold.

        "Give me your miraculous or your friend here gets disconnected," she said.  Claire was struggling to remove the arm suffocating her, her face slowly turning a pale blue.

        "You evil virus!" I screeched and lunged at Wifi, tackling her and in the process getting her to release Claire.  We rolled and she ended up on top of me, using her phone to lock both my legs and an arm.

        She reached for my miraculous, starting to pull it off but I grabbed her wrist with my free arm, keeping her from pulling it off right away.  However the damage was already done, and since it was partially off, I started to detransform.

        I could see parts of my suit start to vanish, revealing the colors of my civilian clothing, a red converse coming into view, an ear starting to disappear from the top of my head.  I couldn't see it but I was sure there were holes in my tail is started to fade, even the color at the end of my hair was turning back to brown.  But the worst part was that my mask was vanishing, left to right.

        I turned my head so I could keep my identity hidden for a little longer, however long that would be.  The line of blue light that rimmed the disappearing side of my mask kept coming closer and closer to my eye, finally taking away the covering around it.  It was then that I saw what was on my left side, Claire groaning as she sat up, Noir banging on the glass doors of the balcony.  The mask was completely gone from around my left eye, starting to crawl over the bridge of my nose.  My two friends stared shocked at me, recognizing me without half of the mask, I was Alexia.

        "Help me." I mouthed to them.

        Claire jumped up and lunged for Wifi, Chat using his Cataclysm on the doors.  When Claire pushed Wifi off me however, my miraculous got pulled away in the villain's hand and I was completely detransformed.  

        "Get out of here, we'll make sure she doesn't see you," Little Cat said to me as I quickly got to my feet and ran.  I tried the door to my room, locked, damn me and my stupid hero habits!  I ran into Claire's room instead, the door was still open, off of one hinge, from when Lady Wifi had slammed it open. 

        There wasn't a fire escape directly outside Claire's window, the one outside my window was a few feet away though.  I looked down, the ground was a good two stories away, if I fell, I had a nice long life right?  Ehhhmm, probably.  Pushing off with as much force as I could, I jumped, my hand just catching a bar from the fire escape.  I pulled myself up, heart beating fast.  Definitely not gonna try that again anytime soon.

        From where I stood I could see Ladybug flying over buildings with the aid of her yoyo, probably searching for Wifi and Chat.

        "Ladybug!" I shouted, waving my arms as if I was a bird trying desperately to fly, "Lady Wifi's over here!"  I only saw her coming towards me before I went back inside through my own window this time.  Unlocking the door and peeking down the hall, the bug hero probably had used the cataclysmed balcony doors because there she was.  Trying to snatch Wifi's phone as the villain wrestled with Noir and even Claire.

        "HOW DARE YOU?!" Claire was screaming, punching Wifi with all the force she had.

        "Easy tiger," Noir pulled Claire off the now unakumatized (I'm not sure what else to call it) Alya, Ladybug purifying the akuma. 

        She threw her Lucky Charm into the air, whatever that had been, "Miraculous Ladybug!"

        Everything was fixed and returned to normal, but unfortunately for me, my miraculous was not returned to me.  I looked down the hall again, it was still in Alya's hand.

        "Wha...  What happened?" the girl asked, she took her phone back from Ladybug.

        "You got turned back into Lady Wifi," she replied.

        Alya looked at the blues and the white of the bow laying in her palm, "This, this is Lunaden's miraculous.  How, why do I have it?"

        "You took it during the fight," Little Cat replied, "Lunaden had to run before you saw her."

        "Wait, it's unlikely you would know that unless...?" Ladybug turned to Chat.

        "I know her real identity, so does Claire," he gestured to the girl who was now standing next to him.

        Alya handed him the bow, "Make sure she gets it back, and tell her, I'm sorry."

        Chat took it, he was about to say something but his miraculous beeping cut him off.  

        I ducked into my room again as Noir left, hurrying over to my window, he was already there.  "So Lulu, this is the real you?" 

        I placed my hands on my hips, "What? Am I too awesome for you?"

        He smirked, tossing me my miraculous, "Well, I'd stay longer but I'm almost out of time.  See you around Lexi."

        "Wait..." I murmured, but Chat was already gone.  How did he know my name?  That my nickname was Lexi?

***

        "Alya, I'm sorry," I said as I stood in her doorway.  "I should never have said those things to you, because of me, you got akumatized."

        Alya's facial expression softened and she smiled at me, "It's okay Lexi, part of that was my fault too.  I didn't notice I was making you so angry."

        "No, it was my fault.  I just didn't want you to think I'm Lunaden, 'cause I'm no hero.  I'm, well, I like to call it a naughty angel, but I am definitely not a hero." I said.  I was surprised when Alya hugged me.

        "You are a hero Lexi, maybe not like Lunaden, but in your own way."

        "Thanks Alls."

***

        The apartment felt strangely empty, dad was still in Tennessee and mom was on a business trip, it was just me and Claire.

        I knocked on her door, "Come in," she answered, "...Lunaden."

        I laughed nervously, "So, earlier... you saw that?"

        "Yeah I saw it."

        "You're not disappointed are you? I mean, you kinda had a crush on her..." I was fiddling with my hands, visibly nervous.

        Claire had been sitting on her bed, reading a book (oh my gosh she's so retro!!!  XD) but she placed it down and stood up, walking over.  My face flushed a little as she placed her hands on my shoulders, then she hugged me and I could feel my face go scarlet.  Why was everyone hugging me today?

        "I'm glad it's you." she said.

        If my face could go redder it would have.  Claire laughed when she saw my face after pulling away, "What's with, all of that?" she gestured to my face that was glowing like a stop light.

        "Well its just, I have a crush on you.  And you well, have a crush on Lunaden.  Then there's what happened earlier..." I trailed off, unsure if I said what I said at a good time.  We just stared at each other, standing in an awkward silence, Claire's face flushed red a little.

        My jaw hit the floor when I felt something peck my cheek, Claire pulling away.  Her face went a little redder when she saw my reaction.

        "That's really sweet of you, and I do love you, kind of like that but mostly, you know, sisterly.  But it's probably for the best if we don't start dating." She admitted.

        I was confused about why, I wanted to ask her but the words weren't able to escape my lips.  Why couldn't I just ask her?  Why was it now that I decided to clam up?

        Claire noticed my confusion, "It's just, you're a superhero...  I'm just a plain, somewhat demented and disturbed civilian...  I don't think it could work out.  If someone finds out that I'm dating Lunaden, well, your identity could be discovered, I could be used as a ransom, people could get hurt...  Maybe someday I'll date you, but that's not now."

        I wasn't sure how I brought myself to nod before I left the room.  Did Claire just reject me?  Did I just get friendzoned?

        My mood was dark and after the few hours it had been after getting my miraculous back, Skai spoke to me.

        "Lexi please, cheer up!  You can't let yourself get akumatized!"

        That's just what today had to be about wasn't it?  Akuma this, akuma that.  Don't get akumatized!  However much I wanted to yell right now, Skai was right, I had to get myself under control.  I put earbuds in my ears and picked a random song on the playlist of my phone, ironically it was Princesses Don't Cry by Avia.  Closing the door, I sang along to the song.  (I do not own the lyrics!)

"Boys. They're handsome and strong But always the first to tell me I'm wrong Boys try to tame me, I know They tell me I'm weird and won't let it go No, I'm fine I'm lying on the floor again Cracked door I always wanna let you in Even after all of this shit I'm resilient Cause a princess doesn't cry (no) A princess doesn't cry (no-o) Over monsters in the night Don't waste our precious time On boys with pretty eyes A princess doesn't cry (no) A princess doesn't cry (no-o) Burning like a fire You feel it all inside But wipe your teary eyes Cause princesses don't cry Don't cry, don't cry Oh Don't cry, don't cry Oh Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, oh Cause princesses don't cry Girls so pretty and poised and soft to the touch But God made me rough Girls, so heavy the crown They carry it tall, but it's weighing me down No, I'm fine I'm lying on the floor again Cracked door You're only going to let them in once And you won't come undone Cause a princess doesn't cry (no) A princess doesn't cry (no-o) Over monsters in the night Don't waste our precious time On boys with pretty eyes A princess doesn't cry (no) A princess doesn't cry (no-o) Burning like a fire You feel it all inside But wipe your teary eyes Cause princesses don't cry Don't cry, don't cry Oh Don't cry, don't cry Oh Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry Oh Cause princesses don't cry I'm fine, I won't waste my time Keep it in a jar, and we'll leave it for the next one Yeah I'm fine, I won't waste my time Keep it in a jar, and we'll leave it for the next one Yeah I'm fine I'm lying on the floor again Cause a princess doesn't cry (no) A princess doesn't cry (no-o) Over monsters in the night Don't waste our precious time On boys with pretty eyes A princess doesn't cry (no) A princess doesn't cry (no-o) Burning like a fire You feel it all inside But wipe your teary eyes Cause princesses don't cry Don't cry, don't cry Oh Don't cry, don't cry Oh Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry Oh Cause princesses don't cry Don't cry, don't cry Oh Don't cry, don't cry Oh Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry Oh Cause princesses don't cry"

        As I finished singing, I wiped actual tears from my eyes.  The song had calmed me down but my head still felt foggy, maybe a patrol would clear my head.

        "Skai, Howl Time!" I transformed and leapt out my window to go patrol.

        Bad idea...