At our staff conference today Mandy Haggith, poet in residence at the Botanics for the month of July, commented about the lack of butterflies she had seen in the Botanics since arriving. Afterwards I explained to her that this had probably been caused by the torrential rains of last summer combined with the cold winter and very late spring, all of which would have made life very difficult for butterflies. Hurrying back from my wildlife recording round in time for the staff photograph a couple of hours later, guess what – I saw a butterfly! And not just a white one. A small dark brown one that flitted low over the grass, settling ever so briefly on white clover flowers or grass leaves. I managed to take one or two photos – then my memory card said it was full and it was time for the staff photo anyway. Later, I identified the butterfly as a Ringlet, which has been seen in the Garden before. What a lovely surprise. I think a poem is needed!

Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus, RBGE Edinburgh 16 July 2013. Photo Robert Mill