Speckled wood butterfly laying eggs

 Speckled wood butterflies have been expanding their range northwards, into County Durham and beyond, for fifteen years now. They've been visiting our garden for about a decade and for the last five years they've been present from early spring until late autumn, so we guessed that they must be breeding here, producing a second summer generation. Last week I found proof.

A female laying her eggs on grass stems, carefully placing them one at a time.

The tiny, glassy pale green eggs provide an excellent excuse for not pulling up the grasses that are infesting the flower borders.