The lure of some Queen-of-Spain Fritillaries near Brantham in Suffolk was to much to ignore on Sunday. Despite the weather not being ideal and a wind blowing over their favoured flower meadow some good views of c12 individuals were obtained when eventually some decided to settle. Now, these are 99% likely to be of dubious origin despite more records in recent years but lovely to see nonetheless. The Minsmere/Dunwich ones were an awfully long time ago! The meadow itself was worth a look with Common Cudweed, Bugloss, Field Pansy (the food plant of QoSF!), Alsike Clover, Lucerne and many others giving it a splash of colour.
After having our fill we relocated to Stutton and walked down to the Stour Estuary at Stutton Ness. Here I was delighted to find Lax-flowered Sea Lavender for only the 2nd time, Samphire sp, Common Cord-grass, Sea Aster, Sea Purslane, Lesser Sea Spurrey, Greater Sea Spurrey, Common Centaury and Butcher's Broom. On the walk back some naturalised Garden Clary held a new beetle for me - the attractive Red & Black Rhopalid (aka Cinnamon Bug). The hoverfly Volucella inaria was another new one for me on the return walk.
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