Epping Forest - Late Summer/Early Autumn.

by Christian Moss October. 06, 2017 2851 views

Common or Viviparous Lizard - Lacerta vivipara / Zootoca vivipara

Two neonate lizards basking in the autumnal sunshine.

Such a wonderful time of year.

Wanstead Park Small Heath.

Still plenty of butterflies around.

Very lucky to see two melanistic adders in one morning.

This was the smaller of the two.

Wasp spider of Wanstead park.

Small Copper of Wanstead Park.

Many UK butterfly species continue to fly through September and beyond and, with few wildflowers in bloom at this time of year, butterflies are more likely to visit gardens for that vital drink of nectar.

Female adder seen on site two.

This was the bigger female melanistic adder.

Long horn cattle of Epping Forest.

More than 1,000 years of grazing by domestic animals has shaped the landscape of the Forest today.

Wanstead Park Red Admiral.

Sightings of the Red Admiral can continue well into November on sunny days and they are often reported during December, January and February when almost all other species of butterfly are unlikely to be seen.

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Brown Argus of Wanstead Park.

Wanstead Park - Migrant Hawker.

It flies late into the autumn and is likely to be the only Hawker found in November

Male Adder.

Common lizard basking on heather.

Throughout their range, melanistic (black) adders are not uncommon in the wild and they may even be more successful than the normal colour form as their darkened skin cells means that they can have a thermoregulatory advantage, and can warm up quicker. Black individuals can therefore feed on days which would be too cold for other individuals. These advantages can be offset by an increased risk of being discovered and eaten by predators compared to the normal-coloured specimens which are better camouflaged.