Rather than being a lachrymose condition brought on by over-exposure to the South Downs, the chalk-hill blue is a butterfly, rather unsurprisingly found around chalk downland. Very nice too. I’ve been noticing lots and lots of butterflies this summer, while pedalling around the South Downs; are there more than usual this summer? Who knows, maybe it’s just one of those things about middle-age – you start noticing different things and inevitably, so it seems, take up gardening at some point.
As well as butterflies, there are lots of other flying bugs around – I’ve swallowed a few, usually as I’m haring downhill with my mouth wide open like a two-wheeled, land-dwelling version of a basking shark hoovering-up the plankton. Doh! Anyway, I was also rather painfully stung or bitten on the sternum today by something that I thought was a wasp, but I’m now inclined to think was a horsefly (or cleg if you’re from the north) on account of the growing circular red patch on my chest. Boohoo.
Another big boohoo is that I find writesofway is now carrying ads without anyone having asked me if that’s ok. WordPress say it helps pay the bills, well I pay for my domain name thanks very much. Could’ve asked. Most of the ads are entirely inoffensive, but I just don’t want advertising on my site. I can pay $30 dollars a year to not have ads. Thanks, but it’s probably time to get a ‘proper’ website, I suppose. Nothing lasts for ever. Anyway, on a happier note here’s another pic of that little chalk-hill blue:
If lepidoptery’s your thing, there’s some good butterfly pics included in Julian Hoffman’s stimulating post about the meanings in maps.
Writes of Way 
I can’t see the ads Pete. Tried looking for them but they are being shy and elusive. Are their ads on my blog? I do hope not. I have also thought about paying extra for my own domain thang but all it means is that I won’t have the wordpress name on the url.
Bloody Hell! At first I suspected that the whole ads thing must have been an hallucination due to being bitten by an ergot-fly earlier in the day, but they have actually gone. You know why? I contacted wordpress and said I wasn’t happy and that if they wouldn’t remove them I’d go elsewhere and wouldn’t you know, they’ve pulled them! well done wordpress and well done me too!
Lovely image of the chalky blue. And just think of the butterflies you could attract and then photograph if you took up gardening!! I look forward to your futher investigation of the horticultural hobby; there would be so little time for the vegetables….
The bite.If its just a red blotch thats ok.If it looks like a bulls eye with different couloured circles it could be a sheep tick bite thats infected.I had to look this up after getting over 50 sheep ticks on Islay.Bob.I,ve got a cousin lives near the south downs and have spent many holidays cycling there with her.Great area. bob.
Hello Bob, the bite calmed down and went away alright. Never been bitten by a tick on the South Downs, but like yourself have had plenty of deer ticks on Jura and Islay – sometimes dozens in one trip. The pesky critters get everywhere and anywhere! I thought that it was a real bonanza year for them this spring in the Southern Hebrides; the cold winter only seems to have encouraged them.
Much as I’m looking forward to getting back to some walking in Scotland, I’ve had a grand old time jungle-biking around the Downs; it’s very beautiful in an entirely different way to Scotland. It also amazes me that in the heart of the most densely populated corner of Britain you can be out in the hills all day and hardly see a soul. Where does your cousin stay, Bob?