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Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Photo-a-Day Archive
Photo-a-Day Archive

Photo-a-Day  (Tuesday, 22nd August, 2023)

Over the Wutchie


Over the Wutchie
I took this photo over the Wutchie. I don’t know what make and model of Butterfly it is... but it’s colourful innit? Looks like it has two big eyes on it’s back.

Photo: Dennis Seddon  (Nikon D7500)
Views: 1,582

Comment by: Derek Platt on 22nd August 2023 at 00:57

Great photo, but I'm no flutterby expert, it could be a Monarch. I am sure someone will know.

Comment by: Garry on 22nd August 2023 at 02:06

It's a Peacock butterfly Dennis, the colour pattern eyes are a warning sign to predators. Very colourful and beautiful, but many of our butterflies and insects are being lost in our Countryside through climate change.

Comment by: frank on 22nd August 2023 at 07:11

Just been on google images and its a peacock butterfly.
It's a fine specimen too Dennis.Well done.

Comment by: Veronica on 22nd August 2023 at 07:26

It’s a peacock butterfly. The eyes serve as a defence to predators and it makes a hissing sound with its wings when alarmed. The colours are due to it’s environment. I haven’t seen many at all this year.

Comment by: Sandra on 22nd August 2023 at 07:26

Looks like a red admiral.

Comment by: Helen of Troy on 22nd August 2023 at 07:27

It's a Peacock buttefly Dennis, how it stayed still long enough for you to take the photo is amazing. Great pic of a lovely creature.

Comment by: Arthur on 22nd August 2023 at 07:32

A comma butterfly with "leave me alone eyes" on its wings.

Comment by: Alan on 22nd August 2023 at 07:43

I've no idea what the species is called, but know that the look of eyes on it's wings (not it's back) are warning signals to predators, in other words to scare them away.
Beautiful photo.

Comment by: Sammy on 22nd August 2023 at 07:52

They are very common in Britain but rare in Scotland, the population of butterflies dictated on last year's weather, too much dry or too much wet weather kill most caterpillars. This one is a Peacock and very common and widespread in our British countryside.
Very good clear photo, thank you.

Comment by: Philip harrison on 22nd August 2023 at 08:06

I think it is a red admiral

Comment by: T on 22nd August 2023 at 08:15

Where's the Wutchie?

Comment by: Mark on 22nd August 2023 at 08:46

The watching is on the border on Ince and newsprings, a mountain overgrown slagheap.

Comment by: Irene Roberts on 22nd August 2023 at 09:02

The Wutchie is in the Aspull/New Springs area and is a slag tip, now covered in grass. The name comes from "Woodshaw's Rook", (pronounced Ruck locally), but everyone had always called it "The Wutchie". The butterfly is beautiful, and I love the colours of both the butterfly and the close-up blades of grass....that photo would make a lovely jigsaw. Well done, Dennis!

Comment by: David Barker on 22nd August 2023 at 09:31

Excellent Photo Dennis of The Peacock, had one or two in my garden this year, I have two patches of wild flowers I grow one the gable end which attract all sorts of insects, you may have noticed when you've walked past, most have died off now, so I trim them back ,ready for next year.
I collect the seed pods from some, and sprinkle the seeds if I go a walk.
It all helps their habitat

Comment by: Dennis Seddon on 22nd August 2023 at 10:10

That's great David, I don't have a big garden, but if I did I would give half of it over to wild flowers. I have, in the past bought packets of wild flower seeds and spread them around when out walking.
Do you not take many photos now David? I know you have sent in some great photos in the past.

Comment by: PeterP on 22nd August 2023 at 11:16

It appears we have two Dennis Seddon's? Nice photo of the butterfly. I have tried a few times to take a photo of a butterfly but by the time I have switched to camera mode on the phone it as flown away

Comment by: e on 22nd August 2023 at 13:27

When the Big Bang blew its top ,
who would think that you would drop ,
from the heavens into my space ,
with far less noise and such pausing grace ..

Comment by: Dennis Seddon on 22nd August 2023 at 14:35

PeterP, the good Lord, in his wisdom would never inflict the world with TWO people as ugly and dumb as me!

Comment by: David Barker on 22nd August 2023 at 15:33

Hi Dennis don't do much walking these days, knees are playing up , still got the camera etc.
I started learning guitar in 2016, self taught , that takes most of my time, on my YouTube channel, plus keeping the garden tidy, check out my channel at, Dave-gtar16, plenty 60s 70s 80s music.
David.

Comment by: John(Westhoughton) on 22nd August 2023 at 15:48

Dennis I wouldn’t have thought you were ugly as Ste wouldn’t like you frightening his customers and you would not remember exactly were or which house to post the papers if you were dumb albet you delivered to our place 11 Dukes Row then 1 Crawford st and then 7? School Close where the Methodist church now stands 1967 to 1970.

Comment by: Veronica on 22nd August 2023 at 15:50

Don’t do yourself down Dennis….you are a gentleman. That’s all that matters. ;o)

Comment by: Cyril on 22nd August 2023 at 20:30

Excellent photo Dennis and crystal clear. Some good information on Peacock Butterflies and identifying other garden Butterflies here:
https://www.wildlifeinsight.com/british-butterflies/peacock-butterfly-inachis-io/
Also some interesting information about their Caterpillars:
https://www.countryfile.com/wildlife/insects-invertebrates/caterpillars/

Those once common Butterflies and Caterpillars are rarely seen now, those black hairy Caterpillars that were nicknamed Hairy Jacks, I haven't seen one of those for years, we as kids would put them down each others back, they didn't half make you itch, and we'd do the same with broken up Rose Hips, the fibres in those would make you itch too.

David and Dennis, a few years ago I scattered a packet of Wildflower seeds and what grew were nice yellow Dandelion like plants which I had to look up, and they were Meadow Hawkweed, now years later I can still see them growing in other folks' gardens and in the soil of the pavement trees where they've self seeded themselves.

Comment by: Dennis Seddon on 22nd August 2023 at 20:56

David, just had a very pleasant hour listening to your music. My kind of music and you have quite a talent there made all the more worthy by the fact that you taught yourself.

Comment by: Pw on 22nd August 2023 at 20:57

I remember as kids playing with stickybobs and breaking them up to put down peoples backs,they made you itch.

Comment by: Elizabeth on 22nd August 2023 at 21:36

Lovely pic again,Dennis.The 'Wutchie' is in New Springs,not far from fishing lodge.It's a really tall slag heap from the old industry that used to be round there but now wooded.

Comment by: David Barker on 22nd August 2023 at 21:54

Many thanks Dennis, usually a new video every three weeks, if I can learn the tune in time, it passes an hour or two in retirement lol.
Keep the photos coming , I look in on Photo a Day most days, take care.
David ...

Comment by: Edna on 22nd August 2023 at 22:21

Very good photo Dennis,as usual. I tried to take one of a butterfly a couple of weeks ago,and it flew off.

Comment by: Cyril on 22nd August 2023 at 23:23

Pw, and you got a good telling off if you rubbed them into girls long hair, and lads short hair too for that matter, as nearly always the hair along with the stickybobs had to be cut out. Wonder if the bloke who invented Velcro ever had stickybobs stuck in his hair, apparently that's where he got the idea for it from the hooks on Burdock Burrs: https://gardencollage.com/wander/gardens-parks/plant-behind-velcro/

Comment by: Veronica on 23rd August 2023 at 07:52

I remember ‘sticky bobs’ growing on the ‘breid’ where we used to play as kids. I haven’t seen any for years …or is that because I’m not looking for them. We did all the things above. Yes Cyril they did stick in our hair …awful if you were ‘hair sore’… ,Simple pleasures were the best though playing out all day long.

Comment by: Poet on 23rd August 2023 at 08:45

If you want to see some top sticky bob action , have a look at The Burryman of South Queensferry .

Comment by: Sir Bob on 24th August 2023 at 11:48

Looks like a 'Purple Captain' to me.

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