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, finding a fasciated marsh thistle, Cirsium palustre, somewhere in the flood plain of the River Cuckmere, near Alfriston, Sussex, when I was aged 12 or 13. I thought I had found some exciting new plant, or strange metamorphic phenomenon. I was amazed how

in the region of 50 to 55 mm.In insects, small size is sometimes attributed to poor nutrition during the larval stage. Since painted lady caterpillars feed on thistles, food shortage seems unlikely...unless, perhaps, the recent poor weather meant that its

. Meadow brown (Maniola jurtina) and speckled wood (Pararge aegeria) were first, and this past weekend saw the arrival of several pairs of gatekeepers (Pyronia tithonus). Even as I write, there are some fluttering around the marjoram, globe thistle

? It is quite skittish, as if tickled by the raindrops which are now turning from quiet drizzle to heavy drum. They disappear into the nettle and thistle rough where a small stream goes under the lane. I'm trying to remember, but I can't think the last time I