Friday 12th April – Taking no chances… With today promising to be the first genuinely warm one of the year, I wasn’t prepared to risk things turning cloudy in the early afternoon by staying on the Gower. So, off I went to Lavernock, on the Cardiff coast, to enjoy temperatures into the sixties and t...

Saturday 20th, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea:

Brimstone 11
Small White 6
Orange Tip 5
Green Veined White 2
Speckled Wood 2

Bertl wrote: ↑Fri Apr 19, 2024 9:14 pmAt last my very first butterflies of the season. 3 small tortoiseshell seen on a balmy 10 degrees of temperature on a sunny day in Forres.

That's one more than me, Bertl!

Nice to see those Green Hairstreaks, Trevor. Things look to be catching up now.

Chris L wrote: ↑Fri Apr 19, 2024 8:35 am...I can feel your despair with the weather and your spiritual starvation in the words that you type.

It's been awful, Chris, especially given last spring was largely the same.

Saturday 20th, Lower Kilvey Hill, Swansea:

Holly Blue 3
Speckled Wood 2
Small White 1
Brimstone 1

Neil Hulme wrote: ↑Thu Apr 18, 2024 6:22 pmThanks, David. I'm sure I don't need to apologise for the following...

Absolutely not, Neil.

One of the finest sights imaginable.

Lovely to see those Dukes and Green Hairstreaks, Paul.

I'll have to see mine in Spain.

Tuesday 9th April – Chance visit… When I got up this morning, I hadn’t factored in a drive out to look for butterflies. However, around midday it was 11c and sunny so I thought there was nothing to lose by heading down to Park Wood, which is less than 10 minutes’ drive from my house. Unsurprisingly...

Thursday 18th pm, Cwm Ivy, Gower:

Holly Blue 6 (including a female)
Red Admiral 6
Speckled Wood 5
Peacock 5
Brimstone 1
Orange Tip 1

Looks pretty grim, Guy.

How on earth do these Small Tortoiseshells get through these cold periods? Where do they roost when it's freezing at night with snow lying over the ground?

Chris L wrote: ↑Fri Apr 19, 2024 11:28 amI imagine that the sightings of these cheered you David.

Sure did, Chris. I don't normally visit Nicholaston early in the year but it's a good site for that species and being right by the coast and south facing, it's an early one.

Thursday 18th am, Nicholaston Burrows, Gower:

Small Copper 3
Speckled Wood 2
Peacock 1
Orange Tip 1
Green Veined White 1

Friday 5th April – Purgatory… Yet another highly marginal day, when the sun was out for no more than 20% of the time. With Orange Tips & Holly Blues on my radar, I took a risk by driving to Cwm Ivy and got lucky by finding this single male Holly Blue prior to the skies clouding over for the aft...

...when we had a few near perfect days last week. My local site went mad on Friday... That's what I thought was going to happen last Friday when we finally had a warm, sunny day. Still saw fewer than 50 butterflies though. :( Thursday 4th April – Hurry!… So far this year, it’s been either a case of...

Love the Green Hairstreak, Neil, but even that has to take second place behind that magnificent carpet of bluebells.

millerd wrote: ↑Tue Apr 16, 2024 6:53 pm...There are so many butterflies around at the moment..

Amazing to think that I'm on virtually the same line of latitude to you, Dave. Precious little around here (although in fairness if I were a Welsh butterfly I wouldn't be out in 11c temperatures and 22mph winds)

Site admin its about time you moderated negative coments and stated banning people now its getting beyond a joke. Banned? For what? Whether you like it or not, Mr Sp0ck, there are quite a few people out there who see that site as some kind of butterfly theme park. You've admitted yourself that some...

Goldie M wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15, 2024 10:59 am...I'll be looking out for Butterflies whilst at the wedding

Wouldn't expect anything less of you, Goldie.

...March or April, or even February, might be best though, as it probably dries out in summer. It sure does, Mark. The grass is parched and yellow by June. I'd say around this time of year would probably be best although the last couple of winters round those parts have been like summers in the UK!!