Katrina wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 9:21 pmI went to Mill Hill this afternoon and saw Peacocks, a Brimstone, a Speckled Wood and a white I didn’t get close enough to identify.

Lovely to see Peacocks on the blackthorn blossom, Katrina.

Sounds like you had a good time there.

You may think your numbers of butterflies are poor, Neil, but I'd give my right arm for half a dozen Small Tortoiseshells.

I've only seen one thus far.

Jack Harrison wrote: ↑Mon Apr 01, 2024 2:41 pmYou lucky people in the south.  Up here it's been wet and dull...

Au contraire, Jack. Round my way, it's been like living on Venus (only without the heat)!

Eight species is good going at this time of year, Dave. Things seem to have lifted off lately round your way. That hummingbird hawk moth topped things off nicely.

What a delightful surprise, having an early female Orange Tip visiting your garden, Rob.

Beautiful, Neil. As you say, the arrival of Orange Tips consigns winter to history.

bugboy wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 7:40 pmI booked my ticket down into Sussex on Friday when the forecast was promising sunshine aplenty. It seemed it was another abject failure from the weather people..

Been plenty of those this year!

trevor wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2024 7:31 pm...A really great morning!

Sure sounds like it, Trevor. Nice to see such a variety.

20th to 26th March – No escape… All seemed normal when I arrived at Tenerife South airport on the evening of 19th. However, from mid-afternoon on 21st, things took a surprise turn when a ‘weather bomb’ arrived from the north, closing the roads near Mt Teide for the next two days. Although temperatu...

Saturday 30th, Park Wood, Gower:

Brimstone 8 (6 males, 2 females)
Peacock 2
Comma 2

I'm not sure I can cope with this persistent sunshine deprivation for much longer. The long-term forecast looks grim. Let's hope things brighten up soon otherwise this could turn into the dullest spring in memory.

Excelente, Senor Miller!

I saw the foodplant in flower quite extensively myself this morning, so I'm expecting them here very soon.

Excellent tally of Peacocks thus far, Dave.

My combined total of UK butterflies in 2024 doesn't even reach half that figure!!

Same here in Somerset - only one vanessid to date (unidentifiable but flight pattern suggested Small Tort). A few Brimstones about. Opportunities for butterflies are few and far between amid the endless rain. This rain and cloud has indeed been depressing, Chris, although we have a fair bit of suns...

Thanks, Bertl/Nick. Pale female it undoubtedly is!

With dull, wet weather throughout February and well into March, a dose of warm sunshine was desperately needed... I had that same urge too, Mark. Hasn't yet reached 13c round my way, although a week on Tenerife has improved my mood somewhat. I look forward to seeing what else you found (an excellen...

I didn't know what it was, ernie, but I knew what it wasn't. Those antennae don't belong to a moth.

Sad that we won't see your regular selection of French species, Mike, but I'm glad you've got all the logistics sorted and can now settle back in the UK.

Love those French Fritillaries, but equally, that British Peacock is hard to beat.

Welcome home!

I think Long-Tailed Blue is a guarantee (at least near the south coast of England) every year now, rather like Clouded Yellow. I don't think LTB will ever be a resident in the UK, but it is without doubt an annual migrant. Large Tortoiseshell seems to be appearing with greater frequency and over a w...

Chris L wrote: ↑Thu Mar 28, 2024 1:12 pm...I hereby declare the Large Tortoiseshell a very rare UK species

Agreed. For me, we have 61 species now, Long-Tailed Blue being the other addition.