April 2012

[David M]

Desperate to get out spotting this weekend. Hopefully 12c and sunny will be sufficient for a few to be on the wing.

[Willrow]

Well I'm going to try the Gwent Levels tomorrow to see if I can see my first Orange-tip of the year, as an old country boy at heart I always watch for the signs, last night there were four or five Swallows chasing over my garden, now I've never failed to see my first Orange-tips to coincide with our most welcome of avian summer visitors arriving...I absolutely love this time of year and there are lots of beautiful cuckoo plants to enjoy with or without the butterfly associated with them.

Bill

[AndyR]

First Wall of the year for me this morning. Basking and fluttering around behind Tescos on the edge of Exeter right next to the cycle path and dual carriage way. Have found them in other spots along this dual carriage way last year but not here and not this early.
Andy

[Mikhail]

April 13th. Constant sunshine and only the lightest of zephyrs. I took a long walk, first about three miles along the Bournemouth cliffs towards Hengistbury Head. This produced just 3 butterflies - 3 Clouded Yellows. Then at Hengistbury Head one Speckled Wood. Walking back through the Wick Fields, where there is an abundance of sallow I saw 2 Peacocks. 6 butterflies in 6 hours seems a trifle disappointing to me. At least lizards were showing well with plenty of Wall Lizards and a couple of Western Green Lizards.

M.

[Debbie]

Today we went to Earnwood Copse Wyre Forrest and despite the sunny spells and hardly any breeze, not a single butterfly anywhere

[David M]

April 13th. Constant sunshine and only the lightest of zephyrs. I took a long walk, first about three miles along the Bournemouth cliffs towards Hengistbury Head. This produced just 3 butterflies - 3 Clouded Yellows. Then at Hengistbury Head one Speckled Wood. Walking back through the Wick Fields, where there is an abundance of sallow I saw 2 Peacocks. 6 butterflies in 6 hours seems a trifle disappointing to me.

I'd be more than happy to see "just" Clouded Yellows in the month of April!

[Butterfly Gardener]

I found an orange tip in my dogs food bowl. I suspect it has emerged today somewhere in my garden.

[Hoggers]

I came across this male Orange Tip this morning settled on a nettle waiting for the sun to come out from behind the clouds :

[Essex Bertie]

Felt a bit of a goof starting my transect in 9C, but was eventually rewarded with a pair of Orange Tips when temp 12C. I did wonder whether they had been there all night, but 3 other males soon appeared, so they had probably just paired. Encouraging to think they can still pair up in cool conditions and a first OT pair for me.

Rob

[adrian riley]

The Devon BC website has a record of a Pearl-bordered Fritillary seen on 1st April in the west of the county at Marsland. Very nearly Cornwall to look at the map, but very early indeed and only just an April Fritillary!

Dave

Hi, Dave
PBF also seen in Cornwall on 12th. Check out http://www.bugalert.net.
Cheers, Adrian Riley

[Cotswold Cockney]

Freshly emerged Speckled Wood female in my garden this morning. On my garage wall wings still limp and yet to take its first flight. A week or so ago, one metre away from today's observation was another freshly emerged female. The males have been about in my garden for several weeks all sparring for territory. Very sunny but too cold for flight today. Took a couple of quick pictures :~

[Hoggers]

Rather chilly down here in Kent today but during a sunny spell I saw four male Orange Tips,including this one soaking up the sun :

[marmari]

Wall seen today on the Isle of Wight and a sight of a "resident" Clouded Yellow at Wheelers Bay,Ventnor too

[David M]

It was only 10c here in Swansea at 1pm and more overcast than was forecast, but after more than a fortnight of abstinence, I felt compelled to get out just in case there were a few sunny nooks where butterflies might be active.

I saw nothing for about 20 minutes but when I arrived at the river I started inspecting the cuckoo flower and lo and behold, I eventually found three resting Orange Tips on a single clump. The sun came out almost immediately and after a couple of minutes one of them took flight and landed again nearby. Of the two remaining, I could see one was a female and the other a male. The latter eventually took off but the female was staying put, although she did briefly open her wings.

There were a few Speckled Woods about oblivious to the cold, and I also saw 1 Peacock and 1 Comma.



The male above eventually took flight but the female (in the background in the image below) resolutely remained on her perch.

[adrian riley]

News from Norfolk
Report of Rhopalocerus existus in Norfolk was erroneous.
Loads of Ring Ouzels on Syderstone Common, though. Mustn't grumble!
Adrian. http://www.bugalert.net

[Dave McCormick]

Went out yesterday to look for Orange-Tips but didn't find any, only saw a small tortoiseshell, speckled wood and a small white despite it feeing warm and was very sunny.

Small White Male

[badgerbob]

A very cold day today with not enough sunny intervals resulted in just a single Speckled Wood and a single Grizzled Skipper near High and Over. 2 interesting micro moths put in an appearance with a very fresh pyrausta purpuralis and another I believe to be pyrausta despicata. Last week in the same area I found an ethmia bipunctella, another micro moth which is nationally scarce.

[Goldie M]

Saw my first Speckled Wood of the year 15th April in Hall-Lee-Brook. Today 16th I saw my first of the year Orange tip, things are looking up, the weather has been really cold. Also saw 2 Small Whites all in Ainsdale Dunes Southport. Weather turning bad again tomorrow so may not see anything else for a while The Orange Tip never stopped, just kept on flying so no Photo's Goldie M

[Wurzel]

Only one butterfly today - female Orange-tip in Pewsey

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Mark Tutton]

Morning all - saw the grim forecast for the week and took a chance to go to Butser Hill yesterday. It was very cool but I knew the south facing slopes should be a bit warmer if the sun came out. The fisrt walk up the valley only revealed two grizzled skippers so I sat for a while and had a drink as I waited for a patch of cloud to pass. On my return I spotted what I thought was a small copper but it turned out to be a very fresh Duke of Burgundy that had still not completely inflated its wings. Result! Unfortunately a grizzly chased it off before I could get any decent shots. Consequently I looked a little more intently on my return and sure enough in a very sheltered bowl I found another Duke defending its territory from every passing Bee Fly in the absence of other males. Looking out the kitchen window at the teeming rain it seems like a good decision! In all six orange tips sixteen GS two peacocks and two DoB. I have a couple of reasonable shots but am having trouble uploading from my iPad