In my area of outer west London Peacocks seem surprisingly scarce so far. Most prominent over the last week have been Commas & male Brimstones. Not expecting any today, though I really hope we get some decent rain as March has been very dry so far with just the odd brief shower.

Sadly over the next decade the fall is likely to be even more severe with the anti-environmental policies of the despicable Trump.

Saw my first butterfly- a Peacock on Tuesday, moving quickly through Osterley garden centre.

On Thursday a Red Admiral & 4 male Brimstones at the London Wetland Centre plus another Brimstone locally yesterday (my wife saw one in our garden on Monday).

None for me yet but I'm aware of at least 2 separate Red Admirals in London yesterday on what has been the most pleasant day so far this year. Today back to heavy rain this morning!

Agree with that Zigzag.

I think your hoverfly is Meliscaeva auricollis.

Yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to record 2 species. First was the more anticipated Red Admiral in the woodland garden in Osterley Park, fluttering in a glade, before settling on yew foliage to bask in the sunshine. Much more of a surprise was when I visited the adjacent garden centre, when I n...

Perhaps of interest there have been at least 2 Wall Browns photographed over the last week at Rainham RSPB Reserve. A butterfly just hanging on in the London area.

Although a chilly start yesterday (so didn't attend a dawn mothing session) a warm sunny day when I was leading a largely birding walk (though always look at other taxa) at Ruislip Lido/Woods. I was pleased to see 9 species. Like others more Large Whites than I've seen this year. Also good numbers o...

Richmond Park, west London/Surrey yesterday:

c40 Meadow Brown
26 Small Heath
2 Large White (been a very poor year)
4 Green-veined White
2 Small/Green-veined White
2 Red Admiral
8 Small Copper
1 Holly Blue
mating pair Common Blue

Also Jersey Tiger & Blood-vein

Plain Tiger photographed on the cliffs at St.Margarets Bay (Bockhill ) near Dover this morning........I guess ,obvious escape. Allan.W. Could well be an escape, but I wouldn't presume an obvious one. Given the location & recent direction of the winds I wouldn't rule out one that's come from fur...

Yesterday started drizzly but cleared through quickly. A fairly sunny day with variable cloud & a stiff breeze. Decided to give Denbies a try to catch up with some chalk specialists. In all 11 species recorded: 110+ Meadow Brown 4 Speckled Wood 3 Small Heath 2 Small White 2 Brimstone Red Admiral...

Some American Painted Ladies photographed on a Pembrokeshire coastal Path yesterday. Look very fresh. Too fresh to have come across the Atlantic? What is the thinking on the origins of these. Don't see any reason to doubt them being genuine. We've had some recent warm southerlys that could have bro...

We did a circuit on the northern part of Chobham Common. Good numbers of Grayling (27 counted) only outnumbered by Gatekeeper (52). Low numbers of other species with 6 Meadow Brown, 3 Small/GV White, 2 Large Skipper, 2 Peacock & singletons of Comma & Small Copper. Good variety of Odonata inc...

My first Jersey Tiger moth of the summer seen today as well. Another honorary butterfly...JT1 230724.JPG Dave I saw my first last Sunday morning. Always look so colourful in flight. As it was flying it was almost a gonner as a Whitethroat flew up out of some brambles, attempting to snatch it, but j...

Yesterday was yet another of those days with a glorious sunny start but by 10.30 was largely overcast & pretty dismal in the afternoon. At the time mentioned I started to lead a wildflower walk in a west London cemetery. Despite the cloud we did see c10 Meadow Brown, 6 Marbled Whites, Holly Blue...

Some warm, settled weather is badly needed or this year could go down as one of the worst ever for butterfly numbers... I agree. Here on the Isle of Wight it has been atrocious. I was in Pembrokeshire for 4 days last week where there wasn't a heatwave but pleasantly warm & managed 6 Meadow Brow...

Yesterday morning was warm & sunny until lots of cloud moved in around noon. I walked to Horsenden Hill near home in west London to look for White-letter Hairstreak as one had been filmed here on bramble flowers a couple of days back. No joy. One of the best areas most of the elms were dead but ...

A general lack of most insects which is concerning. Same here unfortunately - mostly just a few Meadow Brown [rather than the 100s] and Small Heath in the open grassland within the flood plain, waiting for the first Small & Essex Skipper, although finally saw my first Ringlet yesterday. Banded ...

Visited the northern part of Chobham Common yesterday. Sunny when I arrived by late morning but high cloud cover soon after midday (not what was forecast). I did see 24 fresh male Silver-studded Blues, which when cloudy posed well on young Bell Heather plants. Didn't see any females though other peo...