Cold weather butterflies this week.

[Jack Harrison]

Even at 10°C, Peacocks have been charging around and feeding on white buddleia. Speckled Woods in the forests.

Small Tortoiseshells, which were reasonably numerous earlier (but nothing to match the phenomenal numbers of Peacocks), seemed to have entered hibernation.  I chased several STs out if the house in August - it would be too warm indoors in the winter months.

The real toughies are Red Admiral - in the past I have seen them basking at a mere 2° C, but they are quite scarce up here this year.

Jack

[David M]

Sure has been cold for September lately, Jack. I've had my heating on and Austria has seen heavy snowfall!!

I agree Red Admiral wins the award for hardiest butterfly. It's incredible to think that this is supposed to be mainly a Mediterranean species.

The early emergers I can understand (Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Brimstones, etc..) as they are hard-wired into tolerating these low temperatures, but you're right, Red Admirals keep on going through cold, wind and rain!

[Jack Harrison]

As it clouded over and became chilly, I caught three Peacocks for wintering in the fridge (in boxes). I hope! - that there won't be be any mice in the fridge as there is in the shed where they normally hibernate. It is such a joy on the first warm day in March to see the Peacocks wake slowly, shiver, and open their wings to be released into the spring sunshine.

Nine Large White caterpillars were rescued earlier from a small patch of Nasturtiums outside a second-hand bookstore They could not have survived as those that I behind left subsequently stripped the plant. Mine were then fed on Kale (from the farm shop) and I now have seven healthy chrysalises plus two spun up ready to pupate. Not a single loss to parasites.

Jack

[David M]

Excellent, Jack. Must say, on the rare occasions I put butterflies in a shed, I usually pop them in an egg box and check them regularly. If they're on a top shelf with no means of rodents reaching it, they're usually ok.