March 2025

[David M]

Thursday 6th, Dan-y-Graig Cemetery, Swansea:

Brimstone 4
Comma 1

[bugboy]

Locally today:
2 egg laying Red Admiral
2 Peacock
6 Brimstone (approx)
8 Comma including 3 courtship flights.

[Vince Massimo]

After a frost-free night it had already got to 12C here by 10.00, so I made an early visit to Tilgate Park. Between 11.20 and 11.40 there were a total of 15 Red Admiral (7 on Heather and 8 on Daphne and Sweet Box) and 3 Brimstone. The temperature at the time had reached 14C with a light southerly wind. Back at home in the afternoon, a Comma appeared on Viburnum bodnantense, quickly followed by a Red Admiral, then a basking Peacock.

Red Admiral - Crawley, Sussex 6-March-2025

Comma - Crawley, Sussex 6-March-2025

Red Admiral - Crawley, Sussex 6-March-2025

The temperature then topped-out at 15C before hazy high-level cloud came in.

Vince

[millerd]

The lack of overnight frost made quite a difference today on my local patch. Things warmed up quite quickly, and Brimstones were flying again - I counted 9 definite individuals, but caution over possible double-counting meant that there may have been one or two more. All but one were males, and as luck would have it, it was the solitary female that posed for me the best.

female Brimstone

I also found two Peacocks, and finally managed not to disturb one of the species this year before getting its photo.

Also seen on my local wanderings were two Commas and a Red Admiral. I'll post a more detailed account in my PD later.

Dave

[David Lazarus]

The first proper butterflying day saw me at Hatfield Forest where there were good numbers of Brimstone and Comma in the woodland rides. My first photograph of a Brimstone in 2025 was a pair in cop:

Brimstone pair in cop
Hatfield Forest 06/03/2025

And plenty of opportunities for photographing male Comma perched on a bramble leaf:

Comma male
Hatfield Forest 06/03/2025

Brimstone 50 [49 male]
Comma 17
Peacock 3

[essexbutterflyer]

One Red Admiral, one Comma and one Peacock today. All three were a delight to see in their own regard: the Red Admiral posing for photos and being sighted several times across several hours, the Comma simply because I really wanted to see one and the Peacock as it was the first in over a month . UoB Falmer, Brighton

[Chris L]

3 Brimstone, 2 Comma and a Peacock for me today. Initially, I wandered around the local woodland in glorious sunshine for 40 minutes but saw absolutely nothing so I trudged home despondently for a bacon and black pudding sandwich. I found myself back in that same wood just 45 minutes later and saw those 6 butterflies. There's a moral in this story but I'm not totally sure what it is.

[David M]

..There's a moral in this story but I'm not totally sure what it is.

Probably just a rise in the ambient temperature of a degree or two.

I always think that once 12c is hit then butterflies should be active. Looks like this weekend should give them those conditions.

[bugboy]

First local Small Tort seen today, always a welcome sight to know they've made it for another year!

[David Lazarus]

First local Small Tort seen today, always a welcome sight to know they've made it for another year!

I went looking today, searching all the local habitat that they frequent. They are not yet on the wing. I am just hoping there will be a good number and that they recover during 2025.

3 Comma, and a couple of Peacock only along the River Chelmer north & nothing in Baddow Meads

[essexbutterflyer]

At least 5 Red Admiral, 1 Brimstone and 1 Comma at Tilgate today. The Comma was super late at around 2pm but lovely to see! The Red Admirals were also engaging in lots of (territorial/mating?) flights, with 3 flying together in one go! The Brimstone was being very cooperative too, stopping frequently and feeding on heather.

[David T]

The last two days in Houghton Regis, I have achieved my goal with sightings of the main five over wintering butterflies. After their dreadful 2024 the most welcoming sightings have been the Three indivdual Small Tortoiseshells. The Red Admirals and Brimstones were all very active on the wing, and not deciding not to settle for a photo.

Comma - Houghton Regis 6th March @ 12:40pm

Small Tortoiseshell - Houghton Regis 6th March @ 13:43pm

Peacock - Houghton Regis 6th March @ 13:46pm

Comma - Houghton Regis 7th March @ 11:23am

Small Tortoiseshell - Houghton Regis 7th March @ 11:50am

[millerd]

No Small Tortoiseshells in my part of the world yet (and after last year's poor showing, I'm really not very hopeful). Nine Brimstones and two Commas this morning, but cloudier this afternoon (though it remained pretty warm).

Dave

[aeshna5]

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).

[Jack Harrison]

I'm not trying to claim Scotland's first butterfly on 2025 but Peacock on 7th March just before midday.

In the past few years in my area, Peacocks have been the most frequently seen butterflies. GV Whites probably next.

Jack

[Medard]

First Brimstone of the year in my Somerset garden. 08-03-2025

[David Lazarus]

I thought this weekend was going to be a missed opportunity due to a visit from the girlfriend. But I managed to persuade her to go to the seaside - first Small Tortoiseshell of the season. Southend-on-Sea sea front amazingly [as compensation].

[Chris L]

A huge haul of 40 for me today (24 Brimstone, 13 Comma, 3 Peacock).

[millerd]

A double glimpse of a Small Tortoiseshell on my local patch today, but not even a record shot after following it between brambles and the river... Also seen: 12 Brimstones, 3 Commas, 2 Peacocks and 2 Red Admirals.

I would like to have ventured further in a southeasterly direction, but the closure of the M25 at J10 this weekend made has a mess of the traffic round here. Maybe Monday...

Dave

[David M]

I'm not trying to claim Scotland's first butterfly on 2025...

No. It's normally your wife that takes that award if I remember rightly, Jack.