April 2025

[David M]

Well be chasing Brown Hairstreaks around Bookham in the last week of June at this rate!!!

...and Purple Emperors in May if things don't settle back down.

Crazy stuff!

[David Lazarus]

With no Dukes, Glanvilles, or Marsh Frits, no Dingies & the last couple of Grizzlies left, and unlike near Heathrow there were no Large Skippies flying near Stansted, I had to make do with the limited diversity of the Butterflies of Essex at Tropical Hatfield Forest, where even the sweltering temperatures did not attract any exotics from over the border.

i was out to count the Speckled Wood along all the rides and from 200 recorded sightings, a quarter of them were Specklies at last and they formed the majority of the ride profile removing Peacock from top spot - it was a Speckled Wood day for sure:

Speckled Wood male
Hatfield Forest 29.04.2025

Other notable highlights included a third fly past from a Holly Blue of 2025, and the first recorded sighting of the year at Hatfield Forest. Also, the first grassland specialist with a Small Heath:

Small Heath
Hatfield Forest 29.04.2025

And I was happy to track down my first Small White there as well - they seem to be struggling for some reason:

Small White female
Hatfield Forest 29.04.2025

There were still 25+ of Brimstone, Large White, Green-veined White, and Peacock, but second spot went to Orange-tip, with around 40, that seem to be having a very good year across the sites I have been visiting this spring - some activity of an amorous kind still happening late in the day at 5:

Orange-tip male & female
Hatfield Forest 29.04.2025

For the first time this year, I saw lots of Cuckoo Flower spread out across the site along with the Garlic Mustard along the far western ride - probably explains why they were in such good numbers.

I nearly had to eat my hat after David’s 40+ Speckled Wood, Orange-tip, & Holly Blue sightings at Cwm Ivy on the same day but for the fact there was only 1 Holly Blue - but near enough to have a nibble of the brim

But best of all, I revisited the nettle I saw the Peacock ovipositing on and found a larval web with probably 1st instar larva inside - hard to tell. I shall continue to keep a watch over the coming weeks:

Peacock larval web
Hatfield Forest 29.04.2025

[Neil Freeman]

With no Dukes, Glanvilles, or Marsh Frits, no Dingies & the last couple of Grizzlies left, and unlike near Heathrow there were no Large Skippers flying near Stansted, I had to make do with the limited diversity of the Butterflies of Essex at Tropical Hatfield Forest, where even the sweltering temperatures did not attract any exotics from over the border.

Pretty much the same around my way in Solihull, and no Grizzlies here either. Lots of Speckled Wood along with a few Orange-tips, Brimstones and assorted whites are all I am seeing here and none of them are stopping for photos in this bright warm sunshine.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Ian Pratt]

First Glanville fritillaries near Ventnor Isle of Wight seen today. Also,peacock,red admiral,dingy skipper, common blue, brimstone, orange tip and large white.

[Charles Nicol]

i went to Sundon to see what was about.

some *********s have dumped a tonne of disgusting rubbish on one of the more attractive areas of the quarry. i have reported it to the authorities.

there are plenty of Blues on the wing including Small, Common & possible Adonis.

the cute kiddies' car had a sticker on the back saying "Enjoy the View". i was unable to do that.

[bugboy]

A few spare hours on Walthamstow Marshes this afternoon gave me a hattrick of Lycids, which were pretty much the only things that stopped moving long enough to photograph!

Spot the butterfly!

[Ian Pratt]

i went to Sundon to see what was about.

some *********s have dumped a tonne of disgusting rubbish on one of the more attractive areas of the quarry. i have reported it to the authorities.

there are plenty of Blues on the wing including Small, Common & possible Adonis.

54487046951_6607c64f2f_c.jpg

54487247254_2367926b5d_c.jpg

the cute kiddies' car had a sticker on the back saying "Enjoy the View". i was unable to do that.

So annoying. Fly tipping in Bulgaria is very common but the butterflies just land on whatever they fancy. See photo. 56 species seen her in 90 minutes a couple of years ago.

[Bertl]

Speckled wood butterfly at Cambus o may near Ballater this morning.

Cheers

Bert.

[Charles Nicol]

So annoying. Fly tipping in Bulgaria is very common but the butterflies just land on whatever they fancy. See photo. 56 species seen her in 90 minutes a couple of years ago.

i guess it is called "Fly" tipping for a reason

[Testudo Man]

No time to show/edit pics right now, but just wanted to report sightings from back on the 27th, an also today (out in the field beyond 7.15pm!).
Visited the same local Kent site on both days. Back on the 27th meant 3 new species for the year for me, 4 to 6 Common Blues (all males)...1 Small Blue...1 Small Heath. Today after work, i wanted to try for Adonis Blues before the 1st of May, which would be quite early for me. Sure enough, 3 to 5 male Adonis Blues on the wing, an 1 female Adonis also seen/photographed...An a lovely single female Common Blue sighted too.
Not bad for late April............it might be a fair few years before i see an Adonis in April again, cheers Paul.
Might get time to sort through all the images of said species soon.

PS. never thought i would say this, but a little rain on the land/vegetation, would help out our Butterflies habitats some