March 2012

[David M]

Stunning day here in Swansea. An hour and a half's walk round Cwm Clydach saw plenty of butterfly activity:

Brimstone 7 (including 1 female)
Small Tortoiseshell 3
Comma 2
Peacock 1

There were people walking around with T shirts off and even 2 kids paddling in the river. It's still bloody March FGS!!

First Peacock of the year for me:

[adrian riley]

Hi Adrian,

So you completed the 'post hibernator royal flush' yesterday!

Vince, on your latest male OT, the black scaling also extends down the edge of the forewing. Nice shot by the way.

Cheers

Lee

Thanks, Lee

Yes, I was dealt a good hand of cards yesterday. However, it looks like it is going to be another bonkers year phenologically speaking, so I was a bit disappointed not to see a Meadow Brown!!!

Adrian

[adrian riley]

One Large White seen today at 12.56, and a Small white at 13.10. during my lunch break.

FAO Adrian: The Large White was reported by "Hide and Seek" on 19 March earlier in this thread (page 5)

Hi, David

Thanks for that, but I have the same problem as I don't know which county you saw it in.

Bye for now, Adrian

[adrian riley]

Adrian, there was also a Large White sighting reported by Andy Stokes on the Sussex BC Branch website.
It was on 11th March in Uckfield, East Sussex.

Vince

Hi, Vince

Thanks for that. I guess I must have missed it. Appreciate your support and will get that report up on bugalert.

Cheers, Adrian

[David M]

One Large White seen today at 12.56, and a Small white at 13.10. during my lunch break.

FAO Adrian: The Large White was reported by "Hide and Seek" on 19 March earlier in this thread (page 5)

Hi, David

Thanks for that, but I have the same problem as I don't know which county you saw it in.

Bye for now, Adrian

Adrian, t'was not I who made the sighting!

[Hoggers]

Glorious weather again down here in Kent which brought out a few butterflies on my afternoon walk with the dog : 4 Small Tortoiseshells, 6 Small Whites, a Comma and three Peacocks speeding across the field ( looking very much like a female being courted by two hopefuls ).

[dilettante]

Just got back from a walk round my village in South Cambs. 7 species seen, including a very early Green Hairstreak! Details and photos to follow in my diary page, but the species list was

Green-veined white (1, pretty sure, though it didn't settle)
Brimstone (lots)
Comma (lots)
Small Tortoiseshell (1 or 2)
Red Admiral (1)
Peacock (2)
Green Hairstreak (1)

[marmari]

A Green Hairstreak,that is good to see.it must be due to appear here on the IOW soon.
In my back garden today,a Peacock,2 small White, and a male Brimstone.

[Reddog]

I had a good day today I saw three butterflies 1 Small Tortoiseshell 1 Comma and a Speckled Wood.

[Catteraxe]

Glorious day on the North Gower Peninsula (Llandimore area) yesterday (23/3). Peacock, Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell seen.

[Wurzel]

Red Admiral, at least one Comma (could be 2) a male (could be three or just the one doing circuits) and female Brimstone at Longdown Activity Farm nr Totton, oh and two very tired but happy little girls all trampolined out!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Paul Harfield]

Out around the local footpaths in Hedge End, Hampshire today. I saw my first Peacocks of the year x3 and a male Brimstone. I also saw my first white of the year, but it did not settle to allow me to id it.

Peacock Hedge End 24/3/2012

As bees seem to be 'de rigeur' at the moment on here, I saw this one today. Can anybody give it a name?

Mystery Bee

[legless2007]

Finally! some butterflies! I walked up from Cheltenham to the Butterfly Conservation reserves (The Masts and Bill Smyllies) and then back down by another route.

Brimstone 1x male and 1x female
Peacocks - some on a tree and a group of 4 spiralling skywards
Red Admirals, some in better condition than others.

Add to that frogs calling, a weasel and some glorious peace and quiet, calm is restored!

[img
240312-10 by legless2007, on Flickr[/img]

[Dave McCormick]

Last week saw my first speckled wood and yesterday managed to photograph my first butterfly of the year, a small white in my garden:

Small white

Hopefully I might see more today when I am out searching.

[Mark Senior]

Grizzled Skipper reported on Sussex BC site at Mill Hill , Shoreham Saturday morning .

[David M]

A 2 hour stroll around Castle Meadows and Linda Vista Gardens in Abergavenny saw sizeable numbers of butterflies. I went out looking for Orange Tips and although there was some cuckoo flower already in bloom, no OTs were seen. By way of compensation, for the first time ever I saw Green Veined White, Small White & Speckled Wood in the month of March.

Totals were:

Small Tortoiseshell 26
Peacock 11
Comma 5
Green Veined White 2
Speckled Wood 2
Small White 1

[IAC]

Hi all,
Stupid weather up here in Scotland and stupid numbers of butterfly. 33 Peacock, 32 Small Tortoiseshell and just 3 Comma...along a stretch of the Whiteadder river in Berwickshire this afternoon. This is a very ridiculous spell indeed. Orange Tips up here by Wednesday or I will eat my hat.

Iain.

[Dave McCormick]

19.1C here, very sunny, was in the wrong place me thinks...just 2 small tortoiseshell and a peacock in this part of east Down, Northern Ireland. Will pass by a damp meadow tomorrow coming home, so will have to stop and have a look around 4pm, see what is about.

[EricY]

At last some butterfly's in my garden on our return today from visiting grandchildren in Sheffield. Just 1 Coma & 1 Peacock, my 2nd & 3rd bf's of the year. They still seem pretty scarse here in Norfolk compared to other parts of the Country. Eric

[robpartridge]

I note the comment about the low numbers of butterflies in Norfolk. It's the same here in Cambs, or at least in the flat part. I've been seeing odd individuals for about three weeks but never more than that, even in the last two fine days. A one and a half hour walk today along the Ouse washes produced a Peacock and a distant white to four pairs of eyes!

Rob