March 2025

[David Lazarus]

The sun came out for an hour and I continued the search for Small Tortoiseshell along the River Chelmer. I added another 2 recorded sightings to make double-figures at last - far lower than I had hoped for at this point. While searching I came across the first Peacock along the river, and ended up with nearly double-figures. There were a few Comma also, before the wind put an end to proceedings.

Small Tortoiseshell
Barnes Mill 28/03/2025

Peacock
Baddow Meads 28/03/2025

And taking a photo of a Peacock nectaring on Goat Willow blossom Salix caprea is not easy with an iPhone

Peacock
Barnes Mill 28/03/2025

Not bad for a day when rain was forecast.

[essexbutterflyer]

A single Comma in the garden, and a Peacock out front. Didn't have time to head out today so it was nice that they came to me!

[millerd]

The first rain here near Heathrow for a while this morning (it lasted all of ten minutes!) and then the sun came out again.

Hithermoor Lake

The wind was a bit chilly, but the local butterflies are a hardy bunch it seems. The first one was the male Large White I'd seen on Wednesday - at least it was in exactly the same spot and this time I was near enough to make a 100% certain ID. I have a feeling this may be the earliest I've seen the species.

On two separate sorties during the day covering slightly different areas, I ended up with a tally of:

Peacock 8
Red Admiral 4
Comma 4
Large White 1
Small White 1
Brimstone 1

One Red Admiral was dancing low down among the newly sprouting nettles, and I suspected it was a female egg-laying.

Another was surveying the river bank in the same spot as I've seen it before several times.

More details to follow in my PD before long, though with the current forecast for another week of increasingly warm sunshine, there may be a delay in catching up with myself...

Dave

[Butterfly_Julian]

Large White

A very early garden visiter this afternoon, Large White.
11 days earlier than last year.

[Vince Massimo]

I have been regularly checking the Red Admiral eggs laid near home on 8th March, but after 21 days they have still not hatched. Nothing has changed apart from finding more eggs nearby on 26th March.

Red Admiral eggs - Crawley, Sussex 29-March-2025

Red Admiral eggs - Crawley, Sussex 29-March-2025

While inspecting egg-batch 1, a Comma landed in front of me and proceeded to lay 3 eggs in one session on the same leaf. This is not typical behaviour for this species because the eggs have been placed near the centre of the leaf and are in a loose group. However I cannot discount the possibility that there were some eggs already on the leaf before she started laying.

Comma eggs - Crawley, Sussex 29-March-2025

The temperature at the time was a sunny 13C with a brisk cool wind and the total sightings for the day were 5 Comma and 2 Small White.
Monitoring will continue and fortunately the site is only a 10-minute walk from home.

Vince

[Stevieb]

Only two species seen in sunny but particularly cold breezy conditions. River Avon, Melksham Wiltshire

A few photos taken but I particularly like this hairy individual

Small Tortoiseshell (5)
Peacock (6)

29th March

[millerd]

Another largely sunny day on my local patch today, but there was a coolish breeze once again. However, Peacocks in particular were not deterred and I counted 20 individuals on an extended walk. I'm still finding individuals looking virtually unblemished after their long hibernation.

There were only four other species: four Red Admirals, three Brimstones and three Commas - plus two Large Whites today. The male seen twice before was in the same area again and has become increasingly approachable, settling on a dandelion right in front of me...

...and some distance away to the north I found a brand new female stretching her wings in the sunshine.

More on the day to follow in my PD.

Dave

[Butterfly_Julian]

March drawing to an end and the month is finishing of very well here in North East Essex.
Along with the Large White from yesterday i have a Orange Tip enjoying my wild space in our garden.

Julian

[Medard]

https://jamesgibbs6929.zenfolio.com/
A warm and sunny day here in my Somerset garden brought some success with Two Peacocks, two brimstones, first Small White and a Small Tortoiseshell.
Best year of flowering for my Osmanthus burkwoodii for many years, giving a wonderful delicate perfume.

[Vince Massimo]

A one hour circular walk around my local patch today produced the best figures so far this year with 3 Small White, 2 Green-veined White, 5 Brimstone,
4 Comma, 4 Peacock, 1 Red Admiral and 2 Speckled Wood seen.

Speckled Wood - Crawley, Sussex 30-March-2025

Broadfield Brook - Crawley, Sussex

The temperature at the time was a sunny 15C, but with a brisk chilly wind.

Vince

[Stevieb]

Managed to get Speckled Wood on the list for March this lunchtime. Beacon Hill, Wiltshire

Brimstone (6)
Small White (1)
Small Tortoiseshell (1)
Peacock (15)
Comma (3)
Speckled Wood (3)

31st March

31st March

31st March

31st March

31st March

31st March

[David Lazarus]

I managed to record 100 butterfly sightings for the first time in 2025. Admittedly, it was an 8-hour day, 15 miles of walking over 3 sites at Langdon Hills Country Park, Two Tree Island, and Belton Hills Nature Reserve. I owe it to the 24 Comma basking in the late afternoon sun at Belton Hills for reaching that number. 89 of the 100 were Peacock and Comma. I slipped in a first sighting of a Speckled Wood into March, with a first photograph of a Green-veined White. The main site, Langdon Hills, hasn't really started yet, although I did see my first couple of Speckled Wood there but it was quiet with only 49 seen which included a couple of Brimstone too. Two Tree Island was disappointing again - I don't like the place - but I did see a couple of Small Tortoiseshell there [the only ones of the day] and the first of 3 Green-veined White during the day.

But it was Belton Hills Nature Reserve, next to Leigh-on-Sea railway station that was the saving grace. More famous for its White-letter Hairstreak, it is also recommended for Brimstone, Peacock, and of course Comma at this time of year. A good place to start a walk to Benfleet Downs.

Speckled Wood
One Tree Hill 31/03/2025

Speckled Wood
Willow Park 31/03/2025

Green-veined White
Belton Hills Nature Reserve 31/03/2025

[millerd]

I managed to record 100 butterfly sightings for the first time in 2025...

Coincidentally, David, so did I today over on the other side of London. They included the first Orange Tips of the year, which refused to settle anywhere for me (probably because there is no garlic mustard out anywhere yet)...

...and a real highlight these days, a Small Tortoiseshell.

The full roster looked like this (probably a slight underestimate in fact):

Peacock 26
Brimstone 22 (18m, 4f)
Comma 17
Small White 13
GVW 8
Orange Tip 5
Speckled Wood 5
Red Admiral 4
Large White 1
Small Tortoiseshell 1

A more thorough appraisal of what was a splendid day on my local patch will follow in my PD in a day or three...

Dave

[essexbutterflyer]

Lovely to hear of some amazing successes!

Sadly I didn’t have as much success at Queendown Warren, with hardly any butterflies and any butterflies present being very skittish. There was a Grizzled Skipper and Green Hairstreak that I missed :/.

On the plus side, there were my first Orange-tips of the year and a Small Tortie

[David Lazarus]

...and a real highlight these days, a Small Tortoiseshell.

That’s one lovely-looking Small Tortoiseshell Dave

The full roster looked like this (probably a slight underestimate in fact):

Peacock 26
Brimstone 22 (18m, 4f)
Comma 17
Small White 13
GVW 8
Orange Tip 5
Speckled Wood 5
Red Admiral 4
Large White 1
Small Tortoiseshell 1

And an excellent selection to join the 100-club with.

I’ve missed out on March sightings of Small White, Orange-tip, and Holly Blue.

[Charles Nicol]

i enjoyed the fine weather today & went to Pegsdon in the Chilterns. my hope was to find an early Orange Tip. after an hour i had only seen some Orange Tipped aeroplanes from Luton
finally i reached the highest point of the path to Telegraph Hill and was delighted to see a male OT land on a flower next to a blackthorn hedge before flying off.
usually these butterflies patrol up and down the hedgerow so if you wait a few minutes they will reappear. this one had other plans and headed off over a field and did not return.

there were plenty of Peacocks, Brimstones & Commas on the wing. i managed to get some photos

[David M]

30th March, seen at Merthyr Mawr dunes, nr. Porthcawl:

[David Lazarus]

30th March, seen at Merthyr Mawr dunes, nr. Porthcawl:

Wow....great spot David

[Charles Nicol]

30th March, seen at Merthyr Mawr dunes, nr. Porthcawl:

GrSk.jpg

dyna cracer Dewi