March 2024

[zigzag_wanderer]

A Small White was making the most of the relative high temperature in House #1 today.

[Matsukaze]

Male Brimstone in central Exeter on Monday.

[millerd]

A burst of warm sunshine for a couple of hours at lunchtime today (14th) prompted me to do a circuit of my local patch despite a portion of the route still being under water. In around 90 minutes I counted 28 butterflies: 13 Brimstones (12m, 1f), 8 Peacocks and 7 Commas. The curious aspect is that having seen them on all my other excursions this year, I didn't see a single Red Admiral today. It's as if they are a winter butterfly, and with the onset of spring they disappear...

Quite a contrast - I only saw seven butterflies in the whole of March last year...

Dave

[aeshna5]

After seeing Jan/Feb Red Admirals, hadn't seen a butterfly for over 3 weeks until yesterday.

Went with friends to Dick Fock's Common, Surrey for birds where Goshawk, 2 Hawfinch, several Crossbills & Marsh Tit were the highlights.

Some pleasant sunshine brought out well over 10 male Brimstones, 2 Peacock, Comma & 2 Red Admirals.

Noticed 3 moths flying in the sunshine & as these were close to birch I suspect were Orange Underwings, as they did appear right colour/size but didn't find one settled.

[David M]

A burst of warm sunshine for a couple of hours at lunchtime today (14th) prompted me to do a circuit of my local patch...

A few hours of sunshine is all that it takes at this time of year, Dave. I'm sure the butterflies wish to escape the 'permacloud' as much as the humans!

[David Lazarus]

Not only was it the first day this year that I have had a confirmed sighting of a butterfly here in Chelmsford, I am happy to report my first Small White of 2024 which became my first photograph too:

As you can see, it is a fresh male recently emerged from the undergrowth of the wildflower meadow at my home and is now drying its wings, which are still a bit crinkled, while basking on a choisya. From a distance it looked pure white. The apex markings are very light. The single spot on the forewings almost imperceptible.

There was a Peacock in the local park, and later a male Brimstone flew over the garden. Temperatures were a barmy 14c - moderate breeze. They started appearing around 1 o'clock in the afternoon, when the full sun shone brightly. A lovely memorable day.

[David M]

...I am happy to report my first Small White of 2024...

Nice sighting, dlaz, and an unusual 'first' for the year.

[millerd]

16th March: A sunny morning and another 24 butterflies seen on my local patch before the cloud encroached soon after midday. These included a fresh male Small White (my first of the year), which had bolder markings than those I usually find at the start of the season.

The others comprised 11 Peacocks, 9 Brimstones and 3 Commas.

Dave

[aeshna5]

A sunny morning in London yesterday but overcast later. My partner spotted a male Brimstone flying in the back garden, which I missed seeing by seconds. Our first garden butterfly sighting of the year.

On my morning walk spotted my first Small Tortoiseshell of the year on a Tree Heather & a Peacock flying low over a paddock.

[David M]

Looks like things are finally getting moving.

Mid-March is usually the time when we get a few newbies joining proceedings.

[millerd]

The burst of sunshine this afternoon after a grey and drizzly morning brought out a couple of local Commas, but that was all today.

Dave

[David M]

Monday 18th, Swansea:

Brimstone 12
Small White 1
Small Tortoiseshell 1

[David Lazarus]

First Small Tortoiseshell [4] and Comma [1] of the season with the midday sun bringing out 19 Peacocks and a couple of Brimstone too in Chelmsford.

Peacock on Blackthorn blossom 18/03/2024 Meadgate Park

Small Tortoiseshell 18/03/2024 River Chelmer

[millerd]

Quite a bit of (slightly hazy) sunshine today, and temperatures rose to around 18 degrees local to me. During the two-hour period centred around midday, I managed to count 46 butterflies with six species represented. These included my first Small Tortoiseshell of 2024(which eluded the camera) and the first Speckled Woods (one of which posed nicely).

The overall tally:

Brimstone 19
Peacock 17
Comma 4
Speckled Wood 3
Red Admiral 2
Small Tortoiseshell 1

Cowslips are appearing...

...and there are flower buds on the garlic mustard

- which means Orange Tips can't be far away.

Dave

[Allan.W.]

A Red letter day for me today ,two lifers ! Arriving at my local patch in fine warm weather (17 d) i headed for an area where a Large Tort had been spotted by a local a few days earlier .As i sloshed (very muddy ! ) along i noticed many butterflies on the wing ,mainly Peacocks ,with a few Brimstone and Comma ,much chasing and spiralling amongst the Peacocks ,something caught my eye to the side of the ride .......a very yellow leaf ......being hassled by a feisty male Peacock . On closer inspection ,my "leaf " morphed into a mating pair of Brimstone ,very pleased to see this ........and a first for me .

Continuing on down the ride ,i came across 4 more butterfly enthusiasts (inc;our own Dave Brown ) peering up into the trees ,and they pointed out a feeding (Sallow blossom ?) Large Tort ! another lifer !watched it at distance for about ten minutes ,before it disappeared from view . Very pleased
Everybody then left me to it ,thought i,d give it another 10-15 minutes then leave ,i strolled a bit further along the ride ,and a large Ginger butterfly glided past me at shoulder height ........i knew immediately what it was ,and luck was with me ,and it settled down on the ground ,for probably 5 minutes .A terrific afternoon ! my 36th species for Orlestone (Kent )

Allan.W.

[Andy02]

A beautiful day in London with plenty of insects on the wing including this Comma

[aeshna5]

Yesterday in Kew Gardens I saw 9 Brimstones (8 males), 2 Peacocks & my first Holly Blue.

[David Lazarus]

Surprisingly, unlike the forecast, the sun also came out here in Chelmsford yesterday - 16C with only a slight breeze. Perfect conditions so I went out a couple of times into Baddow Meads. It turned out even better than Monday with numbers up;

Peacock 15
Brimstone 10
Comma 3
Small Tortoiseshell 2
Small White 1

with first photographs of a Brimstone and Comma for 2024;

Brimstone m 20/03/2024 Meadgate Park

Comma 20/03/2024 Meadgate Meadow

Comma 20/03/2024 Meadgate Park

and the Cuckoo Flower Cardamine pratensis are in flower within the wet meadows of Baddow Meads:

Cardamine pratensis 20/03/2024 Baddow Meads

The Garlic Mustard Alliaria petiolata flower buds are forming, so hoping for an early sighting of an Orange-tip although the forecast for the coming week does not look butterfly-friendly.

[dave brown]

Hi Allan W. Very pleased you managed to get a ground photo of the Large Tortiseshell. It had remained stubbornly high feeding on the Sallow blossom for about 30 minutes before you arrived before it disappeared. As far as I know this was only the 2nd time this particular LT had been seen. We (family) had looked the previous 2 days but not seen, so rather elusive. Your timing for arrival was immaculate. Good photo by the way.
Also seen that day was Small Tortiseshell, 21 Brimstones and many Commas. Spring has arrived.

[Allan.W.]

Thanks Dave ! ........I got lucky ......must have been only around 10 minutes after you,d left .......Still haven,t seen a Small Tort though . Allan.W. Thanks for pointing it out !