February 2025

[David T]

Yesterday in Houghton Regis I was up and running with a Peacock. Today in Totternhoe, I had my first couple of Brimstone sightings.

Male Brimstone - Totternhoe 22nd February @ 12:32pm

[millerd]

After some weak sunshine on both Saturday and Sunday, I wondered if the accompanying mild temperatures might have woken anything up. There was a lot of rain overnight, but today (24th) the clouds gave way to warm sunshine, and a muddy walk round my local patch rewarded me with no fewer than five butterflies of three species.

First to appear were three Brimstones - two of them flying together in and out of an ivy patch where I presume they had spent the winter, and the third a few hundred metres further along the path already patrolling for females. One of them stopped briefly.

In a sheltered spot by the underpass beneath the A3113 T4 link road I then spotted a Red Admiral, looking commendably fresh and whole.

Finally, I disturbed a Peacock in exactly the same place in which I had seen one at the end of January, with the same result - no photo.

I'd say the season was properly underway here!

Dave

[Chris L]

Great to read of some butterfly sightings from folk. I am so excited by the season that lies ahead. It feels really close now. I have had quite a few days of sunshine recently in South Derbyshire that would definitely have produced a few butterfly appearances - sadly not where I was looking it seems. The next 7 to 10 days has lots of sunshine forecast so I am optimistic that I will see something.

[David M]

Yes, early March is looking unusually good.

Pretty sure that by the end of the first week most people will have broken their UK duck for '25.

[bugboy]

By the skin of my teeth I grabbed myself a February butterfly, a Comma at work over lunch. Sadly I neglected to bring my camera to work and it was far to frisky to get close with my phone so no evidence, but it did happen

[NickC]

As per David M's prediction, I saw my first butterfly of '25 today - a glorious male Brimstone in the sunshine here in suburban northeast London.

[millerd]

Despite a sharp frost overnight (minus two at daybreak this morning), on a somewhat warmer lunchtime walk around my local patch I found myself following a Brimstone over the soggy ground.

It settled uncomfortably on the chilly grass as the sun went in...

...so I rescued it and placed on a bramble where it quickly made its way under a leaf to roost.

Dave

[Matsukaze]

First butterfly of the year here yesterday - a Peacock which looked like it had had a hard winter.

[Ian Pratt]

My first butterfly of the year was a red admiral at Kew Gardens on February 28.