Dates of first sightings 2025:
1. Brimstone - 2 March, Dan-y-Graig Cemetery, Swansea
2. Comma - 6 March, Dan-y-Graig Cemetery, Swansea
3. Painted Lady - 9 March, Whiteford Burrows, Gower, Swansea
4. Peacock - 9 March, Whiteford Burrows, Gower, Swansea
5. Red Admiral - 9 March, Cwm Ivy, nr. Llanmadoc, Gower
6. Small Tortoiseshell - 11 March, Dan-y-Graig Cemetery, Swansea
7. Small White - 20 March, Tesco Marina, Swansea
8. Speckled Wood - 20 March, Cwm Ivy, nr. Llanmadoc, Gower
9. Orange Tip - 2 April, Cwm Ivy, nr. Llanmadoc, Gower
10. Holly Blue - 2 April, Cwm Ivy, nr. Llanmadoc, Gower
11. Large White - 6 April, Cwm Ivy, nr. Llanmadoc, Gower
12. Green Veined White - 6 April, Cwm Ivy, nr. Llanmadoc, Gower
13. Small Copper - 7 April, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
14. Grizzled Skipper - 8 April, Merthyr Mawr, Glamorgan
15. Dingy Skipper - 11 April, Whiteford Burrows, Gower
16. Green Hairstreak - 11 April, Welshmoor, Gower
17. Brown Argus - 17 April, Whiteford Burrows, Gower
David M
Re: David M
Last edited by David M on Thu Apr 17, 2025 4:02 pm, edited 9 times in total.
Re: David M
Sunday 2nd March – First butterfly
The temperature crept up to 10c today, so I decided to do a circuit of Dan-y-Graig cemetery in Swansea, as this sheltered, south-facing site has traditionally been a good one for early butterflies over the years.
It’s also a place where celandines, dandelions & primroses grow, and after seeing nothing for the first 20 minutes, I suddenly spotted a yellow blur on the uppermost slope on my way back to the exit.
I tiptoed carefully between the graves and saw that the male Brimstone had come down on a celandine flower:
It didn’t stay down for long:
It then disappeared over the perimeter wall and that was it.
This is actually the first time a Brimstone has been my first UK butterfly of the year and although I only had about 90 seconds with it, it was still comforting to know that winter is now behind us and that insect life is returning.
The temperature crept up to 10c today, so I decided to do a circuit of Dan-y-Graig cemetery in Swansea, as this sheltered, south-facing site has traditionally been a good one for early butterflies over the years.
It’s also a place where celandines, dandelions & primroses grow, and after seeing nothing for the first 20 minutes, I suddenly spotted a yellow blur on the uppermost slope on my way back to the exit.
I tiptoed carefully between the graves and saw that the male Brimstone had come down on a celandine flower:
This is actually the first time a Brimstone has been my first UK butterfly of the year and although I only had about 90 seconds with it, it was still comforting to know that winter is now behind us and that insect life is returning.
Re: David M
Sunday 9th March – Burst of unseasonal warmth
For several days prior, the weather forecasters had made clear that this day would be clear sunny skies with temperatures reaching 15c.
At this early stage in March, such conditions generally only arrive once every 4 or 5 years, so I woke up with a spring in my step and made my way down to Cwm Ivy for 1045am.
For the first half hour, the billing lived up to reality and I saw 4 male Brimstones along with my second Comma of the year; this one being the first I managed to photograph:
Rather irritatingly though, a thin layer of high, grey cloud suddenly appeared and this somewhat stymied butterfly activity. I did my usual circuit, but apart from a couple more Brimstones nothing else was seen until I stood for a while at the entrance to the largest crater on the site, whereupon a peach-coloured butterfly suddenly came into view.
For once, the dull conditions played into my hands as the insect came down fairly quickly. It was a Painted Lady; a species seldom seen this early in the year:
After spending some time with it, I moved further round the crater and disturbed a resting Peacock, which promptly flew away at speed causing me to turn the air blue.
I needn’t have done so, as within a minute I spotted another basking on the sand nearby:
At 1300h, I was ready to leave, but decided to have one last stroll through the woodland glade. That immediately paid dividends, as a large butterfly objected to my presence before settling on a part-shaded leaf at the southern end of the glade:
In total, 19 butterflies of 5 different species were seen, with Brimstones coming top with 11 (all males):
For several days prior, the weather forecasters had made clear that this day would be clear sunny skies with temperatures reaching 15c.
At this early stage in March, such conditions generally only arrive once every 4 or 5 years, so I woke up with a spring in my step and made my way down to Cwm Ivy for 1045am.
For the first half hour, the billing lived up to reality and I saw 4 male Brimstones along with my second Comma of the year; this one being the first I managed to photograph:
For once, the dull conditions played into my hands as the insect came down fairly quickly. It was a Painted Lady; a species seldom seen this early in the year:
I needn’t have done so, as within a minute I spotted another basking on the sand nearby:
Re: David M
That Painted Lady was a bit of a surprise I'd imagine, David. 
I know they can make their way from a long way south at almost any time of year given a bit of wind assistance - and that one looked well travel-worn. I wonder where it spent its life as a caterpillar?
Cheers,
Dave
I know they can make their way from a long way south at almost any time of year given a bit of wind assistance - and that one looked well travel-worn. I wonder where it spent its life as a caterpillar? Cheers,
Dave
Re: David M
Tuesday 11th March – Delightful moment…
I needed to pop into the supermarket today near Swansea city centre, so given that I was just 5 minutes away from Dan-y-Graig Cemetery I thought I’d meander around for half an hour or so, even though temperatures were back down to 10c and a fair bit of cloud was around.
Having seen no butterflies at all on my circuit, I was just coming back to the exit when I spotted something briefly take flight before landing close by.
I was delighted to see it was my first Small Tortoiseshell of the year, a species that has crashed in numbers here lately, with only two examples being found in the whole of the previous spring.
Hopefully 2025 will see something of a renaissance for them.
I needed to pop into the supermarket today near Swansea city centre, so given that I was just 5 minutes away from Dan-y-Graig Cemetery I thought I’d meander around for half an hour or so, even though temperatures were back down to 10c and a fair bit of cloud was around.
Having seen no butterflies at all on my circuit, I was just coming back to the exit when I spotted something briefly take flight before landing close by.
I was delighted to see it was my first Small Tortoiseshell of the year, a species that has crashed in numbers here lately, with only two examples being found in the whole of the previous spring.
Hopefully 2025 will see something of a renaissance for them.
Re: David M
Really pleased for you David. Populations have crashed here in South Derbyshire also and thus I can understand your joy at seeing one.
Re: David M
Wednesday 19th March – Quick local visit…
It was a decent morning today, which was unexpected, so I took the liberty of nipping down to Park Wood where I managed about 40 minutes of butterflying before the clouds started to roll in just prior to midday.
Last spring, Peacocks seemed to do rather well. This time round, it is Commas that are in the ascendancy. I saw 8 today, which is very good going round here in the month of March:
The only other species seen was Brimstone, with 4 males sighted.
It was a decent morning today, which was unexpected, so I took the liberty of nipping down to Park Wood where I managed about 40 minutes of butterflying before the clouds started to roll in just prior to midday.
Last spring, Peacocks seemed to do rather well. This time round, it is Commas that are in the ascendancy. I saw 8 today, which is very good going round here in the month of March:
Re: David M
Always a surprise to see a Painted Lady so early in the year, Dave, but I've had the odd one in February before now, so it's not unheard of.millerd wrote: ↑Sat Mar 15, 2025 9:51 pmThat Painted Lady was a bit of a surprise I'd imagine, David.
There were winds blowing from Iberia around that time so it probably got a helping hand on its way north.
Re: David M
Thursday 20th March – Brimstones and first Small Whites…
I decided to visit Dan-y-Graig cemetery this morning, hopefully to see my first Small Whites of the year.
I’d achieved that before arriving, as one flew past my car near the traffic lights opposite the city centre Tesco store!
Another was seen in the scrubby land by the cemetery itself, but it was too far up the slope to get an image.
Brimstones were positively frolicking in the mild weather, with a total of 20 seen, including my first female of the year:
A quick half hour at Crymlyn Burrows produced another male Small White as well as 4 more Brimstones.
I decided to visit Dan-y-Graig cemetery this morning, hopefully to see my first Small Whites of the year.
I’d achieved that before arriving, as one flew past my car near the traffic lights opposite the city centre Tesco store!
Another was seen in the scrubby land by the cemetery itself, but it was too far up the slope to get an image.
Brimstones were positively frolicking in the mild weather, with a total of 20 seen, including my first female of the year:
Re: David M
Thursday 20th March cont – Speckled Wood now out…
By just gone 12.30pm, I’d arrived at Cwm Ivy, where I was delighted to see my first Speckled Wood of the year:
There were 13 Brimstones, all males, 2 Commas and a couple of Red Admirals which had taken territory in different parts of the woodland glade:
I hung around the Holly Blue hotspot but none have emerged yet.
By just gone 12.30pm, I’d arrived at Cwm Ivy, where I was delighted to see my first Speckled Wood of the year:
Re: David M
Saturday 22nd March – Fewer than expected…
After a largely cloudy start to the day, it brightened up after 10am and with 15c temperatures on the cards again, I made my way down to Cwm Ivy, arriving in the woodland glade at around 1130am.
There was surprisingly little about – a male Brimstone and a Peacock were nectaring from celandines just by the path that leads into the woodland, but in the glade itself I found just one Comma and a Speckled Wood, which may well have been the same one seen 2 days earlier as it was found in exactly the same place:
A little later, at the other end of the glade, I found what appeared to be the same one:
A circuit round the dunes yielded nothing, and by the time I was ready to go I’d seen just 6 Brimstones, 4 Commas, 2 Speckled Woods and a Peacock. However, on the way back to the car park there was another Peacock nectaring from some Bergenia in one of the gardens:
A Red Admiral was seen flying across the lane shortly after, but just 15 butterflies on such a lovely, warm, March day was a little disappointing.
After a largely cloudy start to the day, it brightened up after 10am and with 15c temperatures on the cards again, I made my way down to Cwm Ivy, arriving in the woodland glade at around 1130am.
There was surprisingly little about – a male Brimstone and a Peacock were nectaring from celandines just by the path that leads into the woodland, but in the glade itself I found just one Comma and a Speckled Wood, which may well have been the same one seen 2 days earlier as it was found in exactly the same place:
Re: David M
23-28 February, Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura is hardly a butterfly hotspot; in fact, given that it is semi-desert throughout, the landscape is largely bereft of anything of particular appeal for most insects.
However, in spite of this relatively austere environment, the island is host to a small number of butterfly species, and late February seemed an ideal time to go and look for them after several months of late autumn/winter British drear.
Chief among the target species was Greenish Black-Tip, Euchloe charlonia.
This species is a denizen of dry, arid hillsides, and was eventually found in good numbers at a hilltopping site north of Betancuria. This is the habitat it favours:
A small number had been seen flying beside the roads leading through these mountains but once the prime site had been identified, they were easy enough to find, with upwards of two dozen seen, although they rarely settled and even when the did it was only for a few seconds:
Going back the next day at 10am changed the dynamic entirely. Far fewer were seen but given they were just waking up, it meant that they were settling for much longer periods and were very approachable, to the point where a macro lens could be employed:
Fuerteventura is hardly a butterfly hotspot; in fact, given that it is semi-desert throughout, the landscape is largely bereft of anything of particular appeal for most insects.
However, in spite of this relatively austere environment, the island is host to a small number of butterfly species, and late February seemed an ideal time to go and look for them after several months of late autumn/winter British drear.
Chief among the target species was Greenish Black-Tip, Euchloe charlonia.
This species is a denizen of dry, arid hillsides, and was eventually found in good numbers at a hilltopping site north of Betancuria. This is the habitat it favours:
Re: David M
23-28 February, Fuerteventura cont…
The other species that was a must-find was Fuerteventura Green Striped White, Euchloe hesperidum.
We actually came across our first low down in the valley south of Betancuria. This individual was aggravatingly skittish, meaning that a few airshots were necessary:
Then, suddenly and surprisingly, it came down:
The butterfly was found in greater numbers at the Greenish Black Tip site, where photography was slightly easier:
The other species that was a must-find was Fuerteventura Green Striped White, Euchloe hesperidum.
We actually came across our first low down in the valley south of Betancuria. This individual was aggravatingly skittish, meaning that a few airshots were necessary:
Re: David M
23-28 February, Fuerteventura cont…
Other butterflies were around, with Small Whites being commonest with 40-50 seen through the week.
Plain Tigers numbered 15+, the bulk of which were found on the south coast:
There were plenty of semi-tame ground squirrels at this site too:
This egret was fairly approachable too:
Other butterflies were around, with Small Whites being commonest with 40-50 seen through the week.
Plain Tigers numbered 15+, the bulk of which were found on the south coast:
Re: David M
23-28 February, Fuerteventura cont…
Total numbers of butterflies were fairly meagre during the week. This island is very arid, unlike the ones to the west of the archipelago, and with elevation below 1,000m throughout, green areas are almost entirely absent.
Full list was as follows:
Small White 40-50
Greenish Black Tip 25-30
Plain Tiger 15-20
African Grass Blue 10-15
Fuerteventura Green Striped White 5-10
Painted Lady 6
Monarch 3
Red Admiral 2
African Migrant 2
Clouded Yellow 1
Bath White 1
Total numbers of butterflies were fairly meagre during the week. This island is very arid, unlike the ones to the west of the archipelago, and with elevation below 1,000m throughout, green areas are almost entirely absent.
Full list was as follows:
Small White 40-50
Greenish Black Tip 25-30
Plain Tiger 15-20
African Grass Blue 10-15
Fuerteventura Green Striped White 5-10
Painted Lady 6
Monarch 3
Red Admiral 2
African Migrant 2
Clouded Yellow 1
Bath White 1
Re: David M
Wednesday 2nd April – More than expected…
Whilst abroad between 25th March and 1st April, I had noted that the UK was enjoying a period of dry, sunny and settled weather, so I was expecting plenty of butterflies when I ventured down to Cwm Ivy, arriving just before 1130am.
However, I wasn’t expecting a deluge in the numbers of two species I hadn’t hitherto seen this year.
I reckoned I might get three or four Orange Tips as they hadn’t emerged on my last visit here on 24th March. I ended up with almost 30, with the first one seen readily settling on the blackthorn blossom which is starting to flower in earnest:
Finally, it settled in the position I was after with the sun lighting it up nicely:
The total included a couple of females:
This area of blackthorn is south-facing and is always popular with spring butterflies:
A Comma was making the most of it:
The commonest species was Holly Blue, with a total of 32 seen in and around the woodland glade:
All were males, and all were exceedingly active. Upperside shots were near impossible:
There were 15 Brimstones about, including two females, one of which adopted an unusual position whilst nectaring from a violet:
I had actually anticipated Speckled Woods being the most numerous butterfly, but only half a dozen were seen. Two Peacocks made up the list for the day, but it was wonderful to finally experience dozens of butterflies on a warm, sunny early-April day, something that has been absent these last couple of years.
Whilst abroad between 25th March and 1st April, I had noted that the UK was enjoying a period of dry, sunny and settled weather, so I was expecting plenty of butterflies when I ventured down to Cwm Ivy, arriving just before 1130am.
However, I wasn’t expecting a deluge in the numbers of two species I hadn’t hitherto seen this year.
I reckoned I might get three or four Orange Tips as they hadn’t emerged on my last visit here on 24th March. I ended up with almost 30, with the first one seen readily settling on the blackthorn blossom which is starting to flower in earnest:
Re: David M
Thursday 3rd April – Routine stuff…
Another visit to the supermarket put me in range of Dan-y-Graig cemetery again, and although only about 12c, it was beautifully sunny once more and I was delighted to see a few bluebells in flower on my way down the track.
Even more pleasingly, there was briefly a male Brimstone nectaring from them:
Only one other Brimstone was seen in the 40 minutes I was there, whilst there was a Comma and 9 Speckled Woods enjoying the conditions.
The commonest butterfly was Small White, with 11 seen, and I managed to get my first image of the year of one of them:
Another visit to the supermarket put me in range of Dan-y-Graig cemetery again, and although only about 12c, it was beautifully sunny once more and I was delighted to see a few bluebells in flower on my way down the track.
Even more pleasingly, there was briefly a male Brimstone nectaring from them:
The commonest butterfly was Small White, with 11 seen, and I managed to get my first image of the year of one of them:
Re: David M
Sunday 6th April – Back again…
Another exceedingly pleasant day meant a return trip to Cwm Ivy, where Speckled Woods have now taken on the role as commonest butterfly. I saw a half-century of them today in and around the woodland glade.
They were run close by Holly Blues. I managed to count 45 of them, but again all were seemingly males:
I also saw my first Large Whites of the year, with three males proving a nuisance to each other as they continually patrolled the glade:
Little did they know, there was a female in the dappled light nearby:
Green Veined White showed up too, along with Small White, Peacock and Comma:
Out on the dunes there were plenty of Orange Tips, with 27 seen in total:
Just 2 Brimstones though. I’m wondering whether they’re almost spent given they’ve been active daily for 3 weeks now in these ideal conditions.
Butterflies badly needed a break after two successive atrocious springs in the UK. They’ve definitely got one this year!
Another exceedingly pleasant day meant a return trip to Cwm Ivy, where Speckled Woods have now taken on the role as commonest butterfly. I saw a half-century of them today in and around the woodland glade.
They were run close by Holly Blues. I managed to count 45 of them, but again all were seemingly males:
Butterflies badly needed a break after two successive atrocious springs in the UK. They’ve definitely got one this year!
Re: David M
Monday 7th April – Copper hunt…
With Small Copper next on the agenda, I eschewed Cwm Ivy, which isn’t a great site for them, and instead headed down to Crymlyn Burrows on the coast just east of Swansea.
Whilst walking down the track to the dune area, there were plenty of Speckled Woods and Orange Tips to keep me company, before I finally caught up with my target, which was holding territory in a sheltered clearing:
I was delighted to see a total of 7 Green Veined Whites, including my first female of the year:
On the other side of the woodland area I found a second Small Copper, this one being a caeruleopunctata:
I was only able to get one shot of this fine-looking specimen as it immediately took flight. Rather unusually for this species, it did not return in the 10 minutes or so I continued to search for it.
Three Peacock and a solitary male Brimstone just as I was leaving were the other butterflies seen.
With Small Copper next on the agenda, I eschewed Cwm Ivy, which isn’t a great site for them, and instead headed down to Crymlyn Burrows on the coast just east of Swansea.
Whilst walking down the track to the dune area, there were plenty of Speckled Woods and Orange Tips to keep me company, before I finally caught up with my target, which was holding territory in a sheltered clearing:
Three Peacock and a solitary male Brimstone just as I was leaving were the other butterflies seen.