www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Think it's going to be a tough ask for any January butterflies in 2025. Not many Red Admirals around in comparison to last winter.

I confidentially anticipate seeing seven adult Peacocks on 1st January
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in my fridge!

Jack

Glad to start the year off here with a Red Admiral basking in 8° sunshine in Brighton

Fabulous! Was getting concerned that this might be a blank month for everyone.

A Brimstone flew in sunshine around an ivy-clad wall at the 'Walled Garden' plant centre near Reading this afternoon. I watched it flutter above the Ivy but when it settled it rapidly disappeared amongst the leaves. From the pale colour, I suspect a female although females don't usually emerge until after the males.

Mike

Just taken a look at Butterfly Conservation's First Sightings page and there isn't an entry yet for Brimstone, so that might be the first, Mike.

David M wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2025 8:52 am Just taken a look at Butterfly Conservation's First Sightings page and there isn't an entry yet for Brimstone, so that might be the first, Mike.

I think it does raise the question of what counts as an emergence. A hibernating butterfly woken by a sudden burst of warmth in its resting place, which then flutters around for a few minutes before disappearing back into the ivy might give pleasure and the hope that Spring is on the way but it's really just a freak event. I hope that individual does not suffer from its over-enthusiasm.

A very active Peacock seen today in fine weather (10 c) while scrub clearing at Dungeness (Kent) seen just up the ride from our work position.......two or three flypasts !

A peacock appeared in a friend's house in Portmahomack near Tain last Saturday. He thinks he might have brought it in on some logs from the woodshed earlier that day.

Photos attached.

Bert.

MikeOxon wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2025 2:22 pmI think it does raise the question of what counts as an emergence. A hibernating butterfly woken by a sudden burst of warmth in its resting place, which then flutters around for a few minutes before disappearing back into the ivy might give pleasure and the hope that Spring is on the way but it's really just a freak event. I hope that individual does not suffer from its over-enthusiasm.

A temporary awakening is definitely what it is. I guess any overwintering adult butterfly may get briefly restless when it feels some mild air and sunshine but yes, it wouldn't be a good thing for this to persist and last several days otherwise when conditions went back to sub-zero it would be life-threatening.

Allan.W. wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2025 5:41 pmA very active Peacock seen today in fine weather (10 c) while scrub clearing at Dungeness (Kent) seen just up the ride from our work position.......two or three flypasts !

Very nice, Allan.

I always think that threshold of 10c is the tipping point to get a few out and on the wing.

I have just come back from my 2nd butterfly walk of the year attempting to catch a sight of one before the end of the month. Today 2° warmer than 4 days ago at 8C with full sun and no breeze. It was warmer against the sheltered south-facing scrub, perhaps even 2-3° warmer.

Not a flicker, let alone a flutter. A tad optimistic I suspect.


No sightings on the Essex & Cambridgeshire branch sightings webpage since the 19th of December.

It looks like midday tomorrow is going to be my last chance - highly unlikely.

Realistically, Red Admirals are the only butterflies likely to be seen in the month of January, David, although occasionally one of the adult hibernators turns up having probably been disturbed from its hibernation location.

I always think it takes till the second half of February to coax the Tortoiseshells, Peacocks, Brimstones & Commas out of their slumber, and usually only when there have been two successive sunny days.

Keep trying though. I'll be doing likewise if either (or both) of the next couple of days are sunny and calm. The sun is getting higher in the sky every day!

It is a good excuse to get out, David - I don't expect to see anything. I am just tired of sitting in front of a computer screen all day.

My money is on Brimstone. ..... or Peacock

There are still no reports from BC's cambs/essex branch. It has been over a decade since there were 0 reports in Jan - maybe more since i only went back to 2011... Certainly hasn't been a fun start to the year.

Thankfully the weather seems tempting enough for Red Admirals in the coming week so perhaps we may get something?

Zayed

At around 1130 this morning in unaccustomed brilliant (but chilly) sunshine, I set off on my usual route around the closer part of my local patch. I noted a couple of dandelions in bloom, and then as I squinted into the sun a butterfly took off from the ground in front of me. I failed to spot where it had landed, so it was very annoying to promptly disturb it again and watch it sail over the hedge. I did identify it as a Peacock, confirmed when I managed to overlook it for a third time as it was sunning itself in a sheltered nook immediately on the other side. Very frustrating not to record the event with even a blurry photo, but very heartening to see my first butterfly of 2025.

I think I might pop out again, as the sun seems to be persisting!

Cheers,

Dave

The weather has been quite sunny in Brighton the past few days, but only reached temps warm enough today. This hasn’t stopped me from visiting the spot I saw my first butterfly of the year whenever there has been a little sun . But at 14:30, in a ten minute break, I hurried to the spot and was greeted by a beautiful Peacock . It was gone when I returned in an hour, so I presume that the 7° full sun was only just enough to tempt it out for a little bask, which honestly I only expected was sufficient for Red Admirals.

Zayed

None for me yet but I'm aware of at least 2 separate Red Admirals in London yesterday on what has been the most pleasant day so far this year. Today back to heavy rain this morning!

essexbutterflyer wrote: ↑Thu Jan 30, 2025 10:13 pm....But at 14:30, in a ten minute break, I hurried to the spot and was greeted by a beautiful Peacock...

So good to see that, Zayed.