Thank you for your very pleasing comments all :D Today I could plan due to the fine weather... time to see if the Yorkshire lucina and euphrosyne colonies had emerged. My first venue was in shade when I arrived at half eight this morning, but as the sun crept round it became apparent the Dukes were ...

Glad you appreciated her...She was rather gorgeous - I see everything from almost spotless, to this, at this site... a very variable butterfly... I would love to see a real aberration up there, but nothing yet

So it seems they do tend to roost together in small numbers, thanks for the input. :D I saw four napi settling down in the sun bathed Horse Chestnut in the garden this evening. The sun finally came out at home today, after a miserably cold dull few days under the east coast harr... time to venture b...

Fantastic to see a shot of Allard's.. well done you.

Glad it sparked some interest :D Every year the males seem to roost on white Narcissi, often in twos, occasionally in threes but i've never watched four interacting so closely.... the final result was three roosting at the same spot. Other white flowers don't seem as attractive, that is, until Garli...

At last, after several fruitless visits through April, the rubi are now out in Swaledale, about seven seen, some at a nearby but previously barren site. Not only that, but a single phlaeas also showed up.... 170504 C. rubi_w7585.jpg 170504 L. phlaeas_w7605.jpg This is our local context.... IMG_w7582...

just caught up, enjoyed doing so!.... I suspect Nickerl's may be finished by my early June trip, given your photo!!

Hi, I was expecting responses from elsewhere, but try http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/links.php as a start, especially imho Guy's, Roger's and Matt's pages... they give some idea of the species you may find at that time of the year, though not specifically for your locality. I spend time each year in...

Five species in the garden today, as much as I could expect up here. (Peacock, Small Tort, Speckled Wood, Orange Tip and Green-veined White. This Lady settled by her own volition in a rather photogenic way on my Spiraea....

A meet up somewhere would be fantastic. (bet you have a good day today if you are able to get out there!!)

that is one beautiful pristine osiris Guy, and the dorylas shots are joyful!! I will be in the Haute Savoie in June so will probably miss the best the Alps has to offer this year.

I did look for a female as I suspected the same Wurzel, but none to be seen, of course, she may well have been well hidden! Generally at this time of year, these butterflies and napi , and evidently brassicae favour white Narcissi on which to roost, often in twos, so why Cammasia in this case, thoug...

Interesting butterfly behaviour, I wonder if everyone notices the same.... communual roosting of cardamines ??
i-phone shot at about 5pm this afternoon, on Quamash in the garden, one mid air!..... Still no local rubi

Emergences continue, with my first napi (x4), brassicae (x1) and aegeria (x2) at home yesterday... - these two were just a few inches apart early this ( very cold) morning at home... IMG_w7489.jpg I was surprised on 20th April last year by a mating pair of brassicae - well this female is even earlie...

There are other reasons cardamines haunt my garden.... it is well in the countryside, and I have lots of Lady's Smock...
and Garlic Mustard

I find this plant difficult up here.... it soon gets leggy and dies back, though we have some cuttings rooted... maybe that's the way to go! ... it also feels like photographing a butterfly on Buddleia, grates a bit!! The orange and purple works though :D Here's one of my roosting cardamines today.....

Haha... I sat for 2 days on & off waiting for the right moment... culminating in an open wing male, probably same one, which shot off way before camera picked up.

This evening, found two groups of 3 male cardamines each, roosting on pale narcissi in the garden!!

I'm pretty sure everyone is seeing a selection of seasonal beauties now!
A couple more from me.....

a rather pleasant and seldom seen by me, male argiolus snapped in Northampton,
and a male cardamines this aft in my own garden...

My first home pics of the year... female cardamines yesterday....
Also Comma and Peacock in the garden up here in North Yorkshire.

I came across these two old files today, from Italy in 2015. The first was taken on 8th July just as a storm was about to drift over the Lago di San Giacomo.... hence never got back to it to see an upperside... I think it is a female eros but I would be interested to hear any other opinion. 150708 P...