December 2015

[Chris Jackson]

Hello Jack,
Do you not have an out-house to put it in ?
I have little experience with this species.
Chris

[Jack Harrison]

Do you not have an out-house to put it in ?

Indeed I do. But it can get too warm. Experience has shown that hibernating individuals wake up far too early unless kept really cold - hence the fridge.

Jack

[FISHiEE]

Merry Christmas all!!

Forgot to post i saw two peacocks on a walk of the south downs near Burpham to Amberley on the 23rd. Brilliant sunshine all day. T-shirt weather!! Lots of wasps also looking unsuccessfully for nectar on ivy. I hope the hibernation do ok in this unseasonably mild weather. Got my first ever short eared owl too which was the target for the trip. Perfect Christmas present!!

[Ian Pratt]

Happy Christmas to you all. As butterflies need as many friends as possible I gave a copy of Richard Lewington's latest ID guide to each of my three children who live in the UK. Hopefully they will take up the cudgels!!
A Peaceful New Year to you all next week.
Ian.

[Scott Barron]

29th December at 11:15am a single Red Admiral basking in a sunny sheltered corner of Penzance Cemetery, West Cornwall. This is now the 24th month in a row dating back to January 2014 that I have seen an active outdoor butterfly.

[Matsukaze]

A Peacock fluttering at the windows of Streatley church (Berkshire) on Christmas Day. We released the butterfly and it flew strongly.