December 2017

[David M]

Been a bit chilly lately but I'm sure a handful of lucky folks will have sightings to report this month.

Good luck.

[David M]

Had a surprise visitor at work today - a Red Admiral fluttered by at around 1130am during a brief, sunny interlude and proceeded to settle on the metal panels close to the roof of the building.

[Ian Pratt]

I saw this butterfly recently in an out of town shopping centre in Northern Spain. It must be a Spanish festoon.

[jenks]

I`ve just read that a Red Admiral was seen today at Fortuneswell on the Isle of Portland, near the Co-op ! Presumably this was by the small public gardens where the Monarch was ensconced for a week or so back in September 2012. It must be much milder there than here in the South Wales valleys where the temperature dipped to -10 C last night ! Needless to say no butterflies sighted here. I`m making do with reading Wurzel`s latest diary entry of last summer`s sightings. A good alternative though, always good reading and photos from Wurzel just to remind one what last summer offered. Roll on spring.

Jenks.

[David M]

Amazing what a few miles can do, Jenks. Here in Swansea there hasn't been a flake of snow (at least, not on the Gower), yet 40 miles to the north there's been 2 feet and temperatures as low as -13c!!!

That said, with highs of 4c today, an active Red Admiral would have been a miracle!

[badgerbob]

Despite a heavy overnight frost that was still showing late morning where the sun had not reached, there was definite warmth around High and Over today and I was half expecting a sighting of a Red Admiral or even a Peacock. This didn't happen of course, but I was pleased to find very easily 2 Wall Brown larva. The first one in exactly the same tussock as the last one I saw in the late Spring. This one was feeding. Another a few feet away was laying along a grass blade sunbathing. Hopefully these, and many more will make it through to Spring 2018!!

[Vince Massimo]

The recent mild weather here in Crawley has led to some activity amongst the Red Admiral larvae that I am monitoring. At a nettle bed near the Football Stadium, a 4th instar larva was found out in the open prior to constructing a new shelter.

Red Admiral larva (4th instar) - Crawley, Sussex 21-Dec-2017

The temperature was 12C with dark cloud and light wind.

Vince

[David M]

I wonder what temperature it needs to get down to before these larvae cease feeding (and also at what temperature they die)? More recently, sustained periods of temperatures in the range of 7c-13c have become ever more commonplace in British winters, whereas in the past this would have been exceptional.

I daresay only spells of prolonged cold weather can finish off these early stages, and we get precious few of those in this early part of the 21st Century.

[Charles Nicol]

this Small Tortoiseshell was in the kitchen in Peterborough where Christmas lunch was being prepared !! it was quite lively.