January 2019

[David M]

At last! Some sunshine is forecast.

Maybe someone will be lucky enough to spot a brave butterfly getting a bit of exercise in this most difficult of months.

Looks like things are to turn colder which is something we are in need of after this ridiculously mild end to 2018.

All the best for 2019!

[Charles Nicol]

will keep an eye out for the odd Little Tortoiseshell coming out of hibernation....

have a great year !

CN

[badgerbob]

After many days with no sign of any sun, I was working through some photos on the computer late morning when I noticed the sun had come out for a while.
I quickly got some gear together and headed up to High and Over to look for Wall Brown larva as well as the small chance of a Red Admiral. Before I had started looking for the larva a rather worn Peacock was suddenly flying around me. After it settled a few times I managed a quick photo before it took off and flew from view. An hour later though I saw it again as it tried to find a new place to sleep, as by now the sun had gone in.

Peacock on January 1st.

I then started to look for Wall Brown larva. I found the first one very quickly as it was sitting in the open as it fed.

Wall Brown larva with grass showing feeding pattern.

I then struggled to find any more until just before I gave up. Here I found 4 more close together, including one that had an over-sized head, probably a sign that it is about to moult, or just has. Once again it was feeding, this grass showed plenty of feeding activity below and above the larva.

Wall Brown larva.

Wall Brown larva.

[David M]

Fabulous stuff, Bob. I see Neil Hulme also bagged a New Year butterfly with a Red Admiral in Worthing, so things have got off to an immediate start.

Great to see the Wall Brown larvae feeding too.

[CallumMac]

It was mild and sunny enough in East Yorkshire to tempt me out for a run this afternoon. Even so, I was very surprised to encounter a Peacock basking on the path on the south-west facing slope of Chapel Hill (SE810494)!

[David M]

Tremendous, Callum! If only the sun had come out in south Wales today I might have had a go myself with 9c temperatures and no wind to speak of.

[petesmith]

The weather in Lincolnshire was favourable for a day of egg hunting today, so I spent several hours out in the chilling northerly breeze, gradually losing feeling in my toes and ears! Plenty of Brown Hairstreak eggs found and mapped, including a nice trio, and huge numbers of overwintering ladybirds.

[David M]

I know ladybirds hibernate as adults, Pete, but is it normal to see them huddled on branches in such an exposed way?

[petesmith]

Hi David,

I find plenty of ladybirds hibernating on blackthorn most years during the egg-searches that keep me sane through the winter months, but it is quite unusual to find them in such large groups as this. They are more often found as singletons.

We experienced a few large swarms of ladybirds during late summer/early autumn out in my local woods, so I guess it was to be expected that there would be high numbers of hibernators.

2019 may well prove a bad year to be an aphid! But the knock-on effect could be less honeydew, and maybe more adult hairstreak sightings lower down. Every season is different isn't it!

[David M]

Thanks, Pete.

Had a pleasant surprise this morning when my neighbour brought me a Small Tortoiseshell that she'd found fluttering around her cottage.

I will look after it until early March in a cool, dark, dry place. It will then be released.

[David M]

An exciting moment occurred today when I noticed a Red Admiral fluttering around my patio doors in Swansea at 11.40am.

Whilst many members have seen early butterflies in the UK (especially in the south east), this is the first time in my life that I have seen one in January myself.

[Testudo Man]

A Red Admiral seen on the wing today!!

I wasnt expecting to see any Butterflies at all, but sure enough, at approx 12.30pm, a Red Admiral flew straight past me.
I was working in an ordinary residential/suburban area, when the beauty flew past...I shouted to a stranger, "look a butterfly",
she thought i was a little crazy i guess?? but she saw it too, an went on to mumble something about butterflies in Winter, how strange etc.
It was clear skies/sunny...but certainly not that warm!

Location - Hadlow, Kent.

Im off the mark, for 2019 ...cheers Paul.

[David M]

A Red Admiral seen on the wing today!!

Well done, TM. That must have been quite a shock given how cold it was.