2021 - Large Tortoiseshell

[Pete Eeles]

Hi all - I thought it would be useful to summarise all of the Large Tortoiseshell adult sightings this year, thus far. I often get asked by 'the great and the good' to let them know what's been posted on UKB before the formal records are collated at the end of the year, but there's also a lot going on in the broader ecosystem (Twitter, Facebook etc.). I intend to keep this list up to date so, if you have any additional sightings, do let me know (or post a reply to this thread). Thanks!

Cheers,

- Pete

Contributions from: Jim Baldwin, Nick Bowles, Peter Clarke, David Coupe, Bob Eade, Dom Greves, Gerry Hinde, Neil Hulme, Will Langdon, Dave Law, Ashley Whitlock, Martin Wills, Tony Wilson

Feb 26th
Rufus Castle (near Church Ope), Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: https://twitter.com/GerryHinde/status/1 ... 8918117385

Feb 26th
Highdown Hill, Ferring, West Sussex
Source: Neil Hulme [unknown observer, but Neil has verified from an image]

Feb 27th
5 seen at Church Ope Cove, Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: https://twitter.com/radareggleton/statu ... 9345546241

Feb 27th
East Cosham, Hampshire
Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2140026 ... sn=scwspwa

Feb 27th
Callestick, Cornwall
Source: https://twitter.com/TWTamar1/status/1365716679456673792

Feb 27th
Shide, Isle of Wight
Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/5709007 ... 9745742389

Feb 27th
Northwood Cemetery, Isle of Wight. Sighting of a worn individual only a quarter of a mile away from a Large Tortoiseshell sighting in 2020.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/5709007 ... 5799069117

Feb 27th
Seaford, Sussex
Source: https://www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/record-de ... d=19428286

Feb 28th
East Cosham, Hampshire
Source: http://www.hantsiow-butterflies.org.uk/news.php

Feb 28th
Brighton, Sussex
Source: https://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/sightings/

Mar 17th
Coombe Creek, Cornwall
Source: https://twitter.com/ProffField/status/1 ... 1767014400

Mar 21st
Rowland Wood, Sussex
Source: https://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/sightings/

Mar 22nd
Rowland Wood, Sussex
Source: https://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/sightings/

Mar 22nd
Rufus Castle (near Church Ope), Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: https://twitter.com/GerryHinde/status/1 ... 8327149569

Mar 22nd
Church Ope Cove, Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: https://www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/record-de ... d=20086498

Mar 22nd
3 seen at Church Ope Cove, Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: Mitch Stone (in this thread)

Mar 22nd
Pennsylvania Castle Wood, Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: https://www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/record-de ... d=20086494

Mar 22nd
Kelling Heath, Norfolk
Source: https://twitter.com/BC_Norfolk/status/1 ... 5777491972

Mar 23rd
Darland Banks, Kent
Source: https://twitter.com/rehtaeh1/status/1374401023154872325

Mar 23rd
Private garden near naval cemetery, Isle of Portland, Dorset.
Source: UKB (Jester68 in this thread)

Mar 27th
2 seen near Church Ope Cove, Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: https://twitter.com/jamezcartwright/sta ... 1575599104

Mar 27th
Arreton Down, Isle of Wight
Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Isleofw ... 8797740746

Mar 29th
RSPB Fore Wood, Crowhurst, East Sussex
Source: Neil Hulme [sighting by Dr Simon Young]

Mar 29th
Pennsylvania Castle Wood, Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: https://www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/record-de ... d=20135807

Mar 29th
Cawsand, Cornwall
Source: Will Langdon [in database of Cornwall BC]

Mar 30th
Incombe Hole, Buckinghamshire
Source: https://twitter.com/wibsdad/status/1376991941188071434

Mar 30th
3-5 at Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: https://twitter.com/MatthewOates76/stat ... 6542101512

Mar 31st
Incombe Hole, Buckinghamshire
Source: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.philp ... 1066918274
Source: https://www.upperthames-butterflies.org ... _sightings (same individual)

March 31st
Abbotts Wood, East Sussex
Sure: Bob Eade (Badgerbob) in this thread

Apr 1st
Landguard Observatory, Suffolk
Source: https://twitter.com/Wykebirding/status/ ... 0650126337

Apr 1st
Mill Hill, Sussex
Source: https://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/sightings/

Apr 1st
Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire
Source: https://hertsmiddx-butterflies.org.uk/sightings-new.php

Apr 2nd
Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: https://twitter.com/GriffinWildlife/sta ... 3796567051

Apr 2nd
Rufus Castle (near Church Ope), Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: https://twitter.com/GerryHinde/status/1 ... 3159399426

Apr 2nd
Church Ope Cove, Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: https://www.brc.ac.uk/irecord/record-de ... d=20157593

Apr 4th
Poole, Dorset
Source: https://twitter.com/MikeRob66/status/13 ... 9289212928

Apr 4th
Between Dover & St Margarets, Kent
Source: Facebook

Apr 8th
Near Rufus Castle, Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: Sighting sent privately by Gerry Hinde

Apr 17th
Near Rufus Castle, Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: Sighting sent privately by Gerry Hinde

Apr 21st
Southford, Isle of Wight
Source: Sighting sent privately

Apr 24th
Friston Forest, East Sussex
Male seen by Gary Norman not far from where he had one a few years back.
Source: Neil Hulme (in this thread)

May 5th
Bouldnor, Isle of Wight
Source: Sighting sent privately (and mentioned in this thread)

May 12th
Hutchinsons Bank, Croydon
Source: Martin Wills ('Mr. Spock' in this thread)

May 27th
Hutchinsons Bank, Croydon
Source: https://twitter.com/anand_ramesh18/stat ... 6853882880

July 15th
Tout Quarry, Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: https://www.dorsetbutterflies.com/2021/ ... ut-quarry/

Jul 31st
Near Ramsey Wood, West Suffolk
Source: https://twitter.com/mattgarnham90/statu ... 9060632581

Aug 1st
Clayton, West-Mid Sussex
Source: http://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/sightings.html

Aug 2nd
Church Ope Cove, Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: Private WhatsApp group

Aug 2nd
2 seen at Tout Quarry, Isle of Portland, Dorset
Source: Private WhatsApp group

Aug 11th
Darland Banks, Kent
Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/6671878 ... 611147702/

[Neil Hulme]

Hi Pete

Two additional 'definites' I'm aware of:

26 February, Highdown Hill (Ferring, West Sussex) - unknown observer, but I've seen the image.

29 March, RSPB Fore Wood (Crowhurst, East Sussex) - Dr Simon Young.

BWs, Neil

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks Neil - list updated accordingly!

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

Thanks for this summary, Pete.

Good to know the range of locations in which this butterfly has been recorded thus far in 2021. Most encouraging is that it's been seen over a wide area, which lends credence to the theory that it is starting to re-establish itself in the British Isles.

[peterc]

Hi Pete,

Large Tortoiseshell also seen in Sawbridgeworth, Herts on 1 April.

https://hertsmiddx-butterflies.org.uk/sightings-new.php

ATB

Peter

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks David! And thanks Peter - list updated.

Cheers,

- Pete

[JimB]

Hi Pete,

Isle of Wight Large Tortoiseshell sightings for 2021:

Feb 27th
Shide, Isle of Wight
Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/5709007 ... 9745742389

Feb 27th
Northwood Cemetery, Isle of Wight
Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/5709007 ... 5799069117

Mar 27th
Arreton Down, Isle of Wight
Source: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Isleofw ... 8797740746

The Northwood Cemetery sighting of a worn individual was only a quarter of a mile away from a Large Tortoiseshell sighting in 2020.

Cheers,
Jim Baldwin

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks Jim! List updated.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Jester68]

Large Tortoiseshell 23rd March private garden near naval cemetery Portland.
Submitted to irecord on the date .

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks Jester! List updated.

Cheers,

- Pete

[gerryhinde]

Hi, I've seen around a dozen Large Tortoiseshells in my garden on Portland so far this year. Have photographed several and have 2 videos. Not surprising as Will Langdon's 2020 discovery of egg and larval remains was on an elm at the foot of my garden. In addition to the Tweet you already have from this year:

https://twitter.com/GerryHinde/status/1 ... 3159399426
https://twitter.com/GerryHinde/status/1 ... 8327149569

Also these two from 2020:
https://twitter.com/GerryHinde/status/1 ... 1726303232
https://twitter.com/GerryHinde/status/1 ... 1521166338

I expect to find egg/larvae on the elms in my garden this year.

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks Gerry - that's excellent. Added to the list!

Cheers,

- Pete

[gerryhinde]

Pete, thanks. Small detail: My sightings are at Rufus Castle (near Church Ope) on the Isle of Portland. Not Portland Bill, which is two miles away on the southern tip of the island. I will post future sightings/pics on my Twitter account.

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks Gerry - amended accordingly!

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

Hi, I've seen around a dozen Large Tortoiseshells in my garden on Portland so far this year. Have photographed several and have 2 videos. Not surprising as Will Langdon's 2020 discovery of egg and larval remains was on an elm at the foot of my garden. In addition to the Tweet you already have from this year:

https://twitter.com/GerryHinde/status/1 ... 3159399426
https://twitter.com/GerryHinde/status/1 ... 8327149569

Also these two from 2020:
https://twitter.com/GerryHinde/status/1 ... 1726303232
https://twitter.com/GerryHinde/status/1 ... 1521166338

I expect to find egg/larvae on the elms in my garden this year.

That's fabulous news. I hope your expectations are fulfilled.

Would be great to have this butterfly back as a regular UK breeding species.

[Chris L]

Wow ! That's an enormous number of sightings. I was surprised by the Sawbridgeworth sighting.

I suppose it needs to be kept in mind that:

- not that many people look for butterflies and furthermore, those that do don't always get to see what they want to see.
- 99% of people wouldn't be able to identify a Large Tortoiseshell and, of the 1% that can, the majority won't register the sighting.

Therefore, there might be millions out there.

[Chris L]

Out of interest, what conditions would need to be met for it to no longer be considered UK extinct and who makes that decision?

[Pete Eeles]

Out of interest, what conditions would need to be met for it to no longer be considered UK extinct and who makes that decision?

Two very good questions, that I don't know the answer to. Hopefully we'll get some informed insight in this thread!

Cheers,

- Pete

[JimB]

Pete,
Another Large Tortoiseshell sighting for you.

Apr 21st
Southford, Isle of Wight
Source: Sighting sent privately

Cheers,
Jim

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks Jim - added!

Cheers,

- Pete