March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
Hi all.
Hope you don't mind me starting a new topic, but I've just seen my first Small Tortoiseshell of the year in our garden. It fluttered slowly past me at 11:55, but wouldn't settle, so as with my Brimstone a week or so ago, no photos to share! It was about 9 degrees celcius when I saw it, and it's a whopping 37 days earlier than my first sighting of this species last year!
Kind regards
Deano.
Hope you don't mind me starting a new topic, but I've just seen my first Small Tortoiseshell of the year in our garden. It fluttered slowly past me at 11:55, but wouldn't settle, so as with my Brimstone a week or so ago, no photos to share! It was about 9 degrees celcius when I saw it, and it's a whopping 37 days earlier than my first sighting of this species last year!
Kind regards
Deano.
Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
Hi all,
Today a red admiral in the back garden. First butterfly of the year for me.
Cheers
Sezar
Today a red admiral in the back garden. First butterfly of the year for me.
Cheers
Sezar
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Last edited by sahikmet on Tue Mar 10, 2009 6:38 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- Charles Nicol
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Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
It was nice & sunny this morning so i went out to look for our fluttery friends....
i saw a Peacock & a Brimstone. I think the Peacock was the same one i saw on Saturday.
I also saw these rather rude catkins & the shield bug
Charles
i saw a Peacock & a Brimstone. I think the Peacock was the same one i saw on Saturday.
I also saw these rather rude catkins & the shield bug
Charles
Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
There were three red admirals today at Wakefield Place, Sussex.
- Pete Eeles
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Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
8 Purple Hairstreak eggs in Berkshire - does that count?
Cheers,
- Pete
Cheers,
- Pete
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- Jack Harrison
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Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
Well, I want to count my Orange Tip pupae in the fridge then.8 Purple Hairstreak eggs in Berkshire - does that count?
Otherwise, on a lovely spring day outdoors with temperature circa 12°C - not a sausage.
Hoping for more success on my homemade moth trap tonight with a mild cloudy night in prospect. So far this spring, I have caught the same number of moths as I have seen butterflies - precisely nil. At least you people know that I don't exaggerate my sightings.
Jack
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Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
saw my first butterfly today a peacock flying close to stanney woods in ellesmere port
Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
I should think so!Pete Eeles wrote:8 Purple Hairstreak eggs in Berkshire - does that count?
Cheers,
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Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
Things are looking up in the garden, I heard a Bee and then saw this lovely Ladybird, maybe next thing to see will be a Butterfly.
ShirleyRe: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
Hello everyone
I saw my second Small Tortoiseshell of 2009 in our garden today, and unlike the first I saw on 2nd March, this one stopped to refuel, enabling me to take some photos. The blossom it's feeding on looks like a sort of Viburnum shrub, but if anyone could confirm that for me I'd be grateful.
Many thanks and regards
Deano.
I saw my second Small Tortoiseshell of 2009 in our garden today, and unlike the first I saw on 2nd March, this one stopped to refuel, enabling me to take some photos. The blossom it's feeding on looks like a sort of Viburnum shrub, but if anyone could confirm that for me I'd be grateful.
Many thanks and regards
Deano.
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Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
I have not seen any butterflies yet this year
today its lovely and sunny but very windy however it is still getting very frosty at nights so i think they are best off staying where they are for now .
however i do have a collection on ladybirds living under some bark near my apple trees which has put a smile on my face today
today its lovely and sunny but very windy however it is still getting very frosty at nights so i think they are best off staying where they are for now .
however i do have a collection on ladybirds living under some bark near my apple trees which has put a smile on my face today
Like the butterfly i too will awaken in my own time ॐ
- Dave McCormick
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Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
Nothing here yet either, went for a walk earlier and saw only a few tiny flies. Not much flying here yet. But iut is cloudy and kinda windy.
Cheers all,
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- Vince Massimo
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Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
Deano, the shrub looks like Vibernum bodnantense, which flowers from October to March. I have one in my garden. Check out the scent, it is fantastic.
Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
After a breezy start with no cloud, the clouds rolled in this morning, then out again leaving a fine sunny afternoon. There's a sheltered spot in my local reserve that's often the first in the area to get regular commas appearing and sure enough this feisty little guy was defending his patch from any insect that trespassed. His wings were a bit threadbare but he was well up for it!
Three male brimstones also seen near the same spot.
Taken with Sony A700 + 70-210 F4 "beercan", hand held. EXIF intact.
Three male brimstones also seen near the same spot.
Taken with Sony A700 + 70-210 F4 "beercan", hand held. EXIF intact.
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- Jack Harrison
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Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
Might it be a female? I just wonder in view of the shape of the abdomen. However, the behaviour described sounds much more typically male.His wings were a bit threadbare but he was well up for it!
Jack
Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
That's why I assumed it was a male. Several of the nymphalids that overwinter as adults seem to have a short fat abdomen whether they're male or female and I find it difficult to tell them apart. I know small tort males are usually smaller than females but even then it's difficult unless they're together.
Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
Hi VinceVince M wrote:Deano, the shrub looks like Vibernum bodnantense, which flowers from October to March. I have one in my garden. Check out the scent, it is fantastic.
Many thanks for the shrub ident - and you're right, the scent is gorgeous isn't it!
Regards
Deano.
Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
Red Admiral today on the edge of Harridge Wood reserve in the eastern Mendips. No idea whether it was locally-bred or a migrant, but it appeared to have been in the wars with a particularly large chunk missing from its right forewing. This did not stop it fluttering around enthusiastically and eventually disappearing high over the tops of the trees at the edge of the wood.
Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
Five sightings of at least three different male Brimstone, and at least seven Comma in my garden on this glorious sunny calm day today.
This one has taken a shine to my bush and is chasing everything else off.
I saw five Comma in one tumble with this one returning time and time again.
Spring has sprung.
Denise
This one has taken a shine to my bush and is chasing everything else off.
I saw five Comma in one tumble with this one returning time and time again.
Spring has sprung.
Denise
Last edited by Denise on Sun Mar 15, 2009 7:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Denise
- Vince Massimo
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Re: March 2009 Lepidoptera Sightings
A 2 hour walk through the woods near Caterham, Surrey produced 14 Brimstone (all male), a Red Admiral and a Peacock. It was noticable that the Brimstone sightings were only in the parts of the woodland that had lots of ivy. Tomorrow promises to be an even better day.