April 2011

[Susie]

Dukes are out already?! Is this freakishly early?

[millerd]

The BC site gives 9th April for 2010 (Hampshire), and the following for the previous eight years:

28 Mar 02
15 April 03
25 April 04
17 April 05
26 April 06
12 April 07
22 April 08
15 April 09

So 3rd April is second-earliest in the last ten years.

Dave

[Susie]

Thanks Dave. I certainly didn't expect them to be about for a few weeks yet.

[Jack Harrison]

I am a little concerned about these early sightings. The season will be over in a blink. My planned butterfly holiday dates are seemingly going to be way out.

The hope might be that we get second broods of normally single-brooded species, eg the smaller fritillaries. But although this year’s early start might seem to bode well for second broods, we would need adequate summer rain to keep the larval food plants in adequate condition. For example, a couple of Augusts ago I visited one of the Essex Heath Fritillary habitats. The cow wheat was totally dessicated – in fact plants were hard to find. Unsurprisngly, no Heath Frits were found.

It might be wondered how second broods can so readily occur in mainland Europe. I suggest that summer rain is the crucial parameter. In Britain, the hottest areas, the South east and East Anglia are also the driest. For example, Cambridge has one of the lowest annual rainfall totals in Western Europe, 550 mms. By comparison, Milan has 980, Geneva 880, Nice 800 mms. In Iberia, Gibraltar gets 830, Lisbon 700, even Seville gets 530 although precious little of that falls in the summer. Madrid is dry with 440. The west of Britain of course gets a lot more rain than the east but in broad terms is more cloudy. Some notable exceptions occur though, eg Dorset is sunny AND wet – and isn’t Dorset one of our best butterfly counties?

Jack

[millerd]

A fascinating point, Jack - parts of the UK are drier than people think. I'm sure I've read that Corfu gets substantially more rain annually than London. Interestingly, though it's not very clear cut, there is a tendency for Eastern England to have a summer rainfall maximum, more akin to the continental climate across the channel.

Second broods of species like SPBF and PBF seem to occur more commonly in the SW peninsula, where spring comes early, warmth is prolonged and food plants do not desiccate. As you say, somewhere like Dorset has the best of both worlds.

And talking Fritillaries, the first PBF sighting can't be far off, especially with the current weather forecast...

Dave

[Jack Harrison]

Corfu at 1050 mms has almost exactly twice the annual rainfall of Cambridge but June, July and August only total 52 mms.

Jack

[NickB]

I am a little concerned about these early sightings. The season will be over in a blink. My planned butterfly holiday dates are seemingly going to be way out. Jack

Ah well, Jack - you can forecast the weather.....

Possibly too it shows how some butterflies will emerge in response to early good weather and take a punt that it will give them an advantage. Sometimes it doesn't; but we all have examples of great second-broods too when early spring weather has suited the first generation and the development of their food plants. So on-balance it may bring some benefit to the species as a whole if some are successful when they take that punt, since the majority will emerge closer to the norm?
N

[Lee Hurrell]

FINALLY caught up with an Orange-tip today...causing a sharp intake of breath as it zipped past my face
Also loads of bee-flies, bees, flies (pick your combo!) but still trailing Sam by a species (Speckled Wood).

Off to southern Spain at silly o'clock tomorrow. My first Spanish springtime trip and Sam's first Spanish 'wildlife' trip ever. Four of us in a 6-berth beast of a camper van. Mostly I'll be defecting birdwise but butterflies are a very close second. Sam's got the big camera, I've been lumped with the daft wee clickamatic which requires a 4 inch shooting distance...ho hum.

Catchya next week. Guy's Diary has whetted my appetite BIGTIME

El Geebster.

El Geebster, buena suerte en su búsqueda para las mariposas!

Lee

[Susie]

A female orange tip, a dozen plus male OT, two comma, two peacock, 4+ brimstone, a red admiral and possibly a speckled wood at five oaks this morning. Driving back via Bashurst Hill a couple more each OT and Brimstones. Today is utterly gorgeous and the OTs were flying at 9.30 this morning - it's only going to get better. Now I'm off to work til the weekend. Gutted!

[FISHiEE]

The BC first sightings page lists the first Duke of Burgundy to be seen this year: Kent on 3rd April. However it has yet to note Neil's Grizzled Skipper on 2nd. Most lax.

Dave

Wow that is early. The site in Kent used to get them several days later than further west. Usually they would appear early May with the very early sighings in good years being late April.

On a brief walk today in my new Hampshire base I spotted 4 Peacocks, 3 Brimstone, 3 Small White, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Comma and 1 Orange Tip. Best day of the year by far!

[Jack Harrison]

I've just been looking at the weather forecasts. In the south, it's going to be dry, dry, dry with a minor hope of a little rain next Tuesday.

I know that many of us find rain a nuisance. But here in the past six weeks, the rain total has been just 20 mms. The average for this six-week period is more like three times that amount. So we are in desperate need of rain. I would think that this 33% is pretty representative of East Anglia and southeast England in general. We need some decent thunderstorms but absolutely no signs.

Jack

[A_T]

Beautiful day on the Welsh coast at the Mawddach estuary - where lack of rain is never an issue.

Saw Comma, Peacock and best of all a male Orange Tip.

All this plus Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Chiffchaff. Lovely.

[59 SPECIES]

What a day! A big fat 20 degrees in Lincoln. This spring is shaping up to be real belter. Had my first male Orange Tip, 2 male Brimmies, 2 Peacock, 1 Small White and a Holly Blue!!!!! in the churchyard when I got home. Also, Bluebells are out in one of my gardens in Lincoln. Incredible. Farmers are moaning here though - no surprise there. We need some rain boy!

As an aside, my first Holly Blue last year was on the 23rd April and my first Orange Tip the 17th April. What a difference between this spring and last.

[NickMorgan]

Quite mild, but very windy up here in East Lothian. There has certainly been no shortage of rain recently, either. We have been seeing good numbers of small tortoiseshells and commas with the odd peacock. I have been growing increasingly jealous of the other species that are being recorded on this forum. Three people have reported small unidentified white butterflies to me so far this year which is a little frustrating. However, yesterday two of the countryside rangers saw a painted lady at John Muir Country Park, so that brings us up to four species so far this year!!

[NickB]

22C here in Cambridge - phew! Out in the country - several Comma, Peacock, Brimstone and odd Holly Blue and Small Tortoiseshell - with several Green Veined and Small White and my first male OT of the year.
In the Cemetery, main brood of Holly Blue emerging - a tour at lunchtime revealed several males and a female - with 3 Brimstone, a couple of Small White and GVW and my first Large White of the season.
All looking very dry now

[Glostopcat]

In Gloucestershire today, six small tortoiseshells, a female brimstone, a male orange tip, two holly blues and a peacock

[Rebecca]

Had a superb day here in sunny Somerset. I went out for a walk before and after work to make the most of the beautiful weather, although the dogs thought it was for their benefit!

I had several firsts. i was chuffed to see my first male orange tip of the year and ended up seeing 10-15 and also a female. I went into the woods and saw the first speckled woods and saw about 5 and i also saw my first holly blue as it shot past my head.

I also saw about 15 male brimmies, around 10 red admirals, 5 peacocks, 4 small torties and a comma.

[Matsukaze]

The seeds of wych elm were shimmering a lovely golden colour in the bright morning sun this morning. Although I searched a few for White-letter Hairstreak caterpillars, I found none. I did, however, check up on a large colony of Scarlet Tiger caterpillars - upwards of 100 big caterpillars chewing their way through ornamental comfrey.

Brimstones doing well in the hills near Bath, and a few Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells about too, but none of the newly-emerged species yet. Further south in Somerset, my wife saw an Orange-tip on patrol.

[A_T]

More from the coast of NW Wales - my first Speckled Wood of the year. Also a Red Admiral - am I right in thinking this is probably one that has overwintered in the UK?

[NickB]

My first two Speckies today too

For reference, first last year was 11th April....
(Green Hairstreak next, I reckon - 17th April last year...)