Large Black Butterfly

[redreward]

Hello,

Just joined this forum as I was inside the local MacD with my daughter and a large mainly black butterfly was in there. No one but me was amazed....I to asked one of the lobby staff to try to catch it (in a large cup) and put it outside. He was a little indifferent, but said he would if he could but it was too fast for him.

My daughter said she saw some colour on it, but truth be told I was in a rush to get her to where she needed to get to, so did not spend any more time in there.

Wondered what species it could be, and if it was protected. Have only 5 mins to join write this then go out again, so please forgive if this is a little confusing. Also is there anywhere in South London (inner London as opposed to Richmond, etc) as such that concerns itself with butterflies?

I would have loved to have been able to contact someone close by who could have given me more info!

[David M]

Ringlet maybe? They're a dark, chocolate brown when fresh and are fairly large as butterflies go.

[Padfield]

Peacocks are large and black on the underside. Inside a building, in artificial light, a peacock can look largely black as it flies around - you don't see the deep, velvet maroon in some conditions.

Red admirals, of course, are mainly black.

Among the moths, the old lady fits the description, apart from the bit about seeing some colour on it.

Guy

[Gibster]

Phalacrocorax carbo seems to fit the bill.

[Trev Sawyer]

Yes Gibster, but wouldn't they tend to peck their way out of a large plastic cup?

Trev

[FISHiEE]

I'd say Peacock, Red Admiral and also Small Tortoiseshell are all butterflies that regularly end up indoors and are predominantly black/dark with wings closed. If there was little colour visible when flying then probably Red Admiral is most likely.