March 2012

[Paul Harfield]

My first male Brimstone of the year yesterday in Bitterne, Southampton.

Looking forward to a productive weekend with good weather forecast

[Hoggers]

It's T-Shirt weather down here in Ashford,Kent and on a short walk with my dog I saw two Peacocks, a Comma, a Small Tortoiseshell and my first Small White of the year. It's reminding me of 2011's Spring Heat-Wave!

[Susie]

A small tortoiseshell was along the downs link in Cranleigh just now. I was surprised I didnt see more on such a glorious day.

[Vince Massimo]

A visit to my old home site, Broadfield Pond, Crawley, Sussex, today produced my first Orange Tip of the year at 2pm. This is my earliest ever sighting of this species by 5 days. (Edit: It was seen to nectar on Lesser Celandine and Wild Strawberry.)

Orange Tip Male - Broadfield Pond, Crawley, Sussex 23-March-2012

Also flying were 2 male Brimstone, 1 male Small White, 5 Comma and a Peacock.
A quick scan of the sparce sprigs of Blackthorn facing the pond also produced 7 Brown Hairstreak eggs including this grouping of 3.

Brown Hairstreak eggs - Broadfield Pond, Crawley, Sussex 23-March-2012

Vince

[web4160]

Finally seen a butterfly this year in North East Lancahire! A small Tortoiseshell flying round the local garden centre in Burnley.

[JohnR]

A Small Tortoiseshell, a Red Admiral and an Orange Tip today in my garden. The latter had me running after it, I only saw the white and thought it might be a moth until it did a U turn and came past me - it was on a mission.

[marmari]

A very nice photo of that Orange Tip,Vince.one of my favourite species.
A warm and sunny afternoon on the IOW and a stroll through Woodhouse Copse produced 15 Commas,3 Speckled Wood,and 2 Brimstone(one male and one female)
The male was in a great hurry but the female was not,stopping at every tree covered in ivy and having a nose around,then nectaring on primrose and sunning itself in the leaflitter.

[badgerbob]

I have found a Wall Brown larvae 3 times in the last week at High and Over, Seaford. In the same area also a moth larvae which is believed to be a Shoulder Striped Wainscot. Confirmation of this would be very much appreciated.

[David M]

A visit to my old home site, Broadfield Pond, Crawley, Sussex, today produced my first Orange Tip of the year at 2pm. This is my earliest ever sighting of

Those forewing spots are abnormally large for an Orange Tip, aren't they?

Exciting weekend ahead. For once, south Wales is forecast to be the warmest place in the country with highs of 20c!!

[Neil Hulme]

I agree David. Unless Ab Fab Piers says otherwise, I'd call it macula-punctata.
Neil

[Susie]

I don't like you any more, Vince. An orange tip AND an ab! Jammy!

[David M]

I don't like you any more, Vince. An orange tip AND an ab! Jammy!

A rare ab too! Orange Tips are normally pretty uniform.

[MikeOxon]

A beautiful warm and sunny day in Oxfordshire but disappointingly few butterflies visiting my garden.

One Holly Blue passed through, late morning, and then I saw nothing further until three Brimstones passed through in succession, flying east to west at about 3pm. A Holly Blue flew over, quite high, in the opposite direction. Hopefully, continuing warm weather will soon improve things.

Mike

[Paul Harfield]

Just the one Brimstone today in Alton, Hampshire. Surprising considering how good the weather was

[Vince Massimo]

Thanks for all the comments and observations everybody

I was so chuffed to see an Orange Tip and actually get a photo (and then rush home to post the report, have my tea and rush out again) that I failed to properly appreciate exactly what I had got. Having now had the chance to go through all of my reference photos for that species, I have noted that the most variable part of the male is the size of the forewing spot. Also that females tend to have larger spots than the males. However I have never previously seen anything to compare with the spots on this particular individual.

Latest Male Forewing Spot

Smallest Male Forewing Spot

Largest Female Forewing Spot

It's been a cracking start to the year

Vince

[adrian riley]

News from Norfolk

Holkham Meals 23. March.
11 Comma, 3 Peacock, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Brimstone.

Unusually, Comma is outnumbering everything around here.

See www,bugalert.net for national news.

Adrian Riley

[adrian riley]

So, we now have Large White, Small White and Speckled Wood on the wing. Surely the first Orange Tip can't be far away?

Hi, David
Could you please let me know which county your Large White was seen in?
Ta,
Adrian Riley

[Lee Hurrell]

Hi Adrian,

So you completed the 'post hibernator royal flush' yesterday!

Vince, on your latest male OT, the black scaling also extends down the edge of the forewing. Nice shot by the way.

Cheers

Lee

[David M]

One Large White seen today at 12.56, and a Small white at 13.10. during my lunch break.

FAO Adrian: The Large White was reported by "Hide and Seek" on 19 March earlier in this thread (page 5)

[Vince Massimo]

Adrian, there was also a Large White sighting reported by Andy Stokes on the Sussex BC Branch website.
It was on 11th March in Uckfield, East Sussex.

Vince