January 2013

[Ian Pratt]

What a start to the New Year- pristine painted lady seen at Bonchurch Isle of Wight at 10.48, followed by wall lizards a short distance along the coast in Ventnor. Photos below.

[David M]

Wow! What a start to the year. A Red Admiral would have been impressive, but a Painted Lady!! Clearly, this species CAN overwinter here in the mildest spots. Well done.

[MikeOxon]

A great sighting, Ian. Let's hope for better things in 2013 than last year

Mike

[Padfield]

You clearly had better weather than we did here in grey Switzerland today! What a lovely way to start the year.

I'm sure the painted lady enjoyed its winter flight but not convinced this means they can profitably overwinter as adults in the UK, since most of the winter is still to come. My understanding is that red admirals and painted ladies are seen in winter precisely because they can't really hibernate (probably more true for painted ladies than red admirals, which are permanently resident further north than painted ladies) and so fly whenever conditions permit until their batteries finally run out. A couple of years ago a mild February brought out many red admirals near me - but there was no trace of them or their offspring in the spring.

Guy

[Jack Harrison]

A brilliant find Ian.

I would surmise that it is not an over-wintering adult as such, but a newly emerged individual from a slowly developing autumn larva/pupa.

PS. I didn't see a single Painted Lady in 2011 so today's butterfly is a really good omen.

Jack

[David M]

Amazingly, sightings of FOUR different species have been reported to BC today:

http://butterfly-conservation.org/52/fi ... -2013.html

Looking at the forecast for Friday (which is 14c in London), there may be a few more before the week's out!

[Wildmoreway]

You can add Speckled Wood to the list for 1st January, one was seen in Penryn Cornwall.

[Jack Harrison]

What no Tortoiseshell? What a dreadful start to the year

Jack

[Neil Hulme]

Don't worry Jack. The 2013 season has narrowly avoided the iceberg! A Small Tortoiseshell was seen at Shoreham, West Sussex .... phew!

From the BC Sussex website:
Tuesday 1 January 2013
A Small Tortoiseshell in flight in the afternoon sun on 1st January at the south west corner of the Adur Recreation ground, Shoreham-by-Sea. (Steve Gilbert)

BWs, Neil

[Jack Harrison]

Don't worry Jack. The 2013 season has narrowly avoided the iceberg! A Small Tortoiseshell was seen at Shoreham, West Sussex .... phew!

That's a relief. Snowdrops almost out here.

Jack

[Pete Eeles]

Brimstone, Peacock, Red Admiral and Painted Lady were all seen yesterday:

http://butterfly-conservation.org/52/fi ... -2013.html

You can add Speckled Wood to the list for 1st January, one was seen in Penryn Cornwall.

Was this your sighting? If it is, you should report it and, if not, do you have a source? Thx! This is VERY unusual unless the has emerged from a critter that pupated indoors!

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

Indeed. Surely this is a captive bred specimen or one that has somehow found its way into a greenhouse to pupate?

Even so, six species of butterfly all seen on 1st January must go down as an all time record.

Only question is, where were the Commas?

[Pete Eeles]

Amazingly, sightings of FOUR different species have been reported to BC today:

http://butterfly-conservation.org/52/fi ... -2013.html

Apols David - I missed your mention of this and posted the link again

Cheers,

- Pete

[badgerbob]

On this gloomy saturday morning with light rain falling I was looking out the window when I saw a butterfly fluttering strongly towards and over the house. Unfortunately I didn't manage a positive id which is very frustrating, not knowing what my first of the year was. Going by size it was probably a small tortoiseshell but obviously cannot count it as that!!

[David M]

It's been thoroughly gloomy here in Swansea too ever since New Year's Day itself. Shame that, because temperatures have hit double figures every day. Just an hour of brightness around midday might tempt a few out!

[Matsukaze]

To my knowledge, this is the third time in the last few years that Speckled Wood has been reported in early January in that part of Cornwall, which is probably the mildest part of the country. It seems entirely possible that the odd few individuals should complete their lifecycle there without going into hibernation, though I doubt it would be to much effect - finding a mate or finding nectar sources would be difficult.

[MikeOxon]

A Red Admiral just flew past my window, in my Oxfordshire garden. I rushed out with a camera but it had disappeared into some Ivy and I did not attempt to disturb it. My fist sighting of the year and, hopefully, the first of many

Mike

[Jack Harrison]

Mike:

...My fist sighting of the year...

No wonder you lost it if you made a fist of things

Aren't smell chequers lovely?

Jack

[MikeOxon]

No wonder you lost it if you made a fist of things

Indeed! Sometimes, spelling-checkers let you down, too.

Let's hope that I manage to do a better job next time

Mike

[David M]

We'll excuse you Mike as it was clearly a typo!!

Some genuine spelling mistakes can be hilarious; we had a girl at work type 'knight mere' the other week and another one wrote about 'setting a president' instead of 'precedent'.

Anyway, well done Mr. Oxon. I had hoped I might see one myself today as I've been doing some clearing work at the Glamorgan High Brown site. No such luck. However, I did see the sun for the first time since New Year's Day!