March 2014

[Matsukaze]

At least 3 Small Tortoiseshells enjoying our garden today - alternatively flying round at speed, basking on walls or on pebbled paths, or nectaring on winter-flowering heather. Also a couple of Bombus terrestris, my first of the year.

[badgerbob]

With the weather being totally dismal in Sussex today I called up to High and Over briefly this afternoon as the rain stopped for a short while and I had itchy feet. I wanted to see if the Wall Brown larva would be out feeding in the cool damp conditions. I had quick looks at a few likely grass clumps with no luck, but at the clump where I found a couple of large larva last week I found a single one straight away. Trying to find the 2nd large larva I came across 2 more much smaller larva deeper in. To get a record shot to compare the difference in size I got them both in the hand, the smaller one is the size that I would expect at the beginning of March.

[Vince Massimo]

Best day of the year so far with 2 male Brimstone in the garden at 11.20am.

A swift circuit of Happy Valley, Coulsdon then produced 14 male Brimstone, a Small Tortoiseshell and a Comma between noon and 12.30

Comma - Coulsdon, Surrey 5-March-2013

The temperature was estimated to be 14C with a light wind.

Vince

[badgerbob]

Almost identical report as Vince with around 20 Brimstone, 1 female only, 1 Comma and 1 Small Tortoiseshell in Rowland Wood. Both the Brimstone and the Comma were my firsts of the year. I was with Downland Boy who spotted an Orange Underwing flying across open space. Fabulous weather and a great day.

Rowland Wood Comma

http://bobsbutterflies.blogspot.com

[Susie]

Makes my tally seem quite pathetic in comparison but a walk in st Leonards forest this morning before work with Billy the butterfly hound turned up one red admiral and one brimstone.

[Matsukaze]

3 small torts, 1 red admiral in the garden. Two of the torts were following each other round as part of their courtship.

[Testudo Man]

2 butterflies seen today (5/3/14) woodland location. Area 2. In Kent.
1st was a Small Tortoiseshell (no pic). 2nd was a Comma (captured several shots).

Took an early lunch break from work, as well as the 2 butterflies, I sighted 7 male adders, 2 common lizards.

This photo is not cropped at all.

Comma.

[essexbuzzard]

My first Brimstone,Peacock and Comma today,enjoying the Essex sunshine. A hibernating Peacock is still in my shed.

[dave brown]

What a good early butterfly day. I don't think that we have experienced a March day quite like it. It started with a garden Small Tortoiseshell, then 4 Small Tortoiseshells at Hythe. A minimum of 35, but perhaps as high as 40 (tried not to double count any), Small Tortoiseshells around Lade Pits, together with 1 Peacock. 6 Small Tortoiseshells around Dungeness Observatory and 2 around the RSPB Visitor Centre. Our only disappointment was our failure to find any Brimstones in Hamstreet Woods.
It was 13 degrees, clear and sunny. Further high temperatures forecast for the weekend.
Dave

[MikeOxon]

One very faded Peacock and at least one, probably several, Brimstones in my Oxon garden, during warm sunshine around lunch-time today (7th March)

Mike

[lee3764]

Great sunny day (Saturday 8th March, 2014) here in south Cornwall......Spring is here!! Saw 1 x Red Admiral at Tregonissey (St Austell), 1 x Red Admiral flying in Bridge Street, St Blazey.........Prideaux/Luxulyan (near fishing lakes in Prideaux Road) 1 x Small Tortoiseshell, 2 x Commas, 3 x Peacocks (all basking in clearing just off edge of road where fallen tree recently felled. Then on to Pontsmill....6 x Brimstones (4 x male & 2 x female) between 12:40pm & 1:17pm and also 2 x Peacocks. Why is it that Brimstones seem to just disappear after about 1:00pm when they fly in February & 1:20 - 1:30pm in early March?? 2 of the Brimstones disappeared into some ivy growing up a tree on Carmears incline at Postsmill at 1:10pm & could not be located again!! All basking/settled butterflies seen today were fresh without wear nor damage!! They've all kept out of the stormy weather over the past 2 months then!!
Temperature 13 degrees C (55 degrees F).
5 x different species and I worked until 12:00 Noon so a lot crammed into 90 minutes after work!! Great day!!
Cheers......Lee Slaughter (Par, Cornwall).

[Ian Pratt]

The brimstone seen at Wootton on the Isle of Wight yesterday is the earliest sighting by me in 14 years of record-keeping. Ian

[Wurzel]

Three sites visited today - and good numbers seen of some of the 5 different species seen, including three personal first for the year

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Lee Hurrell]

My season is off to a start with a single Red Admiral and a single Comma seen in Brompton Ralph, Somerset.

Best wishes,

Lee

[Chris Jackson]

I'm glad to hear that things are looking up back home and that Spring is putting in an appearance.
Chris.

[neildmanthorpe]

Since the Spring weather started on Thursday (6th) have seen Brimstone, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell. First butterflies in our garden have been a Peacock warming itself on a wall yesterday lunchtime and a male Brimstone on the wing this morning. Hoping very much that I can find a Red Admiral and a Comma while the weather stays fair and make a good start to the butterfly season in 2014.

[Lee Hurrell]

More Red Admirals and Commas this morning in Somerset, along with plenty of Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshells and a male Brimstone.

The aristocrats were busy fuelling up on what nectar they could find with one Peacock clearly having woken up on the wrong side as anything that got too close was buzzed - including me and a large bumble bee which was chased away up and over the house.

A full house of hibernators and 5 species for 2014 already in only 2 days.

A lovely, warm and sunny spring day.

Best wishes,

Lee

[David M]

Absurd numbers of butterflies on the wing today in both Castle Meadows and Linda Vista Gradens in Abergavenny.

At least 30 Small Tortoiseshells exuberantly darting about, whilst I also saw 4 Peacocks, 3 Commas and a solitary male Brimstone.

Given that the temperature hit 16c the only surprise was that there were no Red Admirals!

Incredible day.

[Testudo Man]

Confined to my garden over the weekend, which was a shame, because i have no doubt that there were many butterflies on the wing, at the various locations that i visit. I had put off re-roofing the summer house through the winter, and since the recent storms had stripped off more roof felt, i just had to get that job done. Mowed the lawn too, so no trips out on this glorious sunny weekend

In between the garden chores, i kept a sharp eye open for butterflies though, knowing that i would see a couple
Saturday 8/3/14, I sighted 2 Peacocks. Sunday 9/3/14 was better though, I saw 2 Peacocks, a very tatty Comma, but best of all, a definite fly through of a "White" butterfly! It was either a Small White, or a Green veined White?? But my money is on a Small White. I wasnt expecting that one! but it puts my garden list up to 4 species so far this season.

Location Kent.

Note- A Peacock was still basking over the rear of my fence, beyond 4.12pm today.

One of the Peacocks taking moisture off my grass/lawn.

Another Peacock on the Cherry Plum tree Blossom.

[Willrow]

Near Talybont, Powys. What a wonderful day, I saw several Small Tortoiseshell, two Peacock, a solitary Comma and a delightful Brimstone while driving through the country lanes en route to the hills this morning. The first leaves are breaking on the hawthorn in the sunny sheltered hedgerows and the bumblebees were out in force. On returning home I saw my first garden butterfly of the year, a nicely conditioned Small Tortoiseshell sunning itself contently...I'm going to repeat that last bit again...sunning itself...ah...the simple joy!

Bill