www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Today has been the first day of spring as far as the weather goes on the Isle of Wight.So a good display of spring butterflies in Walters Copse at Newtown.three brimstone,males,four Comma,two Peacock.Also I am glad to say a Large Tortoiseshell .Photos will be posted on my PD and Blog.

marmari wrote:Also I am glad to say a Large Tortoiseshell .Photos will be posted on my PD and Blog.

Fantastic stuff. Will look forward to that.

Is this butterfly now a bona fide British species again? I guess until larvae are found the answer will be 'no'.

After a morning birding with the lad where we found a Pied Flycatcher and a Ring Ouzel (both males) I went to check on the Wall Brown larvae at High and Over. The largest one is now 3.5 cm long and was standing out like a sore thumb. 2 others also seen as well as a Dock Leaf Bug, 1 Peacock and several Small Tortoiseshell including 3 flying together. Like many observers I have seen good numbers of Small Tortoiseshell this so called spring, lets hope its a good omen for this species later in the year.

Today I was working on my allotment when a Green-veined White flew very close past my. I also saw three Comma’s fly past me as well. I left my camera at home so no photos. PS my allotment is at Allerton Liverpool.

Reddog wrote:Today I was working on my allotment when a Green-veined White flew very close past my. I also saw three Comma’s fly past me as well. I left my camera at home so no photos. PS my allotment is at Allerton Liverpool.

You bounder, Reddog! I've been looking vainly for GVWs today and I'm 100 miles south of you!!

badgerbob wrote:After a morning birding with the lad where we found a Pied Flycatcher and a Ring Ouzel (both males) I went to check on the Wall Brown larvae at High and Over. The largest one is now 3.5 cm long and was standing out like a sore thumb. 2 others also seen as well as a Dock Leaf Bug, 1 Peacock and several Small Tortoiseshell including 3 flying together. Like many observers I have seen good numbers of Small Tortoiseshell this so called spring, lets hope its a good omen for this species later in the year.

Hi Badgerbob

I was at High & Over all day yesterday, on yours and Sussex Kippers recommendation. I certainly had time to have a good look round. It was pretty windy up the top, almost blew me off my feet when I got out of the car . I also saw several Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Comma. THANKS for the recommendation, I can see it is a wonderful place. In a few weeks it will be a joy I only got back late last night, not had time to post anything yet. I will post a bit more detail in my diary later. I did have a bit of a look for Wall larvae but did not really know where to look.
The condition of Small Tortoiseshell varied from very ragged to quite fresh, as illustrated by the photos. The ragged one was still able to chase off a Peacock that ventured too close.
Small Tortoiseshell always bring a smile to my face . I had seen hardly any up until last year. When I was a child they were so numerous we did not pay much attention to them.

Friday 19th

Salen (the Salen on Mull) one Small Tort and then on Isle of Staffa (west of Mull) wife saw in flight what was almost certainly Tortoiseshell but just possibly a Peacock. Pity confirmation uncertain as there can't be many butterfly reports from Staffa - presumably this one had just emerged from hibernating in Fingal's Cave

Several Swallows at Loch na Keal, Mull. Large numbers of Puffins on/over the sea NE corner of Staffa but amazingly, not a single Guillemot or Razorbill.

Jack

Male Orange-tip seen in West Byfleet today, Station rd a suburban area close to Basingstoke canal

Phil

You jammy get Philzoid!!

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Driving up the A6 through Milnethorpe, south Cumbria, yesterday, I saw a white - probably small.

A walk to the local shops here in Hedge End at midday today provided my first Orange Tip of the year, a male Also seen 4 male Brimstone, 1 Peacock another unidentified white and another unidentified Vanessid Spring is here

A full house of hibernators at Brede High Wood, East Sussex, on Wednesday. Total seen - 9 Comma, 11 Peacock, 6-7 Brimstone (all male), 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 1 Red Admiral. On Thursday 5 Peacock, 3 Comma and 4 Small Tortoiseshell at High & Over, East Sussex. Also lots of these beetles seen at High & Over, I had 5 in view at once at one point. An id for this would be great All in all a good week so far

The first butterflies of 2013 appeared in my back garden today,a peacock and this small white.

At last, the first butterfly sighting in my garden this year today :~



Yesterday, a dark butterfly dashed across my windscreen as I was driving at about 40 mph. One of the winter Hibernators, either a Small Tortoiseshell or tatty Peacock. Was only in sight for less than a second. THAT was the first butterfly of any description I've seen this year with this seemingly never ending winter. The latest first sighting of the year for me in all my three score years plus ten and one ...

At last, and exactly one month later than 2012 in Sussex ...

Two male Orange Tip eagerly searching amongst the Cuckoo Flower along lanes just outside of Billingshurst earlier today.

I've just arrived back from Hall-Lee-Brook where I saw so many Small Tortoiseshell BF I lost count (pics later). Also there were Peacocks not quite as many none the less loads, they flew after the ST until they found they were differant then off they soared looking for mates. I also got a pic of a Comma but it was a good distance away no Orange Tips yet though.Goldie Isn't it great , at last

Large White and Green Veined White seen today at Kenfig in south Wales. I also saw two other medium sized Whites flying along the roadside so it's possible Small White was seen too, but I wasn't close enough to verify.

No Orange Tips yet, nor Speckled Woods, though I did see 3 Small Tortoiseshells and 3 Brimstones.

Hi Jack, (No I'm not on an aeroplane now)!! Glad you had a good time at High and Over. The beetle is probably the lesser bloody nosed beetle. There were lots there yesterday when I was up there. Across the road on Cradle Hill there are lots of the larger bloody nosed beetle. Hope this helps. Bob.

jackz432r wrote: Also lots of these beetles seen at High & Over, I had 5 in view at once at one point. An id for this would be great

Hi, you mystery beetle is a Bloody-nosed Beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa), totally flightless, totally harmless and totally fascinating when having a "nosebleed"!!!

All the best,

Gibster.

EDIT - Darnit, just pipped to it, lol! But I think it's Greater not Lesser Bloody-nosed Beetle due to shape of the thorax (contracted at the base).

Lots of butterflies in the fens at long last. At least 25 Peacocks and 15 Small Tortoiseshells at 2 sites, along with 2 Green-veined Whites and 3 Brimstones. A male Small Tortoiseshell was watched pursuing most politely a female on the ground as she fed on ground ivy but though I observed for some 20 minutes, she only seemed to be interested in lunch. If the photo appears here, the male's coloration is noticeably more contrasting and darker red than the female's,

Rob

Lots of butterflies in the fens at long last. At least 25 Peacocks and 15 Small Tortoiseshells at 2 sites, along with 2 Green-veined Whites and 3 Brimstones. A male Small Tortoiseshell was watched pursuing most politely a female on the ground as she fed on ground ivy but though I observed for some 20 minutes, she only seemed to be interested in lunch. If the photo appears here, the male's coloration is noticeably more contrasting and darker red than the female's,

Rob