www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

First Sussex Large Tortoiseshell of the year spotted by Graeme Lyons (SWT ecologist) at Woods Mill today - see https://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/sightings/

BWs, Neil

Fantastic news, Neil, and what a thrill for Mr Lyons! We keep getting spring records but until a few turn up in summer I remain cautious regarding whether this species is truly re-establishing itself in the UK.

Brimstone fly by here in Horton heath this afternoon
Andy

David M wrote:Fantastic news, Neil, and what a thrill for Mr Lyons! We keep getting spring records but until a few turn up in summer I remain cautious regarding whether this species is truly re-establishing itself in the UK.

Trevor photographed one in the summer a couple of years ago in Sussex. It's in Neil and Micheal's book. Personally there's little doubt in my mind, post hibernators turning up fairly regularly in the same areas is just too much of a coincidence to mean anything else imo.

Yes, BB, I'm aware of occasional sightings but until we see evidence of breeding it's hard to be sure the butterfly has truly resettled these islands. Like you, I'm upbeat about things but it would be great if someone could find early stages.

My sister reported a female Brimstone in Aldershot on Wednesday 14th March and my season got underway yesterday, Thursday 15th March, with a male Brimstone seen in Basingstoke

Two Commas, a Peacock and a male Brimstone seen in Swansea Vale around lunchtime on Friday 16th:

i saw a male Brimstone flying around near Huntingdon on Friday.... i expect it has gone back into hibernation now

A really positive sign of Spring arriving and a delight to my old minces today..
Last month on a sunny day, I did briefly see a black butterfly pass quickly across the kitchen window as I worked. Not sure if it was a Peacock or Red Admiral. However, I have seen two Peacocks in hibernation in my garages. One became active so I placed it carefully in the sunshine to warm up and find an alternative place to lay up. Fifteen minutes later it flew away strongly in the sunshine.

This reminds me, I must transfer my two Alder Buckthorn plants to larger pots and add some fresh compost. They managed to attract a laying female Brimstone last May. I counted a dozen ova and at one time five larvae. Only one of those dozen ova produced an imago. A fine male which flew strongly away when I released it next day.
Be nice to see some more on the plants come May.

Brimstones don't come any fresher than that, CC. What a delight!

First proper spring day today, and all the better that it fell at a weekend.

With 12c temperatures and light winds, I spent a couple of very pleasant hours in Oystermouth Cemetery on the Gower:
5x Comma, 2x Small Tortoiseshell and single Peacock seen:

Alright for some, David! Sun hours in Essex this weekend 0.00. Sun hours last weekend 0.00. Unlike last weekend, at least it got above freezing today!

essexbuzzard wrote:Alright for some, David! Sun hours in Essex this weekend 0.00. Sun hours last weekend 0.00. Unlike last weekend, at least it got above freezing today!

You poor SE dwellers!

Remember, by September it'll be 75-20 to you as regards clear, warm, sunny days!

It was better today, David. In amongst the hibernators seen on my patch was a Small White!See my PD for full report
viewtopic.php?f=29&t=6157&p=128655#p128655

Dave

David M wrote:

Testudo Man wrote:My 1st Butterfly sighting of 2018...

Photo of Red Admiral, image is not cropped.

And a nice-looking specimen it is too! I've been surprised at the regularity of Red Admiral sightings over the last week given the polar blast at the beginning of March. I fancied that would have accounted for most of them.

Thanks for the comment David.

All 5 hibernating species now seen this month.
Small Tortoiseshell in my front garden(last week) as well as a Comma in my back garden today.

A lunchtime break today, into my local woodland area(well i was working less than 5 minutes away!!).
2 Peacock, 3+ Comma, an very good numbers of Brimstone seen. I would say at least 6 Male Brimstone, and 1 female.

Whilst looking at a young male Adder, a pair of Brimstone landed right next to me, they coupled up instantly!
I think this is the 1st time i have ever seen/photographed a mating pair of Brimstone Ive seen plenty of courting/chasing behaviour,
but never any in Cop. I guess it was one of those - "Right time, right place" moments.

Location - Kent.

An image of the mating pair of Brimstone, cheers Paul.

You see? You've equalised after a mere day!!

We've been cloudy and breezy in south Wales today so all the attention has shifted to the south east.

Nice to see Pierids emerging, Dave. Would be nice if we could get two consecutive sunny days with double figure temperatures. That might tempt the first OTs out!

Testudo Man wrote:An image of the mating pair of Brimstone

Photo of the year so far, Paul!!

Well done. Not something you see every day!

David M wrote:

Testudo Man wrote:An image of the mating pair of Brimstone

Photo of the year so far, Paul!!

Well done. Not something you see every day!

Cheers David.

I did take many more photos of this mating pair also 2 other Male Brimstone were trying to get in on the action!
But i failed to get any photos of the other males.

Feel free to post a few, Paul. I've personally never seen mating Brimstones, so it's great to discover somebody else has!

David M wrote:Feel free to post a few, Paul. I've personally never seen mating Brimstones, so it's great to discover somebody else has!

Im terrible when it comes to sorting through my images/photos Im still only just sorting through some of my Butterfly photos from 2016/2017 seasons!!!...But i will try to get some other pics sorted soon enough.

I know how lucky i am to see/photograph Brimstones mating...But as they say, if you put enough time and effort into observing wildlife, then every now and then, you will get lucky.