www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Great shots of a beautiful Clouded Yellow, David. They don't appear to have been quite so common this year in the UK, especially inland.

Thanks for the comments, folks, as always.

Sunday 11th October 2015 - Cloudy skies but the season still rolls on....

Shame that conditions were largely overcast today, as a visit to the National Botanic Gardens near Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire, always has potential for butterflies given the abnormal array of flowering plants present.

The main draw for those butterflies still active was undoubtedly the verbena growing in and around the walled gardens. Had it been sunny I'm sure 30+ individual butterflies would have been seen, but given the cloud, few were active.

Half a dozen Red Admirals were observed, along with 5 Small Tortoiseshells. A single Speckled Wood was also seen at the woodland edge to the north west of the site, and the biggest surprise was provided by a Painted Lady, still going strong and seen nectaring and basking on the way out at about 3pm.

Here's a view looking back towards the glass dome (the butterfly is on the rocks just above the leaf on the right near the lawn edge):
A closer view:

Hi David,congratulations on that quite superb Clouded Yellow a couple of posts ago. I would be happy with a sighting and pictures like that at any time,never mind October!

For what it's worth,i have tended to find more Clouded Yellows the further west on travels on the south coast of England, reaching a peak in Cornwall,Devon and Dorset,though only a few this year. In contrast,most Long-tailed Blues have been in the south-east. Interesting that you are seeing Red Admirals, they have been notable in their absence in the east this year.

Sunday 1st November 2015 - Beautiful conditions....but not many butterflies...

After the frustrations caused by yesterday's persistent high cloud, today was glorious from the word go; in fact, it was possibly the warmest November day I've ever experienced, with temperatures reaching 17c and not a cloud to be seen.

Setting out for Bracelet Bay on the Swansea coast at 11.30am, I deemed it likely that double figure numbers of butterflies would be seen, but in the event, I saw only four - three Red Admirals and, surprisingly, a lone male Green Veined White.

This was the only one of the four to actually settle:
The area in the following photograph is the expanse of winter flowering hebe, which thrives in the maritime microclimate around the coastguard's hut here at Bracelet Bay. Sadly, there weren't too many flowers in bloom today, but hopefully there will be more over the coming weeks and I will keep checking for butterflies up until the run-up to Christmas:

WRT your Painted Lady sighting David, we saw what looked like a freshly emerged example on Brighton racecourse on Saturday! This year seems to be full of surprises!

All the best

James

Hi David,

You may have only seen four butterflies but that was three more than I saw in very similar conditions

Cheers,

Neil

Thanks for the comments, folks.

With this weekend being a washout, further opportunities to see adult butterflies appear slim.

That said, we haven't been anywhere near a frost in south Wales thus far, and if these conditions persist, I suspect Red Admirals at least will be around for a week or three yet!!

A butterfly reported by a work colleague this afternoon (not seen by me, but given the 11c temperatures and intermittent sunshine it wasn't surprising).

We've only had one frost so far, meaning that if things stay relatively becalmed, there could still be some action around the warm coastline here into December!

Christmas 2015......

Global warming...ho hum!! Well, even for a sceptic like me, it is surely a reality when you have 15c temperatures on Boxing Day with people actually drinking their pints outside on the pub benches:
Christmas Day itself in SE Wales was stormy and wet, but mild nonetheless and the weather played havoc with the annual Yuletide chicken treat of 1kg of sweetcorn and half a kg of raw mince served up on a platter....only half the flock turned up when it was gifted to them....the rest were sheltering in the sheds!!
Christmas dinner for homo sapiens was a formidable beef joint, which went down very well and lasted Boxing Day AND 27th December lunch!!
However, it didn't feel right eating it with the conservatory windows open and then going to bed without the central heating! Unfortunately, unlike many parts of southern England, the warm conditions haven't brought about anything in the way of sunny periods round these parts, so skies remain grey, rain keeps falling (though not anywhere near as heavily as in the north of England) and the wind is regularly gale force. Flowering plants have been taken out of their natural cycle - I saw celandines and ground elder abloom on Boxing Day whilst walking the dogs....but no butterflies, though had the sun come out for an hour or two then I'm sure there'd have been a Red Admiral or two to observe.

My New Year's wish is for AT LEAST one week of seriously cold weather...these conditions if prolonged will not do nature any favours (my friend's housekeeper is a farmer's wife and only today she told me that she was expecting the first lambs before the end of January).

Dates of first UK sightings 2016:

1. Painted Lady - 28 February, Limeslade Bay, Gower, Swansea
2. Small Tortoiseshell - 11 March, Swansea Vale
3. Comma - 16 March, Parkmill, Gower, Swansea
4. Peacock - 16 March, Parkmill, Gower, Swansea
5. Brimstone - 18 March, Swansea Vale
6. Speckled Wood - 13 April, Kilvey Hill, Swansea
7. Holly Blue - 13 April, Kilvey Hill, Swansea
8. Large White - 13 April, Kilvey Hill, Swansea
9. Orange Tip - 16 April, Nicholaston Woods, Gower, Swansea
10. Green Veined White - 17 April, Kilvey Hill, Swansea
11. Small White - 17 April, Kilvey Hill, Swansea
12. Green Hairstreak - 8 May, Rodborough Common, nr. Stroud
13. Dingy Skipper - 8 May, Rodborough Common, nr. Stroud
14. Duke of Burgundy - 8 May, Rodborough Common, nr. Stroud
15. Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 8 May, Ewyas Harold Common, nr. Pontrilas
16. Wall Brown - 22 May, Dan-y-Graig Cemetery, Swansea
17. Common Blue - 22 May, Dan-y-Graig Cemetery, Swansea
18. Small Heath - 22 May, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
19. Small Blue - 22 May, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
20. Small Copper - 22 May, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
21. Red Admiral - 22 May, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
22. Marsh Fritillary - 3 June, Fairwood Common, Gower, Swansea
23. Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary - 3 June, Fairwood Common, Gower, Swansea
24. Meadow Brown - 5 June, Langrove Country Club, Gower, Swansea
25. Large Skipper - 8 June, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
26. Brown Argus - 8 June, Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea
27. Dark Green Fritillary - 9 June, Alun Valley, nr. Bridgend, Glamorgan
28. Ringlet - 13 July, Cors Caron, nr. Tregaron
29. Small Skipper - 19 July, Bishopston, Swansea
30. Hedge Brown - 23 July, Old Castle Down, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
31. Silver Washed Fritillary - 23 July, Old Castle Down, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
32. High Brown Fritillary - 23 July, Old Castle Down, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
33. Purple Hairstreak - 23 July, Old Castle Down, nr. Ewenny, Glamorgan
34. Grayling - 30 July, Whiteford Burrows, Gower, Swansea
35. Marbled White - 30 July, Whiteford Burrows, Gower, Swansea
36. Brown Hairstreak - 13 August, West Williamston, Pembrokeshire


UK species seen in France but NOT seen in Britain in 2016:

37.(Southern) Grizzled Skipper - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
38. Lulworth Skipper - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
39. Swallowtail - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
40. Wood White - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
41. Clouded Yellow - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
42. Adonis Blue - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
43. Glanville Fritillary - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
44. Heath Fritillary - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
45. Essex Skipper - French Alps
46. Silver Studded Blue - French Alps
47. (Mountain) Northern Brown Argus - French Alps
48. Large Blue - French Alps
49. Chalkhill Blue - French Alps
50. White Admiral - French Alps
51. Mountain Ringlet - French Alps


Non UK species seen in France in 2016:

1. Oberthur's Grizzled Skipper - Pyrenees Orientales
2. Provence Orange Tip - Pyrenees Orientales
3. False Ilex Hairstreak - Pyrenees Orientales
4. Violet Copper - Pyrenees Orientales
5. Short Tailed Blue - Pyrenees Orientales
6. Provençal Short Tailed Blue - Pyrenees Orientales
7. Camberwell Beauty - Pyrenees Orientales
8. Large Tortoiseshell - Pyrenees Orientales
9. Spanish Gatekeeper - Pyrenees Orientales
10. De Prunner's Ringlet - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
11. Western Marbled White - Pyrenees Orientales
12. Safflower Skipper - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
13. Red Underwing Skipper - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
14. Marbled Skipper - French Alps
15. Tufted Marbled Skipper - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
16. Mallow Skipper - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
17. Alpine Grizzled Skipper - French Alps
18. Large Grizzled Skipper - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
19. Olive Skipper - French Alps
20. Carline Skipper - French Alps
21. Sooty Copper - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
22. Purple-Edged Copper - French Alps
23. Purple-Shot Copper - French Alps
24. Grison's Fritillary - French Alps
25. Scarce Copper - French Alps
26. Blue Spot Hairstreak - French Alps
27. Ilex Hairstreak - French Alps
28. Green Hairstreak - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
29. Sloe Hairstreak - French Alps
30. Mazarine Blue - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
31. Escher's Blue - French Alps
32. Eros Blue - French Alps
33. Amanda's Blue - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
34. Geranium Argus - French Alps
35. Glandon Blue - French Alps
36. Idas Blue - French Alps
37. Mountain Alcon Blue - French Alps
38. Baton Blue - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
39. Turquoise Blue - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
40. Chapman's Blue - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
41. Alpine Blue - French Alps
43. Osiris Blue - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
44. Chequered Blue - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
45. Geranium Bronze - French Alps
46. Silvery Argus - French Alps
47. Green Underside Blue - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
48. Lang's Short Tailed Blue - French Alps
49. Damon Blue - French Alps
50. Furry Blue - French Alps
51. Black Veined White - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
52. Berger's Clouded Yellow - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
53. Mountain Green Veined White - French Alps
54. Mountain Clouded Yellow - French Alps
55. Cleopatra - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
56. Bath White - French Alps
57. Peak White - French Alps
58. Mountain Dappled White - French Alps
59. Southern White Admiral - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
60. Southern Comma - French Alps
61. Lesser Purple Emperor - French Alps
62. Pearly Heath - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
63. Darwin's Heath - French Alps
65. Chestnut Heath - French Alps
66. Dusky Heath - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
67. Almond-Eyed Ringlet - French Alps
68. Common Brassy Ringlet - French Alps
69. False Mnestra Ringlet - French Alps
70. Sooty Ringlet - French Alps
71. Mountain Ringlet - French Alps
72. Large Ringlet - French Alps
73. Piedmont Ringlet - French Alps
74. Large Wall Brown - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
75. Great Banded Grayling - French Alps
76. Great Sooty Satyr - French Alps
77. Woodland Grayling - French Alps
78. Dusky Meadow Brown - French Alps
79. Shepherd's Fritillary - French Alps
80. Mountain Fritillary - French Alps
81. False Heath Fritillary - French Alps
82. Cynthia's Fritillary - French Alps
83. Spotted Fritillary - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
84. Knapweed Fritillary - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
85. Titania's Fritillary - French Alps
86. Weaver's Fritillary - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
87. Niobe Fritillary - French Alps
88. Marbled Fritillary - French Alps
89. Queen of Spain Fritillary - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
90. Lesser Marbled Fritillary - French Alps
91. Meadow Fritillary - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps
92. Provençal Fritillary - Pyrenees Orientales and French Alps


Total species seen in 2016 - 143


Last butterfly sighting - Red Admiral - 13th November 2016, Byefield Lane Car Park, Abergavenny

Sunday 28th February - Wasn't expecting this......

At last! A sunny day coinciding with a weekend. The last time this happened in the Swansea area was early November, so this morning's clear skies were especially welcome.

At 10.35, I made my way down to Mumbles Head to check out the hebe flowers at Bracelet Bay. However, although it was 7c (which has proved warm enough in the past to facilitate butterfly activity), there was a fair wind blowing which took the edge off the temperature.

There were very few hebe blooms left, and in spite of seeing my first bumblebee of the year (always a sign that butterflies aren't far off), I decided to take a walk round to the more sheltered Limeslade Bay a few hundred metres away:
I noticed last autumn that there was another expanse of hebe growing to the left of the blue apartments in the above picture, but as I got there I clocked a 15 metre stretch of bergenia - always a magnet for early butterflies.

Sure enough, just after 11am I spotted a pale coloured butterfly low to the ground:
Although I half anticipated a Tortoiseshell or Red Admiral, I certainly wasn't expecting a Painted Lady to be my first butterfly sighting of 2016:
The area to the left of the roadside was where it was seen, and I watched it for a good 10 minutes until someone's dog decided to sniff around the verge, causing the butterfly to take to the air and head upwards towards the houses:

HI David,
You've broken the mould, not only one of the first Butterflies of 2016, also not a species one would expect
for a first sighting !. We also managed a temperature of only 7c today, plenty of sun, with a bitter wind.

Well found !
All the best for the coming season,
Trevor.

You can't complain for a windy 7°C. I'm sure things will be getting progressively better for you.
Tomorrow is March - hooray .
Chris

Friday 11th March 2015 - Welsh Torties are out.....

I took an hour and a half lunch at work today given the 10c temperatures and sunny skies, and I was rewarded with definitely one Small Tortoiseshell, and maybe two, if the second one I saw was a different individual to the first.

The environs of my workplace are damp, lightly wooded areas, and in years gone by have proved to be rich hunting grounds for early butterflies. This image gives an overview of the sheltered, south-facing stretch of terrain where today's Tortoiseshell was seen:
Here is the butterfly in question, which was flying from one dandelion to the next:

Wales must be the UKs Butterfly hotspot so far this year.
A Painted Lady and a Small Tortoiseshell, that's two more than I've seen here in Sussex .
We've had frosts and cold winds here, and quite a lot of rain.
Still there's high pressure forecast for next week, so maybe my luck will change !.

Wishing you a great season,
Trevor.

Wednesday 16th March 2016 - Looking in the right places......

Day off today to have my car MOT'd, and by noon the cloud cover had almost entirely vanished, so with temperatures reaching 11c I felt it my duty to pay a visit to the woodland track behind the Gower Inn, Parkmill, which is about 2 miles from my house.

I was concerned that, in spite of the warmth of the sun in this sheltered location, I had seen no butterflies at all in the 45 minutes I spent walking around the two main clearings.

Having returned to the car park, I took time out to check this carpet of celandines growing on a nearby bank:
There were two butterflies nectaring in this area, and one of them was my first Comma of 2016:
The other butterfly was this Small Tortoiseshell, which was being carefully observed by a Robin:
I wasn't able to get close to the Comma, because it flew off over the fence at the back of the pub:
Now, Commas are creatures of habit, so when it didn't return I wondered what it was behind this fence that had caused it to stay there. I walked over and began to understand. This was a very sheltered, south-facing spot, but more importantly, it had huge numbers of dandelions in bloom there. I couldn't locate the Comma but I did see another butterfly here - my first Peacock of the year. I couldn't take a photo above the level of the fence because it was too high, but fortunately there was one piece of wood missing, allowing me to obtain this (admittedly poor quality) image by using my zoom through the gap:

Friday 18th March - Brimstone hunt....

I don't think it's really spring until I see a Brimstone, and having encountered all the other endemic adult over-winterers I resolved to put that right during my lunch hour.

There are two spots where I always fancy the chances of meeting up with one, and I'm pleased to say I didn't have long to wait as I arrived at my first location just prior to midday. After two minutes observation, I saw a familiar yellow blotch flying by the riverbank and my camera went into 'sport mode' in an attempt to capture the critter:
Thankfully, he was heading towards me so I got another opportunity:
...and cropped:
In spite of the benign conditions and sunny skies, the only other butterfly I saw was this Comma:

Hi! David, at least you saw a Brimstone I'm still hoping to see one. Goldie

Hi David, well done on seeing the full set of adult hibernators ...I haven't managed to get out to see one yet.
From these and previous reports it certainly seems that your part of south wales is one of the more benign areas of the county weather wise at this time of year.

Cheers,

Neil

What a great start you've made to the season David to have clocked up 5 species already when many of us are still struggling to get off the mark, especially when your first was a Painted Lady . Love the scenery shots too - it's interesting to see where the butterflies have been found .