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First of the year spotted in Wigan - Lancs.

A brand new looking Peacock.

Alas - no pix

Hya Gibster and Sami. Your enthusiasm is contagious. I know nothing about butterflies, but i do like to photograph them.

Hello all,
I saw my first Brimstone of the year today, a male. My first of last year was on 21st February. The temperature when I saw today's beauty was about 11 degrees c, and the sunshine was lovely!
A most welcome sight, particularly after this drag of a winter.
Best regards,
Deano.

Found two large white pupae in my garden getting close to emerging. I was told these were the first signtings of Large whites in the UK and expecially early given the cold winter, it is strange finding these this early though.

Hi Dave. You posted a large white photo some time ago and I assumed something funny had happened - that it had pupated in a conservatory, perhaps. If you are finding more, then yes, it is most unusual!!

Guy

No, one pupated under the window ledge outside of my house and two on the fence in my garden, checked the two today, should emerge any day now (probably not today)

Out early today and 3 different sites with lots of butterflies :
Fleam Dyke early this morning - several male Brimstone
Local disused chalk pit - A Peacock and Small Tort
Mill Road Cemetery lunchtime - 3 Comma, a couple of male Brimstone and a Peacock and Small Tort Spring has Sprung!

N

YAY at last my first sightings of the year and quiet a few too.

I saw a( in the order I saw them in)....

peacock X2

small tortoiseshell X3

comma X2

........

Felix

Brimstone, Peacock and Comma out and about here in east Somerset.

First day of multiple sightings, circa six Brimstones in South Cambs plus (after a lot of searching) one Peacock in typical spring habitat basking on ground on sunny side of an east-west hedge.

Jack

Got peacock for the year today! Plus 6 commas, 3 brimstones, 2 orange underwings. On 4 species now. Also enjoying the sunshine on Epsom Common today were 3 adders!!

Love the Peacock with moss and Small Tort with ivy Nick!

Saw this Comma in my front garden today. Very noticable against the bush as I pulled into my drive!
They used this same perch last year and I reckon they hibernate in my front shed which is nearby behind some bushes. Must investigate this in the autumn...

Cheers

Lee

I saw my first Small Tortoiseshells this morning... they were nectaring on Celandines by the river at Offord.
Charles

Two more female large whites emerged in my garden today:

23 March Great Chishill meadows TL425395 (South Cambridgeshire) All four hibernators, Peacock, Small Tort, Comma and Brimstone.

There is one small hollow that I look forward to visiting each spring. There is ALWAYS a Comma there. It flies up to chase every passing Brimstone then returns to bask in the warmth, not necessarily to the exact same perch but it often does. Photos 2010 and 2009 (6th April) captioned “Grandson and Grandfather” (well, they could well be related) taken at exactly the same spot.

Jack

Your 'grandfather' looks like a female to me, Jack!

Guy

How can you tell?

Jack

That sharply tapered abdomen looks distinctly female, as does the rather open scalloping of the wings. You can probably get a high res view of the comma's bottom from your original, but even from the compressed view it looks good for female to me:



I won't scream and shout if I'm contradicted - Nymphalids are more difficult than Lycaenids!

Guy

Crop from original (grandparent) but not resized.

Jack

That still looks like a (virgin) female to me. I'd be interested to know what others think.

Guy