www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

1st January was sufficiently benign for butterflies to be recorded in several areas of the UK.

1st February is highly unlikely to offer the same opportunities, but one hopes that as the month progresses, the weather will get milder and a few of us will see those much coveted first butterflies of the season.

First butterfly of the year for me today. Brimstone in a sheltered spot out if the wind in East Meon. First time I've spotted a butterfly whilst wearing fleece lined trousers and thick gloves!!

What good fortune, Fishiee. With temperatures set to enter the low teens later in the week I hope there will be a few more on the wing.

I've had a resident Red Admiral for the last couple of days, who seems to be enjoying the Bell Heather!
Cheers,

- Pete

Red Admiral at the Beth Chatto Gardens near Colchester. Red Admirals did not have a good year round my way, so I was surprised to see it. It has found a good place as there is an abundance of snowdrops here, with a conveyor belt of flowers after. So perhaps it might just survive the last weeks of winter, and make it to spring.

Very encouraging! Never seen a butterfly on a snowdrop before (seems rather incongruous)!

Sightings for me as well today from two of my local hot-spots
Two Red Admirals were seen feeding on Daphne shrubs between 12 noon and 12.30 at Tilgate Park and another two were seen basking on cars at 1pm near to home.
After a slight overnight frost the temperature reached around 12C with a light south-easterly wind.

Vince

A female peacock in our garden in Woodbridge, Suffolk:



Guy

The records for Northants are starting to come in thick and fast now during this warm snap with Brimstones, Red Admirals and the first Small Tortoiseshell of the year being seen today. I saw 2 Brimstones yesterday in Salcey Forest south with this one flying around before taking a breather.
This one though was a little bit harder to find. It always amazes me just how well camouflaged they are!

Small Tortoiseshell in Harlow, Essex today, feeding on blue irises at 3PM. Sadly no camera.

Great sightings, guys! I had a feeling there might be a few around today. I took time out around lunchtime to see if I could see any myself, but to no avail. That said, the celandines are starting to flower so in south Wales that can only mean that Small Tortoiseshells are imminent.

I'll do another lunchtime scout tomorrow if conditions are similarly benign. We often get isolated mild, sunny days in February, but two on the bounce is quite unusual so it will be interesting to see what happens.

Two red admirals fly around the garden today and feeding on heather along with a bumble bee
Andy

Sorry same pic twice here is the right one

Two small tortoiseshells in woods near Woodbridge, Suffolk, at about 13h00.



Guy

A minimum of three male Brimstones spotted early this afternoon, flying around the scrubby wetlands adjacent to my workplace.

None settled so I had to rely on trying to photograph them in the air. Still, it was a joy to see them and with the early spring plants beginning to flourish it certainly didn't feel like mid-February!

Painted Lady reported from Lizard, Cornwall today.

Red Admiral here today in North Yorkshire.. must be overwintering up here too.

At least 3 Brimstones & a Red Admiral up Acres Down in the New Forest yesterday.

Interestingly, a full 36 days earlier than my first sightings in 2018.

Roll on summer...

essexbuzzard wrote:Painted Lady reported from Lizard, Cornwall today.

Doesn't really surprise me, given the southerly winds over the last few days. I daresay we'll hear of more.

Its great to hear that you are getting so many sightings in the UK (including Small Torts and Peacocks which unfortunately do not fly near me in Marseilles).

You must be having the same mild spell as we are getting in France.
In the last 2 days temperatures in the south of France (and most of France in fact) have been hitting around 17°C, with some isolated reports of 23°C near Bordeaux.
I fear this may be short lived, I had nearly forgotten "the beast from the east" last year which wiped out most of March, even reaching the south of France.

Good luck with continued sightings in the UK.
Chris