www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

It seems like spring is practically here, with more January sightings than I can recall.

With daylight hours steadily increasing, let's hope we get plenty more.

Second butterfly of 2024 seen today and also the second species. A rather tatty Peacock was fluttering weakly around the back of a fence in the field out back of my house at lunchtime today. It landed to bask and try to warm itself on the fence in the early afternoon sun.

I was coming back from Richmond Park after midday & I was at the front of the top deck of a bus which was stationary at a stop when 2 Red Admirals flew across the road-not sure if a courting couple or 2 arguing males?

4 butterflies so far this year, but just one species!

Had a feeling there'd be a few around today. It felt quite mild in the afternoon when the sun finally came out round my way.

First butterfly for me this morning on Walland marsh ,Kent . A very active Red Admiral . temp 10 c, clear blue sky ,no wind.
Allan.W. Also seen, 66 roosting Snipe. most i,ve seen in one hit .

One Red Admiral at the Tilgate Park hot-spot in Crawley at 1pm today. It was a sunny 9C at the time.
Vince

Off the mark for 2024 on my local patch with a Red Admiral at lunchtime today. I failed to spot it on the ground when the sun was in (it probably had its wings closed) but it flew up as I passed close by - and I failed to get a photo.

Dave

Excellent, Dave. I did the same with a Red Admiral a week ago; cast my shadow walking past it and it was up and off within a matter of seconds.

First butterfly for us yesterday, a very nice male Brimstone at Essex Wildlife Trust The Naze. We only managed to record 1 Brimstone at this site all last year.

Yesterday had my weekly visit to Kew Gardens & as I approached the rock garden, having just been listening to a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, noticed a butterfly fly across. Raising my binoculars could see it was an expected Red Admiral. It then settled on a flowering Viburnum x bodnantense & started to nectar on the obvious pink flowers.

Wonder if it was one of the two individuals I'd seen at Kew in January? One had been in this general area.

No Red Admirals active at Limeslade Bay early this afternoon in the sunny conditions, but I did see a hummingbird hawk moth, easily the earliest I've ever seen (late March was the previous record).

Saturday 10th - Two skittish Red Admirals seen either side of midday at Park Wood, Gower,

During a midday muddy paddle around my local patch today (the River Colne had overflowed across large sections of the path ) I spotted first a Comma and then a Red Admiral enjoying the 12 degree sunshine. Neither butterfly hung around for photos unfortunately.

Dave

That's frustrating, Dave. Had two Red Admirals behave similarly yesterday.

A Red Admiral was fluttering around the south-facing front wall of my house at 11.50 today. It was a sunny 9C at the time. This is also where I keep an un-sleeved potted nettle plant where I have three Red Admiral larvae that I am monitoring. They mostly hatched on 14th December and a 2nd instar larva was seen in the open today, together with a hoverfly laying eggs on the plant.
Vince

i heard that the waxwings were at the Botanic Gardens in Cambridge. i went down on the bus.

alas no waxwings, but i was delighted to see this basking Red Admiral ( first butterfly of the year )

Nice specimen for the time of year, Charles.

Highly serendipitous!

First sighting of this year. A pair of mating Brimstones taking advantage of the first warm sunny day. I am so pleased that I was in the right place at the right time!
And my first sighting last year was on the 12th February as well... but it was a single male.

David M wrote: ↑Mon Feb 12, 2024 5:44 pm Nice specimen for the time of year, Charles.

Highly serendipitous!

hehehe it made up for the missing waxwings

Deborah wrote: ↑Mon Feb 12, 2024 8:03 pmFirst sighting of this year. A pair of mating Brimstones taking advantage of the first warm sunny day. I am so pleased that I was in the right place at the right time!

Helluva way to get your season off to a start, Deborah.

In all my years watching butterflies I've only seen Brimstones in-cop twice!