www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Judging by the Hants and IOW BC sightings page at http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/h ... tings.html, there seem to be a disproportionate number of Red Admiral sightings this year.

- Pete

17 January 2006
My first butterfly and my first large insect of the year was seen flying in of the beach and sea over the fringes of Widewater Lagoon at
2:00 pm. Alas, it was so sudden and disappeared so quickly I could not be positive of its identity. It was highly probably a Red
Admiral. The air temperature was 11.1 ºC.There was no definite proof that this was an immigrant butterfly as it could have been a
hibernating butterfly that had flown out from under the eaves of the nearby houses to the north, flown south and then north again
against the Light Breeze from the north-west. From previous experience in late autumn, there was good chance it was an immigrant
though.

There were lots of sightings in January and early February, mainly in Hampshire, Isle of Wight, West Sussex, and Dorset, but none recorded in the remainder of February, or up until now ( 12th March ), despite several days when the weather has been warm enough and sunny enough. This appears to follow the pattern of recent years, and confirm that the butterfly is unable to survive the hard frosts of late winter. Commas, Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells have appeared already, but the Red Admirals seem to have died. No doubt more will be seen in April, but these will almost certainly be migrants.

Adrian Hoskins

No Red Admirals were recorded locally in February 2006. They are the only butterfly to be recorded in all months of the year.

http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2006.html

However, the tenmperature only dropped briefly below freezing, although the dew point was much lower.

Andy Horton

may interest you to know that two "tatty" Red Admirals were reported on the Lancaster & District birding site on 31/03/2006 as being seen in Torrisholme, Morecambe, Lancashire
Are these likely to to be migrants or residents?

Jon Stagg wrote:may interest you to know that two "tatty" Red Admirals were reported on the Lancaster & District birding site on 31/03/2006 as being seen in Torrisholme, Morecambe, Lancashire
Are these likely to to be migrants or residents?

I don't know. Does anybody else? On the south coast of England, there seemed to be more on the coast than inland.

Morecambes fairly frostfree, despite the northern location, due to catching the gulf stream. The red admirals were seen around cricket club buildings, so plenty of wooden sheds unused over the winter for them to hide in.

I've personally had sightings of Red Admiral in Berkshire (including one on Saturday) and, given their condition, would assume that they've managed to overwinter.

Cheers,

- Pete

Missed the warm day for local butterflies. Red Admirals are fewer in March than any other month locally. Not many in April. I will not expect to see any before the end of the month.

Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List 2005
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2005.html

Andy Horton