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April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 8:10 am
by Lee Hurrell
No, nothing yet.....but this month HAS to be when things get going!

Cheers

Lee

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2010 2:56 pm
by Dave McCormick
Nothing today anyway
but this month HAS to be when things get going!
I am thinking best time would be anytime next weekend or after, this week wasn't great, snow/rain etc... next week looks wet (well here in Northern Ireland anyway) and next weekend is looking up, maybe then might be the best time to go looking for butterflies, for me anyway.

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 7:44 pm
by Gibster
Just before it all kicks off properly, and before we're all pleasantly distracted with the adults, there's still time left to look for things like hairstreak eggs before the leaves come out. I'm finding loads of Purple Hairstreak eggs on Epsom Common, some of which we're tagging for ease of relocation - we plan to photograph the developing larvae over the coming months.

Personally I'm still stuck on last month's 2 Brimstones, 11 Commas and 2 Peacocks...c'mon the rest!!! :)

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 9:06 pm
by Lee Hurrell
You're doing well Gibster!

2 Red Admirals and 2 Commas for me. Anyone not seen any yet?

The whites were well out by this time last year....

Cheers

Lee

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 9:19 pm
by felix123
Small tortoishells today and also saw my first urban butterfly it was a small tort or a peacock I could not tell. I cant wait to see my first orange tip. :)

Felix

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 6:17 am
by Bill S
Lee Hurrell wrote:You're doing well Gibster!

2 Red Admirals and 2 Commas for me. Anyone not seen any yet?

The whites were well out by this time last year....

Cheers

Lee
Yep me, still drawn a blank. Time to get the jobs done round the house and go looking for morels...

Cheers

Bill

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 6:34 pm
by GsButterflies
Managed my first butterfly image of 2010 and with my new 100mm Canon Macro lens.

10 Brimstones and 5 Peacocks today in mixed weather conditions.

G

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 10:00 am
by Charles Nicol
that is a lovely picture GsButterflies... an interesting mix of colours & shapes. The brown/purple curves of the Brimstone's antennae and wing joint reappear in the leaves in the top left.

Charles

:D

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 12:22 pm
by Dave McCormick
Found a female large white in my garden with crumpled up wings, looks like another emerged from pupae, but didn't expand its wings properly :( it can't really fly well.

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 6:04 pm
by Dave McCormick
Another update, found a male Large White in garden, making advances on the crumpled female, but she wasn't having it and so the male gave up and flew away.

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2010 8:46 pm
by Wildmoreway
Saw about 20 Small Tortoiseshells yesterday and today in Hollicombe Gardens near Paignton, they were on a patch of low growing nettles mixed with dandelions, today just over the road from Hollicombe Gardens on a path I saw my first Comma, and a Peacock flew past me near Cockington. Things have certainly livened up.

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 11:07 am
by Bill S
Woohoo finally, a single Brimstone just flew through the garden, I broke my 2010 duck.

Cheers

Bill

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 4:29 pm
by Vince Massimo
Well done Bill, we were all getting worried :(

Had my best day of the year at my local reserve in Chaldon, Surrey. Saw 8 Peacock, 6(Male) Brimstone and a Comma. No photos unfortunately so had to settle for a picture of a snail and some fungus. There was also a Peacock waiting for me in my garden when I got home :D .
The only things that would keep still today
The only things that would keep still today
Cheers,

Vince

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 4:34 pm
by Susie
A dozen peacocks and one, possibly two, small tortoiseshell in a ditch (see diary entry) and a small tortoiseshell and a peacock over high wood too. :)

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 4:37 pm
by felix123
I saw a lot of butterflies today they include ( lost count on most of them) :D (approx) 8-10 Peacocks, (approx) 5-6 small torts, 3 commas and my first white I could not tell if it was a large or a small because it flew quickley over a hedge but it deffinatily was a white. :)

Felix

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 6:24 pm
by Gibster
FINALLY clawed back Small Tort from Sami today when one almost flew into my truck window in South London. A warm 30mins in Carshalton resulted in another Small Tort, a Peacock and a male Brimstone. Also Harlequin Ladybird flying in Sutton.
Yearlist = 4 species. No sign of any whites yet though, why has Dave had them so much earlier than the rest of us??? Share and share alike, Dave!! :wink:

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 8:54 pm
by NickB
Yeah Dave - I'm waiting for my first Whites too :roll:
Best day of the year here so far!
Comma, Peacock. S. Tortoiseshell and Brimstone in 10mins at lunchtime today!
Comma_1_low_MRC_06_04_2010.jpg
Why was I at work :cry:
N

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 9:02 pm
by Neil Hulme
Hi all,
Things are finally hotting up. First Grizzled Skipper this afternoon, together with 6 Peacock and a Brimstone, and the moths Pyrausta aurata and P. despicata.
Neil

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 9:45 pm
by Trev Sawyer
A Grizzled Skipper Neil?.... Yaaayyyy :D ... Now that really IS a sign of spring. The season starts here!

Trev

Re: April 2010 Sightings

Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 9:53 pm
by Danny
First Butterfly of 2010..Brimstone..driving to Eastbourne just past Cuckmere Haven. Do I win a prize?

Danny