www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Spent a bit of time sorting out a backlog of photos over the weekend, including some from a trip to Brownsea Island chasing red squirrels back in April. This snap caught my eye since I have not seen many tortoiseshells this year - and I can't help thinking it might actually be a Large Tortoiseshell. Anyone agree?

Simon

Definitely Large Tortoiseshell - well done!

Not only are the black-and-yellow bands at the front of the forewing less-distinct than in the Small Tortoiseshell, but the dot on the bottom-left of the left-hand-side forewing is there - which is missing in the Small Tortoiseshell.

Simon - if you could send the record to the Hants and Isle of Wight BC branch I'd appreciate it (just need location and date, really). The form is on:

http://www.hantsiow-butterflies.org.uk/sightings.html

Cheers,

- Pete

Thanks Pete.

I'll send in the details. For the record it was April 18th, and the photo was taken near the Lodge in the Dorset Wildlife Trust reserve on the Island.
I feel a bit of an idiot not noticing what I was looking at at the time, and also for not getting round to checking my photos for so long. It was a nice day, but not as many squirrels as sometimes I've been there. Best sighting - and only decent shot - was at the cafe just before catching the ferry to the mainland.

Simon

Nice action shot!

Cheers,

- Pete

I hope you bought a lottery ticket that day - what a stroke of luck! A propos - I live in Switzerland, where the last two years have seen a striking increase in the numbers of large tortoiseshells, especially in the spring. A friend in France has noted the same phenomenon. Let us hope the species is going through one of its periodical resurgences!