www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

hi
looks like spring is here. 5 species this week , brimstone,red admiral,peacock,small tortoiseshell and a comma (a first for my garden list). now looking forward to some of the more unusual species later this year.
mark

I've had 5 this week as well - peacock, small tortoiseshell, comma, brimstone and a white. No RA yet though.

No small torts here yet.

6 Small Torts in Thaxted Essex yesterday, also my first small white of the year.

Saw my first Orange Tip today, a male, along with 8+ Peacock, 2 Brimstone and 3 Small Tortoiseshell. All were at the WWT National Wetland Centre Wales at Llanelli, SW Wales.

A fully-grown Red Admiral larva in its larval tent today at the local park. Climate change or what! I guess the egg must have been laid 3 or 4 weeks ago.

Amazing.

Cheers,

- Pete

Saw first small white I have seen in Mountstewart! I was looking at some daisys and saw a white thing move and there it was. I also saw 2 peacock butterflies at Mountstewart Gardens. Nice to see.

Small White in Carlisle Cemetery this afternoon and a fast flying large reddish coloured Butterfly to quick to catch up with.
Ian

At last a first Holly Blue , It landed on a friends hand an just sat there for a few minutes. I should really carry a camera with me at all times
regards
Mark

9 Small Tortoiseshell butterflies at Mountstewart. Very fast and very active. How would I catch them? i would like to breed them, I have one already. How can you tell male from female. Is male smaller?

Hi Dave,

I doubt you'll get the adult butterflies to mate (this is extremely difficult with vanessids) and suggest you let the critter go. I also know that many people that visit the website would find it quite abhorrent that anyone would want to net any butterfly or moth. You should also be aware that taking stock from the wild is illegal for some species - so be warned!

If you want to breed Small Tortoiseshell, then you should first be aware that this is a rapidly-declining species. But if you do want to help this species, I suggest you do this by finding the larvae and then breed 4 or 5 through on growing foodplant, and release the adults where you found them.

In general, if you do want to rear species, then I think you're going about it the wrong way. Taking stock from the wild is frowned upon nowadays. You'd be better off obtaining stock from a commercial supplier (such as Worldwide Butterflies) - and be aware of the restrictions of releasing any adults that emerge.

Cheers,

- Pete

I will keep that in mind. On spring butteflies, I saw the first speckled wood today (male) at Mountstewart Northern Ireland.

A walk around Fingringhoe wick in Essex proved productive for me today as i saw my first ever [ positively identified ] Green Veined White, also lots of Peacocks and Commas.

3 Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies in my garden at Carlisle this afternoon.
Ian

Spring has finally arrived for me. This weekend I have seen Brimstone, Small White, GV White, Speckled Wood, Tortoiseshell and Peacock. No Orange-tip or Holly Blue yet @