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First Butterflies 2024 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter aeshna5
- Start date
Had my first Brimstone of the year this morning in Northern Hampshire. Appeared to be fresh & bright so more like a hatchee than a hibernator
Are you sure there are hatchees at this time of the year? As far as I was aware, all Brimstones overwinter as adults, the only pupal stages being summer from +/- June through to early August.
Almost certainly hibernators. When they emerge July/August they usually feed up for a few days & usually go into dormancy, so thus many hibernating species often look fresh when they emerge in the spring (or late winter here).
dantheman
Bah humbug
Out for a few hours today. Warmest day of the year (?) - at any rate sunny and temp in double figures I believe, but still surprised to see both Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell.
The Peacock was flying around before landing and sunning on a fence panel, the Small Tort was at another location and I almost stepped on it. This was around late afternoon and it was struggling a bit in the shade (not so warm now) so I took it over to the other side of the industrial bit I was on and put it in the sun so it could then decide where to go.
The Peacock especially was looking fairly faded.
The Peacock was flying around before landing and sunning on a fence panel, the Small Tort was at another location and I almost stepped on it. This was around late afternoon and it was struggling a bit in the shade (not so warm now) so I took it over to the other side of the industrial bit I was on and put it in the sun so it could then decide where to go.
The Peacock especially was looking fairly faded.
birdboybowley
Well-known member.....apparently so ;)
Just had a Peacock fly thru my garden
Jon Turner
Well-known member
Should have mentioned it before but a friend in Cornwall saw a Red Admiral in his garden on Jan 7th! Also Stick insect. Must have been a warm day!
Jon Turner
Well-known member
And he just emailed me a picture of a butterfly chasing around his garden with a Red Admiral; None other than a PAINTED LADY!
dantheman
Bah humbug
Reminder of this -
butterfly-conservation.org
We're not far behind for the year.
First butterfly sightings 2024
Here are 2024's earliest sightings of resident and common migrant butterflies, as reported to Butterfly Conservation. To count as first sighting, butterflies must be seen outside and be active (i.e. not in hibernation). If you are confident that you've seen a butterfly species in the UK this...
We're not far behind for the year.
WalterRayle
Well-known member
Red Admiral in south Hampshire on Friday 2nd Feb, moments later my first nest prospecting queen Bombus terrestris of the year
Jon Turner
Well-known member
Red Admiral at the railway crossing just North of Dawlish this morning. Looked as if it had crossed the whole river!
Farnboro John
Well-known member
Four Brimstones yesterday at Eelmoor along with my first Adder of the year. One Brimstone even sat up for me!
John
John
Frank van Drogen
Not so important
Ah, reminds me. Yesterday an Admiral as well as a Brimstone. Today it was a constant drizzle, no butterflies seen.
WalterRayle
Well-known member
Brimstone in my south Hampshire garden on 15/02, also two Melangyna lasiopthalma hoverflies
and locally my first Adder of the year on 16/02.
and locally my first Adder of the year on 16/02.
Jon Turner
Well-known member
The friend who saw the Painted Lady back along a while saw a Comma in his garden yesterday. he's very good at keeping Butterfly counts and says he has never recorded Comma in February previously.
Locally in N Devon I saw Water Boatmen today.
Locally in N Devon I saw Water Boatmen today.
