Harbingers of warmer days


The snow has returned, the temperature has plummeted and yesterday's warm sunshine is but a dim and distant memory. But fear not, this cold snap is promised to be short-term and before we know it we will be able to enjoy once more those harbingers of warmer days, the butterflies. One of my pleasures is recording their first flight date, and especially those seen before the end of March - so far my earliest ever records are:

Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni
03/02/07

Small White Pieris rapae
21/03/09

Orange-tip Anthocharis cardamines
24/03/12

Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus
29/03/12

Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
27/01/03

Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae
14/02/98

Peacock Inachis io
05/02/00

Comma Polygonia c-album
11/03/95

Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
24/03/12

I'll be keeping them peeled when the sun and mild weather returns...

Comments

Arjun Dutta said…
Had my first butterfly on the 11th - expected it to be a Red Admiral this year but happy to take a Small Tortoiseshell!.
That's a seriously early Brimstone in 1997!
17 March 2018 at 16:58
Steve Gale said…
It was 2007 Arjun!
17 March 2018 at 17:33
Arjun Dutta said…
Need to go to Specsavers again...
(My dad was telling me something about 1997 while writing the comment - sorry!)
17 March 2018 at 22:32
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