UK Spring butterflies

[Anne Kilmer]

David Howson wrote:
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> >From: Michael Healy <MJRHEALY at COMPUSERVE.COM>
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> >Subject: UK Spring butterflies
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> >Plenty of Small Tortoiseshells and Peacocks, some Commas, esoterica like
> >Small Whites and Holly Blues - but has anyone seen a Red Admiral?  And by
> >the way, where have all the mailing list members gone?
> >Michaek Healy
> >
> >mike,
> >yes at brimham rocks (Yorkshire) the first weekend of april there were
> >three red admirals on the wing.
> >By the way, also 5 green hairstreaks, around 16 painted ladies etc..is
> >this an early season or what? The ladybirds i was collecting to obtain the
> >parasitoid (expecting 1-2nd instar parasitoid within the ladybird) were
> >already cocconed with most hatched and thus the parasitoids already away on
> >the wing;
> >the yponomeutids (ermine moths) were already tented up and third instars
> >instead of the expected 1st instars etc etc
> >You been having nice weather down in england recently or something (he
> >writes as the hail falls at present, albeit lightly, in Dundee!!)>
> >Cheers
> >rob
> As someone who lives not too far from Brimham rocks, Rob's note astonishes me.
> The green hairstreaks I buy- I havent seen them in Ilkley but the time is
> right in this early year.
> The Red Admirals seem very surprising-but the Painted Ladies quite
> astounding-nothing like that here or ever has been! Rob, are you sure this
> isnt an error and you meant peacocks or tortoiseshells??
> Dave Howson>

Check your local elementary school; I'll bet someone has reared and 
released painted ladies. Happening all over Europe now, my spies tell 
me. 
Red Admirals may have overwintered successfully; you've had a 
comparatively warm and dry winter I hear.
Anne Kilmer
Florida
(cassius blues (Leptotes cassius) flying, still plenty of whites and 
sulphurs, a few zebra longwing (Heliconius charitonius) ... haven't seen 
a gulf fritillary (Dione vanillae) in my garden this year despite 
lashings of passion vine. Battus polydamas cruising through; hasn't 
spotted the vine in my greenhouse yet. Usually one calls in and lays 
eggs, pruning the vine back thoroughly.)