Early UK butterflies

[Andrew Daw]

I made a visit to the Prestbury Hill reserve (Near Cheltenham,
Gloucestershire UK) on Saturday to film some video of Green Hairstreaks
(Callophrys rubi).  While I was doing this I observed my first Small Blue
of the year (Cupido minimus), which was a nice surprise.  Although I should
have expected to see them around now (with our advanced spring), I thought
the altitude on the reserve would have held them back for another week or
two.  All together I counted 3 Small Blues before the rain set in (just
before 2pm).

I have also been told , from a reliable source, that Wood Whites have
alread emerged in Somerset (sometime prior to Sunday 27th April).

We (UK) are due for a cold spell this week (todays forcast gave a Maximum
temperature of 10 degrees C, wereas Friday was up in the 20's). The weather
men said there might even be snow (?? !!).  This will put a hold on our
spring for a while and hopefully put it back on track for a normal summer.

If not all the field trips already organised for this year are going to be
far too late for the target species!

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*           /   \    Butterfly Conservation (UK)                  *
*  o  o    /  0 |    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                  *
*   \ |   /    ,|    East Midlands Branch : Field Trip Organiser. *
*    \|  /_____ /    West Country  Branch : Committee Member.     *
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*     / 7-\____/                                                  *
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* Andrew Daw                   tel  :  (+44) 1684 294161 ext. 306 *
* Redac Systems Ltd.,          email:  andrewd at redac.co.uk        *
* Green Lane,                  Web  :  http://www.redac.co.uk     *
* Tewkesbury,                                                     *
* Gloucestershire GL20 8HE                                        *
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