Early Red Admiral (UK)

[Martin Honey]

Dear All

Continuing the subject of early UK Lepidoptera I thought the following
observation by a colleague might be of interest.

>I saw a single red admiral (Vanessa atalanta) today, 15 January 1999 at 11.45
>am outside 170 Brompton Road, London, SW3 (grid ref. TQ 274793) 
>Geoff Martin
>Collections Management
>Dept. Entomology
>Natural History Museum
>London SW7 5BD
>Tel: 0171 938 9338
>Fax: 0171 938 8937
>E-mail: geom at nhm.ac.uk
>INTERNET: http://www.nhm.ac.uk

The sighting was made near Harrod's department store and the specimen was
active, but only just. The weather today is mild but grey and wet with very
strong winds.  It may have been dislodged from a hibernation site or, as it
is on a major road, could have been transported in to London on a vehicle.
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Martin R. Honey CBiol MIBiol, Linnaean Butterfly Project
Biodiversity Division, Department of Entomology
The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road
London, SW7 5BD, Great Britain
TELEPHONE: 0171 938 8735     International: 44 171 938 8735
FAX:       0171 938 8937     International: 44 171 938 8937
EMAIL:     M.Honey at nhm.ac.uk
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