UK Butterflies

[Nick Greatorex-Davies]

Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni), Peacock (Inachis io) and Comma (Polygonia c-album) all easy to see here at Monks Wood yesterday in the glorious spring weather. One colleague saw 3 Commas together. Also the day-flying moth the Orange Underwing (Archiearis parthenias). Not heard of any definite Small Tortoiseshells locally yet.

For those interested in moths: there have been plenty of spring moths in varying numbers coming to light traps here at Monks Wood and at home (St Ives, Cambridgeshire) in the recent mild weather including: Geometrids: Oak Beauty (Biston strataria), Dotted Border (Agriopis marginaria), March Moth (Alsophila aescularia, Shoulder Stripe (Anticlea badiata), Brindled Beauty (Lycia hirtaria), Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata), Double-striped Pug (Gymnoscelis rufifasciata) and Engrailed (Ectropis bistortata); Noctuidae: Common Quaker (Orthosia stabilis), Clouded Drab (Orthosia incerta), Small Quaker (Orthosia cruda), Hebrew Character (Orthosia gothica), Twin-spot Quaker (Orthosia munda), Satellite (Eupsilia transversa), Chestnut (Conistra vaccinii) and Early Grey (Xylocampa areola) plus some micros especially Diurnea fagella, Tortricoides alternella, Agonopteryx heracliana and several Acleris species.

Wind has swung round to the north-west and it has turned somewhat cooler and breezier today ...  oh well ...

Nick Greatorex-Davies


Mr J Nick Greatorex-Davies
(Butterfly Monitoring Scheme co-ordinator)
Institute of Terrestrial Ecology
Monks Wood
Abbots Ripton
Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire PE17 2LS  UK

Tel: (+44) (0) 1487 773 381
Fax: (+44) (0) 1487 773 467
E-mail: n.greatorex-davies at ite.ac.uk

>>> Mark Litjens <litjens at ibm.net> 17/03/99 18:48:59 >>>
What have UK people been seeing this week so far in the mini heat wave?
Since Saturday i have recorded 51 Brimstone and 1 Comma in Hampshire.
Most around my place of work SW of Winchester. To me this is high but i
have only been recording Butterfly numbers for 2 years (3rd spring). But
i have not seen any Small Tortoiseshell or Peacock but i know people who
have. Their emergence may just be patchy.

Mark