pink butterfly??

[sb003]

I saw one of the mysterious pink butterflies yesterday (also West Yorkshire). Extraordinary thing, never seen anything quite like it. The fluorescent pink/purple colour of the wings was really striking - almost synthetic.

It was a small butterfly; the wings had a black spot in the centre, but otherwise of a uniform colour.

This was definitely not the moth pictured, and I pretty sure it was not any kind of moth, given its shape.

[nadaj]

hi
the butterfly/moth was definately not a fox moth - the insect we saw was such a bright pink as to look unreal. If it ever stops raining we'll have to go back to the field we saw it in and try to get a photograph!

[tempest]

It's really amazing that so many people have seen the butterfly since I saw it last year! Maybe it is a foreign species that has come in numbers to Britain with the increase in temperature! (Not that you'd know it today!). I think if it brings so many people, enthusiasts and just the curious together and to be more interested in nature and butterflies that is fantastic- just hope we find out this butterfly's identity! I haven't seen another since last year, but many of you are and many are in agreement that it is not the cinnabar moth and numerous other species - someone snap it with their camera!!
Tempest

[James M]

Is it possible that it isn't a moth or a butterfly but a completly different insect that people are seeing? are there any bright pink insects in Britain?

[tempest]

It landed on my shoulder and I thought it was definitely a moth or a butterfly from that close up. Forget to mention before that I saw it in Devon.

Tempest

[Bramble]

This is a right old mystery! I'll keep my eyes peeled up here - I have my collecting tub at the ready

[Lance Morgan]

Originally Posted by tempest

It's really amazing that so many people have seen the butterfly since I saw it last year! Maybe it is a foreign species that has come in numbers to Britain with the increase in temperature! (Not that you'd know it today!). I think if it brings so many people, enthusiasts and just the curious together and to be more interested in nature and butterflies that is fantastic- just hope we find out this butterfly's identity! I haven't seen another since last year, but many of you are and many are in agreement that it is not the cinnabar moth and numerous other species - someone snap it with their camera!!
Tempest

There are a number of European butterflies and moths which have some pink colouration to a degree. i.e painted lady underside has some pink, some of the hawkmoths can have pinkish hues e.g. poplar, lime, elephants hawks but moths like hawks don't normally fly during the day. day flying moths like those already mentioned e.g.cinnabar have scarlet markings which might appear pinkish when they are on the wing otherwise i would say they are marked with scarlet/red markings. I am not aware of any which are completely pink although some foreign species are pinkish like silkmoths. Could it have been a release or escapee from somewhere

[Linda]

I agree with Tempest`s sentiments. I only hope our mystery butterflies survive this dreadful weather.I shall keep my fingers crossed.

[AnnaCas]

I've just seen one of your butterflies! In Tattingstone in Suffolk, next to a reservoir. It was bright 'Barbie' pink on the underside and the same pink but with black patterns around the edge of its wing on the topsides. Unlike any other butterfly I've seen, and it's definitely not any of the ones mentioned above.

[Garden Carpet]

I wondered if these butterflies were moths...a Rosy Footman. I realise the flying time is a bit out.. but then everything is this year

UKMoths - Rosy Footman Miltochrista miniata The colour in this picture might be a little off
jaki