More small coppers about than in previous years?

[vole-woman]

I haven't seen a small copper butterfly for years, and then this year I'm seeing them all over the place. Just had one now in the garden, when mostly all we get is whites. I know about the painted lady invasion, but has there been an explosion of coppers this summer? last year it was commas everywhere I went, though haven't seen so many this year.

[NickCantle]

Peacocks are the most abundant for me this year Kate. I've seen a few Coppers, more than usual, but only one Small Tortoiseshell.

[vole-woman]

I don't think I've seen any tortoisehells at all. And they used to be one of the most common.

The difference when I go onto one of the reserves, or onto organically managed/fallow farmland, is astonishing: loads more butterflies.

[evilgrayson]

I've seen several small tortoiseshells, though that's partly because I've now got a second batch of caterpillars on the nettles by the shed.

Edited to add: Small tortoiseshells are great caterpillars for careful kids to grow. Easy, quick and beautiful, and a great way to introduce them to the wonders of nature. Worked on me, anyway.

[vole-woman]

Handn't thought of that. Nice one!

[Jason Green]

Never seen a small tortoiseshell!

Anyway, on-topic I have seen two SCs this year, one last year and none the year before when I really started looking at wildlife.

[2dogs2000]

Originally Posted by Jason Green

Never seen a small tortoiseshell!

Anyway, on-topic I have seen two SCs this year, one last year and none the year before when I really started looking at wildlife.

SCs being small copper I assume.
I haven't seen any Red admirals which I would expect to see. But I have seen my first Brimstone butterfly.

[aeshna5]

I've only seen a small number of Small Coppers.

[ChrissyMarie]

In a couple of fields that I frequently observe numbers of butterflies, I have seen lots of Small Coppers in the last two weeks together with lots of Common blues.
The Meadow browns seems to be on the decline now but the Gatekeepers are still plentiful.
I have seen a couple of Red Admirals, Comma's and Small tortoiseshell together with increasing numbers of peacocks.
I spotted two Clouded yellows in the same period but couldn't get close enough to photograph them
I haven't seen a Brimstone but I did spot my first Purple Hairstreak last week which I have tried to upload to the Gallery but being fairly new and a numpty, I haven't figured out how to do it yet

[Pete Collins]

I've seen four Small Coppers this year (including two last Monday), having never knowingly seen them before.