Some Butterflies at last

[RobSutton]

We've had a really poor year for butterflies up here in my part of the Yorkshire Dales. Very few Common Blues, virtually no Skippers, even numbers of Small Heath and Meadow Brown have been low. The Large and Small Skippers and Meadow Brown (and a few other such as Speckled Wood and Comma) are fairly recent colonists with us, having been present in the valleys but absent from where we are up on the tops (altitude c380m) until recently and are probably vulnerable to bad weather.

The last few days though have seen an enormous number of pristine Peacock, Red Admiral and Painted Lady's emerge to brighten things up a little.







The Small Tortoiseshells though have remained very scarce so far with just one or two around.

[aeshna5]

Some fine photos there Rob- pleased the butterflies have finally appeared for you. We've had a pretty good year in the south, though the second brood of Holly Blues seems to have crashed + Small Tortoiseshells still scarce around london, though saw quite a few in Norfolk yesterday.

[Pete Collins]

I thought it had been quite a good year for Small Tortoiseshell, I've seen more of them this year than I've ever done before, but then that's obviously only my personal experience.

I saw a Red Admiral yesterday, and was delighted to do so, as I've only seen four or five all year, definitely fewer than usual. Peacocks are possibly down on previous years, but then again we did have 9 together on the Buddlia one day.

Otherwise round here butterflies seem to have done well. I've certainly seen more Gatekeepers, Ringlets, and Commas, and Painted Ladies seem to be everywhere this summer.

[earthdragon64]

Up here in and around sunny Aviemore we've had the best Butterfly year for at least 3 years. There have been a lot of Small Tortoiseshells and Scotch Argus in the last couple of days, as well as a few Peacocks, Painted Ladies and Red Admirals, with smaller numbers of Small Copper, Whites and Dark Green Fritillaries.

Mu Buddleia bushes have just started flowering, so hopefully I'll see even more in the garden.

[Jenny W]

Likewise, it's been generally a good year round here (East Midlands), with the best numbers of Small Torts for a few years and the masses of Painted Lady's particularly welcome after I didn't see any last year. Red Admirals seem slightly down though and I agree with aeshna on the second brood Holly Blues - I haven't seen any.

[Ollie]

Some lovely photos Rob.

On the whole numbers have been up in North Lincolnshire on most species.

Many more Small Copper, Brown Argus and Small Heath than last year. The Common blues seem to have done better on the second brood than the first and there are good numbers of second brood Brimstones about at the moment.

Red Admirals and Small Tortoiseshell however are few and far between.

[A-daisy-a-day]

Down here on the central South Coast we appear to have had lots of butterflies this year, though not as many species as some of you, in the garden there are many whites but I think they're coming from my rampant Nasturtium as the leaves were pretty lacey. I find that I don't have Peacocks till later and they like to drink from the Rudbeckia which is just blooming, But got zillions of bees, several species and a nest in the ground which is being used by bumbles.

[ChrisJB]

In the South Pennines it has been a much better year than the last two (it couldn't get any worse). Though, not seen a great abundance of Painted Ladies and only two Small Tortoiseshells I think. 'Bumblies' seem to have had a great summer here though.
A few weeks ago Smardale Gill further north in Westmorland was very good, with stacks of Scotch Argus and Dark Green Frits on the wing.

Regards, Chris

[Graeme Robson]

Gorgeous pictures!

[ChrissyMarie]

Originally Posted by Graeme Robson

Gorgeous pictures!

Agreed, I missed getting a pic of the Red admiral yesterday. I was about to take one when it was on the buddleia when it flew off and landed on me
So I enjoyed the moment instead.