Orange tip

[Susie]

I've just seen my first orange tip of the year close to where I live.

Splendid stuff!

[htcdude]

Nice one!

I still haven't seen a butterfly this year yet!!

Nige

[Dogghound]

Are you sure it was an orange tip? March is incredibly early they are usually on the wing around May.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Are you sure it was an orange tip? March is incredibly early they are usually on the wing around May.

It is a little early but I think early April is not unheard of.

Brimstone and red admiral only for me so far this year. More brimstone than normal actually which is nice.

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

It is a little early but I think early April is not unheard of.

I sometimes forget everything speeds up a little quicker further south than it does up here.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

I sometimes forget everything speeds up a little quicker further south than it does up here.

I'm amazed how much earlier things are in the east compared to the southwest where I'm from! Mum's Daffs are only just coming out and here they're almost going over already!

[RobinP]

Originally Posted by Susie

I've just seen my first orange tip of the year close to where I live.

Splendid stuff!

Are you sure it wasn't a Green-veined White - just had one in my garden today.

Robin

[Dae]

Congrats! So exciting! Seems early, but it might just be early here as there's no foodplants out yet where I am in south wales. Hope to see some of these soon and test my new 100mm on them!

[Susie]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Are you sure it was an orange tip? March is incredibly early they are usually on the wing around May.

Hello Dogghound.

Yes, I am absolutely sure it was an orange tip, I got a very good look at it and the males as extremely distinctive as their name implies. I chased it down a lane hoping to get a photograph before it flew over a high hedge and out of view.

The cuckoo flower in my garden has been blooming since the weekend so I was sure they were likely to be about soon and have been hunting for them for the past three days.

The area I live in is particularly good for orange tips and I had the earliest recordered record for Sussex a few years back too.

I also saw brimstones, comma, peacocks and small tortoiseshells this morning.

[aeshna5]

It does seem pretty early, but as Susie says the male is unique in the UK. I regularly see them from about mid- April if the weather is fine. We've had some unseasonably warm days recently which no doubt has resulted in this early emergence. Nice one!