It's well overdue for starting. This is the link to last years thread
Butterflies and Moths 2023
There haven't been a lot of butterflies around here this year so far. The earliest was a fresh Red Admiral on the 3rd of january
Since then I've seen a Speckled Wood & Peacock. There have been Brimstone's about but I haven't seen them. Plenty of time left in the year to go chasing butterflies.
Best wishes
Hazel in Southwest France
I know I've already replied to this post Hazy, Mrs PR saw one on the path outside our house a couple of days back, and then yesterday I saw two in the garden!
For those interested, whilst in flight, scarlet tiger moths can resemble cinnabar moths in flight, it's only when they settle do you start to see the white specks on the wings.
This is a screen grab from the camera screen
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler
A first for the garden, a scarlet tiger moth, not one, but two flitting around, as they do.
BTW, I've no idea if this is the same one or both, but a fabulous inflight capture
Beautiful Scarlet, Mike - think the big Tiger moths really are very striking beasts
Cin J
The 'challenging' butterfly was a Small Heath sitting on a warm chip of pink granite and blending really well - rabbit pellet for scale!
With the zoom limitations on this site and my phone I was glad to even spot it Cin
Btw alners was better yesterday
Germain said:Beautiful Scarlet, Mike - think the big Tiger moths really are very striking beasts
It is, and so easy to mistake for a cinnabar moth in flight, which are known visitors, which I first thought it was.
Incidentally, a quick species search from the Butterfly Conservation site, suggests the scarlet tiger moth is prevalent May-June.
Taken at RSPB Sandy today.
Cinnabar Caterpillars - On Ragwort:
Brown Silver-line:
Taken at RSPB Sandy today. My first Skipper of the year.
Small Skipper:
Your moth is a Brown Silver-line and lovely Small Skipper photos - you can just see the little hook on the antenna tip
Thanks for your help Germain