BUTTERFLY DIARY
This year's sightings from S. Gloucestershire
FEBRUARY 2021
Tuesday 2nd
The first butterfly of the year was a Red Admiral seen in flight and perched in a garden in Warmley.
Red Admiral | Pete Coslett
Monday 22nd
The first Brimstone of the year was noted in a garden at Oldland Common today.
Wednesday 24th
Brimstone, a bright male, was seen between Stanshaws Lake and Kingsgate Park, Yate.
Thursday 25th
The first Small Tortoiseshells' of the year were seen at Frampton Cotterell and Willsbridge Mill.
Friday 26th
Brimstones' were seen on the wing at West Littleton and Chipping Sodbury Common and the first Peacock was noted at Oldland Common.
Sunday 28th
A Brimstone was seen at Wick and a Peacock was noted at Willsbridge.
MARCH 2021
Tuesday 9th
Three Brimstone and a Small Tortoiseshell were note on the wing at Willsbridge LNR today.
Sunday 14th
A fresh Peacock was discovered in an Alveston garden.
Peacock | Rich Ford
Monday 15th
Brimstone was seen today at Latteridge, Magpie Bottom (≥ 2), Mangotsfield with a Small Tortoiseshell by Siston Brook, Warmley.
Tuesday 16th
Butterflies reported on the wing today; Peacock and the first of the year Comma and Large White and good numbers of Brimstone.
Monday 22nd
The first Orange-Tip of the year was present in a private garden at Thornbury today.
Wednesday 24th
Plenty of Butterflies reported today; Large White at Oldland Common, Brimstone and Peacock at Downend, Warmley and Yate, Small Tortoiseshell at Yate and Severn Beach, Comma at Yate.
Small Tortoiseshell | Lisa Presland
Monday 29th
Butterflies on the wing today; female Orange-tip, Brimstone, Peacock and Comma.
Tuesday 30th
This year's first Green-veined White was seen at Oldbury Power Station. (Phil Baber) Also lots of butterflies on the wing today across the region; Peacock, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Orange-Tip and Brimstone.
Wednesday 31st
On the wing today; Peacock, Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, the first Small White's of the year Red Admiral and Comma.
Brimstone and Peacock | Chris Teague
APRIL 2021
Sunday 4th
A Speckled Wood, the first of the year, was seen in a private garden at Oldland Common. Also on the wing today; Orange-tip, Peacock, Small White, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Red Admiral and Brimstone.
Saturday 10th
On the wing in recent days: Peacock, Small White, Green-veined White, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Red Admiral and Brimstone.
Green-veined White | Rosemary Setter
Saturday 17th
On the wing across the area: The first Holly Blue of the year was noted in a private garden at Wickwar. Also seen were, Comma, Orange-Tip, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White and Brimstone.
Holly Blue | Heather England
Monday 21st
The first Painted Lady of the year was noted along the R. Avon at Conham today.
MAY 2021
Tuesday 18th
The first Small Heath of the year was seen on Chipping Sodbury Common, Yate today.
Tuesday 25th
Noted in recent days; Holly Blue and Small White at Yate; Orange-tip and Green-veined White in the Shire Valley, Marshfield. Also, Large White, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstone and Peacock.
Holly Blue | Chris Teague and Green-veined White | TBOSG
Thursday 27th
A fresh Common Blue, the first of the year, was seen on the wing on Rushmead Farm, Marshfield today.
Saturday 29th
A Painted Lady, five Common Blue and two Small Heath all on the wing near Hawkesbury Upton today.
Painted Lady and Common Blue | Mark Coller
JUNE 2021
Wednesday 9th
The first Large Skipper s of the year were seen from Catbrain Lane, Cribbs Causeway today.
Large Skipper | Rob Emery
Common Blue | Fen Marshall
Saturday 12th
The first Meadow Brown of the year was seen at Lower Woods, Wickwar today.
Tuesday 15th
The first Small Copper of the year was noted at Webb's Heath today. Also present was Large Skipper and Meadow Brown.
Wednesday 16th
Between Webb's Heath and Warmley Forest Park; c.25 Small Tortoiseshell, Speckled Wood, Large White, Small Copper, Large and Small Skipper, Common Blue and good numbers of Meadow Brown.
Tuesday 22nd
Reported today; Comma, Large Skipper and Meadow Brown from Willsbridge plus Common Blue and Small Tortoiseshell from Latteridge.
Comma | Donna Harvey
Wednesday 23rd
At Marshfield, one Marbled White (the first of the year) on Northfield Lane, Meadow Brown on Rushmead Farm, Large Skipper and Small Tortoiseshell in good numbers; Between Barry Road, Oldland and Newpit Lane; Had Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and Large Skipper; Marbled White at Oldbury Power Station.
Thursday 24th
Marbled White, Small Tortoiseshell and at least ten Meadow Brown at Oldbury Power Station this afternoon.
Small Tortoiseshell | Rob Emery
Saturday 26th
Two new for the year today; Several White-letter Hairstreak from the Severn Way at Aust and Ringlet at Oldbury Power Station. Also on the wing today; Marbled White, Large Skipper, Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma, Speckled Wood, Small and Large White and Common Blue.
Ringlet | Heather England
Wednesday 30th
The first Silver-washed Fritillary of the year was seen in Lower Woods, Wickwar today plus Large Skipper and Meadow Brown.
Silver-washed Fritillary | Kenny Hills - Small Skipper | Matt Scott
JULY 2021
Thursday 8th
Reported on the wing today; Up to five White Admiral were noted from Lower Woods, Wickwar along with plenty of Silver-washed Fritillary, Ringlet and this year's first Gatekeeper. Nearby, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Marbled White, Brimstone, Large White, Small Heath, Large, Small and our first Essex Skipper of the year all from Chipping Sodbury Common. Ringlet and Comma were noted on Catbrain Lane/ Hill. Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood and Common Blue elsewhere.
Essex Skipper | Mark Coller
Sunday 11th
At least two White Admiral on the wing at Lower Woods, Wickwar and Gatekeeper at Oldbury Power Station this morning.
Gatekeeper | Rob Emery
Friday 16th
The first Purple Hairstreak of the year was noted at Wapley Bushes LNR near Yate today!
Saturday 17th
At least three White Admiral at Lower Woods, Wickwar today along with more than ten Purple Hairstreak, in excess of 50 Silver-washed Fritillary, Small Skipper and Marbled White.
Purple Hairstreak | Mark Coller - White Admiral | Matt Plenty
Tuesday 20th
A White-letter Hairstreak was seen in a paddock in a private garden in Wickwar today.
White-letter Hairstreak | Paul Sadley
Friday 23rd
Good numbers of butterflies on the wing across the recording area in recent days including; Painted Lady, Small Copper (including a putative 'caeruleopunctata' form , Common Blue, Large and Small White, Large, Small and Skipper, Comma, Ringlet , Gatekeeper, 100's of Meadow Brown, Marbled White, Speckled Wood, Peacock, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, Brimstone, the first Clouded Yellow of the year (Shepperdine), Silver-washed Fritillary including at least one (and the first of the year) 'valezina' form (Lower Woods!
Small Copper putatively 'caeruleopunctata' | Paul Sadley
Contributors
Phil Barlow, John Barnett, Morris Benson, Mark Coller, Pete Coslett, Rob Emery, Heather England, Rich Ford, Tim Ford, Paul Francis, Donna Harvey, Pete Hazelwood, Kenny Hills, Nigel Kempson, Fen Marshall, Chris Mott, Brian Mulgrew, David Poulton, Lisa Presland, Paul Sadley, Vic Savery, Matt Scott, Rosemary Setter, Chris Teague, Keith Williams. TBOSG.