A pristine Speckled Wood was in my garden this afternoon (30 March) - it looked strikingly handsome and large compared to the smaller, oranger specimens of the southern European form, which I saw on Mallorca on a recent holiday. This is my second earliest garden record, not quite beating 2012 (25 March) but much earlier than 2013 (8 May).
On a walk around Llandaff North this afternoon (mostly Hailey Park) I recorded a total of 18 Small Tortoiseshell, 9 Peacock, 2 Comma, 2 Brimstone (males) and 1 Red Admiral. This is far more butterflies than I've ever seen previously on a single day in Cardiff in early spring.
George
Lots of butterflies at Llanelli WWT yesterday too - totals including 14 Brimstones, 8 Peacocks and 3 Small Torts (Wendell also saw a few Commas, Speckled Wood and a few days ago his first Orange-tip) - a promising start!
ReplyDelete80 moths of 10 species in the garden trap this am, but nothing of real note.
It might be of interest to this blog that I had 2 Orange Underwing yesterday. One at Red Jacket Pill next to the Tennant Canal and another at Swansea Vale near the Sand Martin colony. Also a Holly Blue at home (Holly Road) and another at the Ferry Boat Wood next to Earslwood Golf Course. Still no Red Admiral for me yet this year, which given the conditions and numbers of Small Tort, Peacock and Comma that I've encountered, also seems noteworthy.
ReplyDeleteMy only species addition in Bridgend is Green-veined White feeding on a couple of tubs of Margarite flowers I am nurturing for the WT's show garden at the RHS Spring Show in Cardiff in a fortnight. First seen on 23/3 and again last Sunday with Small Tort and Peacock on the grape hyacinths and Speckled Wood not feeding seemingly.
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