First Fritillary

Transect 9 brought with it one of the warmest days of the year so far – and the butterflies responded accordingly. Making its seasonal debut was the Meadow Brown, a true summer stalwart whose numbers are likely to rise dramatically in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the Painted Lady continues to make itself at home, joined this week by a Small Tortoiseshell, a vibrant visitor more than worthy of top billing on any butterfly page. (Photo above.)
Although the Small Blues were sadly fewer this time, another first of the season took us by surprise: a Dark Green Fritillary whizzed past at high speed in Fames Rough, a thrilling blur of orange wings.
Fames Rough remains our butterfly stronghold, with 78 individuals recorded in Sections 3 and 4, but, encouragingly, sightings were more evenly distributed across the rest of the transect this week. The totals for each weekly outing are still holding up strongly – this was our highest ever week 9 count.

Counted this week:
45 Common Blue
42 Small Heath
14 Brimstone
14 Green Hairstreak
13 Meadow Brown
  9 Dingy Skipper
  7 Large Skipper
  6 Holly Blue
​  3 Peacock
  3 Speckled Wood
  2 Dark Green Fritillary
  2 Small Blue
  1 Painted Lady
  1 Small Tortoiseshell
Total: 162 butterflies from 13 species.

For more info on these species visit butterfly-conservation.org ​​

Butterflies of the week

Painted Lady, Fames Rough - Liz North

Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) – a garden favourite with hidden strengths.

• Despite its delicate looks, this butterfly is tough – it overwinters as an adult, often sheltering in sheds or attics until spring.
• Its caterpillars feed exclusively on nettles, turning a common weed into a vital food source.
• Once abundant, its numbers mysteriously declined in the early 2000s – scientists now suspect a parasitic fly may be to blame.

Small Tortoiseshell, Fames Rough - Graham Kenward

Dark Green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaja) – a fast flier with a taste for the wild.

• Despite the name, it’s not very green – its name comes from the greenish sheen on the underside of its hind wings.
• It’s one of the UK’s speediest butterflies, zipping across grasslands in a blur of orange and black.
• Its caterpillars rely on violets – especially Dog Violet – as their sole food source, laying eggs near tufts where the larvae can safely hibernate over winter.

Dark Green Fritillary - Graham Kenward

Survey by Brian G, Graham Harris, Liz North and Graham K submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). ​Report by GK & AI.