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2007, and must not be published
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Butterfly Diary
- field notes by Adrian Hoskins
earliest sightings
are highlighted in bold type
Saturday 3rd February
Saturday 27th January Despite warm, sunny conditions in Stansted Forest this morning, the number of Red Admirals seen was significantly lower than on recent visits. I saw only 14, compared to averages of 18 per day in October, 24 per day in November, and an amazing 33 seen on 14th January. All the Red Admirals seen today were very active, taking full advantage of the sunshine. The Brimstone that I've been monitoring since 16th December however remained in hibernation beneath it's bramble leaf. Sunday 14th January After several days of rain and wind the sunshine returned this morning, awakening large numbers of Red Admirals. Within 2 minutes of arriving at Stansted Forest I had seen 4, all basking on the trunks of larch trees. Later I saw 3 basking together at the base of an oak trunk, and over the course of the next 2 hours the total rose to 33 Red Admirals - an amazing figure for such an early date, particularly as it probably represents less than a quarter of the total flying at Stansted today. I also revisited the spot where I found a Brimstone on 1st January ( see below ), and found it still in hibernation. The warm sunshine was enough however to awaken a Peacock - my earliest ever record for this species.
Monday 1st January I think I may have set some sort of record today, by recording 2 species of butterfly on the first day of the year ! On my walk around Stansted Forest I saw a Red Admiral flying at the edge of a clearing, and later revisited the spot where I saw a Brimstone settle to hibernate on 16th December last year. The bush which has become it's home for the winter was in semi-shade, the butterfly still hibernating peacefully under it's bramble leaf.
Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta
my first butterfly of 2007
Brimstone
Gonepteryx rhamni
hibernating under a bramble leaf since 16th December
Archives :
Butterfly Diary 2006
Text and photographs protected by Copyright © Adrian
Hoskins 2007-2008, and must not be reproduced or published in part
or in whole elsewhere in any form without written permission from
Adrian Hoskins. Breach of copyright will be pursued by litigation.
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Adrian Hoskins
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