Appropriately for the official first day of Summer several butterflies were sighted in the garden in Falmouth, Cornwall. Pairs of Peacock Butterflies and Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies were in the mood for courting. A single Comma Butterfly tried to join in … Read More
First butterflies of Spring At last, real signs of Spring! For many of us it’s the first butterflies that mean Spring is really here. At the weekend Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies and Peacock Butterflies were seen both at Porthoustock on the … Read More
A late migrant Painted Lady butterfly was seen nectaring on Red Valerium at Porthallow on the Lizard, Cornwall on the 17th November. Peacock and Red Admiral butterflies were also seen basking in winter sunshine. The nearby sheltered beach of Porthoustock … Read More
Weather continues very hot here in Cornwall. On the coast cooling winds are always welcome. At Trevose Headland on the North Atlantic coast several Dark Green Fritillary Butterflies, Argynnis aglaja, were active along the headland. As were several Hummingbird Hawkmoths. … Read More
The weather may have turned unsettled in south west Cornwall but overwintering Red Admiral butterflies and caterpillars seem to be surviving The occasional Red Admiral butterfly in flight and their caterpillars are now recorded in every month. However, Large White … Read More
Early last year I received a request for a photograph of a Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterfly egg. Nothing unusual there, except this enquiry hadn’t come from either a conservation body, the editor of a natural history publication or an educational … Read More
Several Silver-studded Blue butterfly caterpillars (Plebejus argus) were found on Bird’s-foot Trefoil at the weekend in the sand dunes of Penhale in Cornwall. All were of the green form whereas in past years an almost equal number of the brown … Read More
An afternoon spent searching amongst the huge expanse of sand dunes at Penhale on the North Cornish Coast was most rewarding. As well as finding the hoped for Grizzled Skippers and Dingy Skippers we came across this pair of magnificent … Read More
Red Admiral and Silver Y caterpillars overwintering in Cornwall UK Three Red Admiral butterfly caterpillars, Venessa atalanta, and one Silver Y moth caterpillar, Autographa gamma, were found on nettles alongside the Helford Estuary in Cornwall on the 30th of January. … Read More
While enjoying the sunshine at the National Trust managed Kynance Cove on the Lizard this Painted Lady butterfly was warming up on the rocks nearby. There doesn’t seem to have been so many this year although we have found a … Read More
Clouded Yellows and a Stick Insect! The Helford Estuary has again come up with some interesting sightings. Last year we recorded over 200 Clouded Yellow butterflies in one field in October and the same location had four over the weekend, … Read More
On the 9th April, 15 over wintered migrant Red Admiral caterpillars were found at a coastal location on the Lizard Peninsular, Cornwall. Although unusual to find the caterpillars of a migrant species at this time of year it wasn’t entirely … Read More
Winter is a quiet time for us butterfly and moth enthusiasts with few species on the wing. But it needn’t be so. As part of a survey to improve our knowledge of over wintering butterfly and moths in Cornwall the … Read More
It’s that time of year when everything seems to be happening at once. Butterflies and moths are emerging from over wintered pupae, caterpillars are feeding voraciously, while others are pupating – and that’s just inside the garden shed! It’s not … Read More
Well, what a ‘hurricane’ season this has been for Cornwall – weeks of heavy rain, gales, flooding and mountainous seas. And then suddenly, a brief interlude and 5 Peacock butterflies (inachis io) miraculously emerge from hibernation to bask in the … Read More
The Clouded Yellow Butterfly (Colias croceus) caterpillars being reared from collected eggs are growing rapidly and have been joined by an unexpected arrival. Clovers brought in from the garden three weeks ago to feed them happened to have a tiny … Read More