Butterfly Update

Today was the first sighting this year of a particularly beautiful butterfly - the Painted Lady (photo above). This is turning into a good year for butterflies, particularly in quantities of some species although the dry weather may lead to a poor turnout next year the experts are saying. It has certainly been the best year since we moved here in 2011 for the brilliant Marbled White. I don' think it has been seen for more than two weeks in any year until now when it has been flying for more than four weeks and in much higher numbers than usual. Other species recorded recently as first sightings for 2018 include the Gatekeeper, Peacock and Small Copper.