First sightings 2007 & previous

Breadcrumbs

Chequered Skipper - Photograph by Jim AsherThis table lists the earliest sightings of resident and regular migrant butterfly species in 2007 reported to Butterfly Conservation HQ and Nick Bowles.

These first sightings are gathered as the butterfly season progresses so as to provide up-to-date information about species emergence. They are not reviewed retrospectively by reference to transect data or distribution records and therefore represent what we believed to be the first report of a species at the time rather than a comprehensive analysis of the actual first dates recorded in a particular year.

First sightings for previous years (2002-2006) can be viewed here as a .pdf file.

Last update: 11th September, 2007

Vernacular nameScientific nameDateLocation
Chequered SkipperCarterocephalus palaemon30-AprArgyll
Small SkipperThymelicus sylvestris31-MaySussex
Essex SkipperThymelicus lineola26-MayHampshire
Lulworth SkipperThymelicus acteon28-AprDorset
Silver-spotted SkipperHesperia comma22-JulKent
Large SkipperOchlodes sylvanus30-AprIsle of Wight
Dingy SkipperErynnis tages08-AprKent
Grizzled SkipperPyrgus malvae06-AprIsle of Wight and Wiltshire
SwallowtailPapilio machaon25-AprNorfolk
Wood WhiteLeptidea sinapis19-AprSurrey
Réal's Wood WhiteLeptidea reali26-AprCo. Armagh
Clouded YellowColias croceus21-FebCornwall
BrimstoneGonepteryx rhamni09-JanLincolnshire
Large WhitePieris brassicae19-JanIsle of Wight
Small WhitePieris rapae21-FebSuffolk
Green-veined WhitePieris napi13-MarHertfordshire
Orange-tipAnthocharis cardamines27-MarKent
Green HairstreakCallophrys rubi13-MarStaffordshire
Brown HairstreakThecla betulae24-JulSussex
Purple HairstreakNeozephyrus quercus01-JunIsle of Wight
White-letter HairstreakSatyrium w-album08-JunEssex, Herts and London
Black HairstreakSatyrium pruni01-JunOxfordshire
Small CopperLycaena phlaeas26-MarCornwall
Small BlueCupido minimus15-AprIsle of Wight
Silver-studded BluePlebeius argus24-MayCornwall
Brown ArgusPlebeius agestis16-AprHertfordshire
Northern Brown ArgusPlebeius artaxerxes31-MayYorkshire
Common BluePolyommatus icarus13-AprBuckinghamshire
Chalkhill BluePolyommatus coridon29-JunBerkshire
Adonis BluePolyommatus bellargus22-AprDorset and Surrey
Holly BlueCelastrina argiolus07-MarBerkshire and Hampshire
Large BlueGlaucopsyche arion22-MaySomerset
Duke of BurgundyHamearis lucina12-AprHampshire
White AdmiralLimenitis camilla03-JunHampshire
Purple EmperorApatura iris19-JunSurrey
Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta01-Janmany counties!
Painted LadyVanessa cardui10-JanCornwall and Isles of Scilly
Small TortoiseshellAglais urticae01-JanBedfordshire
PeacockInachis io01-JanBerkshire, Cambs and Yorkshire
CommaPolygonia c-album19-JanDevon and Norfolk
Small Pearl-bordered FritillaryBoloria selene22-AprDevon
Pearl-bordered FritillaryBoloria euphrosyne11-AprCornwall
High Brown FritillaryArgynnis adippe01-JunDevon
Dark Green FritillaryArgynnis aglaja24-MayDevon
Silver-washed FritillaryArgynnis paphia08-JunDevon
Marsh FritillaryEuphydryas aurinia21-AprWiltshire
Glanville FritillaryMelitaea cinxia08-AprIsle of Wight
Heath FritillaryMelitaea athalia04-MayDevon
Speckled WoodPararge aegeria16-JanCornwall
Wall BrownLasiommata megera16-MarCornwall
Mountain RingletErebia epiphron22-MayCumbria
Scotch ArgusErebia aethiops11-JulStirling
Marbled WhiteMelanargia galathea01-JunHampshire
GraylingHipparchia semele08-JunConwy
GatekeeperPyronia tithonus12-JunHampshire
Meadow BrownManiola jurtina30-AprCo.Antrim
RingletAphantopus hyperantus07-JunCo. Fermanagh
Small HeathCoenonympha pamphilus15-AprSussex
Large HeathCoenonympha tullia21-MayCo. Armagh