First sightings 2009 & previous

Breadcrumbs

Chequered Skipper - Photograph by Jim AsherThis table lists the earliest sightings of resident and regular migrant butterfly species in 2009 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 (2002-2008) can be viewed here as a .pdf file.

Last update: 28th August, 2009

Vernacular nameScientific nameDateLocation
Chequered SkipperCarterocephalus palaemon11 MayArgyll
Small SkipperThymelicus sylvestris1 JuneWest Midlands
Essex SkipperThymelicus lineola21 JuneBedfordshire and Hampshire
Lulworth SkipperThymelicus acteon27 MayDorset
Silver-spotted SkipperHesperia comma16 JulyOxfordshire and Sussex
Large SkipperOchlodes sylvanus21 MayHertfordshire
Dingy SkipperErynnis tages11 AprKent
Grizzled SkipperPyrgus malvae30 MarSussex
SwallowtailPapilio machaon18 MayNorfolk
Wood WhiteLeptidea sinapis20 AprBuckinghamshire
Réal's Wood WhiteLeptidea reali1 MayCo. Armagh
Clouded YellowColias croceus12 AprDorset
BrimstoneGonepteryx rhamni26 JanOxfordshire
Large WhitePieris brassicae14 MarSussex
Small WhitePieris rapae20 FebHertfordshire
Green-veined WhitePieris napi15 MarHampshire
Orange-tipAnthocharis cardamines21 MarHampshire
Green HairstreakCallophrys rubi3 AprYorkshire
Brown HairstreakThecla betulae20 JulySussex
Purple HairstreakNeozephyrus quercus6 JuneSussex
White-letter HairstreakSatyrium w-album4 JuneMiddlesex
Black HairstreakSatyrium pruni4 JuneOxfordshire
Small CopperLycaena phlaeas15 MarDorset
Small BlueCupido minimus26 AprBuckinghamshire
Silver-studded BluePlebeius argus29 MayCornwall & Sussex
Brown ArgusPlebeius agestis22 AprCambridgeshire & Dorset
Northern Brown ArgusPlebeius artaxerxes29 MayBorders & Yorkshire
Common BluePolyommatus icarus8 AprKent
Chalkhill BluePolyommatus coridon30 JuneIsle of Wight
Adonis BluePolyommatus bellargus20 AprKent
Holly BlueCelastrina argiolus18 MarSomerset
Large BlueGlaucopsyche arion2 JuneSomerset
Duke of BurgundyHamearis lucina15 AprHampshire
White AdmiralLimenitis camilla7 JuneMiddlesex
Purple EmperorApatura iris23 JuneSurrey and Sussex
Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta11 JanEssex
Painted LadyVanessa cardui1 AprSomerset
Small TortoiseshellAglais urticae18 JanBuckinghamshire
PeacockInachis io5 JanIsle of Wight
CommaPolygonia c-album20 FebOxfordshire
Small Pearl-bordered FritillaryBoloria selene6 MayCornwall
Pearl-bordered FritillaryBoloria euphrosyne19 AprDevon, Sussex and Wiltshire
High Brown FritillaryArgynnis adippe3 JuneDevon
Dark Green FritillaryArgynnis aglaja29 MayDevon
Silver-washed FritillaryArgynnis paphia7 JuneSurrey
Marsh FritillaryEuphydryas aurinia3 MayDorset
Glanville FritillaryMelitaea cinxia24 AprIsle of Wight
Heath FritillaryMelitaea athalia22 MayKent
Speckled WoodPararge aegeria26 JanSurrey
Wall BrownLasiommata megera15 MarKent
Mountain RingletErebia epiphron27 JuneCumbria
Scotch ArgusErebia aethiops10 JulyHighland
Marbled WhiteMelanargia galathea8 JuneSurrey
GraylingHipparchia semele23 JuneNorfolk
GatekeeperPyronia tithonus3 MayDevon
Meadow BrownManiola jurtina1 MaySomerset
RingletAphantopus hyperantus10 JuneSussex
Small HeathCoenonympha pamphilus19 AprSurrey and Wiltshire
Large HeathCoenonympha tullia10 JuneCo. Armagh