Here are 2023's earliest sightings of resident and common migrant butterflies, as reported to Butterfly Conservation.
To count as first sighting, butterflies must be seen outside and be active (i.e. not in hibernation). If you are confident that you've seen a butterfly species in the UK this year that has not yet been reported below, please contact @email. You can follow all the latest sightings, as they happen, on Twitter @savebutterflies or on Butterfly Conservation's Facebook page.
If you would like to get involved with butterfly recording, not just for first sightings, but to contribute to our assessments of UK trends and to underpin conservation, you can download our free recording app or find out how to take part.
| Vernacular name | Scientific name | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swallowtail | Papilio machaon | 23 May | Norfolk |
| Dingy Skipper | Erynnis tages | 9 May | Anglesey |
| Grizzled Skipper | Pyrgus malvae | 17 April | Nottinghamshire |
| Chequered Skipper | Carterocephalus palaemon | 6 May | Argyll |
| Essex Skipper | Thymelicus lineola | ||
| Small Skipper | Thymelicus sylvestris | ||
| Lulworth Skipper | Thymelicus acteon | 24 May | Dorset |
| Silver-spotted Skipper | Hesperia comma | ||
| Large Skipper | Ochlodes sylvanus | 19 May | Conwy |
| Wood White | Leptidea sinapis | ||
| Cryptic Wood White | Leptidea juvernica | ||
| Orange-tip | Anthocharis cardamines | 17 March | Northamptonshire |
| Large White | Pieris brassicae | 19 March | Devon |
| Small White | Pieris rapae | 15 Feb | London |
| Green-veined White | Pieris napi | 3 April | London |
| Clouded Yellow | Colias croceus | 2 Jan | Dorset |
| Brimstone | Gonepteryx rhamni | 2 Jan | Suffolk |
| Wall | Lasiommata megera | 21 March | Cornwall |
| Speckled Wood | Pararge aegeria | 19 Jan | Dorset |
| Large Heath | Coenonympha tullia | 29 May | Cumbria |
| Small Heath | Coenonympha pamphilus | 20 May | Hampshire |
| Mountain Ringlet | Erebia epiphron | ||
| Scotch Argus | Erebia aethiops | ||
| Ringlet | Aphantopus hyperantus | ||
| Meadow Brown | Maniola jurtina | ||
| Gatekeeper | Pyronia tithonus | ||
| Marbled White | Melanargia galathea | ||
| Grayling | Hipparchia semele | 25 May | Lancashire |
| Pearl-bordered Fritillary | Boloria euphrosyne | 22 April | Argyll |
| Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary | Boloria selene | 25 May | Anglesey |
| Silver-washed Fritillary | Argynnis paphia | ||
| Dark Green Fritillary | Argynnis aglaja | ||
| High Brown Fritillary | Argynnis adippe | ||
| White Admiral | Limenitis camilla | ||
| Purple Emperor | Apatura iris | ||
| Red Admiral | Vanessa atalanta | 1 Jan | Northamptonshire |
| Painted Lady | Vanessa cardui | 2 Jan | Devon, Dorset |
| Peacock | Aglais io | 1 Jan | Northamptonshire, Northumberland |
| Small Tortoiseshell | Aglais urticae | 7 Jan | Derbyshire |
| Comma | Polygonia c-album | 7 Feb | Middlesex, Warwickshire |
| Marsh Fritillary | Euphydryas aurinia | 20 May | Hampshire |
| Glanville Fritillary | Melitaea cinxia | ||
| Heath Fritillary | Melitaea athalia | ||
| Duke of Burgundy | Hamearis lucina | 3 May | Hampshire |
| Small Copper | Lycaena phlaeas | 14 April | Cornwall |
| Brown Hairstreak | Thecla betulae | ||
| Purple Hairstreak | Favonius quercus | ||
| Green Hairstreak | Callophrys rubi | 7 April | Cheshire |
| White-letter Hairstreak | Satyrium w-album | ||
| Black Hairstreak | Satyrium pruni | ||
| Small Blue | Cupido minimus | 20 May | Hampshire |
| Holly Blue | Celastrina argiolus | 16 March | Surrey |
| Large Blue | Maculinea arion | ||
| Silver-studded Blue | Plebejus argus | ||
| Brown Argus | Aricia agestis | 10 May | Conwy |
| Northern Brown Argus | Aricia artaxerxes | ||
| Common Blue | Polyommatus icarus | 16 May | Anglesey |
| Adonis Blue | Polyommatus bellargus | 22 May | Hampshire |
| Chalk Hill Blue | Polyommatus coridon |