Butterfly Update – 18 species in one day plus Comma aberration

Comma ab. dilutus

Clouded Yellow - first date

Small Copper

What a difference a few hours of sunshine makes. On Saturday 1 August, 18 species of butterfly were recorded in the garden – see list below.

Noteworthy records: the first Clouded Yellow since 2006, several Common Blue (normally only 2 or 3 records in a year), several second generation Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary and counts in excess of 20 Silver-washed Fritillary but the highlight was the appearance of an aberration of the Comma (Polygonia c-album ab. dilutus).

Full List: Clouded Yellow, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Small Copper, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Silver-washed Fritillary, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown