First Sightings in Hertfordshire and Middlesex for 2012
Here are 2012's earliest sightings of resident and migrant butterflies, as reported to the branch website
For information at a national level. . . .
34 species of butterfly occur most years in Hertfordshire and 30 in Middlesex, together with the occasional migrant or vagrant. The following table lists the first sighting in the two counties that have been reported to the website:
| Species Name |
Scientific Name |
Hertfordshire |
Middlesex |
| Small Skipper |
Thymelicus sylvestris |
|
|
| Essex Skipper |
Thymelicus lineola |
|
|
| Large Skipper |
Ochlodes venata |
|
|
| Dingy Skipper |
Erynnis tages |
8th May 2012 |
Absent |
| Grizzled Skipper |
Pyrgus malvae |
4th April 2012 |
Absent? |
| Clouded Yellow |
Colias croceus |
|
|
| Brimstone |
Gonepteryx rhamni |
23rd February 2012 |
15th March 2012 |
| Large White |
Pieris brassicae |
29th March 2012 |
27th March 2012 |
| Small White |
Pieris rapae |
23rd March 2012 |
15th March 2012 |
| Green-veined White |
Pieris napi |
26th March 2012 |
15th March 2012 |
| Orange Tip |
Anthocharis cardamines |
24th March 2012 |
24th March 2012 |
| Green Hairstreak |
Callophrys rubi |
12th May 2012 |
|
| Brown Hairstreak |
Thecla betulae |
|
|
| Purple Hairstreak |
Neozephyrus quercus |
|
|
| White-letter Hairstreak |
Satyrium w-album |
|
|
| Small Copper |
Lycaena
phlaeas |
30th April 2012 |
12th May 2012 |
| Small Blue |
Cupido minimus |
|
|
| Brown Argus |
Aricia
agestis |
7th May 2012 |
|
| Common Blue |
Polyommatus
icarus |
|
|
| Chalkhill Blue |
Lysandra coridon |
|
Absent |
| Holly Blue |
Celastrina
argiolus |
9th March 2012 |
24th March 2012 |
| Duke of Burgundy (believed to be extinct) |
Hamaeris lucina |
|
|
| Purple Emperor |
Apatura iris |
|
|
| White Admiral |
Limenitis
camilla |
|
|
| Red Admiral |
Vanessa
atalanta |
2nd January 2012 |
16th February 2012 |
| Painted Lady |
Vanessa
cardui |
8th May 2012 |
|
| Small Tortoiseshell |
Aglais
urticae |
9th January 2012 |
24th February 2012 |
| Camberwell Beauty |
Nymphalis antiopa |
|
|
| Peacock |
Inachis
io |
1st March 2012 |
26th February 2012 |
| Comma |
Polygonia
c-album |
10th March 2012 |
26th February 2012 |
| Dark Green Fritillary |
Argynnis aglaja |
|
|
| Silver-washed Fritillary |
Argynnis paphia |
|
|
| Speckled Wood |
Pararge
aegeria |
23rd March 2012 |
12th March 2012 |
| Wall Brown (believed to be now extinct) |
Lasiommata
megera |
|
|
| Marbled White |
Melanargia galathea |
|
|
| Gatekeeper |
Pyronia
tithonus |
|
|
| Meadow Brown |
Maniola
jurtina |
|
|
| Ringlet |
Aphantopus
hyperantus |
|
|
| Small Heath |
Coenonympha
pamphilus |
11th May 2012 |
13th May 2012 |
