First sightings - Herts & Middx Butterfly Conservation

First Sightings in Hertfordshire and Middlesex


Last updated 30 April 2026

Note that first and last sightings dates are those which have been submitted for records sent to the website via the news submission form and previously by email. Records submitted elsewhere like iRecord are not represented here.

First and last sightings in 2014-2023

Butterfly Conservation First Sightings 2026

Species 2015-24 average 2025 2026
Adonis Blue 24 May ⁰ 13 May
Brimstone 28 January 29 January 14 January
Brown Argus 3 May 17 April 24 April
Brown Hairstreak 19 July ⁱ 1 July
Camberwell Beauty
Chalk Hill Blue 29 June 25 June
Clouded Yellow 10 June 10 May 18 April
Comma 6 February 8 February 4 February
Common Blue 3 May 23 April 30 April
Dark Green Fritillary 21 June 1 June
Dingy Skipper 3 May 25 April 25 April
Essex Skipper 19 June 13 June
Gatekeeper 22 June 3 June
Green-veined White 30 March 26 March 2 April
Green Hairstreak 20 April 12 April 21 April
Grizzled Skipper 19 April 9 April 18 April
Holly Blue 16 March 25 March 21 March
Large Skipper 29 May 29 April
Large White 29 March 20 March 7 April
Marbled White 8 June 31 May
Meadow Brown 30 May 8 May
Orange-tip 8 April 29 March 19 March
Painted Lady 10 April 1 March 14 April
Peacock 29 January 30 January 14 February
Purple Emperor 24 June 19 June
Purple Hairstreak 16 June 3 June
Red Admiral 19 January 9 January 16 January
Ringlet 12 June 3 June
Silver-washed Fritillary 17 June 6 June
Small Blue 8 May 2 May 30 April
Small Copper 22 April 11 April 19 April
Small Heath 30 April 25 April 29 April
Small Skipper 9 June 31 May
Small Tortoiseshell 30 January 4 March 25 February
Small White 18 March 19 March 25 February
Speckled Wood 4 March 28 February 18 March
White Admiral 18 June 12 June
White-letter Hairstreak 12 June 29 May

⁰ - 2019-2024
ⁱ - 2018-2024