Butterfly numbers in Dorset reported to this website are down 50% on this time last year. Continue reading
Orange Tip. Photo: Lynda Lambert
Lynda says:
So pleased to see an Orange tip egg laying on my latest plants, Dames Violet, which I grew from seed last year. They only started flowering today (12 May) so she found them very quickly. I’ve only seen one other Orange Tip so far this year in my garden, a week ago, so this was quite amazing.
Comma. Photo: Ann Barlow
Orange Tip. Photo: Ann Barlow
Two photos from Ann sent in with the following comments:
It was so lovely to have a sunny evening walk beside the Stour yesterday, 04/05/2024 where I found 3 Commas still active and 2 Orange Tips settling down for the night. It was also delightful to see many Mayflies in flight. Let’s hope for a few more sunny days.
Orange Tip. Photo: Paul Godier
Paul sent in this photo of a very obliging female Orange Tip which posed for him in Abbot Street, Pamphill on 21/04/2024 – he also told us that saw a Green-veined White and Brimstone there.
Orange Tip. Photo: Paul Godier
This photo taken by Paul yesterday, 18/04/2024 in Boscombe Chine shows the first Orange Tip he has seen this year – he told us that there were a pair of them zipping about and then one kindly posed for him.
Orange Tip. Photo: Stewart Balmain
Stewart sent in this photo of an Orange Tip he saw in his West Bourton garden on 13/04/2024 telling us that he is at last also seeing Brimstones and Peacocks there.
Orange Tip. Photo: Donald Simcock
Donald sent in this photo telling us:
What a surprise this morning, 11/04/2024. It was cloudy until 11ish then some sun and around midday the butterflies came out, not en-mass but a good show for our Bournemouth garden in early April.
First the Speckled Woods flying and tumbling together, then the Peacock who really wanted a quiet time sitting around but being constantly buzzed by the Speckled Woods. Then a brief show by a Holly Blue, our first of the year just to say hello before preferring a neighbour’s garden to ours. Followed by Brimstones both male and female and to our complete surprise an Orange Tip in the garden which is quite a rare event for us.
So it was stop all gardening and follow it everywhere with camera in hand clicking away as it hardly stopped flying but ever so briefly touched down on the Honesty flowers.
Holly Blue. Photo: Brian Arnold
Orange Tip. Photo: Brian Arnold
Two photos from Brian sent in telling us:
The lovely weather yesterday, 12/04/2024 brought out our 7th butterfly species for 2024. There were 2 Holly Blues chasing each other around our garden at Harman’s Cross. Also in the garden today were Orange Tip, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral. The Orange Tip was nectaring on Herb Robert and the Holly Blue on a Celandine.
Orange Tip and Holly Blue. Photo: Caroline Stringer
Caroline sent us this photo she took on 11/04/2024 showing a close encounter between an Orange Tip and a Holly Blue both sharing the same bluebell flower in her Okeford Fitzpaine garden.
Orange Tiip. Photo: Tracy Whincup
Orange Tip. Photo: Tracy Whincup
Tracy sent in these two photos of the first Orange Tip (a female) she saw this year – she also told us that she saw one male but that it didn’t settle. The photos were taken at Coy Pond, Bournemouth on 07/04/2024.