First Butterfly???

[Amazin]

Sunday, 14th January -

1.   There I was, pruning my mini-apple tree, when this suddenly appeared on the wall in front of me.


2.   Blimey! I only planted these Daffs in October - they've been flowering for the last week. The stubby little things next to them are hyacinths.


3.   ...and yes, I've completely forgotten how to post pictures with text in between! HELP!!!
 

[Amazin]

[GREENWIZARD]

now that's amazing  >:(

[Carol]

You are truly blessed to have outside narcissus plus a butterfly.  I thought I was doing well with my group of snowdrops flowering 2weeks or more  early.   :D :D :D  That butterfly should be hibernating.  Do you mean to tell me its actually warm and sunny where you are ???

[Amazin]

I'm in central London, Carol. The butterfly looked as if it had not long hatched and was allowing its wings to dry out, though I couldn't see a chrysalis nearby.

It's strange how the daffodils have come out so early when the narcissus are just starting to sprout!    ???

[Amazin]

It's strange how the daffodils have come out so early when the narcissus are just starting to sprout!

I meant to say hyacinths

[Garden Manager]

I have seen bees around, though that isnt that unusual down this way. I have also seen other flying insects (unidentified), which is slightly unusual.

[Amazin]

Me too, GC!

In fact as I was coming back indoors after taking the photos, I was overtaken by a massive great bumblebee making a... well -  beeline! for my clematis cirrhosa which is smothered in bloom at present.

[Grandma]

Amazin - that really is staggering! A picture very similar to yours made it onto South Today - (our regional news programme after the 6 o'clock news on BBC1) - yesterday. Some of the 'brown' butterflies are the first to appear in the early spring - (in about two months time!) - but they are over-wintered specimens and invariably in pretty poor condition. Yours - and the one on TV - are pristine and obviously newly hatched. Very strange! Fabulous pic, though!  ;)

[Garden Manager]

While it is amazing to see, I do feel a bit sad when I see things like this. Clearly they think spring has arrived. They will be in for a nasty shock when winter finaly arrives (I am certain a cold spell is due soon, we cant go on like this all 'winter'.) Then sadly these insects will not survive.

I think this is the worst aspect of climate change - the disruption of the natural  cycles, which the wildlife depends on.

[Grandma]

You are SO right GC. Everything's crazy climate-wise.

[Amazin]

The way I see it, if the weather is mild enough to wake up the butterflies, then it's surely mild enough for their food supply to have survived.

So hopefully at least for as long as they do manage to live, they'll have a happy and fulfilled, if somewhat curtailed life. Shame, though.

[shirlton]

Spring is on the way

[Garden Manager]

Spring is on the way

Are you sure about that? I did hear in the TV weather it might be getting colder next week.

[Mrs Ava]

Blinking wet and cold in the garden where I was working today!  And as the rain lashed down on my soaken fringe, a whopping big bumble bee flew by me and straight into a jasmin type flower where it buzzed happily!

[Carol]

Spring is certainly not here up in the Scottish Borders.  We have snow with more snow showers on the way.  You are also in for some wild weather tomorrow darn saff with horizontal rain and gales. 

Amazin   Was that your butterfly they showed on the 6 o'clock News last night as a feature of the warmer weather we are having.  I shouted at the telly  ' Oh that butterfly is off the A4A site'.    ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[froglets]

Thanks for your generosity Carol, It's on it's way - temprature is dropping in Lancashire & the wind is getting up.  Should get blown home tonight.

[Amazin]

Dangit, Carol, I missed it!

I did send my photo to the UK Phenology Network - they're working in partnership with the BBC's Springwatch survey - but no reply as yet.

If it WAS my photo they used, I would hope A4A would get a mention (or better yet, a fee!)

[Carol]

Well I am almost 100% sure it was your pic. Amazin.  Good for you.  Ask for a fee   ;) ;)

[Amazin]

Update on the butterfly. If you recall, I sent my photo to the UK Phenology Network which is working in partnership with the BBC's Springwatch survey.

Yesterday I got this reply:

Thanks for your email, and for the attached image.  The following link has lots of interesting info on peacock and other butterflies - hope you enjoy browsing the site...

Now, I know my little butterfly might be confused about the seasons, but even he knows he's a Red Admiral.