Brimstones

[ACE]

Do they migrate? You can hear the English channel from our nursery and the next stop is France, so we often see the first migrant birds flying over. But yesterday we had about 3 or 4  brimstone butterflys flying over every hour, heading north.

I cannot remember noticing this before, It might have been the higher temperatures which were nudging 20c for the last few days coaxing them out of hibernation, usually it is the tortoiseshells that emerge first, but I have not seen any of those  yet.

[ACE]

[saddad]

Don't quote me but I think so...  :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

There's no mention of migration in Collins' Field Guide. They hibernate, and I imagine you're seeing overwintered specimens.

[ACE]

I've had a quick readup. Now it all falls into place, I had a load of buckthorn left over from a garden show a couple of years ago, so I filled in the gaps in the hedge on the woodland side of the garden. It seems brimstones are partial to buckthorn so we must have attracted a few. They are evidentually the first butterflys to emerge in the spring after hibernation.

thankyou for your replys.

[landimad]

I cannot remember noticing this before, It might have been the higher temperatures which were nudging 20c for the last few days coaxing them out of hibernation, usually it is the tortoiseshells that emerge first, but I have not seen any of those  yet.

Are you sure they are not tortoiseshells in camouflage ACE  :-X