Early and Late Records Update

by Rob Parker

Richard Stewart published a table of the earliest and latest Suffolk sightings for each species on pages 36 to 38 of "The Millennium Atlas of

Suffolk Butterflies", and this already merits an update. Milder winters and earlier springs have brought many species out earlier, and 10 Suffolk

firsts have been bettered in the six and a half

seasons since the Millennium Atlas was compiled.

One of these, the Small Copper is the only early record for 2006 - up to the time of writing, (May 1st) - unless you know better! The table has been drawn up to highlight the recent changes, and to credit the observers. Another 6 late records were beaten, with extended summers allowing Browns to fly later and the White Admiral managing a second brood in 2004. As climate change continues, we may expect further additions before long.

Recorder Earliest Earliest Species to 2005/6 to 2000

07/06/95 Small Skinru,r 29/05/83 Essex Skiooer 31/05/97 Lan:ie Skipper 25/04/90 Dinay Skiooer 28/05/97 Swallowtail 27/04/97 Clouded Yellow 09/01/98 Brimstone 18/03/95 Larqe White 25/02/00 Small White 11/03/00 Green-veined White 23/03/90 Oranqe Tio 12/04/95 Green Hairstreak 22/06/99 Purnle Hairstreak Mark Comish 20/06/03 04/07/99 White-letter H'streak Colin Jacobs 27/03/06 29/03/98 Small Coooer Rob Macklin 06/06/03 17/06/00 Silver-studded Blue Merwn Crawford 28/03/05 03/05/97 Brown Araus 24/04/92 Common Blue 18/03/90 Holly Blue Richard Chamoion 16/06/03 22/06/99 White Admiral 01/01/00 Red Admiral 20/02/90 Painted Lady 01/01/00 Small Tortoiseshell 15/03/97 Camberwell Beautv 01/01/00 Peacock 15/01/95 Comma Rob Parker 28/03/02 31/03/90 Soeckled Wood Richard Chamoion 19/04/02 24/04/90 Wall Mike Ta~lor 21/06/03 02/07/00 Gravlinq 13/06/92 Gatekeeper Darren Underwood 25/05/04 27/05/95 Meadow Brown J. Goslina 08/06/04 14/06/97 Rinalet 05/05/83 Small Heath

Latest Latest Recorder to2000 to 2005

25/09/95 12/09/84 31/08/84 18/09/04 Merwn Crawford 04/07/83 28/08/91 21/11/32 15/11/95 16/11/03 Merwn Crawford 01/11/59 27/10/94 29/10/95 20/07/95 20/07/96 08/09/00 28/08/00 16/11/84 21/08/83 23/10/99 06/11/94 01/11/84 01/09/51 11/10/04 Niqel Cumminq 11/12/94 25/12/02 Mike Dean 20/11/95 28/12/97 14/10/96 31/12/97 12/12/00 03/11/95 30/10/95 22/09/95 21/09/95 06/10/05 Lydia CalYesbert 16/09/84 06/10/05 Lydia Calvesbert 27/08/84 04/10/99