Subject: N. antiopa & V. atalanta in UK

From: "J.B.Murray (John Murray)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 1996 10:52:29 +0000

In response to Bart Vanholder's request for details of UK sightings of
Camberwell Beauty (N.antiopa), I have heard of 3 in March (Cambridge, Bath and
Hertfordshire), 7 between April 4th and 9th, mainly from SE England but one from
Ben Lawers in Scotland, and 2 in the last week (April 21-28) from Essex and
Cromer (east coast).  This makes 10 in all but the list is by no means complete;
does anyone have a more complete list?

More extraordinary perhaps are reports from 2 independent observers at 4 sites
of Red Admiral (V.atalanta) CATERPILLARS in March and April.  This is
unprecendented, as these must have come from eggs laid in the warm spell in
October/early November last year; i.e. they have survived the winter.  These are
the first ever records of Red Admiral caterpillars surviving the winter in the
open air in the U.K., and considering the severity and length of the second half
of the winter this begs the question as to weather this is a regular occurrence
which has simply been previously overlooked.  These records come from Butterfly
Conservation's "Butterfly Line".

John Murray
[email-masked]

---

From: Andrew Stagg <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 1996 08:01:59 +-100

As previously reported, I saw a first V. Atlanta in Kent in mid April. I have
 now seen 5-6 in E.Sussex 26th April

Andrew Stagg