Here are 2024's earliest sightings of resident and common migrant butterflies, as reported to Butterfly Conservation.

To count as first sighting, butterflies must be seen outside and be active (i.e. not in hibernation). If you are confident that you've seen a butterfly species in the UK this year that has not yet been reported below, please contact @email. You can follow all the latest sightings, as they happen, on Twitter @savebutterflies or on Butterfly Conservation's Facebook page.

If you would like to get involved with butterfly recording, not just for first sightings, but to contribute to our assessments of UK trends and to underpin conservation, you can download our free recording app or find out how to take part.

Last updated: 27 July 2024
Vernacular nameScientific nameDateLocation
Swallowtail Papilio machaon12 MayNorfolk
Dingy SkipperErynnis tages22 AprilKent
Grizzled SkipperPyrgus malvae14 AprilSussex
Chequered SkipperCarterocephalus palaemon14 MayArgyll
Essex SkipperThymelicus lineola17 JuneEssex
Small SkipperThymelicus sylvestris1 JuneWarwickshire, Wiltshire, Dorset
Lulworth SkipperThymelicus acteon19 MayDorset
Silver-spotted SkipperHesperia comma  
Large SkipperOchlodes sylvanus17 MayGloucestershire, Surrey
Wood WhiteLeptidea sinapis30 AprilSurrey
Cryptic Wood WhiteLeptidea juvernica2 MayCo. Londonderry
Orange-tipAnthocharis cardamines17 MarchCambridgeshire
Large WhitePieris brassicae17 MarchBuckinghamshire
Small WhitePieris rapae15 FebruaryBerkshire
Green-veined WhitePieris napi4 MarchSuffolk
Clouded YellowColias croceus14 MarchNorfolk
BrimstoneGonepteryx rhamni1 JanuaryHampshire 
WallLasiommata megera10 AprilEssex
Speckled WoodPararge aegeria9 JanuaryHampshire
Large HeathCoenonympha tullia31 MayCo. Fermanagh
Small HeathCoenonympha pamphilus21 AprilOxfordshire
Mountain RingletErebia epiphron8 JuneCumbria
Scotch ArgusErebia aethiops  
RingletAphantopus hyperantus3 JuneWarwickshire, Ayrshire
Meadow BrownManiola jurtina20 MayBuckinghamshire
GatekeeperPyronia tithonus16 JuneSussex
Marbled WhiteMelanargia galathea5 JuneWarwickshire, Essex
GraylingHipparchia semele19 MayCaernarfonshire
Pearl-bordered FritillaryBoloria euphrosyne23 AprilCornwall
Small Pearl-bordered FritillaryBoloria selene14 MayDevon
Silver-washed FritillaryArgynnis paphia20 JuneIsle of Wight
Dark Green FritillaryArgynnis aglaja6 JuneDorset
High Brown FritillaryArgynnis adippe17 JuneDevon
White AdmiralLimenitis camilla13 JuneCambridgeshire, Surrey, Essex
Purple EmperorApatura iris16 JuneSurrey
Red AdmiralVanessa atalanta1 JanuaryNorthamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Dorset, Sussex
Painted LadyVanessa cardui26 JanuaryDorset, Isles of Scilly
PeacockAglais io1 JanuaryLincolnshire
Small TortoiseshellAglais urticae5 JanuaryDorset
CommaPolygonia c-album6 JanuaryCornwall
Marsh FritillaryEuphydryas aurinia11 MayGloucestershire, Dorset
Glanville FritillaryMelitaea cinxia19 MayIlse of Wight
Heath FritillaryMelitaea athalia27 MayEssex
Duke of BurgundyHamearis lucina12 AprilHampshire
Small CopperLycaena phlaeas12 AprilKent
Brown HairstreakThecla betulae10 JulyDorset
Purple HairstreakFavonius quercus15 JuneCambridgeshire
Green HairstreakCallophrys rubi24 MarchCumbria
White-letter HairstreakSatyrium w-album7 JuneEssex
Black HairstreakSatyrium pruni29 MayCambridgeshire
Small BlueCupido minimus4 MayWarwickshire
Holly BlueCelastrina argiolus7 MarchKent
Large BlueMaculinea arion25 MaySomerset
Silver-studded BluePlebejus argus1 JuneCornwall
Brown ArgusAricia agestis4 MayDorset, Kent, Gloucestershire
Northern Brown ArgusAricia artaxerxes19 MayLancashire
Common BluePolyommatus icarus30 AprilBerkshire
Adonis BluePolyommatus bellargus15 MayKent
Chalk Hill BluePolyommatus coridon4 JulyCambridgeshire