This page is for first/notable records.
Please email Surrey Branch with date, species, number, site, grid ref, your name and any comment.

For general records, please use iRecord,
via computer or APP
More details are on our Recording Page
Ken Owen

Also: Archive 2015+,
National 1st sightingsBUGalertAtropos


As the Butterfly Conservation site as a whole underwent a complete revamp during the summer, the Sightings page unavoidably could not be updated in July & August. Apologies for the disruption.
Th
e Sightings page resumed with a flurry of late sightings in September and continued with regular sightings right into November, and our last appeared on Boxing Day, 26th December.

Dec 26 Peacock 1 Albury Downs TQ039491 Gillian &
Ken Elsom
Dec 17 Peacock 1 Denbies Hillside TQ135500 Matthew Woods
Dec 4 Red Admiral 1 Mullard Laboratory TQ104425 Ewan Shiland
Nov 30 Peacock 1 West Clandon TQ040510 Matt Phelps
Nov 30 Brimstone 1 Epsom TQ210605 Nicola Salisbury
Nov 18  Red Admiral 1 West Molesley TQ139689 Mick Rock
Nov 18 Brimstone 1 Thursley Common SU902416 Sarah Elliott
Nov 13 Red Admiral 1 Ham Riverside TQ167730 Stephen Reisbach
Nov 13 Clouded Yellow 1 Denbies Hillside TQ135499 David Hasell
Clouded Yellow - David Hasell (3)

 

Nov 13 Red Admiral 1 Denbies Hillside TQ135499 David Hasell
Nov 8 Clouded Yellow 2 Denbies Hillside TQ135499 David Hasell
Clouded Yellow - David Hasell (2) - Denbies

 

Nov 8 Red Admiral 1 Chessington TQ179653 Nigel Jackman
Red Admiral - Nigel Jackman - Chessington
Nov 5 Red Admiral 1 Upper Tooting TQ296723 Alan Wilkinson
Nov 2 Red Admiral     1   Polesden Lacey  TQ135522      Judith McNickle
Nov 2 Small Copper 1 Reigate Heath TQ237503 Jo Hurren
Nov 2 Clouded Yellow 2 Denbies Hillside TQ135499 David Hasell

By the third week of October sightings were diminishing, but the unseasonably warm weather contributed to continued sightings of 11 species until the arrival of Arctic winds at the end of the month.

Oct 31 Red Admiral 1 Godalming SU966429 John Tallon
Oct 31 Red Admiral 1 Lloyd Park, Croydon TQ347651 Martyn Mance
Oct 24 Speckled Wood 1 Brockham Quarry TQ195509 Jo Hurren
Oct 24 Speckled Wood 1 Betchworth Quarry TQ204514 Helen Middlemas
Oct 23 Clouded Yellow
incl helice
5 Denbies Hillside TQ148500 David Hasell
Oct 22 Large White 1 New Malden TQ209685 Bill Downey
Oct 21 Comma   1 Denbies Hillside TQ136502 Mike Thurner
Oct 21 Brimstone 1 Tatsfield Green TQ419569 Jim Yeeles
Oct 21 Small Copper 1 Headley Heath TQ200538 Graham Saxby
Oct 21 Small Copper 1 Brooklands TQ071628 Martyn Mance
Oct 19 Small Heath 1 Richmond Park TQ200723 Nigel Jackman
Oct 19 Holly Blue 1 Denbies TQ135499 Harry Clarke
Oct 18 Small White 1 Kennington TQ315772 Simon Saville
Oct 16 Common Blue 1 Tooting Common TQ286720 Alan Wilkinson
Oct 16 Common Blue 1 Addiscombe TQ338665 Martyn Mance

By the last week of September, butterflies remained relatively abundant with many Small Heath, Small Copper, Common Blue,  Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Meadow Brown, and Small White evident and several examples of Comma, Red Admiral, Clouded Yellow, Brown Hairstreak, Peacock, Holly Blue, Brown Argus with sightings of Chalk-hill Blue, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Large and Green-veined White. A remarkable 19 species still in flight.

Sep 23: Nigel Jackman compiled a notable list of 78 specimens in Richmond Park: 2 Red Admiral, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Painted Lady, 41 Small Copper, 23 Small Heath, 2 Meadow Brown, 4 Speckled Wood, 1 Green-veined White, 3 Small White

 

Small Copper - Nigel Jackman
Painted Lady

Website revamp resulting in no Sightings placed on this page until September when last sightings became noteworthy. Please note that your photographs need now to be at least 1 - 5 MB, i.e. much larger files in order to maintain quality of image. This is why photos from earlier in the year have had to be deleted

Oct 10 Small Tortoiseshell 1 Manor Farm TQ012469 Peter Camber
Oct 1 Meadow Brown 6 Box Hill, Dukes TQ183510 Ken Owen
Oct 1 Meadow Brown 1 Lloyd Park, Croydon TQ343649 Martyn Mance
Sep 27 Clouded Yellow 1 Chipstead Downs TQ267572 Brian Gardner
Sep 27 Brown Hairstreak 1 Chipstead Downs TQ269575 Brian Gardner
Sep 27 Grayling 1 Chobham Common SU973655 David Moss
Sep 26 Clouded Yellow 1 Gatwick Airport TQ258405 Rachel Bicker
Sep 25 Brown Hairstreak 1 Reigate TQ243487 Jo Hurren
Sep 24 Small Tortoiseshell 1 Oxted Downs TQ373538 Richard Stephens
Sep 24 Painted Lady 1 Ashtead TQ184577 David Allcock
Sep 24 Painted Lady 1 Shere TQ066490 Rob Bonfield
Sep 24 Peacock 1 Betchworth TQ204512 Helen Middlemas
Sep 19 Small Tortoiseshell 1 Quarry Hangars TQ320537 Geoff Hewlett
Sep 15 Silver-washed Fritillary 1 Blatchford Down TQ102485 Cathy Mead
Sep 15 Silver-spotted Skipper 1 Blatchford Down TQ102486 Cathy Mead
Sep 13 Brown Argus 1 Oxted Downs TQ388544 Martyn Mance
Sep 6 Purple Hairstreak 1 Old Malden TQ026666 Lawrence de Whalley
Sep 6 Gatekeeper 1 Old Malden TQ206666 Lawrence de Whalley
Sep 2 Chalkhill Blue 1 Pewley Down TQ010490 Steve Chastell

Jul 15: A wave of Clouded Yellows arrived this week: several at Brockham, along the North Downs as far as Oxted, and on Hutchinson's Bank.

Jul 8: Marbled White, Jul 1: White-letter Hairstreak, both 1st site records for Hurst Meadows beside the Thames at East Molesey. Mick Rock

2nd brood Small Blues have been seen in the last week by Martin Wills at Hutchinson’s Bank (TQ391605) and Peter Camber at Warren Farm (TQ230633)

Jul 1 Grayling 8 Dawney Heath SU945568 Peter Cureton
Jun 30 Chalkhill Blue 3 Box Hill Dukes TQ188510 Ken Owen
Jun 21 Purple Emperor 1 Bookham Common TQ122567 Marian Thomas
Jun 19 Silver-washed Fritillary 1 Bookham Common TQ126562 Gary Margetts

With the continued fine weather, a good number of species can now be found across our region, including migrants Red Admiral, Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow. We now await only Grayling, Chalkhill Blue, Brown Hairstreak and Silver-spotted Skipper. It is as if the so-called June gap has not occurred this year.

Jun 19

Essex Skipper

1

Richmond Park

TQ186719

Nigel Jackman

Jun 19 Comma ab. suffusa 1 Bookham Common TQ128569 Tim Saunders

Jun 18

Essex Skipper

1

Colekitchen

TQ084489

Anita Bathurst

Jun 15

Purple Hairstreak

1

Richmond Park

TQ197720

Peter Camber

Jun 11

Gatekeeper

1

Hurst Meadows

TQ147687

Mick Rock

Jun 11

Small Blue

3

Woldingham

TQ364568

Martyn Mance

Jun 10

Dark Green Fritillary

1

Box Hill

TQ175517

David Hasell

Jun 9

Marbled White

2

Box Hill Dukes

TQ185512

Ken Owen

Jun 9

White Admiral

3

Bookham Common

TQ126562

David Hasell

Jun 8

White-letter Hairstreak

1

Tooting Common

TQ288715

Alan Wilkinson

Jun 6 Ringlet 1 Hutchinson's Bank TQ381616 Malcolm Bridge
Jun 6 Small Skipper 1 Denbies Hillside TQ146501 Mike Metherall
Jun 3 Purple Emperor 1 Oaken Wood SU998388 Phil Darley
Gillian Pullinger

BC considers this extremely early Purple Emperor (Gillian Pullinger) to have been a release.
I
t will not appear on records.

The main period of invasion by the immigrant Painted Lady has begun. It was first sighted in late April, but has been seen in the first week of June across the county from Oaken Wood in the south west, several places along the Downs, and on Hutchinson's Bank in the east.

Jun 2

Silver-studded Blue

1

Fairmile Common

TQ119617

David Hasell

May 28

Meadow Brown

1

Howell Hill

TQ236622

Steve Nevard

May 26

Large Skipper

3

Hutchinson's Bank

TQ384613

Martin Wills

Surrey's rarest butterflies are out in numbers: Wood White at Oaken Wood, Adonis Blue along the North Downs from Pewley Down to Reigate, and Small Blue on the North Downs between Pewley Down and Box Hill, and also at Warren Farm and Hutchinson's Bank. Please consult i-record for more details.

May 18

Glanville Fritillary

1

Hutchinson's Bank

TQ382614

Martin Wills

May 18

Adonis Blue

20

Denbies Hillside

TQ152501

Gordon Hay

May 17

Adonis Blue

4

Box Hill Viewpoint

TQ178510

Bill Downey

After the record-breaking hot May Day Bank Holiday weekend, our butterflies have almost caught up. Wood Whites are out in Oaken Wood; a Clouded Yellow made it across the Channel to Cranleigh; Green Hairstreaks were noted in Clandon, Abinger, Leatherhead, Chaldon, and Oxted; Small Heaths were on both sides of the Mole and at Ganger's Hill; a second Common Blue appeared at Denbies, a Small Copper was on Mitcham Common; and the first appearance of Brown Argus and Small Blue.

May 10

Small Blue

1

Hutchinson's Bank

TQ385610

"Greenie"

May 10

Common Blue

1

Box Hill Dukes

TQ177510

David Hasell

May 9

Grizzled Skipper ab. taras

1

Hutchinson's Bank

TQ383613

Richard Stephens

Aberration taras, identified as long ago as 1780, where the white spots on the forewing are confluent, hindwings with spots reduced to single one in centre and row of small white marginal spots

May 9

Clouded Yellow

1

Cranleigh

TQ062371

Tony Fox

May 9

Small Heath

1

Ranmore Common

TQ141503

Paul Craven

May 9

Wood White

6

Botany Bay

TQ027346

David Hasell

May 8

Brown Argus

1

Denbies Hillside

TQ142498

Bill Downey

May 4 Green Hairstreak 4 Ganger's Hill TQ376541 Richard Stephens

Apr 26

Painted Lady

1

Norbiton

TQ208697

Ellie Hage

Apr 22

Grizzled Skipper

1

Blatchford Down

TQ110486

Cathy Mead

Apr 19

Dingy Skipper

1

Chipstead Downs

TQ264572

Brian Gardner

Apr 18

Green Hairstreak

1

Newlands Corner

TQ039492

Mary Stuart-Jones

Apr 17

Small Copper

1

Foxley Wood

TQ316602

Andrea Bessant

Following the exceptionally cold and wet end to March and Easter, sunshine on April 6 once more brought sightings of Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Comma. We then had to wait until April 14 for what finally promises to be the true beginning of spring with the same species being observed across the county and in London, in some numbers. In addition were reports of Holly Blue, Orange-tip, plus Green-veined, Small and Large Whites.

Apr 14

Green-veined White

1

Streatham Common

TQ310709

Edwin Malins

Apr 14

Small White

1

Gangers Hill

TQ376541
TQ378543

Richard Stephens
Trevor Sears

Apr 14

Small White

2

Nonsuch Park

TQ228635
TQ226634

Peter Trew

Apr 14

Large White

1

Ganger's Hill

TQ377542
TQ378543

Richard Stephens
Trevor Sears

Apr 14

Orange-tip

1

Staffhurst Wood

TQ413480

Sharon Rooth

 

Apr 14

Orange-tip

1

Brentmoor Heath

SU939610

Paul Batham

 

Apr 14

Orange-tip

fem

Cucknells Wood

TQ039430

Francis Kelly

 

Apr 14

Holly Blue

1

Chessington

TQ179653

Nigel Jackman

 

Apr 14

Holly Blue

1

Howell Hill

TQ237621

Stephen Nevard

 

Apr 14

Holly Blue

1

Guildford

SU995503

Keith White

 

Apr 10

Speckled Wood

1

Wotton

TQ132474

Mike Thurner

 

The unexpected warmth and sunshine on March 16th saw Brimstones reported in Ashtead, Burgess Park, Carshalton, Chiddingfold, Denbies, Headley Heath, Leith Hill, New Addington and Woodmansterne; the return of the Red Admiral at Hutchinson's Bank, Clandon Wood and Chiddingfold; two Commas and a Small Tortoiseshell in Burgess Park; and further Commas in Ashtead and Redhill.

After the exceptional snows and bitter cold of recent weeks, as if to celebrate the 50th anniversary weekend of Butterfly Conservation, a butterfly appeared, as a true harbinger of spring

Mar 11

Brimstone 

1

Egham

SU998711

Richard Hewitt

With two days of glorious sunshine at last, and, despite the morning frosts, Red Admirals were seen again in Albury, Knaphill, Polesden Lacey, Banstead, Box Hill and Wisley along with Brimstones at Box Hill and Reigate and the first Peacocks detailed below:

Feb 17

Peacock

1

Merrow

TQ028505

Gillian Elsom

Feb 17

Peacock

1

Dorking

TQ168496

Andy Jackson

Feb 15 

Comma

1

Hutchinson's Bank

TQ380616

Martin Wills

With gradual warming and the occasional sunny day, January Red Admirals have also been reported in Godstone, Godalming, Guildford, Denbies Hillside, Hutchinson's Bank, Redhill and Coulsdon.

Jan 22

Small White

1

Redhill

TQ282400

Sarah Finch

Jan 22

Brimstone

1

Thursley

SU924425

Simon Riley

Jan 18

Small Tortoiseshell

1

Redhill

TQ282506

Gordon Hay

Jan 10

Red Admiral

1

Thames Ditton

TQ155675

David Hasell

Jan 10

Red Admiral

1

Betchworth

TQ189502

Keith Lelliot

Jan 10

Red Admiral

1

Betchworth

TQ209520

David Stubbs