This page, edited by Ken Owen, is for first/notable sightings. Please email [email protected] with date, species, number, site, grid ref, your name and any comment.

For general records, please use iRecord website or iRecord Butterflies app
More details are on our Recording Page

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Also see: National 1st sightings & Archive 2015+

Dec 26 Red Admiral 1 Sheen Common TQ199747 Sarah Travers
Dec 20 Peacock 1 Shalford TQ184641 Clive Couzens
Nov 30 Red Admiral 1 Egham SU998710 Matilda_pondscum
Nov 28 Red Admiral 1 South Wimbledon TQ257702 J Neal
Surrey late November Speckled Wood R Thomas
Nov 25 Speckled Wood 1 Beddington Farmlands TQ286664 Richard Thomas
Nov 25 Red Admiral 1 Richmond Park TQ196727 Yvonne Frampton
Nov 25 Red Admiral 1 Richmond Park TQ186173 Steve Read
Nov 23 Red Admiral 1 Old Coulsdon TQ310570 Chris Osborn

Red Admirals remained regular performers into the last week of November with previous sightings recorded at Puttenham Common (13th), Rotherhithe (16th), Richmond Park (18th),  and Leigh, Surbiton and Buckland (all on 20th). Full details on i-record

Surrey Long-tailed Blue Nov 2022 Trevor Collett
Nov 14 Long-tailed Blue 1 Park Downs, Banstead TQ264586 Trevor Collett
Surrey Nov 22 Red Admiral

 

Nov 12 Red Admiral 1 Bookham Common TQ117562 Colin Kemp
Nov 12 Red Admiral 1 Frensham SU859423 Sarah Elliott
Surrey Late Comma Nov 2022 Colin Kemp
Nov 12 Comma 1 Bookham Common TQ124563 Colin Kemp

With mild weather continuing into November, warm sunshine continued to produce sightings of Red Admiral, for example, on Wimbledon Common and South Godstone (both on 4th), and Morden Hall, Guildford and Chessington, (all three on the 9th). As ever, turn to i-record for specific details

Surrey Red Admiral Nov 22
Nov 2 Red Admiral 1 Wimbledon TQ256710 Richard Thomas
Nov 2 Peacock 1 Chessington TQ187641 Heather Abdelli
Surrey late Holly Blue Nov 2022
Nov 1 Holly Blue 1 Balham TQ290726 Nicholas Moll
Nov 1 Red Admiral 1 Ewell TQ222622 Nigel Jackman

Exceptionally warm weather and sunshine past the middle of the month continued to produce daily sightings of Red Admiral and Speckled Wood into the last week of October.  On the warmest day (29th) there were also Small White noted in Battersea Park, on Mitcham Common, and at Molesey Reservoirs. For full records please check iRecord

Oct 31 Comma 1 Woldingham TQ367564 Martyn Mance
Oct 31 Humming-bird Hawkmoth 1 Richmond Park TQ193712 Steve Reid
Oct 29 Painted Lady 1 Farnham Heath SU860436 Sarah Elliott
Oct 29 Brimstone 2 Spyne's Mere TQ305525 Gordon Hay
Oct 29 Holly Blue 1 Englefield Green TQ000710 Nigel Saul
Oct 29 Holly Blue 1 Barnes T!220755 "Empressmoth"
Oct 29 Small Heath 1 Denbies Hillside TQ140501 Barbora Pihanova
Oct 29 Peacock 1 Denbies Hillside TQ140501 Barbora Pihanova
Oct 29 Clouded Yellow 1 Mercer's Farm TQ301519 Richard Perry
Surrey late Clouded Yellow 2022
Oct 27 Clouded Yellow 1 (m) Beddington Farmlands TQ287661 Richard Thomas
Oct 24 Large White 1 Redhill TQ283503 Ken Owen
Surrey late Common Blue Oct 2022
Oct 22 Common Blue 1 Carshalton TQ280655 Emma Tozer
Oct 19 Painted Lady 1 Hatchlands Park TQ063520 Andy Brook
Oct 18 Holly Blue 1 Morden TQ250680 Alex Brett
Oct 18 Clouded Yellow 1 Albury TQ057490 Simon Riley
Oct 18 Clouded Yellow 1 Coulsdon TQ290590 Peter Brown

Several days of fine weather at the start of October ensured there were sightings of several species. For example, there were 11 Small White  reported flying on the 11th and Speckled Wood were seen on a daily basis through to the 12th, with Red Admirals being almost as frequent. For full records please check iRecord

Oct 13 Small Copper 1 Headley Warren TQ519194 Gary Margetts
Oct 11 Wall 1 Newlands Corner TQ046490 Simon Riley
Oct 9 Holly Blue 1 Wandsworth Common TQ271734 Ian Cunningham
Surrey late Small Copper
Oct 8 Small Copper 1 Headley TQ519154 Gary Margetts
Oct 8 Common Blue 1 Headley TQ519154 Gary Margetts
Oct 8 Brown Argus 1 Denbies Hillside TQ148499 Jenny Desoutter
Oct 8 Small Heath 1 Denbies Hillside TQ148499 Jenny Desoutter
Oct 8 Meadow Brown 1 Denbies Hillside TQ148499 Jenny Desoutter
Oct 8 Brown Hairstreak 1 Fetcham TQ1456 Jim Yeeles
Oct 6 Large White 1 Frimley SU8858 Richard Redhead
Oct 2 Peacock 1 Tooting TQ263711 Ian Cunningham
           
Sep 11 Camberwell Beauty 1 Epsom Common TQ187601 Jerry Hooker
Surrey Long-tailed Blue 2022 Esher
Sep 5 Long-tailed Blue (f) 1 Esher Common TQ1362 Angela Bond
Surrey Wall Hutchinson's Bank David Lee
Aug 13 Wall 1 Hutchinson's Bank TQ381617 David Lee
Surrey Clouded Yellow helice 2022 M Thomas
Aug 8 Clouded Yellow ab. helice (f) 1 Denbies TQ136500 Marian Thomas
Stephen Reisbach
Aug 6 Swallowtail 1 Denbies Hillside TQ137501 Nick Shearman
Surrey Silver-spotted Skipper Oxted Downs Richard Stephens
First Silver-spotted adult recorded this far east along North Downs
Aug 6 Silver-spotted Skipper 1 Oxted Downs TQ386544 Richard Stephens
Surrey Chalk Hill Blue Ist Polesden Lacey
1st Chalk Hill Blues to be recorded at Polesden Lacey

 

 

Aug 4 Chalk Hill Blue 8 (m) Polesden Lacey TQ131521 Jenny Sparks
Surrey Adonis 2nd brood 22 Hutchinsons Bank
Adonis Blue, Hutchinson's Bank. Aug 8, Martin Wills
Aug 3 Adonis Blue (2nd brood) 1 Dukes, Box Hill TQ184511 Ken Owen
Surrey 2022 Wall
Jul 31 Wall fem Denbies Hillside TQ14615021 John McGloin
  1st Surrey record since 2020-07 at Colley Hill
Dingy Skipper male, pale aberration
Jul 21 Dingy Skipper 1 Box Hill Dukes TQ184510 David Hasell
  possible 2nd brood male, pale aberration

Silver-spotted Skipper completes the regular list of Surrey species for 2022, the earliest ever. Also included this year are Large Tortoiseshell, Marsh Fritillary and Duke of Burgundy. With Glanville Fritillary and Black Hairstreak, that makes 46 species so far.

Surrey Silver-spotted Skipper 2022 Headley
Jul 16 Silver-spotted Skipper 3 Headley Heath TQ200533 Andrew Kingston
Jul 12 Clouded Yellow (f) 1 Hutchinson's Bank TQ382614 Martin Wills
July 11 Purple Emperor (f) 1 Forest Hill TQ347729 Kate Lake
Surrey Jersey Tiger 2022
Steve Read
Jul 11 Jersey Tiger Moth 1 TQ333759 Denmark Hill "lethalfizzle"
Surrey Silver-washed Frit ab valezina 2022
Jul 10

Silver-washed Fritillary (f) ab. valezina

 1 Bookham Common TQ133568 Colin Kemp
Brown Hairstreak
Remarkably early Brown Hairstreak on Apricot bush in Beddington garden. RB
Jul 1 Brown Hairstreak male Beddington TQ305646 Robert Bourton
Purple Emperor, Witley Common
First I have seen in 60+ years playing on, as a child, and subsequently walking Witley Common. MU
Jun 29 Purple Emperor 1 Witley Common SU929407 Martin Underwood
Jun 28 Grizzled Skipper 1 Selsdon Wood TQ36686178 Martyn Mance
Jun 28 Gatekeeper 1 Bookham Commons TQ127566 Sheila Hart
Surrey Dark Green Fritillary melanistic
Jun 27

Dark Green Fritillary ab melanistic

 1 Headley TQ19005300 Gary Margetts
Jun 26 Grayling 1 Brentmoor Heath SU932612 Philip Draper
Ringlet
Jun 25 Ringlet ab. arete 1 Surbiton TQ177657 Marian Thomas
Jun 22 Chalkhill Blue 6 Denbies Hillside TQ136499 Bill Downey

Jun 22, Bookham Commons: 100+ White Admirals, along with 4 Purple Emperors, at least one female, around the "master tree", TQ123567.

Jun 20, Richmond Park: 214 Purple Hairstreaks around TQ195735 in first of a series of evening surveys. Sarah Elliott, Christopher Hedley et al.

Surrey meadow Brown ab caeca
Ab caeca, apical spot of forewing blind, no trace of white pupil
Jun 19 Meadow Brown ab. caeca 1 Mercers Park TQ300530 Ian Kehl, Gordon Hay
June 18 Purple Hairstreak 1 Richmond Park TQ195735 Sarah Elliott
Jun 18 Purple Hairstreak 1 Ashtead Common TQ179592 Nikki Campana
Jun 17 Purple Emperor 1 Bookham Common TQ123567 Colin Kemp
Surrey Essex Skipper 2022 Molesey
Once again, note the black antennae
Jun 15 Essex Skipper 5 Molesey Reservoirs TQ121685 Mick Rock
Jun 12 Silver-washed Fritillary 1 Epsom Common TQ185607 Sally Ewen
Surrey Hummingbird hawk moth 2022
Adrian Clark

 

Jun 10 Hummingbird Hawkmoth 1 Epsom TQ211605 Nicola Sainsbury,
Adrian Clark
Jun 8 Ringlet 1 Sidney Wood TQ018336 Tom Parker
Surrey White Admiral 2022 Bookham
Colin Kemp
Jun 8 White Admiral 2 Bookham Common TQ125566 Colin Kemp
Jun 7 White Admiral 1 Ashtead Common TQ188597 Gareth Tilley
Jun 7 White-letter Hairstreak 1 Tooting Graveney Common TQ288715 Alan Wilkinson
Jun 4 Black Hairstreak 1 Nonsuch Park TQ229638 Phil Kirk
Jun 4 Silver-studded Blue 1 Fairmile Common TQ116617 David Miller
Jun 2 Small Skipper 1 Chipstead TQ263572 Brian Gardner
Jun 2 Marbled White 1 Molesey Reservoirs TQ124685 Chris Cutcliffe
Surrey Black Hairstreak 2022
May 28 Black Hairstreak 1 Epsom Common TQ189603 Gareth Tilley
May 24 Meadow Brown 1 Hutchinson’s Bank TQ384613 Martin Wills
May 22 Dark Green Fritillary 1 Blatchford Down TQ103487 Cathy Mead
Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth
May 22 Narrow-bordered
Bee Hawkmoth		 1 Hutchinson's Bank TQ384613 Kate Pickering
May 21 Marsh Fritillary 1 Hutchinson's Bank TQ384613 Martin Wills
May 18 Large Skipper 1 Hill Park, Tatsfield TQ421560 Ruth Yeeles
May 17 Dingy Skipper 1 Holmethorpe SP TQ302513 Gordon Hay
May 16 Painted Lady 2 South Godstone TQ354468     Richard Stephens
  Also at Winkworth Arboretum etc: immigration gaining momentum, including Red Admirals
May 14 Glanville Fritillary 1 Hutchinson's Bank TQ384613 Miguel Santos
May 6 Green Hairstreak 1 Mitcham Common TQ2885674 Richard Thomas
Surrey Brown Argus 2022
May 5 Brown Argus 1 Hawks Hill TQ161554 Helen Middlemas
Surrey Adonis Blue 2022
May 4 Adonis Blue 3 TQ137499 Denbies Hillside Colin Kemp
May 2 Grizzled Skipper 1 TQ238618 Howell Hill Ray Smith
May 2 Dingy Skipper 1 SU870480 Tice's Wood Paul & Gillian Bamford
Surrey Small Blue Colin Kemp
Apr 30 Small Blue 1 Denbies Hillside TQ137499 Colin Kemp
Surrey Large Tortoiseshell Gary Margetts
Apr 30 Large Tortoiseshell 1 Headley (private site) TQ1953 Gary Margetts
Apr 25 Wood White 4 Chiddingfold SU986337 Francis Kelly
Surrey Common Blue 2022
Apr 24 Common Blue 1 Buckland Hills TQ228524 Helen Middlemas
Apr 24 Common Blue 1 George Hill TQ260635 Paul Tiller
Apr 24 Small Blue 1 Chapel Bank TQ386607 Martin Wills
Apr 21 Small Copper 1 Quarry Hangars TQ320537 Brian Smith
Apr 18 Painted Lady 1 Molesey Reservoirs TQ124686 Mick Rock
Apr 18 Small Heath 1 Oxted Downs TQ385544 Richard Stephens
Surrey Duke of Burgundy 2022
Louise Kahan
Apr 15 Duke of Burgundy 1 Chapel Bank TQ386607 Loise Kahan, Malcolm Kerley
Surrey Dingy Skipper 2022
Apr 12 Dingy Skipper 1 Denbies Hillside TQ138501 Colin Kemp
Apr 11 Large White 1 Sanderstead TQ336620 John Birkett
Apr 11 Green Hairstreak 2 Headley Warren TQ186535 Gary Margetts
Surrey Grizzled Skipper
David Miller
Apr 10 Grizzled Skipper 1 Denbies Hillside TQ133498 David Miller
Surrey Green hairstreak 2022
David Miller
Apr 10 Green Hairstreak 2 Denbies Hillside TQ138501 David Miller

Long days of sunshine in the week beginning 20th March with correspondingly warm temperatures brought increasing sightings of Speckled Wood, Holly Blue, Small White and Orange-tip to complement the Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma and Red Admiral frequently seen

Mar 26 Green-veined White 1 Godstone TQ350525 Gordon Hay
Mar 23 Orange-tip 1 Godstone TQ349524 Gordon Hay
Mar 22 Green-veined White 1 New Addington TQ378641 Rachel Johnston
Mar 22 Orange-tip 1 Goldsworth Park SU978593 Neil Bew
Mar 19 Holly Blue 1 Putney Heath TQ229731 Les Hill, Angela Evans
Mar 18 Small White 1 Battersea Park TQ285774 Simon Saville
Mar 18 Small White 1 Smallbrook SU897397 Bryony Chapman
Mar 18 Small White 1 Tooting Common TQ291723 Alan Wilkinson
Surrey Speckled Wood S Saville
Mar 15 Speckled Wood 1 Burgess Park TQ333799 Simon Saville

With temperatures reaching the low teens on 10th March, there were sightings of Red Admiral, Peacock, Brimstone, Comma and Small Tortoiseshell across the whole of the Surrey and South West London area

Mar 3 Small Tortoiseshell 1 Mitcham Common TQ286680 Richard Thomas

February saw widespread sightings of Red Admirals in between the storms: Painshill and Winterfold (1st), North Holmwood (2nd), Haslemere, West Ewell and Tooting Bec (5th), Lingfield (7th), Winkworth (9th), Chiddingfold and Morden (11th), Houndown, Bookham and Wimbledon Common (25th), Wisley, Lightwater and Bookham (27th).

Peacocks were again seen at Godalming (11th), BWC Lingfield (17th), and Worplesdon (22nd) and there were further appearances of Brimstone at Selsdon Wood (7th), Coulsdon (23rd) and Sutton (27th). For detailed records, please refer to iRecord.

Feb 1 Brimstone 1 Belmont TQ256520 Martin Wills
Feb 1 Peacock 1 Godstone TQ349515 Gordon Hay

Red Admirals continued to be seen on warmer sunny days during January, for example: Hindhead and Sanderstead (14th), Windlesham (20th), Esher and London SE1 (29th); Peacocks were also noted at Juniper Hall and Ashtead (29th), Burgh Heath and Tadworth (30th), and Ash Vale (31st).

Surrey Red Admiral January 2022
Jan 14 Red Admiral 1 South Croydon TQ338626 Clare Seymour
Jan 13 Peacock 1 Tatsfield TQ423559 Jim Yeeles
Jan 13 Red Admiral 1 Hatchlands TQ067520 Sally Hooper
Jan 13 Red Admiral 1 Croham Hurst, Croydon TQ337631 Stephan Morris
Surrey Comma Jan 2020
Jan 9 Comma 1 Farnham SU834485 Cheryl Turkington
Jan 7 Brimstone 1 British Wildlife Centre, Lingfield TQ365433 Stephan Morris

The record warmth of the last days of December continued into 2022

Jan 1 Brimstone 2 Hill Park Reserve, Tatsfield TQ422560 Ruth/Jim Yeeles
Jan 1 Red Admiral 1 Glebe Lake, Merstham TQ307513 Gordon Hay