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Singles of female Large White, Painted Lady and Humming-bird Hawk-moth on lingering Buddleia flowers at 1.15p.m today as the sunshine appeared. 15 minutes later the temperature had shot up to 15 degrees and half a dozen Red Admirals and a solitary Speckled Wood were seen egging. Then the cloud reappeared and everything stopped! (Sussex BC member, Newhaven garden)
It's very mild, for the time of the year! Martin K
It was lovely in the weak sunshine on my allotment to be joined by the seemingly ever reliable Red Admiral, a Peacock and a Painted Lady. They were busy on the last ragged aster, rudbeckia and ageratina flowers though I saw the Painted Lady and the Peacock also warming themselves on south facing stones and bits of wood. The sunshine was short lived and only the Red Admiral seemed to stay visible later in the afternoon. (Tessa Pawsey, Whitehawk Hill allotments, east Brighton) - TQ329046
Three species, including Painted Lady, on November 1st is "good going". No sunshine in Storrington, sadly, but I did have a very few wildflowers in bloom - Field Scabious, Nettle-leaved Bellflower and Dame's Violet. I even had Kidney Vetch in flower until around 10 days ago, when the "heavens opened" and most flowerheads in my garden were destroyed! I also had a white Camelia "in flower" in late October. When Mary and I moved in 31 years ago we had to wait until almost Christmas before we saw our first white Camelia in flower. It's got earlier and earlier, but I think October, this year, may be a first (I'll check with the boss). Martin K
Anticyclonic Gloom has set in and whilst butterflies might appreciate the mild days and nights, they regret, as I do, the lack of sunshine. It was 14°C in my garden where 2 Red Admiral and a Speckled Wood put in brief appearance. (Lindsay Morris, North Lancing)