Williamson's Weekly Nature Notes

WEREN'T there a lot of red admirals in October? The fine weather always to be relied upon over the Hunter's Moon had these big and feisty butterflies out and about in the sunshine despite the cool nights. They were just not going to give up on summery weather, however brief the hours of warmth.

By The Newsroom

Published 31st Oct 2008, 10:27 BST

Updated 8th Jun 2018, 03:22 BST

They were just not going to give up on summery weather, however brief the hours of warmth.

I myself did not see so many peacocks, or small tortoiseshells, at the same time. Even though these are cousins of the red admiral, in the same family. There were a few commas though, feasting on the end of the blackberry crop.

Thirty years ago red admirals always used to migrate by mid October. But today quite a lot do not bother.

Why go all that way down to Spain or the South of France if the British winters are nowadays warm, they think to themselves.

I did find a red admiral hibernating near Chichester in January 1976 and it caused quite a stir in entomological circles at the time as this was considered unusual though not unknown.

For full feature see West Sussex Gazette November 5