Butterfly

[commoner]

Had a trip to Bridlington on Wednesday and saw what I believe was the butterfly Camberwell Beauty......is this unusual as it is normally a European species? I know they are migrants to the UK but just wondered how rare it is.........

[gen2]

My butterfly book says the following:
'...strongly migratory and can turn up anywhere.'
'...occurring in the British Isles only as a casual visitor.'

Personally, I have never seen one.

I would imagine that the chance of seeing one would depend upon the population density in its breeding areas and prevailing weather patterns.

[violetblue]

I think this is a blue butterfly, isn't it? I reported on AB that I'd seen a small blue butterfly (first time ever) and asked if anyone else had seen any blues, as I know that one of them was declared extinct ' the 1980s. Some people replied saying they too had seen one, and the day after there was a TV news item saying that the Adonis blue had been seen again after being declared extinct in the UK 50 years ago. Check the thread if you like, I posted them a couple of weeks ago.

[commoner]

No Vi it is a rather large with dark purple main colour with a row of small blue spots just inside the distinctive lightish brown edgeing to the wings

http://www.eurobutterflies.com/species_pages/a ntiopa.htm

[violetblue]

Oh, it's stunning isn't it? Sorry I've no extra info but I just had to comment on how lovely it was1 And no, I've never seen one before either.

[commoner]

Stunning is the word.............and in my three score and twelve it is the first I have seen.........I consider myself very privileged. I followed it some way with my camera but to no avail unfortunately..............

[Cetti]

Hi commoner - My book agrees with gen2 about it being a rare migrant and goes on to say that nearly all sightings occur in eastern England and Scotland, but can appear almost anywhere in small pockets.

Now for the confusing bit. The Camberwell Beauty is large with dark chocolate brown upperwings, not dark purple. This colouring is for another gorgeous butterfly - The Purple Emperor, unless the light gave it a purpley hue. Whichever one of these beauties you saw I really do envy you.

[commoner]

Hi Cetti...well thanks for that.....my actual impression was of a very dark butterfly with very distinctive light edging to the wings and I only got the dark red idea from the picture in the link I posted...........Pc colour rendition is well known for being unreliable so I'll put it down to that <g>.

From the size and wing edge borders it can only have been what I first thought and Bridlington is on the east coast too.So quite a flight for the little beauty and so glad I chose to eat my North Sea cod and chips in that particular park on that particular day...........how lucky is that?

[Elfin]

Yes, the Camberwell Beauty IS a real beauty! The only time I have seen one (alive and in the wild) was in some woods in Sweden a few years ago. My partner caught it in his butterfly net, so we got a real good look.