Butterfly Conservation - saving butterflies, moths and our environment
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saving butterflies, moths and our environment
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Sightings of Butterflies in Suffolk - 2025

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Send Us Your Sightings

The Branch is always grateful for butterfly records and a recording form can be downloaded from the Recording page. 
We are always interested in sightings of any butterflies in any location in Suffolk but we are particularly grateful for records away from the coast and information on the following species:
BAP species; Dingy Skipper, White Letter Hairstreak, Silver-studded Blue, White Admiral, Grayling, Small Heath, Wall Brown
Others; Green Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak, Silver-washed Fritillary, Purple Emperor, Chalkhill Blue (not Devil's Dyke)

Send Sightings by email to (please make sure you enter a subject) and they will appear below within a few days.
Clicking on the link should launch your usual email program.  If this does not seem to work just use the email address.

Please include the date, how many of each butterfly species seen, location with an ordnance survey grid reference if possible, and your name (if you want to).
If you would like to contribute to the annual survey please read the notes on the Recording page.

If you report a Brimstone this record will also be passsed to the Brimstone and Buckthorn project


 Regular recorders are urged to use this sightings page to inform others of interesting sightings, but please do continue to send all your records to the county recorder, James Corton, at the end of the season.  This can be done using a simple Excel spreadsheet amd an example is on the Recording page (click here)

Date 
2025		 Butterflies seen (and other relevant information).  First Sighting of Year in Bold or Bold for rarer species
 For a summary of First Sightings see the Suffolk Butterflies Page - click here		 Location Grid Reference Name
         
April SwT DS ES SS LS OT LW SW GvW CY B WB SpW SH R MB GK MW Gr SwF DgF MF GF HBF SPbF QoSF WA PE RA PL P ST C LT CmB SC PH GH WlH BH HB SsB BA CB ChB SB LtB - Total species seen 12       (📷 photo click here) 
         
13 Apr First male Orange-Tip in the garden today along with male and female Brimstone and a regular Peacock Framlingham TM287634   Geraldine Smith
13 Apr Orange-tip m 1, Brimstone f 1 SW Ipswich   Richard Perryman
12 Apr I saw the following butterflies along this stretch of the Lark this morning: Orange Tip, 2 males; Green-veined White 8; Peacock 3; Speckled Wood 2. Temple Bridge to Turf Fen, River Lark   Martin Peers
12 Apr A few Peacocks, Brimstones, Whites and a single Comma, but, the star of the show was a Small Tortoiseshell !! (📷 photo click here)  Landseer Park   Phil Watkinson
11 Apr While walking through Bury cemetery today I saw my first Speckled Wood of the season. Also noted were Holly Blue, Small White and Green-veined White. Bury St Edmunds   Martin Peers
11 Apr Butterfly Transects 10 to 13 walked. Peacock 19, Green-veined White 2, Brimstone 2 (m). 3 more Brimstone (m) seen off transects and recorded on irecord butterflies SWT Carlton Marshes   b Robert Quadling
10 Apr Afternoon, at North Cove reserve we saw several Green-veined White and Peacock, along with single Comma, male Orange-tip and female Brimstone (egg laying) North Cove   Peter Norfolk
10 Apr Our first Speckled Wood of the year on the gorse at Westleton Heath this morning. (📷 photo click here) Westleton Heath   Margie & David Carter
10 Apr Butterfly Transects walked today. Peacock 7, Speckled Wood 2, Comma 2, with Speckled Wood recorded on the Suffolk side today ,we now have 10 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Lound Lakes   b Robert Quadling
8 Apr Orange-tip 1 m, Speckled Wood 4, Peacock 1 Belstead Meadows   Richard Perryman
8 Apr butterflies 1 Green-veined White 1, Small White 1, Large White 1, Peacock 2, Small Tortoiseshell (📷 photo click here) Landguard   s William Brame
8 Apr Speckled Wood reported today, so we now have 9 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Carlton Marshes   b Robert Quadling
8 Apr 2 x Peacock, 2 x Comma, 2 x Holly Blue, 1 x Small White, Male and Female Orange Tip. - At Ballingdon Street entrance to Kone Vale - Sudbury Suffolk. Sudbury   Ron Smith
8 Apr This afternoon, another good showing of Peacock, Comma and Green-veined Whites together with 1x Speckled Wood (📷 photo click here) and 2x male Orange Tips. Mill Stream, Rushmere St Andrew   Phil Watkinson
7 Apr My first two Small White of the year along a nearby old railway walk in Lowestoft. The female is particularly well marked for a Spring specimen and had me wondering about Southern Small White for a while.  (📷 photos click here)  Lowestoft   James Corton
6 Apr My first Speckled Wood of the season Worlington TL68917427 Arthur Rivett
6 Apr Small White was reported on the 6th of April,so we now have 9 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Lound Lakes   b Robert Quadling
5 Apr My most productive day of the year so far (excluding April 3, when 4 species appeared in our Beccles garden - Br female, GvW, HB, P) when doing a circuit of 4 squares from Somerleyton to Blundeston/ Flixton. 2-5 Peacocks in all 4, 2 Commas in 2, 1-2 GVs in 2. By the way, Orange-tip and Small White males at Homersfield TM2885 on April 2. Somerleyton to Blundeston/ Flixton   Paul Douch
5 Apr Well chuffed to clock up my ninth species of butterfly for the year all seen locally on the Felixstowe peninsula with a Small Copper being the latest at Landguard Bird Observatory with 2 Peacock and 2 Green veined White seen  (📷 photo click here)  Landguard   s William Brame
4 Apr Finally was able to photograph two superb Brimstones after spotting several since mid March.    (📷 photo click here)  Ravenswood Ipswich   Daniel Cable-Davey
4 Apr Our first Small Copper of the year seen at RSPB Minsmere today. (📷 photo click here)  RSPB Minsmere   Margie & David Carter
4 Apr At North Warren RSPB reserve today were Red Admiral 1, Peacock 6, Speckled wood 3, Brimstone 3 males and 1 female and Orange tip 1 male. RSPB North Warren   Bob Turner
4 Apr Large White seen today, we now have 8 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Lound Lakes   b Robert Quadling
4 Apr Butterfly Transects 10 to 13 walked by Peter today, Peacock 14, Brimstone (f) 1, Comma 1,Small Tortoiseshell 1 SWT Carlton Marshes   b Robert Quadling
4 Apr Another good day at Mill Stream. A 1 hour walk this afternoon (3pm) yielded the following, 10+ Peacock, 10+ Brimstone, 3x Comma and lots of "whites" (All the ones I was able to positively identify were Green-Veined Whites). No Holly Blues today.  (📷 photos click here)  Mill Stream, Rushmere St Andrew   Phil Watkinson
3 Apr Afternoon, 3x Comma, 2x Holly Blue, 10+ Peacock, 10+ Brimstone (males and females) and 10+ "whites" (one definite male Green Veined White). (📷 photos click here)  Mill Stream, Rushmere St Andrew   Phil Watkinson
3 Apr As the birding at Landguard has gone into the Neasterly doldrums I decided to get into sheltered areas with sunshine for some butterflies giving me a couple of Brimstone and good numbers of Peacock plus nfy Speckled Wood  (📷 photo click here)  Landguard   s William Brame
3 Apr With Small Tortoiseshell seen today we now have 7 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Lound Lakes   b Robert Quadling
3 Apr With Large White seen today,we now have 8 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Carlton Marshes   b Robert Quadling
3 Apr Brimstone 5, Green-veined White 1 King's Forest TL7872 David Walsh
3 Apr Brimstone 6, Peacock 4, Orange-tip 1 (📷 photo click here) King's Forest TL7972 David Walsh
3 Apr Brimstone 5 King's Forest TL7873 David Walsh
3 Apr Orange-tip 1, Green-veined White 2, Brimstone 3, Peacock 1  Cavenham Heath TL7572 David Walsh
3 Apr My first Large White of the year today in north Lowestoft. A near-perfect condition Peacock also fluttered by. north Lowestoft   James Corton
3 Apr Week 1 BC Transect at SWT Lackford Lakes was completed today: Brimstone x 4, Orange Tip x 2 (both female), Green-vein White x 2, Peacock x 5 and Comma x 2 SWT Lackford Lakes   David Bird
2 Apr Two Emperor moths attracted to Romneya bushes in my garden at Trimley St Martin. The first of the year. Trimley St Martin   David Tipple
2 Apr Butterfly Transects 1 to 9 walked today, Peacock 8, Comma 3, Small Tortoiseshell 2, Small White 1 (and a sighting of Green-veined White) SWT Carlton Marshes   b Robert Quadling
1 Apr Shafto Rd 2 male Brimstones,  2 Peacocks,  Small White,  Comma and first Holly Blue. .  Ipswich TM1445 Steve and Anne  Green
1 Apr Following a Comma seen at Cavenham pits this morning, I returned home to West Road, Bury St Edmunds to see my first Green-veined White of 2025. Brimstones were observed at both locations. Cavenham pits & Bury St Edmunds   Martin Peers
1 Apr Today on Upper Holleseley Common we saw one very small Comma.   Upper Holleseley Common   Jenny & Gary Plank
         
March SwT DS ES SS LS OT LW SW GvW CY B WB SpW SH R MB GK MW Gr SwF DgF MF GF HBF SPbF QoSF WA PE RA PL P ST C LT CmB SC PH GH WlH BH HB SsB BA CB ChB SB LtB - Total species seen 11       (📷 photo click here) 
31 Mar Bright male Brimstone Grange Meadow, Kesgrave   Jenny & Gary Plank
31 Mar Encountered another three fresh recently emerged Small Copper butterflies all active on two meadows in Ravenswood. Ravenswood Ipswich   (📷 photo click here)  Ravenswood Ipswich   Daniel Cable-Davey
31 Mar Old Kirton Road ,   Brimstone 1, Comma 1, Large White 1, Peacock 1 Trimley TM275379 Robi Biddle
31 Mar This afternoon, 4x Comma, 10+ Peacock, 2x Brimstone (both male).  (📷 photo click here)  Mill Stream, Rushmere St Andrew   Phil Watkinson
29 Mar Male Orange-tip x 1 Cockfield    Peter.Byford
29 Mar The last week in March, male and female Brimstones are regular plus a Peacock the last two days. Is it early for female Brimstones?   Framlingham   Geraldine Smith
29 Mar Encountered my very first Small Copper butterfly of the year active on a meadow in Ravenswood Ipswich where each year I record them in good numbers.  (📷 photo click here)  Ravenswood Ipswich   Daniel Cable-Davey
27 Mar Peacock, Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma at Carlton Marshes today. Some nectaring from trees - pussy willow and ash being favoured.     James Corton
26 Mar Meet up with Tony this morning for a walk round Bond's Meadow Oulton Broad in Lowestoft talking about doing  butterfly surveys . Butterflies seen while walking round Comma 3, Peacock 5, Brimstone 4, all put on iRecord Butterflies Oulton Broad   b Robert Quadling
26 Mar Very tatty Small White in Laxfield garden this lunchtime.  Also Brimstone and Peacock Laxfield   Mike Turton
26 Mar Holly Blue Kessingland   James Corton
24 Mar lovely warm day in our Shafto rd garden we saw the following  butterflies 3 male brimstones,  1 female brimstone,  2 peacocks, 1 comma and 1 small white ..  Ipswich TM1445 Steve  and Anne  Green
24 Mar Holly Blue.  Peacock, Red Admiral, Comma and Brimstone seen around the village, but still no Small Tortoiseshell. Waldringfield, Woodbridge   Peter Maddison
22 Mar While walking at RSPB Lakenheath Fen, I saw the following butterflies: Brimstone 4, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock 9. RSPB Lakenheath Fen   Martin Peers
20 Mar 1 male Brimstone in my garden Saxmundham   Bob Turner
20 Mar Today (March 20th), I saw a Green-veined White at Adastral Park, Martlesham. Also noted on site were singles of Brimstone, Comma and Peacock. Martlesham   Gi Grieco
20 Mar Commas and peacocks recorded during my walk early this afternoon, along with brimstones Northfield Wood   s Mark Brewster
20 Mar Couldn't resist a wander around The Grove in Felixstowe and Felixstowe Ferry for butterflies in the spring sunshine resulting in 4 male Brimstone, 3 Peacock and a Comma at The Grove ... The Grove in Felixstowe   s William Brame
20 Mar ... plus 4 Peacock at Felixstowe Ferry (📷 photo click here)  Felixstowe Ferry   s William Brame
20 Mar Species Update  with Comma seen today we now have 5 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Carlton Marshes   b Robert Quadling
20 Mar Butterflies showing today North Lowestoft NR32, Peacock, Comma, Brimstone North Lowestoft   b Robert Quadling
20 Mar There was a male Small White, a male Brimstone and a Red Admiral in my garden at West Road, Bury St Edmunds today. Bury St Edmunds   Martin Peers
20 Mar Brimstone female around the ivy in the garden. Amazing. Also a Peacock and two commas on Pipers Vale. Pipers Vale   Julian Dowding
19 Mar Saw my first of the year lovely male Brimstone Landseer Park   Julian Dowding
19 Mar A few butterflies about at Landguard and Peewit Hill saw 2 new for year a Small White and Small Tortoiseshell at Landguard with 2 Comma's at Peewit Hill Landguard and Peewit Hill   s William Brame
19 Mar Five Comma and four Peacock at Gunton Meadow and Pleasurewoood Hills, Lowestoft today.  (📷 photo click here)  Lowestoft   James Corton
16 Mar Lovely  sunny day in shafto rd Ipswich had 3 male Brimstones  feeding on violets and 3 commas feeding  on daisies in the lawn Ipswich TM1445 Steve  & Anne  Green
10 Mar Brimstone and comma in the churchyard in Holbrook. Holbrook   Malcolm Farrow
10 Mar I saw my first Red Admiral of the year flutter past me yesterday at Beccles  Marshes. A welcome sight! Beccles  Marshes   x Julie Durrant
9 Mar In warm and sunny conditions, we had 4 x Brimstones and 3 x Red Admirals. Martlesham Wilds   Rob and Kerry Reeve  Steve and Anne Green 
9 Mar Our first Comma of the year at Bawdsey Quay picnic site today,  (📷 photo click here)  Bawdsey Quay   Margie and David Carter
9 Mar Small Tortoiseshell  reported for 9th March ,we now have 4 species  seen on the reserve to date SWT Carlton Marshes   b Robert Quadling
9 Mar Brimstone male and Peacock in our garden today.  Flowton TM085 470 Rob Clements
9 Mar 1 Peacock in my garden Saxmundham   Bob Turner
9 Mar Red Admiral reported for 6th March ,we now have 3 species  seen on the reserve to date SWT Carlton Marshes   b Robert Quadling
9 Mar Comma 2 together on Cherry Plum,  (📷 photo click here of one on garden shrub) Kelsale   Charles Cuthbert
8 Mar I saw my first Peacock on Saturday 8th Mar in my garden in Lowestoft. First butterfly of the year Lowestoft   x Julie Durrant
8 Mar 1 Peacock; 2 Brimstone, separate sightings from different locations; 4 Comma, separate sightings Kelsale   Charles Cuthbert
8 Mar A male brimstone and a comma are the first butterflies to grace my Charsfield garden this year. Charsfield   Steve Aylward
8 Mar First proper butterfly walk of the year, and we’re up and running with commas. Several seen taking heat on the ground, in and beyond Northfield Wood, Onehouse, earlier this afternoon (📷 photo click here)  Northfield Wood   s Mark Brewster
8 Mar With Peacock reported this morning, we now have 2 species seen on the reserve to date SWT Carlton Marshes   b Robert Quadling
8 Mar Mill Stream this afternoon, 1x Red Admiral, 4x Comma  (📷 photos click here)  Mill Stream, Rushmere St Andrew   Phil Watkinson
8 Mar Saw my first male Brimstone in my garden  in Shafto Rd Ipswich TM1445 Frankie  Ryan
8 Mar Comma (📷 photo click here) Northfield Wood   s Mark Brewster
8 Mar Butterflies for the year just doubled with a Comma at Landguard Landguard   s Will Brame
8 Mar We've just had two comma butterflies in the garden. First we've seen this year. North East Ipswich   Lynne Hall
8 Mar What a delight! A male Brimstone fluttering along the hedgeline from the Buckthorn to the Apple tree this morning. a definite sign of spring. Framlingham TM287634 Geraldine Smith
7 Mar Our first butterfly of the year - a Comma enjoying the sunshine in our garden at Flowton this afternoon.  Flowton TM085470 Rob Clements
6 Mar Male Brimstone and a rather tatty Comma Alton Water   Michael Bamford
6 Mar Today at the lakes - brimstone and peacock butterflies SWTLackfordLakes    
6 Mar A pleasant walk through the The Grove Felixstowe yesterday afternoon produced a singing Chiffchaff a Firecrest and my first Butterfly of the year a single Red Admiral Felixstowe   s Will Brame
6 Mar Today we had a Peacock butterfly nectaring on perennial wallflower in our front garden (📷 photo click here)  Wickham Market   Rob and Kerry Reeve 
6 Mar At Santon Downham at lunchtime I saw 3 Brimstones on the Suffolk side of the river, my first butterflies of 2025. (There were 3 more Brimstones and a Peacock on the Norfolk side). During the afternoon, I saw a Comma in my garden. Santon Downham   Martin Peers
6 Mar Comma at Gunton Meadow today.  (📷 photo click here) Gunton Meadow   James Corton
6 Mar Found a Comma on blossom (📷 photo click here)  Somerleyton Station   David and Lilian Pitt
6 Mar Just had reported our first butterfly seen on the reserve for this year, a Brimstone a (male). SWT Carlton Marshes   b Robert Quadling
6 Mar One lovely Brimstone as I was driving into Tesco Martlesham at 11,20 today  Martlesham   Peter Compton
6 Mar Mill Stream, Rushmere St Andrew this afternoon, 1x peacock, 1x Comma  (📷 photo click here) Rushmere St Andrew   Phil Watkinson
4 Mar Peacock in gorse Dunwich Heath   Charles Cuthbert
4 Mar 1 Comma in my garden Saxmundham   Bob Turner
4 Mar Male Brimstone x3, Comma, and Red Admiral. Long Melford   Peter Byford
3 Mar One male Brimstone in our Barnby garden this morning....the benefits of sunny days! Barnby   Peter Norfolk
3 Mar Brimstone (male) this morning in my garden in Laxfield. Laxfield   Mike Turton
3 Mar Reported sighting of a Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly at SWT Oulton Marshes by the moorings SWT Oulton Marshes   b Robert Quadling
3 Mar Lovely sunny day saw our first Male Brimstone  in our Ipswich garden Ipswich   Steve & Anne  Green
2 Mar 2 Peacocks Aldringham Walks   Bob Turner
2 Mar My first butterfly of the year - a Peacock at RSPB Lakenheath  (📷 photo click here)  RSPB Lakenheath Fen   Dawn Balmer
2 Mar First butterfly of the year, Red Admiral, NT Sutton Hoo.  In 2024 first sighting 12 March (📷 photo click here)  NT Sutton Hoo   David Gill
2 Mar A Red Admiral actively feeding on winter flowering Heathers in my Kelsale garden for about 10 minutes this morning in bright sunshine, my first butterfly of the year. (📷 photo click here)  Kelsale   Charles Cuthbert
2 Mar One Peacock at 13:38 outside the RSPB Lakenheath Fen visitors centre. RSPB Lakenheath Fen   David Bird
         
February SwT DS ES SS LS OT LW SW GvW CY B WB SpW SH R MB GK MW Gr SwF DgF MF GF HBF SPbF QoSF WA PE RA PL P ST C LT CmB SC PH GH WlH BH HB SsB BA CB ChB SB LtB - Total species seen 1      
         
25 Feb Today in our Wickham Market garden we had a Hummingbird Hawkmoth nectaring on both pansies and perennial wallflower.  (📷 photo click here)  This is three weeks earlier than last year (19/3/24) Wickham Market   Rob and Kerry Reeve
22 Feb An early Small Tortoiseshell today Denston TL 76231 52560 Mark Ferris
         
January SwT DS ES SS LS OT LW SW GvW CY B WB SpW SH R MB GK MW Gr SwF DgF MF GF HBF SPbF QoSF WA PE RA PL P ST C LT CmB SC PH GH WlH BH HB SsB BA CB ChB SB LtB - Total species seen 2      
         
30 Jan Whilst bird watching at Mayday Farm near Brandon on the 30th Jan 25, I saw a male Brimstone in flight right next to the radio mast. Regards Mayday Farm near Brandon TL795835 Mike Harris
25 Jan Our first butterfly sighting of the year was a Red Admiral seen today at Upper Hollesley Common. It flew up from bracken and was then  pursued by a Blue tit from a nearby pine tree but had a lucky escape.  Upper Hollesley Common   Rob and Kerry Reeve  Steve and Anne Green 
25 Jan At home I saw the first butterfly of the year. a single Red Admiral (The latest first sighting since this page began in 2012) Thurston   Trevor Goodfellow
         

Sightings from previous years 
2012    2013    2014    2015    2016    2017    2018    2019    2020    2021    2022    2023    2024

Photographs from 2025 Sightings  (all pictures are the copyright of their owners)

 
Hummingbird Hawkmoth - 📷 © Rob Reeve

 Red Admiral - 📷 © Charles Cuthbert

 Red Admiral - 📷 © David Gill
Peacock - 📷 © Dawn Balmer

 Comma - 📷 © Phil Watkinson

 Comma - 📷 © David Pitt

Comma - 📷 © James Corton

 Peacock - 📷 © Rob Reeve

 Comma - 📷 © Mrs Brewster
Comma - 📷 © Phil Watkinson

 Red Admiral - 📷 © Phil Watkinson

 Comma - 📷 © Mark Brewster
Comma - 📷 © Charles Cuthbert

Comma - 📷 © David Carter


Comma - 📷 © James Corton
Peacock - 📷 © William Brame


 Small Copper - 📷 © Daniel Cable-Davey


 Brimstone - 📷 © Phil Watkinson
Small Copper - 📷 © Daniel Cable-Davey


 Orange-tip (m) - 📷 © David Walsh


 Speckled Wood - 📷 © William Brame
Green-veined White - 📷 © Phil Watkinson


Brimstone - 📷 © Phil Watkinson


 Green-veined White - 📷 © Phil Watkinson


Green-veined White - 📷 © Phil Watkinson


Small Copper - 📷 © David Carter


Brimstone - 📷 Daniel Cable-Davey
Brimstone - 📷 Daniel Cable-Davey


 Green-veined White - 📷 © William Brame


 Small White m - 📷 © James Corton
Small White f - 📷 © James Corton


 Speckled Wood - 📷 © Phil Watkinson


 Small Tortoiseshell - 📷 © William Brame
Speckled Wood - 📷 © David Carter


 Small Tortoiseshell - 📷 © Phil Watkinson


  
     
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