The first butterflies to be seen in spring are normally those that have spent the winter in hibernation.  Peacocks are typically the most common, appearing on warm days from mid-March, and they are usually joined by Commas and smaller numbers of Small Tortoiseshells and Brimstones.  Increasingly, Red Admirals can be added to this list as they now seem able to survive our milder winters and are often seen before the first immigrants from the continent arrive in late-spring.  By the end of April, the first of the newly-emerged Large, Small and Green-veined Whites, Orange Tips and Speckled Woods should have appeared.  Walking round the Wood on a sunny day in early May, you may therefore see six or more species on the wing – but most will have disappeared by the end of the month and Speckled Wood is often the only species to be seen in early June.

By the end of June, the first Ringlets and Meadow Browns should be appearing and by mid-July they will have been joined by Gatekeepers; a new generation of all three Whites, Peacocks and Commas; perhaps an immigrant Red Admiral and, if you are very lucky, a White Admiral.  Sometimes a few Skippers appear in grassy areas.  Holly and Common Blues appear in small numbers most years and Small Coppers were seen in 2017.  July is also the time to look out for Purple Emperor, Silver-washed Fritillary, Purple Hairstreak and White-letter Hairstreak.

Many of the summer species including the Browns (Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers and Ringlets) have usually gone by mid-August but Speckled Woods often reach their peak towards the end of the month and linger into early autumn, in the company of reducing numbers of Whites and Commas.  The occasional Peacock, Red Admiral or Comma may still be on the wing on a warm October, or even November, day.