Typically the first butterfly seen in the spring is the Brimstone. I saw and photographed one today, though I had seen a Comma (I think) a few days earlier, and a couple of other species today – one small blue thing fluttering past and a very large dark brown thing. Both were moving too fast to identify!

The adult Brimstone butterfly hibernates over winter so the ones that you see now are those that have awakened from their slumber. This is also the reason they are often the first and last to be seen. The name Brimstone refers to the yellow colour – brimstone being an old term for sulphur, a bright yellow chemical element.

A great day for butterflies today, being sunny and still. In fact it was a truly glorious day, blue skies accentuated by the lack of aircraft con-trails due to the Icelandic volcano ash cloud keeping them grounded.