Brimstone and Peacocks

Although it is only April, three butterflies have been seen at Filnore already.  The orange-tip was mentioned in the blogpost of 16th April "Have you heard a cuckoo yet?"  Here are two more:

The yellow Brimstone butterfly, the earliest butterfly of spring, was flying in March.  It lays its eggs on leaves of Buckthorn.  We used to have several bushes but they have been killed off by the shade of bigger trees so it might be a good idea to plant some more next winter.

The Brimstone flutters along in a wandering way but the dark almost black butterflies that I have seen zooming and gliding over the nettles and brambles are Peacock butterflies.  They have four "eye" shapes on the top-side of their wings like the "eyes" on a peacock's tail.  Their caterpillars feed on nettles and the adult butterflies enjoy the nectar in the bramble flowers, so they are well supplied at Filnore