I counted 8 Peacock butterflies on one Buddleia bush; another buddleia had 5 at the same time. These are the fresh new brood of Peacock butterflies. Those that survive hibernation over the winter, will emerge looking tired and scruffy next spring looking for a mate. The eggs are laid on nettle plants and the one brood per year emerge now. The Small Tortoiseshell butterfly also uses nettles as larval food plants but the big summer emergence is a few weeks after the Peacock - nature's way of utilising resources efficiently!

As well as Peacock butterflies, I also saw Red Admiral, Comma, a Brimstone butterfly, a Meadow Brown butterfly plus the white ones.