According to the National Trust, gardens in the south and west of England are coming into flower up to four weeks ahead of schedule. The warm weather and such an early source of nectar will bring our butterflies out of hibernation; one of the earliest reported in the reserve, nearly every year, is the brimstone.
The brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) is the longest lived of our butterflies with a life span of almost twelve months. It overwinters in its adult form, hibernating in woodland among evergreen leaves, and emerging in the early spring.
They have distinctive leaf shaped wings. Males are an almost fluorescent lemon-yellow, while females are greenish-white with orange spots in the middle of each wing. Their flight is erratic and catches the eye: a dash of bright colour dithering along the hedgerows.
A brimstone female lays her eggs singly on the underside of the leaves of just a few species of buckthorn; altogether she lays up to seventy eggs. This is a single brood species, raising only one generation each year, always a welcome indicator that the winter is over.
Southwick Country Park Nature Reserve 