Large Tortoiseshells in Kent 20th March 2025

I have always wanted to see a Large Tortoiseshell butterfly in Britain. Formerly abundant in Victorian times in the southern and midland regions of England they became extinct around fifty years ago and are now a scarce and unpredictable vagrant to southern coastal counties, so my dream was unlikely to be realised. I came close when a single specimen graced the RSPB's Pulborough Brooks Reserve in West Sussex from the 7th to at least the 10th of April 2015 but on the day I travelled to see it, failed to show itself. It was thought this individual was part of an influx of this species in the summer of 2014 and had hibernated to emerge in the Spring along with at least four others found in the southern half of England.

Large Tortoiseshells have a chequered history, with releases of captive bred butterflies confusing the undoubted occurrence of truly wild ones arriving from Europe where it is still relatively common. As our climate warms it is highly likely that this large butterfly will become a more frequent visitor and even recolonise as it is now thought to be breeding in Blean Woods in Kent and has bred at Portland Dorset in June 2020 and Sheringham, Norfolk in May 2021

This butterfly prefers open deciduous woodland preferably with lots of elm, goat willow and cherry trees where it can soar and glide along rides and glades and nectar on the flowers.

Reports of sightings of Large Tortoiseshell's have recently come from Orlestone Forest near Ashford in southern Kent. Louise who is part of a WhatsApp group I participate in photographed one near there eleven days ago on the warmest day of the year and gave me directions as to where to see it but then the weather intervened, turning very cold and my plan to travel to Kent  had to be put on hold

Today, the official first day of Spring was predicted to be unseasonably warm again with temperatures rising above the breakpoint of fifteeen degrees celsius when butterflies become active and take to the wing.I spoke to Peter, a colleague and fellow butterfly enthusiast about Louise's sighting and invited him to join  me as he too had never seen a Large Tortoiseshell in this country. We arranged to meet at his home at ten am. The butterflies  were only flying in the afternoon  so it would be pointless travelling earlier on the two and half hour journey to Kent

However I decided to make the best of this day and rose early to go and see the Hawfinches in my favourite cemetery in Woodstock for a couple of hours  and then go on to collect Peter and head south.

It was a joy to be out,.leaving the back door the merest whisper of a warm southerly wind blew in my face and there was no need even at this earliest of hours for winter clothing. The rising sun, a red orb  between the bare trees, was a fiery ball turning the horizon a delicate shade of rose pink that slowly faded to peach yellow.

Blackbirds sang and Woodpigeons crooned, half awake Pheasants stood hunched on drystone walls preparing for another day and Muntjac deer scurried across deserted narrow lanes, pre rush hour or what passes for it in rural Oxfordshire

The cemetery was already bathed in sunlight at 7am and taking up my usual position beside a box tree I waited. Hawfinches came and went but showed no interest in coming down to the seed.A group of three arrived  and two single birds flew in later, all to perch high in a bare tree and not inclined to come lower but fly into the yews to feed on the berries. One female finally came down to the ground for half a minute and that was it. I left to collect Peter, my day feeling somewhat flat due to this unsatisfatory conclusion

All was not lost however, as the sun was shining, the weather benign and the prospect of setting eyes on a Large Tortoiseshell for the first time ever, adequately countered any lingering feelings of disappointment

I collected Peter and we set off on the long journey to Kent. Louise had told me by text earlier this morning that no less than six Large Tortoiseshell's had been seen in Orlestone Forest yesterday and she gave me precise directions using the What Three Words app

The journey was, as motorway driving always is nowadays, both tedious and frustrating as a half hour standstill around Heathrow on the highway of hell that is the M25  saw the outside temperature reach a dizzying 20c.

After clearing this we had a trouble free run all the way to Orlestone Forest which lies six miles southwest of Ashford and is owned by Forestry England, a large part of its 413  hectares of mainly ancient broadleaved trees designated a nature reserve with open access to the public

On arrival we were a little unsure where exactly to go but entered a car park, that at noon was crammed with cars.Were these all butterfly enthusiasts? We asked an obvious butterfly fan who was departing for directions and he told us to follow the track into the woods and eventually we would come to a gathering of around thirty people, hoping to see a Large Tortoiseshell. The person we spoke to said he had not seen any but advised it was early as they usually appeared in mid afternoon.I did wonder why, knowing this, he had come so early and to be inevitably disappointed but diplomatically kept quiet.

We followed the track but dazed after the long drive took a wrong turn and wasted half an hour completing a large circle that brought us back to the car park..We  tried again and turned right at the fork in the track through the woods instead of left and soon found ourselves on an all weather ride that ran through sunlit but still leafless trees on either side for a considerable distance.

We saw a distant huddle of enthusiasts with two coming towards us, and then were confounded as the two suddenly about faced and headed back to the more distant group but then all turned and headed for us. This confused behaviour was eventually explained by the fact they had just seen a Large Tortoiseshell and it had flown in our direction and in fact over our heads at some height. The loud and enthusiastic group joined us and we renewed acquaintance with noted butterfly supremo Neil Hume as we all followed the direction in which the butterfly had gone and eventually came across the Large Tortoiseshell settled on the ride, a dark, insignificant triangle with its wings firmly closed to the sunlight. We adopted the grandmothers footsteps approach and soon were clustered around the object of our desire, including someone who had inexplicably brought two large dogs with him. Slowly, teasingly the butterfly deigned to partially open its wings and then fully, to reveal a gorgeous patterning of black squares and spots on tawny orange wings. What a beauty!

For almost a full five minutes it remained, alternately opening and closing its wings as both of us revelled in our first sighting of a Large Tortoiseshell in Britain. Someone got too close and it flew up and departed fast and further above the ride, followed by a few diehards but it did not settle again and was lost in the trees 

Time for a minor celebration Both myself and Peter had got another butterfly on our Britsh list and it was high fives between us.

That didn't take long Peter

No indeed

The nerd factor is never far away from butterfly afficionados and it duly announced its unwelcome presence as in the inevitable post mortem after the butterfly had flown some of our fellow enthusiasts said the butterfly was not pristine. It had a small nick out of its hindwings and was therefore unacceptable as a  photographic subject. Some are never satisfied. The nick out of the wings was so small as to be hardly noticeable so Peter and I duly celebrated regardless.

The pressure was now off and we relaxed, chatting and walking with Neil, following the ride through the wood and for some considerable distance to a lower level where it was distinctly warmer and more sheltered. This was the 'hot spot' for Large Tortoiseshell's and on arriving those already present lost no time in telling us what good views and photos they had recently managed while we were otherwise engaged at the other end of the ride

Assured that there would soon be more tortoiseshell action we stood in the not unpleasant company of the forest trees, below which the ground was illuminated with splashes of yellow Primroses on beds of dead leaves and delicate, white star flowers of Wood Anenomes, thousands of them carpeting whole areas of the forest green and white. Brimstone, Comma and Peacock butterflies flew amongst us too. What was there not to like about this place.

Even the current absence of the star turn was bearable as I stood in this wood, listened to the bird song and filled my eyes with the welcome sight of the first spring flowers.

Another Large Tortoiseshell was sighted and we gravitated towards it. Flying well above head height the question was where and when would it settle? It came to rest on a tree trunk but in partial sun and shade, so no chance of the ultimate photo here.Neil told me that they like to settle on tree trunks towards the end of the day to bask on the sun warmed bark

Another sighting followed. The butterfly again landed on the bark of a tree trunk, was in perfect condition but posed in entirely the wrong position facing down rather than up or across the trunk.You could almost feel everyone willing it to move but instead it flew off. Frustrated I had to remind myself that this was a butterfly I had longed to see for many years and now I had seen three so not to be greedy.

In flight Large Tortoiseshells appear quite robust.  Fast and powerful in flight, their broad wings allowed them to sail and cruise above the ride and through the trees at the edge of the ride. To me it was very reminiscent of  a Purple Emperor 's powerful flight.

Finally that moment came when one did exactly what everyone was waiting and wishing for as a female sailed around above us, tantalisingly searching for a spot to settle on and chose a sunbathed  tree trunk, perching there at a perfect head height. Initially she closed her wings and was in the wrong position but manouevered herself to an angle where she could make the most of the sun on her wings and there was the perfect shot. She was surrounded as slowly we moved closer to be literally feet away.

This was it. We all knew it.The chance to get an absolute winner of a photo. A trophy to take home.Something to look back on and relive the moment. It was now or never as the immaculate insect sat with wings open and flat against the grey bark.She remained for four minutes, and then like a prima donna she was gone, flying into the sunlight and impossible to follow.

Neil was ecstatic as indeed were the rest of us.No one had failed to get a good photo.

Naturally we wanted more and occasionally one showed itself but we knew there was not going to be a better opportunity than the one that so memorably had come and gone.

By three thirty shadows were creeping across the ride and through the trees. It was all over and we made our way back to the car park, finding one more Large Tortoiseshell perched distantly on a silver birch, absorbing the last rays of sun.

I consider we had seen at least four individuals today possibly more. Neil Hume reckoned there were at least twelve present in the two days he had spent here and apparently they have been in this wood, most probably breeding, for the last four years.

Two hours on the motorway in the rush hour didn't seem to matter after this experience.