Red Butterfly

[tearinghair]

I had a butterfly in the garden (Warwickshire) last week that I didn't recognise. It was small to medium size, quite a bright red with a black border. My butterfly book thought it might be a large copper, but it wasn't big enough and anyway that seems to be extinct. Small Copper doesn't look bright enough. Any ideas, please?It was fluttering around the stinging nettles.

[choux]

Looks like a peacock to me

[choux]

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/identify-garden-butterflies

[tearinghair]

Definitely not a peacock, we have those every year and this was one I've never seen before. Apart from the narrow border it was completely red, no other markings that I could see.

[choux]

Oh right, I thought you had captured it in your avatar :)

[scorpiojo]

?

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/other-garden-wildlife/insects-and-other-invertebrates/moths/cinnabar-moth/

[tearinghair]

Sorry to mislead you, Choux! I agree the avatar is definitely a peacock, taken several years ago at Baddesley Clinton. Unfortunately I didn't have my phone with me when I spotted the red one. I don't think it's the cinnabar moth, scorpiojo; I followed it as far as the apple tree, where it rested for a few moments with its wings folded like a butterfly's, not a moth's. It's a puzzle.

[roopower]

Could it have been a burnet butterfly?

[Prudie]

It certainly sounds like Copper related one, the purple edged copper is smaller and fits the description but isn't seen in UK, whatever it was it was unusual.

[Prudie]

^ no idea what malagabob has posted but it's impressive - I tried to highlight the link and after covering probably at least 2 metres worth of text across my laptop screen I couldn't reach the end :-)

[tearinghair]

Thanks for all the suggestions. The purple-edged copper is very similar, and certainly the underside of the wings looks right, but it's not such a bright red. I think I'll contact the butterfly conservation society and see whether it ever makes an appearance in the UK. And take my phone with me next time I go up to the top of the garden!

[Prudie]

Yes do that. I got in touch with them once when I'd seen a really unusual moth on holiday in Spain and they got back to me really quickly with a very helpful personal response.

[mallyh]

sounds like a red glider but they are African