David McAllister reports a "bedraggled" Peacock butterfly in his garden in Tain, Ross-shire, and a Red Admiral at Inver, a few miles away.

If you have seen any late-flying butterflies during this settled spell of sunny weather, please let us know!

Fergus McKinnon found this Brimstone Moth Opisthograptis luteolata at Nairn (Grid Ref NH 856 555) on 20th September.

In this area the Brimstone Moth generally flies in early summer, frequenting woodland and gardens from May through to July, whereas further south there can be two or three generations, spanning April - October.

See also Moths of the month: May

George Mair found a Painted Lady visiting garden flowers in Portknockie, Grid Ref NJ 492 684.

Jane Bowman observed numerous Peacock butterflies in Glen Moriston all feeding from scabious. The fine weather also brought out Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Scotch Argus, Speckled Wood, Small White, Small Copper - and a pristine looking male Common Blue. Moth sightings included Silver Y and Ear Moths, the latter on scabious.

Four of the Red Admirals were gorging on a mixture of birch sap and saliva produced by Goat Moth caterpillars - something Jane has observed at the same tree every year. There were also 4 Red Admirals feeding on fermenting rowan berries in her garden. They weren't inclined to fly off when she approached them closely! On the subject of Goat Moths, Jane has now found 7 trees on which their caterpillars are feeding.

Thanks to Jane for sending us her photos, which show (L- R) Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Red Admiral, Small Copper, Small White on scabious flower.

Audrey Turner recorded 2 Painted Lady on Buddleia in her garden in Aviemore. She also counted 12 Red Admiral, 4 Peacock, 2 Small Tortoiseshell and 3 Silver Y moths.

Thanks to Brian Neath for sending these notes from Lochalsh on the west coast:

At long last Red Admirals have arrived in Lochalsh with 2 in our garden on the 7th and 8th and 2 also on my Carr Brae transect on the 9th. The Peacock is now more likely to be seen than Red Admiral or Small Tortoiseshell. I only recorded my first Peacock in Lochalsh in 2003 and then one in 2005. Since then I had 4 records in 2006, 7 records in 2007, and 16 records so far in 2008. Peacock was actually the most numerous species on my transect on 9th when there were 7 compared with 4 each of Speckled Wood and Scotch Argus. Scotch Argus peaked early here when there were 52 on the transect on 8th August.

A short distance from the beach at Findhorn (NJ 046 647) between 13:00 and 14:00, 4 Small Copper, 1 female Common Blue and 2 Grayling were seen. The Common Blue had an extremely faded appearance.

Along the Moray Firth at Portknockie, Peacock butterflies (some worn looking) are putting in an appearance in gardens for the first time this year. Today, Roy Leverton counted 27 Peacocks in his garden near Cornhill, Aberdeenshire, yet he never saw any in the spring. He also saw 17 Red Admirals in his garden.