Yesterday, as winter yielded to the balmy pre Spring sunshine, a comma butterfly emerged from hibernation and was spotted near pine trees in Hatfield Park. This event was reported as an early sighting to Butterfly Conservation; a nationwide organisation dedicated to saving butterflies, moths and their habitat. They would also like to record sightings of other butterflies seen in the area. The Hertfordshire and Middlesex Branch has a website: www.hertsmiddx-butterflies.org.uk where you can learn more about their work, and about butterflies and moths including identification guides and where to see them. Various walks and talks are held throughout the year. Joining the national organisation gets you a quarterly glossy magazine and local branch news.