Butterflies observed in 2012
(Dates correspond to the first sighting of each species which I have seen during the year. I live in the Rhône département of France where I run a local survey and spend most of my butterfly hours. )
Guy Padfield and Matt Rowlings also keep interesting year lists.
| Scientific name | Vernacular name | Date | Area | |
| 1. | Vanessa atalanta | Red Admiral | 01/01/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 2. | Colias crocea | Clouded Yellow | 01/01/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 3. | Polygonia c-album | Comma | 28/02/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 4. | Inachis io | Peacock | 28/02/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 5. | Aglais urticae | Small Tortoiseshell | 28/02/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 6. | Nymphalis polychloros | Large Tortoiseshell | 02/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 7. | Gonepteryx rhamni | Brimstone | 13/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 8. | Anthocharis cardamines | Orange Tip | 13/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 9. | Pieris rapae | Small White | 13/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 10. | Pieris brassicae | Large White | 13/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 11. | Pararge aegeria | Speckled Wood | 23/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 12. | Iphiclides podalirius | Scarce Swallowtail | 24/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 13. | Celastrina argiolus | Holly Blue | 24/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 14. | Lasiommata megera | Wall Brown | 24/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 15. | Pieris napi | Green-veined White | 24/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 16. | Issoria lathonia | Queen of Spain Fritillary | 25/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 17. | Lycaena phlaeas | Small Copper | 25/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 18. | Callophrys rubi | Green Hairstreak | 25/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 19. | Pyrgus malvae | Grizzled Skipper | 25/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 20. | Clossiana dia | Violet Fritillary | 25/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 21. | Leptidea sinapis | Wood White | 30/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 22. | Carcharodus alceae | Mallow Skipper | 30/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 23. | Papilio machaon | Swallowtail | 31/03/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 24. | Erynnis tages | Dingy Skipper | 01/04/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 25. | Everes argiades | Short-tailed Blue | 01/04/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 26. | Araschnia levana | Map | 03/04/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 27. | Tomares ballus | Provence Hairstreak | 17/04/2012 | Var (83) |
| 28. | Pseudophilotes baton | Baton Blue | 17/04/2012 | Var (83) |
| 29. | Anthocharis euphenoides | Provence Orange Tip | 17/04/2012 | Var (83) |
| 30. | Coenonympha pamphilus | Small Heath | 17/04/2012 | Var (83) |
| 31. | Gonepteryx cleopatra | Cleopatra | 17/04/2012 | Var (83) |
| 32. | Zerynthia polyxena | Southern Festoon | 17/04/2012 | Var (83) |
| 33. | Glaucopsyche melanops | Black-eyed Blue | 17/04/2012 | Var (83) |
| 34. | Nymphalis antiopa | Camberwell Beauty | 17/04/2012 | Var (83) |
| 35. | Libythea celtis | Nettle-tree Butterfly | 17/04/2012 | Var (83) |
| 36. | Aricia agestis | Brown Argus | 17/04/2012 | Var (83) |
| 37. | Polyommatus icarus | Common Blue | 17/04/2012 | Var (83) |
| 38. | Callophrys avis | Chapman's Green Hairstreak | 17/04/2012 | Var (83) |
| 39. | Colias alfacariensis | Berger's Clouded Yellow | 18/04/2012 | Var (83) |
| 40. | Pontia daplidice | Bath White | 18/04/2012 | Var (83) |
| 41. | Lycaena tityrus | Sooty Copper | 22/04/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 42. | Scolitantides orion | Chequered Blue | 27/04/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 43. | Pieris mannii | Southern Small White | 27/04/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 44. | Everes alcetas | Provençal Short-tailed Blue | 27/04/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 45. | Ochlodes venatus | Large Skipper | 27/04/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 46. | Melitaea phoebe | Knapweed Fritillary | 27/04/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 47. | Spialia sertorius | Red-underwing Skipper | 28/04/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 48. | Melitaea cinxia | Glanville Fritillary | 28/04/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 49. | Cyaniris semiargus | Mazarine Blue | 06/05/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 50. | Mellicta athalia | Heath Fritillary | 06/05/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 51. | Cupido minimus | Small Blue | 07/05/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 52. | Euphydryas aurinia | Marsh Fritillary | 09/05/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 53. | Glaucopsyche alexis | Green-underside Blue | 09/05/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 54. | Hamearis lucina | Duke of Burgundy | 13/05/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 55. | Melitaea didyma | Spotted Fritillary | 13/05/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 56. | Vanessa cardui | Painted Lady | 13/05/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 57. | Mellicta parthenoides | Meadow Fritillary | 14/05/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 58. | Lysandra bellargus | Adonis Blue | 15/05/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 59. | Plebejus argyrognomon | Reverdin's Blue | 15/05/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 60. | Limenitis reducta | Southern White Admiral | 15/05/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 61. | Lysandra hispana | Provence Chalk-hill Blue | 15/05/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 62. | Lasiommata maera | Large Wall Brown | 16/05/2012 | Rhône (69) |
| 63. | Aporia crataegi | Black-veined White | 18/05/2012 | Rhône (69) |