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Sightings from January to June 2002

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This page contains sightings details of all the butterflies and moths reported to the  Sightings page between January and June 2002.

Note: These pages have been copied from the original sightings page and some links will no longer work. All images of butterflies or moths have been removed, but most can be found in the Photo House

June 2002

Fri 28th June - Broxbourne Woods - 3 White Admiral in total despite poor weather conditions, also lots of Ringlet! - Liz Goodyear and Andrew Middleton

Tim Sharrock has reported seeing a large butterfly in Blunham on 25 June. His description fits Large Tortoiseshell very well.  It flew up into some trees when disturbed which this species is said to do - News from Charles Baker (Beds & Northants Branch)

Thurs 27th June - Had a probable white admiral [only seen high in the tree tops briefly] and at least 3 purple hairstreaks in Bramfield Wood last nite plus large skippers, ringlet, meadow brown in good numbers also painted lady in my garden (Thundridge) yesterday - Nick Sampford

Wed 26th June - Balls Wood - Spent a couple of hours walking around with the kids after school this p.m. and saw...Large Skipper x 30+, Small Skipper x 50+, White Admiral x 4, Purple Hairstreak, Comma x 3, Ringlet x 30+, Speckled Wood (a few), Large White (a few), Meadow Brown (many) etc. - Toby Austin

5 Purple Hairstreak, Chingford Golf Course (Essex) this morning - Andrew Middleton

5 White letter hairstreaks nectaring on lime tree flowers adjacent to single wych elm, Lea Valley Road, Ponders End this morning - Andrew Middleton

Tues 25th June - 5 Painted Ladies on Rothamsted Farm (June 24th).  Also what looked very like a Clouded Yellow on the Nicky Line - defintiely not a Brimstone - Michael Healy

Ware 8.30, I had just returned from the school run to find a Large Skipper nectaring on the lavender in my front garden, the first one for 2 years - Liz Goodyear

Mon 24th June - Saw my first Ringlet in Wengeo Lane, Ware on Thu 20th. Good transect at Balls Wood today, 24th. In 40 minutes saw: Ringlet 58, Large Skipper 47, Speckled Wood 20, 11 Meadow Brown, 2 Comma and 1 each of Painted lady, Red Admiral, Large White, Small Tortoiseshell (first record on the transect since 1999) and 1 WHITE ADMIRAL - Andrew Wood

Another Clouded Yellow today, possibly a yellowish f. helice, investigating medicks seen by Peter Almond on Stevington Country Walk news via Charles Baker (Beds & Northants Branch)

Sunday in Maple Cross. I saw 2 groups of peacock caterpillars one more advanced than the other on the nettles around adjacent farm land. NO SIGN this year of any tortoiseshells - Ann Piper

Trent park - 45 large skippers (33 in less than 20minutes), 2 fresh comma, 1 small skipper, 2 small heath, 1 small copper, 2 common blues, 1 painted lady Vicarage Farm 3 small tortoiseshells - Robert Callf and his weekend round-up - Sun 23rd Fir and Pond Wood, Small Skipper, Fri 21st in Trent Park, 15 Large Skippers & Thurs 20th, 6 Painted Ladies

Lunchtime stroll along a meadow/bank at work (Stevenage) revealed Small Heath (3), Common Blue (5) Meadow Brown (7), no Whites.  A few day flying moths: Cinnabar, Thistle Ermine and loads of Yellow Shells - Trevor Chapman

Sun 23rd June - Horsenden Hill; First White-letter Hairstreaks on the wing at Horsenden Hill today - 2 at Home Mead which is to the south side of the summit and 10+ at Batts Fields which is to the east of the site and south of Horsenden Lane. Also Comma (3), Holly Blue (1), Painted Lady (1), and several each of Large Skipper,Meadow Brown and Large White. Also of interest 2 Black-tailed Skimmers - Andy Culshaw

30+ Large Skippers, Red Admiral, few Meadow Browns at Wheathampstead Education Centre on Sunday 23 June. At Ivinghoe Beacon (not Herts) on Friday Chimney Sweeper moths and Ringlet - Trevor Chapman

Bowyers Marsh, Cheshunt - Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Comma, Common Blue, Green-veined White, Silver Y and Cinnabar all on the wing today.  Also Shaded Broad Bar and Yellow Shell.   Lots of Painted Ladies around nearby on Essex side of River Lea.   Stephen Harris

Balls Wood - A quick (20 mins) walk this afternoon produced: Ringlet x c.5-10 (wasn't really counting), Meadow Brown x c.5-10, Large Skipper x c.5-10, Speckled Wood x 3, Painted Lady x 2 (but possibly the same one - similar condition) -Toby Austin

Fri 21st June - One Clouded Yellow seen yesterday at Potton (Beds.) by Andrew Darrington - news via Charles Baker (Beds & Northants Branch)

Keith Cherry telephoned me yesterday to say that he had a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in his Welwyn Garden City garden on June 19th and 20th news via John Murray

Small Blue are back on the North Herts site. One laying eggs on Kidney Vetch on 20 June also Marbled White, Small Skipper and Meadow Brown - Nigel Agar

Thurs 20th June - Fresh Marbled White seen on A41 sliproad at the Hemel Hempstead exit - Andrew Middleton

Wed 19th June - Hemel Hempstead, Saw a Humming-bird Hawkmoth hovering around my Delphiniums and Knautia at 3.25pm today. It flew away only to return twice more at 5.30 and 7.30, nectaring on Red, White and pink Valerian on both occasions. Do they have a two hourly feeding cycle or was this just co-incidence? Malcolm Newland

Went to NE Herts today and Denis & I saw very few butterflies, but those we did see were - Weston Meadows, 1 Red Admiral, Wallington Meadows, Small White, Wallington Common NR - 12 Speckled Wood, Large White, Peacock and Red Admiral. Rushden, Southern Green, Small White, Brent Pelham, 4 Speckled Wood, 4 Meadow Brown, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Large White and a Large Skipper - C. Shepperson

Forty Hall area - 2 Painted Ladies, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 8 Speckled Wood, 1 Chimney Sweeper moth - Robert Callf

Tues 18th June - North Herts - At last Small Blue appeared yesterday, one in the usual place and better still 2 down the path on the only other bit of Kidney Vetch I have seen on the site - Stuart Pittman

Today, Meads, Ware - 2 Small Tortoiseshells, Broxbourne Station Carpark, 1 Holly Blue. Balls Wood (17th) 19 Large Skipper, 9 Meadow Brown, 11 Speckled Wood and 1 Painted Lady also my garden Bengeo, 16th June Painted Lady - Andrew Wood

Broxbourne NNR - 2 Ringlet, 18 Speckled Woods, 3 Large Skipper, 1 Large White, 1 Speckled Yellow, 1 Painted Lady, 1 Red Admiral and 1 Silver Y - Andrew Middleton and Liz Goodyear

Mon 17th June - Sewardstone Farmland approaching Epping Forest, 2 Meadow Browns. Epping Forest, 2 Red Admirals and many Speckled Woods along the rides. Copped Hall Estate, 5 Meadow Browns, 2 Small Copper and 2 Painted Ladies - most butterflies along field edges close to hedgerows - Martin Shepherd

Both Painted Lady and Red Admiral seen near Walkern on 8th June - Trevor James

Horsenden Hill news for today - 1 Painted Lady, 6 Small Heath, 1 Common Blue, 8 Large Skipper and 4 Emperor Dragonflies - Andy Culshaw

Trent Park 25 Small Heath, 13 Meadow Brown, 19 Large Skipper, 1 Small Copper and 8 Common Blue - Robert Callf

On Sat 15th June at around 11.30 am at Kempton Park Nature Reserve, I came across a Painted Lady (flying north) and 1 Large Skipper - both of which were the first that I have seen this year. I also saw 1 Red Admiral, 2 Small Heath, 2 Common Blue (copulating) and 2 Speckled Woods - Peter Collins

Tring, had a Painted Lady on our french lavender for 30 minutes this morning. A really cracking fresh specimen - Ian Burrus

News from Horsenden Hill for 15th June between 14:30 & 15:50. 14 Large Skipper, 1 Meadow Brown, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Peacock, and 2 Painted Ladies browsing on bramble flowers also 2 Broad-bodied Chasers - Andrew Culshaw

On Saturday night, a London Natural History Museum Members Event was held in the Wildlife Gardens for National Moth Night, assisted by Emily Funnell of Butterfly Conservation. Despite awful weather the catch (estimating the number of Green Oak Tortrix moths!) was 82+ specimens of 27 species. The "highlight" was addding two new species to the garden list one of which Small Clouded Brindle is a good London record. Also new the Spectacle - Martin Honey.

Other moth night events were held at Aldenham Country Park, Bentley Priory and Ball's Wood

Dave Chandler reports several migrants species coming our way. At 3.30 pm in Beckenham, Kent on 15th June, a Painted Lady migrating north east at 10mph or so and later a basking Red Admiral. First reports of Dark Green Fritillary at Sharpenhoe Clappers on 15th as well

Trent Park on Friday 14th Robert Callf saw 2 Painted Ladies, 2 Large Skipper and 6 Common Blue

There have been reports of Painted Lady and several migrant moths over the last few days.  If you should see Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Clouded Yellow or any other apparently migrating butterflies, please try to record:
1. Place where seen (with postcode or 6 figure grid ref if possible)
2. Date and time
3. Number seen in a particular area
4. DIRECTION OF FLIGHT (as accurately as possible, i.e. not just N, but NE, NNWor NNE etc.), and if you can, flight speed (e.g. time them across the garden with your watch and then measure the width of the garden - Best of luck - John Murray (if you have this information please send with your news so that I can pass this on to John)

Thurs 13th June - Camley Street Natural Park LWT, King's Cross, today lunchtime - 1 Speckled Wood and 3 Small White (inc. copulating pair) - Fraser Simpson

Wed 12th June - Butterflies on Epping Forest buffer lands - 6 Common Blue, 4 Small Heath, 6 yellow shells, 36 Burnet Companion, 4 Meadow Browns, 8 Large Skippers, 100+ green oak tortrix, 3 Speckled Woods, single fresh Peacock and Red Admiral - Andrew Middleton

Tues 11th June - Trent Park - 2 Painted Ladies, 14 Small Heath, 3 Small Copper, 1 Comma and 2 Common Blue - Robert Callf

Ware Park 8.20am today, Painted Lady, also Red Admiral lunchtime, The Meads. Sunday 9th - Large Skipper, Balls Wood - Andrew Wood

Sewardstone Marsh, Essex.  Red admiral seen at 08.30 - landing on various plants and shrubs - Martin Shepherd

Mon 10th June - Had 3 red admirals on the Lea towpath in Cheshunt area, and a common blue on Rammey Marsh - Andrew Middleton

Sun 9th June - Still a bit cool on the butterfly front although the dragonfly front isn't much better. During a skirmish into TL31 on Saturday 8th June I only saw 2 Large White at Sutes and 1 Small Heath and 1 Painted Lady at Biggins Farm - Alan Reynolds

Sat 8th June - Waterford area, Large Skipper. First record for me of a Brimstone in my Ponders End garden - Andrew Middleton

Wed 5th June - Migrant news - Had a glimpse of a Painted Lady today (1st June) in  a rape field south of Beeson End.  It was settled so I can't supply direction and speed - Michael Healy

I noted a single Painted Lady during a transect visit to Bunkers Park at about 3.00pm on Monday, 27 May. The weather at the time was dull and the butterfly was resting on the mown centre of the grass ride; when disturbed it moved off in a roughly notherly direction, but not with any sense of purpose - Mike Pearson

Hayes 1 Painted Lady stayed in the garden feeding & resting for 40+ mins, had to go out before it left so I can't help with direction etc.also 1 Peacock, 1 Holly blue & several Large whites for that day too, 2nd June- Chris Court 

Painted Lady, 1 indiv, moving north (but flying low & slowly & taking nectar at Bayfordbury on Fri 31st May, noon. Also, seen, 3 male common blue, 2 orange tip, 2 peacock - Stuart Warrington

Tues 4th June - News from 1st in the Trent Park area - 34 Small Heath in 1hr 20 mins, also 5 Small Copper, 14 Common Blue (11 male/3 female), 1 Red Admiral flying north, several Peacock and 2 Holly Blue, also 9 Mother Shipton and 3 Burnet Companion - Robert Callf

Mon 3rd June - Telegraph Hill (1st June), Dingy Skipper x 1, Green Hairstreak x 1, Brown Argus x 1, + the usual common species. Also, later that day at Amwell GP, Female common blue and, at Balls Wood today, c.20 Speckled Wood in cloudy weather - Toby Austin

Sun 2nd June - Visited the Waterford area this morning, hoping to see a late Grizzled Skipper but no success. However, at a nearby "extraction" site, over a period of 2 hours counted 140 Common Blue, with timings of 75 in 20 minutes and 35 in 6 minutes, also Cinnabar and Burnet Companion moths and one lonely Brown Argus, a Red Admiral going south and a female Orange Tip. At Waterford South pit in a 15 minute period saw 5 Common Blue, 4 Burnet Companion, 4 Brown Argus and a Red Admiral going north - Liz Goodyear

Sat 1st June - Today, 3 Red Admiral Stanborough Lakes, one flying strongly west, the others fluttering around nettles. 1 Brimstone, Beane Road, Hertford and 31st May 1 Red Admiral The Meads, Ware - Andrew Wood (Andrew also reports that he now has 100 species shown on the Bengeo Moth Diary so if you want to know what moths are on the wing or help with identification please visit these pages)

Just had Red Admiral passing through garden (Friday). Unable to judge speed but this one was on a mission and was flying south to north. Watford area (grid ref provided). Height 95m. - Bob Cripps (message from John Murray - that's just the kind of observation we need)

During Dragonfly Atlas work in TL32 and TL31 on a warm and sunny day, I managed to record 3 Speckled Wood at Fishers Farm,  1 Speckled Wood and 2 Orange Tip in the St Edmund's College area, 1 Orange Tip and 1 Common Blue near Colliers End, 1 Speckled Wood and 1 Orange Tip at Potters Green and 1 Red Admiral at Home Farm - Alan Reynolds

Hoddesdon area - Went for an approx 3 hour walk from Barclays Park, up to the A10 and back. Saw several butterflies and moths including a Red Admiral going south, Brimstone, Small, Green-veined and Large White, 3, Holly Blue and 5 Peacock but most amazing was a 100yd stretch of the A10 embankment (adjacent to a Public Footpath) where we saw 13 Common Blue, 5 Brown Argus, 2 Small Copper, 2 Orange Tip, 3 Burnet Companion, 3 Mother Shipton, Small Yellow Underwing all within about 10 minutes - Liz and Rachel Goodyear

May 2002

Fri 31st May - Hemel Hempstead - 2 Painted Ladies again favouring Sweet Rocket flowers, 5 Large Whites, Holly Blue, female Orange Tip, Small and Green Veined whites - Malcolm Newland

Today's warm weather brought out the dragonflies, but still a bit quiet on the butterfly front with 1 Peacock, 1 Orange Tip and 6 Small/GV White at Bingles Wood, 1 Painted Lady, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, and 2 Small/GV White at the River Rib, Hamels Mead, 1 Peacock and 2 Small/GV White at Lodge Farm, Cottered - The Painted Lady did not seem to be going anywhere in particular - Alan Reynolds

Trent Park area, male Large Skipper (2.10pm), 2 Small Coppers, 9 Small Heath, 3 male Common Blue, 1 Mother Shipton. Monken Hadley Common - 1 male Common Blue and Latticed Heath - Robert Callf

St Albans - Had a Painted Lady in the garden the other day nectaring on Red Valarian - first one since 1996!!! - Ian Wynne

Thurs 30th May - A Painted Lady this morning at about 8.45 nectaring on a Buddleia in "the garden of a famous residence at the end of the Mall"! There were two Red Admiral there last week in the same spot - Martin Honey

Pirton highlights - Good to see Brown Argus and two Walls basking and then circling in a courtship display on 27th May. Also three Brimstone pairs mating with around twenty Brimstones overall - Stuart Pittman

Milton Keynes - A single Striped Hawk-moth taken last night at MV.  Looks like they are on the move, reaching Herts. soon?? - Les Hill

Wed 29th May - Copped Hall, Epping Forest - 1 painted lady, 1 white-letter hairstreak pupa - Andrew Middleton

Trent Park area, Red admiral, 7 small heath, 5 small coppers - Robert Callf

I saw 1 Red Admiral, 1 Speckled Wood, 2 Small Copper and 2 Common Blue at Kempton Park Nature Reserve on 25th May - Peter Collins

Mon 27th May - Trent Park area, 5 Small Copper, 11 Small Heath - Robert Callf

Today, on a warm and sunny day, I walked down the lane from the Woodman at Norton Green. Despite it being such a beautiful day, I only saw 1 Painted Lady, 1 Small Heath, 1 Small Copper, 5 Large White, 1 GV White and 5 Small/GV White - Alan Reynolds

Sun 26th May - I saw a Holly Blue, near the Heath End Garden Club's Chocolate Box  courtyard show-garden, on Thursday 23rd. at the Chelsea Flower Show - Dave Chandler

Sat 25th May  - Yates Meadow Epping Forest, 8 small heaths - Andrew Middleton

Two Red Admirals at Amwell GP, One Painted Lady and one Brimstone Moth nearby on the Easneye Estate - Stephen Harris

Fri 24th May - Hemel Hempstead, Saw my first Painted Lady of the year nectaring on white Sweet Rocket 9.30.a.m.May 23rd. Also my first Red Admiral of the year at 12.30 p.m. This flew over the garden heading north and didn't stop. Female Orange Tip ovipositing on Sweet Rocket 24th May. First ever Cinnabar moth in garden. Have quite a bit of Ragwort so will look out for caterpillars in due course - Malcolm Newland

Thurs 23rd May - c70 Speckled Yellows in Broxbourne Wood NR. No Grizzled Skipper.  Cheshunt Park - 1 small copper - Andrew Middleton

Ware - 4 o'clock, one minute it was pouring with rain, the next minute the sun was shining and I had a Holly Blue, Green-veined White and a Painted Lady in the garden - Liz Goodyear

Tues 21st May - Lime hawk moth on window shutter Finchley electrical store North Finchley High Road - Brian Dawton.

Sewardstone - Well grown white-letter hairstreak caterpillar on wych elm leaves - Andrew Middleton

Covert Way NR, red admiral and two speckled woods. Trent Park, silver Y - Robert Callf  

Malcolm Newland reports that he saw a Holly Blue egg laying on gooseberry, he has consulted a national expert and this is believed to be first ever reported case. Holly Blues have also been observed egg laying in his Hemel Hempstead garden on "self fertile" Holly

I saw a Holly Blue on Sunday 19th, in Bull Lane, Hertford - Liz Anderson

Mon 20th May - News from Brian Jessop, Green Hairstreak, Grizzled Skipper and Dingy Skipper all recorded at Tring Park, although not in great numbers. At the new Green Hairstreak colony found near Hemel Hempstead, 9 were seen on 15th May!

No Small Blue seen at the Herts sites yet although they are flying in Bedfordshire having been seen at Sharpenhoe & Sundon Hills this past week/weekend - news from Dave Chandler and Andrew Palmer

Sun 19th May - Bison Hill, Whipsnade Downs, Beds Duke of Burgundy (5) plus occasional green hairstreak - Phil Rhodes -(don't forget to visit the Beds & Northants website for butterfly news)

I saw my first Red Admiral of the year this afternoon in Bengeo. I would think this is a migrant as I have been getting migrant moths in the trap this week (Silver Y and Diamond Backed Moth). Good numbers of Small, Large, Green-veined Whites, Holly Blue and Orange Tip - Andrew Wood

Enfield Lock, POW Fields, painted lady flew north. Rammey Marsh, latticed heath, burnet companion, red admiral. Also, 1 painted lady flew north through Leyton Flats, Essex - Andrew Middleton  

Trent Park area - 5 small coppers, 6 small heaths, 3 mother shiptons, 3 small tortoiseshells - Robert Callf

Sat 18th May - I was at Hexton Chalk Pit today and when it brightened up I counted up to 9 Dingy Skipper - this was between 18.20 and 18.45 and is my best guess of how many individuals there were discounting duplicates - which I think is a pretty good number for the site sunning themselves on south-west facing slopes - Andrew Palmer

Aldbury Nowers field trip report - Starting in drizzle, the party first went for a walk along the Icknield Way path through the woods above the site and was rewarded in seeing a family of Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Orange Tip eggs on Garlic Mustard and muse the mysterious puzzle of why Nowers' snails like tree climbing.  We found a roosting Brimstone and disturbed another  and wondered if that one adult species would be the sum total of our day's efforts. However, eventually, the weather brightened and the sun came out and (pretty late on in the afternoon) we decended to the main butterfly area where were rewarded  with, considering the weather, some reasonable butterflying. We saw, close-up a lovely female Holly Blue posing with her wings open  and chased a Green Hairstreak and three other Hollies' through the bushes. Large, Small & Green-Veined Whites made an appearance, and, towards the end of the walk, getting on for  4 o'clock, at the bottom of the site near the big briar bush where the Grizzled & Dingy Skippers can sometimes be found, a solitary Speckled Wood made an appearance before we all went happily back to our cars.  Patience was rewarded - Dave Chandler and Trevor & Christine Allen, Paul Huckle, Liz & Chris Emary, Valerie Dunbar, Clive & Dorothy Reynolds & John Stevens

Fri 17th May - Trent Park area, 3 small heath, 2 small copper, 2 small tortoiseshell - Robert Callf

Thought I would see a lot today at Darlands Lake Nature Reserve, Only saw 1 Peacock and 1 speckled wood plus two small whites. As I was crossing the fields from Mill Hill East off the Ridgeway I saw a lot more 6 Orange tips, 5 Speckled Woods, 2 Peacocks, 7 Small Whites, plus 6 on the wing - Frank Johnson

Thurs 16th May - Green Hairstreak active on the Pegsdon Hills today. Small numbers.  A fleeting glimpse of a territory holding male but also females looking for egg laying sites. I thought one was taking an interest in brambles but two visitors who saw one on Hoo Bit (which is in Herts) saw one laying on Dogwood.  Dingy Skipper and Wall also present +  Peacock, Orange Tip and Brimstone - Nigel Agar

Trent Park area, 4 s.y.underwing, 2 holly blues, 2 mother shiptons, one nectaring on buttercup, 3 small heaths, 2 small coppers - Robert Callf

This morning, I visited TL30 to visit my last tetrad as part of the Dragonfly Atlas. At Bayford Lake I saw 2 Orange Tip, 4 Small/GV White and 1 GV White. At Bayford cross-roads 1 Holly Blue. I then moved on to Kings Mead where I spent 3 hours carrying out a bird census and saw 90 GV/Small White, 7 Brimstone, 2 Large White, 8 Peacock, 6 Orange Tip and 8 Holly Blue - Alan Reynolds

Aldbury Nowers, 1 Dingy Skipper, 4 grizzled, 3 green hairstreaks, small copper, brown argus and common blue, also red admiral - Bill Cutts and Andrew Middleton

Had a good lunchtime today at Frogmore Quarry, Stevenage. Hot sunny day and the Grizzled Skippers have arrived. 11 in all. Far better than last year and I didn't check out everywhere. Also seen Small Copper 1, Orange tip 1, Peacock 1, Comma 1, Common Blue 1 and plenty of emmergent damselflies - blue-tails and azures plus one red.  Then back at work in Stevenage on a grassy bank a possible Skipper 1, Small Tortoiseshell 1, Small White 1, Mother Skipton 1 - Trevor Chapman

Late news(my computer probably) Butterfllies seen Saturday May 11th King's Langley Orange Tip  (male) - feeding on Bluebells at Mrs Chandler's house - I've never seen them do that before! and

In the afternoon - Duchies Piece Aldbury Nowers -   I went along to Duchies Piece Aldbury Nowers to rehearse the route and stopping places for the field trip on Saturday 18th May @2pm. Although it was cold grey day, about 14 degrees C, I was lucky with the weather for a few bright spells of sunshine raised the temperature sufficiently  enough to give me the bonus of seeing a few butterflies. In one particularly special short moment there were eight butterflies flying at the same time and, one, a female Holly Blue alighted on a low branch next to me and opened her wings fully to display her fine blue colour.  Nearby, as I  wandered through the field of cowslips, where Duke of Burgundy's may be found, but only Orange Tips were flying today, I knocked up a male Green Hairstreak  from its perch in a Hawthorn tree, and, with a flash of green & chocolate,  it flipped over the hedge and was gone. In a 45 minute reconoiter visit I total I saw  5 Brimstones, 3 Orange Tips, 1 Green Veined White, 2 Small White, 1 Large White,  3 Holly Blues and 1 Green Hairstreak - Seven species, not bad for a cold May day that was not really meant to be a proper butterfly spotting visit - Dave Chandler

Wed 15th May - During an hour count down the footpath south of Norton Green, I saw 5 Large White, 4 GV/Small White, 1 GV White, 1 Small Copper, 1 Orange Tip, 1 male Brimstone, 3 Peacock and 1 Speckled Wood - Alan Reynolds

Trent Parkarea, 2 Small Heaths and Small Coppers, 5 small yellow underwings, 5 Holly Blues during trip - Robert Callf

Tues 14th May - Trent Park, small copper, 3 holly blues - Robert Callf

I came across one fresh looking Small Copper at Kempton Park Nature Reserve (Surrey/Middx border) on Sunday 12th May at around 13:00 hrs - Peter Collins

Sat 11th May - Waterford Heath - Late afternoon, at least 6 Grizzled Skipper, a Small Copper and Common Blue seen - Nick Sampford

Thurs 9th May - Waterford (South Pit) - Although dull and cold, ideal weather conditions for looking for roosting Grizzled Skipper - 6 counted on dead flower heads - Andrew Middleton & Liz Goodyear

Wed 8th May - Went to Waterford today, Grizzled Skipper seemed to be everywhere, one picture is of a brown argus attempting to mate a grizzled skipper it was persistant for 15 mins. Is this common behaviour as we might end up with grizzled argus or brown skippers? I had  12+ grizzled skippers 2+ brown argus, 2 sightings of small copper + orange tip/small and green veined white/peacock and a greenshank on the pool  - Nick Sampford

Broxbourne Woods - probable sighting of 2 Speckled Yellow moths, only brief glimpses - Andrew Middleton

Tues 7th May - Green Hairstreak were active on the Pegsdon Hills on Friday (3 May) - They were presumably the males displaying and fighting over the hedges. I did not see any on the Hertfordshire side i.e. on Telegraph Hill or on Hoo Bit. They tend to be rather later anyway the site being about 100 feet higher and more windswept - Nigel Agar

Mon 6th May - Important news from Brian Jessop - Brian saw his first Green Hairstreak near Hemel Hempstead over a week ago but last Thursday whilst at Aldbury Nowers saw another Green Hairstreak and a relatively slow moving Grizzled Skipper

Fri 3rd May - Hoddesdonbury GP's Cock Lane - small copper nectaring on bugle, 5 latticed heaths and a mother shipton moth - Andrew Middleton

Wed 1st May - Broxbourne Woods, 2 orange tips, 1 speckled wood, 2 green-veined whites - Andrew Middleton and Bill Cutts

Frogmore Quarry, Stevenage lunchtime today, 2 Small Copper, 2 Green-veined White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell , 3 Orange tips, no grizzled skippers seen - Trevor Chapman (also Little Owl, Goldfinches, Martins, 3 Green Woodpeckers, one un-ID damselfly)

April 2002

Mon 29th April - I saw four Green Hairstreak (unfortunately just over the border!) near Bulbourne on Thursday 25th of April -  Tony Croft

Sat 27th April - Rather cool and windy today. All I managed was a very fresh Red Admiral at Mardocks Farm nr Wareside - Alan Reynolds

Thurs 25th April - Camley Street Natural Park LWT, King's Cross lunchtime Orange Tip (1), Green-veined White (3) - Fraser Simpson

Tues 23rd April - Darlands Lake Nature Reserve (Totteridge) 7 Speckled Woods, 2 Orange tips, 3 Peacocks and a large number of whites on the wing - Frank Johnson

Did both transects today. Balls Wood was a record week 4 with 71 butterflies in 29 mins, but nothing special just Peacock, Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Orange Tip, Green veined white and a couple of Orange Underwing Moths. Have already topped the century for Speckled Woods there this year, previous best over these weeks was 44! - Andrew Wood

Trent Park area -At least 8 Orange Tips, 4 Holly Blues, Peacocks and 4 Small Tortoiseshell - Robert Callf

Ally Pally - Here's some general stuff from past couple of days. Did the transect today, but did not see anything on the transect that I hadn't seen already! Pretty sure I got the first Small Copper yesterday, but I was mowing and it shot off so I can't really be sure unfortunately. Plenty of orange tips, sm/gv whites, brimstones and speckled woods. Moderate amounts of large whites, peacocks, commas and holly blues. A few small tortoiseshells - Tom Clarke.

Hertford - On a very warm and sunny day today, I took the day off work and sat in the garden watching the world go by. In the 3.5 hours from 10.00am I saw 1 female Brimstone, 1 Comma, 24 Holly Blue, 5 Orange Tip, 17 Small/GV White, 2 GV White and 2 Large White. However, the highlight of the morning was definitely the appearance of a Large Red Damselfly - but I would say that wouldn't I ? Alan Reynolds

First Holly Blue of the year flying down North Finchley High Road (North London) yesterday lunchtime. I didn't see any around here last year - Brian Price

Harpenden area -   I was out on Sunday and was greeted by a different butterfly at every corner it seems, Orange Tip, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Speckled Wood and Small White - Liz Anderson

Sun 21st April - Mossops Creek, Brimsdown, 2 holly blue, 2 peacock, 3 small tortoisesell, 3 GV whites, 2 Orange Tips. Similar species Sewardstone Marsh, 20 peacock, male brimstone - Andrew Middleton & Alan Bell  

Today , whilst out carrying out some prep work for the dragonfly Atlas, I recorded the following: Stapleford - 5 Peacock, 2 Brimstone, pair of Small White mating and Kings Mead, Ware - 15 Orange Tip, 10 Peacock, 8 Small/GV White, 1 Small White, 3 Holly Blue - Alan Reynolds

I was out for a walk in the sunshine at lunchtime today around the Boxmoor area of Hemel Hempstead an saw a male Orange Tip near the Fishery Inn on the Grand Union Canal  1 and shortly afterwards a Holly Blue at Hemel Hempstead station - Dave Chandler

Ware garden - very little to report, occasional visits from a Holly Blue/s, also male Orange Tip and female Brimstone but very little else - Liz Goodyear

Sat 20th April - Broxbourne NNR, whilst helping to train CMS volunteers to record butterflies, Peacocks, Speckled Woods, a Comma, female Orange Tip, Large White, Green-veined White were seen. Later after most people had gone home, 2 male Brimstones, a male Orange Tip and Holly Blue were also seen - various recorders

Thurs 18th April - Camley Street Natural Park LWT, King's Cross Orange Tip (1), Holly Blue (1), Peacock (1), Small White (2) - Fraser Simpson

Wed 17th April - Trent Park, 4 Speckled Woods, 2 Orange Tips, Southbury Road, Enfield, Holly Blue - Robert Callf

Went to Waterford in case Grizzled Skipper had emerged - answer being no, slight wind chill and very few butterflies about but did see a female Orange Tip - Liz Goodyear & Andrew Middleton

Tues 16th April - Nick Sampford's first butterfly photo of the year, seen in his Dad's garden in Ware - one Small White - thanks Nick

Trent Pk/Vicarage Fm - 3 peacock, 2 large white, 1 GV white, male brimstone, 3 speckled wood, 3 small tortoiseshell - Robert Callf

Rammey Marsh - 14 Peacock, 4 Small Whites, 3 small tortoiseshell, 2 red admirals, 3 comma, 1 green-veined white, 2 male orange tips, 5 unidentified whites. Prince of Wales Fields, Enfield Lock, 2 comma, 3 peacock, 1 small tortoiseshell, 1 GV white  - Andrew Middleton

Today, in the Fishers Green area, I saw Comma, Peacock, Small White, Brimstone, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell, and Orange Tip - Martin Shepherd

Things are warming up . During a half hour walk down the lane south of Norton Green I saw 4 Brimstone, 8 Peacock, 2 Comma and 1 Small/GV White - Alan Reynolds

A walk around the Museum Wildlife Garden this lunchtime produced: 2 Peacock, 2 Small White,1 Brimstone (male) and 2 Holly Blue and on the moth front: 1 Adela reamurella (male) (another seen by someone yesterday but id not confirmed) - Martin Honey

Sun 14th April - During three hours recce in TL31 as part of the Dragonfly Atlas, the only butterflies I saw were 2 Comma and a Speckled Wood at Home Farm, Sacombe - Alan Reynolds

East Warwick Reservoir, Walthamstow - Comma and Orange Tip - David Darrell-Lambert

News of Green Hairstreak being seen in Norfolk - via InsectLine

Fri 12th April - There have been recent reports of Small Copper & Wall Brown on the Leps List all north of Herts or Middlesex so be on the look out!

On Friday 5th April , I saw a male Orange Tip whilst doing about 35mph somewhere on the west side of Broxbourne Wood. On Saturday 6th April, on a beautifully sunny day, but with a bitterly cold easterly wind, I carried out a four hour recce in TL31/32 as part of the Herts Dragonfly Atlas. Despite all this time in the field, I only saw 1 butterfly, a Peacock, near Potter's Green - Alan Reynolds

Trent Park area , 2 Peacock, 3 Speckled Woods, Comma, 5 Small Tortoiseshells - Robert Callf

Wed 10th April - Some late news - April 3rd 2002, Speckled Wood - near Standon Lordship and Orange Tip seen in Puckeridge - Murray Orchard and 24th March whilst at the RSPB Rye Mead reserve Jim Farr saw 7 Peacocks and one Comma

Tues 9th April - I noted 2 LARGE WHITE in my fathers garden on 8th April.   Stonebury Farm, nr Dassels - Allan Burrows  

Ashridge/Aldbury Nowers area - 1 youngish White-letter Hairstreak larvae found on an isolated elm today, perhaps 2/3 weeks old but already getting fat and juicy - Andrew Middleton (it is well worth looking for evidence of holes in the seed area of the elm flower, if you find a hole look carefully and you should find a larvae close by - there seems to be an abundance of elm flower this year) 

Mon 8th April - During a half hour walk down the lane south of Norton Green in intermittent sunshine, I only managed to see 1 Small/GV White and a Comma - Alan Reynolds

Sun 7th April - Monken Hadley Common 5 speckled woods, 4 peacock, 1 holly blue, 3 comma, orange tip, red admiral - Robert Callf

Small Tortoiseshell at Amwell Gravel Pits and Comma at Danemead NR, Broxbourne Woods - Toby Austin

Sat 6th April - Despite a chilly wind, a walk round Uxbridge Alderglade produced 1 Holly Blue (1st of the year), 1 Comma (1st of the year), 1 Red Admiral, 2 Peacock, 2 Green-Veined White & 8 Speckled Wood - Chris Court

Fri 5th April - My first Orange Tip in Ware at lunchtime today - Andrew Wood 

Trent Pk area, Vicarage Fm 13 Small Tortoiseshells, single Green-veined and Small Whites identified - Robert Callf

Thurs 4th April - News from Brian Jessop - Apsley 1 male Orange Tip, Tring (allotments) 1 Small White and Tring Park 1 Red Admiral on the 3rd April. Brian also reported that he had seen lots more Small Tortoiseshell this year.

Holly Blue, first of the year for me today in my garden (Ware) - Toby Austin

News from the 3rd - Walthamstow Reservoirs, (West Warwick).   Speckled wood seen on side of reservoir bank close to tree-lined fence at 4.00 p.m., - my first of the year and my first at this site - Martin Shepherd

Robert Callf at Amwell today had 10 species of butterfly including 1 male Orange Tip, 1 Holly Blue, 3 Brimstone, Small and Large White, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock.

Several year firsts today. Brookmans Park - garden, Orange Tip, a Holly Blue (flying round conifers), and a Large White.   In North Mymms Park a Speckled Wood. Also a Comma (not a year first) and lots of Peacocks - Rupert Pyrah.

I hadn 't seen any butterflies at all up to the 24th March,. (The latest ever for me). However at Ickleford I was rewarded with a Green-veined White on the 24th March , 3 Speckled Woods on the 29th March and my earliest personal sighting ever of a Red Admiral on the 30th March.(Possible a hibernator). I even heard of a Wall Brown in Suffolk in March !! But I havn't been that lucky! Large numbers of Brimstones  and Peacocks peak of ten at Ickleford on 24/3 and then declined  thereafter, Peacock's over 22 on the 30th March. I had a nice surprise at Letchworth Railway Station on 3rd a HOLLY BLUE - Stuart Pittman

Walked my "South Herts" transect today and was amazed that the second butterfly was a Small Tortoiseshell, as last year I never saw one on the transect. However it turned out to be the only one today. Also saw in 45 minutes, 1 Brimstone, 1 Speckled Wood, 2 Comma and 25 Peacock. In total including off transect I saw nearly 50 Peacock! - Liz Goodyear

Wed 3rd April - Hitchin garden, 12.15 saw 3 Holly Blue butterflies, 12.30 1 Peacock. Later, Telegraph Hill (HMWT Reserve) - In 18 deg. & 100% sun I visited the site from 14.00 to 15.30  and can report the following, 8 Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 6 Comma and 17 Peacock, a wonderful start to the season's monitoring - Val Fullforth

I was out for a walk in the sunshine at lunchtime today around the Broadgate area of central London when I came across a male Holly Blue (no obvious dark edges to the wings) flapping along  quite slowly at about chest height and quite a long flap from the nearest colony I know which is found in and around St Paul's Cathederal.   I was behind Liverpool Street Station at the time, which was about 1.30pm.  - Dave Chandler

I did my first transect walk of the year at Balls Wood today, the best week one ever!. In 33 minutes, 1 Brimstone, 16 Peacocks, 13 Commas and 14 Speckled Woods. Also 13 Orange/Light Orange Underwings all flying at below 2 metres and many visiting mud patches, something I have seen once before here, a contrast to their usual high flying habits. A couple that I was able to get a better look at came out as Orange Underwings checking with the books. After the transect I also saw a Small White, Large White and Holly Blue in the wood and a Small Tortoiseshell in Ware. Altogether a good lunch break - Andrew Wood

Brookmans Park garden -   1 Peacock, 1 Small White, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Brimstone - Rupert Pyrah

Ponders End garden - Speckled Wood. Brimsdown - Holly Blue, 7 Peacocks, 2 Small Tortoiseshell - Andrew Middleton

Trent Park area, Large White, 4 Small Tortoiseshell and 3 Speckled Woods - Robert Callf

Ally Pally - GV White, Small White, Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Comma, Holly Blue and Peacock - though only six of them were recorded on the transect - Tom Clarke

Late news from the Stanmore area - Evelyn Crisp saw a Holly Blue on the 28th March

As it was nice and sunny today I went for a walk at lunchtime around the Museum's Wildlife garden (South Kensington, London) and saw: Peacock x 2, Comma x1, Green-veined White x 1- Martin Honey

Hounslow - 4 x Peacock, 1 x Red Admiral, 1 x Speckled Wood, 1 x White (?) The R.A. & S.W both firsts for the year - Chris Court

Tesco's carpark Ware - Holly Blue and male Brimstone. Later in my Ware garden, 1 Large White, 1 Small White and a Peacock basking all morning on my fence. Later went for a 2 hour walk across the somewhat sterile fields towards Thundridge with Rachel and saw 3 Speckled Wood, 2 Small White, 21 Peacock, 2 Brimstone, 1 Comma and amazingly 6 Small Tortoiseshell. Again the majority of sightings were within a mile of my house or near the few houses I passed - Liz Goodyear

Tues 2nd April - I had a Speckled Wood in my garden in Letchworth last Saturday morning (31 March).  Weather was sunny and warm, and the butterfly only stayed a couple of minutes before flying over into the neighbour's garden.    Thought I saw a small white of some sort the previous day - but could not get close enough - Ian Small 

Trent Park area - 2 Peacocks, 2 Commas, Speckled Wood - Robert Callf

Mon 1st April - Today I had a Comma and several Peacocks near the Water Pumping Station at North Mymms - Rupert Pyrah

Regents Park, one Small Tortoiseshell and one Small White - Andrew Wood

The butterfly transect season starts on Monday April 1st.  If you have been thinking of starting up your own transect this year, the transect recording instructions, weekly recording sheets and annual summary sheet can now be downloaded from this website. Click on How to record then on Transect recording.  We still need people to take over a few transects which have fallen vacant this year and if you live anywhere in the Hitchin area, St Albans, Watford or Berkhamsted, we'd particularly like to hear from you.

Butterflies are already on the wing, and a number of recorders now also record in March.  It is possible to input data from the last week of March (week 0) into Transect Walker software.  Data from this week is used in phenology plots, but currently the counts are not used for Annual Indices - John Murray

March 2002

Sat 30th March - King's Langley, Small White & Peacock - so not as good as yesterday - Dave and Vi Chandler

During a half hour recce at Hamels Mead for the Dragonfly Atlas today I saw 2 Peacock and 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Alan Reynolds

Potwells area of North Mymms Park today. 6+ Peacock, 1 Comma, 1 male Brimstone - Rupert Pyrah

Fri 29th March - We went to Rolls Wood and Birchall Wood in Welwyn Garden City. It was warm and sunny and all four spring species were on the wing. We saw one Small Tortoiseshell, a male and female Brimstone, and lots of Commas and Peacocks. We also saw a fast, high flying small white butterfly that disappeared at a rate of knots making identification  impossible! There were lots of red and white tailed bumblebees out and about too and a smaller Carder bee as well as several small hovering beeflies - C. & D. Shepperson.  

Fairlop 1 Small White, 3 Commas, several Peacocks & Speckled Wood. My parents garden in Hainault several small/gv whites & 1 almost certain Large White, is this a migrant?. Colin Jupp's garden (Harold Hill) -7 Peacocks & single Small White, Comma, Large White & Brimstone - Alan Bell (I also had a brief visit from white butterfly in my garden today, it seemed quite large and well marked and at the time felt it wasn't necessarily a Small White - LG)

At the football match in Watford this afternoon Pete & I saw a Holly Blue.  And, earlier in and around my mother's home in King's Langley there were Peacock , Brimstone & Small White flying about.    Today was the best day I've had so far for butterflies this year - Dave Chandler (don't forget to visit the new Beds & Northants website - LG) 

Holly blue on ivy in my garden Enfield Lock and Thursday 28 March: Comma, Brimstone, Peacock, and Small White at Sewardstone Marsh, (Essex) - Martin Shepherd

Vicarage Fm, Speckled Wood, 5 Comma, Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock, Small/GV White - Robert Callf

Today in St Albans City Centre I saw Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Peacock, Comma & Small Tortoiseshell, Unusually wide range for March! - Malcolm Hull

1 Red Admiral this morning about 100m north of the Bridgewater Monument in Ashridge, just in Herts - Charles Baker

Brookmans Park garden 1 Brimstone, 1 Peacock, 1 Small White.   Tyttenhanger/ Coursers Road   4 Peacock, and 1 White - Rupert Pyrah 

Sewardstone Marsh area (Essex) around midday - Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell - Tony Clancy

Lippitts Hill (Essex) area 2 Brimstone, 12 Peacock, 2 Comma & Holly Blue - Andrew Middleton & Tony Clancy

Ware, Brimstone, first of the year just outside my house - Toby Austin

Ponders End - Speckled Wood, Holly Blue and Peacock in the garden this morning - Andrew Middleton

Nazeing (Essex) near the greenhouses, 1 Small White flying around a garden centre, later on a "long" walk from Ware to Wareside and back, 12 Peacock, 3 Comma, 4 male Brimstone and 3 Speckled Wood (most butterflies were seen within 1 mile of my house though) - Liz & Rachel Goodyear

Thurs 28th March - In the grounds of St.Alban's Cathedral at 1330 & Peacock in nearby street - Jack Harrison

Whitewebbs, male Brimstone, 7 Peacocks, 10 Commas - Robert Callf

Essex, Harold Wood garden. Today, Speckled Wood, Comma and Peacock, yesterday Speckled Wood, also 24th 4 Peacock, 4 Comma - Colin Jupp

Fishers Green (Essex), Holly Blue & female Brimstone - Terry Smith

Copped Hall, (Essex), Red admiral, 2 Peacocks - Andrew Middleton

Ware - 1 male Brimstone and one of those "indeterminate Vanessids, high speed brown jobs" - Liz Goodyear

Wed 27th March - Small Tortoiseshell, Brookmans Park - Rupert Pyrah

White species butterfly seen this morning on far side of canal from Brimsdown canal towpath near blue Johnson Matthey buildings - Martin Shepherd

Trent Pk/Vicarage Fm area - 2 Peacocks, Red Admiral, 2 Small Tortoiseshells - Robert Callf (also Small White last few days - Robin White)

Bramfield area, 3 Peacock and 6 Comma including a pair mating and another of those day-flying underwing moths! - Liz Goodyear

Tues 26th March - News from the weekend. Saturday 23rd Trent Park - Comma (2), Small Tortoiseshell (1). Sunday 24th Walthamstow Reservoir - Small White (1), Peacock (1), Small Tortoiseshell (1). There was also a Red Admiral at Walthamstow Reservoirs which flew over the Peacock. The Peacock immediately chased it for a bit before returning to its nettle patch, so it was probably a male - Fraser Simpson and Alistair Simpson

Mon 25th March - Trent Park area, 9 Comma, 7 Peacocks, 1 Red Admiral - Robert Callf

Tring, thought my sighting of 3 Small Tortoiseshell and 2 Brimstone in my garden simultaneously was special as many people struggled to see 3 ST all season last year - Nick Bowles

Welwyn Garden City (Old Railway, Campus West), 2 Brimstone. Sherrardspark Wood: 1 Brimstone & 1 Peacock - Andrew Wood

Broxbourne Woods (Danemead & Highfield Wood) - 4 Peacock and lots of high day-flying moths, which were either Orange Underwing or Light Orange Underwing (but it was impossible to get a positive identification) - Liz Goodyear and Andrew Middleton

Marshalls Heath - I saw a Brimstone in the garden yesterday and two indeterminate Vanessids that didn't settle, one looking very like a Small Tortoiseshell - John Murray

Sun 24th March - King's Mead, Ware, 1.00pm, several Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell - Deon Haselgrove

Amwell -  Peacock today. 23rd March, 1 dead Small Tortoiseshell in Stevenage and 2  Red Admiral at Stanstead Abbotts on 2nd March (sorry forgot to tell you about these!) - Toby Austin

Sewardstone Marsh (just Essex), 3 Peacock, 2 Small Whites, Mott Street, Brimstone, 3 Peacock, Comma - Helen Bantock & Andrew Middleton, also Small Tortoiseshell at Crouch Hill

At last, the first butterfly in my new garden (Hertford), a male Brimstone. Also two high speed brown jobs which did not wait around to be identified - Alan Reynolds

1 Peacock today at Tyttenhanger - Rupert Pyrah

Sat 23rd March - Hitchin, there was a Holly Blue in the garden yesterday  22 March and Brimstone and Peacock at Wicken Fen this afternoon. - Nigel Agar

On a lovely visit to Broxbourne Woods, a total of 7 Peacock and 4 Comma were seen and a 2 feet long Grass Snake in one of the glades - D. & C. Shepperson

Also in Broxbourne Woods - 2 Red Admiral and 3 Peacock - Bill Cutts and A Middleton

Trent park area, 6 Comma, 1 Peacock - Robert Callf (Robert told Andrew Middleton his Commas included pale and darker ones )

Ware, so far just one solitary male Brimstone has ventured into my garden today - Liz Goodyear

Fri 22nd March - Trent Park - Peacock (Rough Lot) - Robert Callf, Red Admiral (Barracks) - seen by Robin White news via Robert Callf

Thurs 21st March - Red Admiral near the Goosefield at Fishers Green, Essex, at 1.00pm - Martin Shepherd

3 Peacocks today all in the Trapstyle Road area at Ware - Andrew Wood

2 really crisp new looking Peacocks today at Amwell - Nick Sampford

Wed 20th March - Amwell Gravel Pit,  I saw a tatty Red Admiral today and a Peacock there on Sunday  - Nick Sampford

Tues 19th March - Clive Burrows has seen the website some more beautiful photos from his travels abroad - Thanks Clive

Mon 18th March - Enfield, a very fresh Comma on Saturday morning, flying into the conservatory, then nectaring on the damson trees then on Sunday a fresh Red Admiral at North Enfield CC - Phil MacMurdie

Sun 17th March - Rye House, Hoddesdon. Small Tortoiseshell seen near the New River - Katherine Goodyear

Sat 16th March - Brent Reservoir, first Brimstone (male) and Red Admiral of the year - Andrew Self. Also a male Brimstone was seen on the 10th by Harry Mackie (news via Andrew Self)

Trent Park 1 Brimstone seen by Robin White - news via Robert Callf

Broadwater GP/Stockers Lake whilst on a LNHS walk 2 male Brimstones, 2 Peacocks, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 7 observers news via Robert Callf

Red Admiral in Brookmans Park garden - Rupert Pyrah 

King George V Reservoir (Essex), 1.00 p.m. - Small Tortoiseshell, north basin on Sewardstone side.  Was in flight over the water then settled on the stone embankment to enjoy the sun - Martin Shepherd

Ware, first butterfly of the year in my garden at 12.20, male Brimstone - Liz Goodyear

Mon 11th March - I have just seen my first Brimstone of the year. Seen flying along the roadside (Bullocks Lane, Hertford) adjacent to the County Hall woodland - Laura Youell, Herts Biological Records Centre

News from 7th - 11.15 am a Peacock was sunning itself in the garden of the Abrook Arms, Uxbridge, Middlesex.  Later in the afternoon 2 more Peacocks landed briefly in my garden in Hayes, Middlesex. Causing a well needed, if not brief, lift in spirits - Chris Court

Sat 9th March - Trent Park, Comma (Moat Wood) - Robert Callf, news from Robin White ~ Comma + Peacock (Thursday)

Thurs 7th March - For more butterfly reports from just outside Herts or Middx - visit North London Birds

My firsts for 2002: Male Brimstone Trapstyle Road, Ware, Peacock Ware Cemetery both lunchtime (also but not butterflies at all but the first Bullfinch I have seen in this area for 2 years in the Hyde at Ware) - Andrew Wood

At last I have seen my first butterfly of the year - a Comma down the lane south of Norton Green - Alan Reynolds

Ally Pally, Small Tortoiseshell, Brimstone, Peacock, Red Admiral & Comma all today!  - Tom Clarke.

Tues 5th March - Ally Pally - 1 Comma on the 3rd March and 1 Red Admiral today. Actually disappointed not to have had any more -   Tom Clarke

Saw my first butterfly of the year this afternoon whilst driving out of Stevenage (12 degrees and sunny at the time). It flew across the road in front of me, but I couldn't see what is was except that it wasn't a Brimstone! - Liz Goodyear

February 2002

Mon 25th February - Ally Pally - 1 Peacock today in the pouring rain. Bit strange, think it may have been disturbed from its hibernation - Tom Clarke

Fri 22nd February - Tate Modern, Red Admiral - David Darrell-Lambert

Trent Park (Rough Lot) Peacock - Robert Callf

Wed 20th February - Walthamstow E17 - 2 Red Admirals seen in David Darrell-Lambert's garden on Saturday (16th)

Mon 18th February- Trent Park, 2 Red Admirals - Robert Callf & Robin White

Sun 17th February - Had a Red Admiral in Dagenham, Essex, Friday at midday - Alan Shearman

Sat 16th February - Epping Forest (Yardley Hill), Peacock - Helen Bantock, Tony Clancy & Andrew Middleton

Trent Park area - Red Admiral in Icehouse Wood - Robert Callf, Comma seen 14th February by Robin White

Thurs 14th February - Red Admiral seen on the edge of Holland Park Orangery at 1.00pm, just 15 yards or so from where I saw this species on 9 January.  Is it likely that this is the same insect?  It was basking on a rock in warm sunshine, and then alighted on ornamental heather followed by a crocus before flying off.  I had my compact binoculars with me...this was a very fresh-looking individual.   There were also seven bumble bees feeding on the heather - Martin Shepherd - any comments welcome

Tues 12th February - Ally Pally - The first Brimstone of the year! - Tom Clarke

Saturday 9th, Cornmill Meadows - a Red Admiral - Andy Massey

Sat 9th February - Ally Pally - Another Red Admiral on Friday 8th, about midday. Keeps getting better!   Tom Clarke

Wed 6th February - News from INSECT NEWS via John Stevens - Peacock seen midday at Dorrington nr Worthing, Sussex

Tues 5th February - Small Tortoiseshell chalked up by Robin White in the Trent Pk/Vicarage Farm area today - news via Robert Callf

January 2002

Thurs 31st January - Alexandra Palace (Ally Pally) - Red Admiral seen this morning looking in decent shape. Earlist site record - Tom Clarke, Conservation Officer, Alexandra Park

Sat 27th January - News from across the "border" via North London Birds - 9:30, my Romford garden - a Red Admiral flying around trying to settle by shed (no obvious disturbance) - Ken Barrett

Wed 23rd January - Tuesday 22nd - I saw a Red Admiral in flight outside MVC music store in Watford High Street, the insect was in absolutely perfect condition. Same day I found a Dark Chestnut moth (Conistra ligula) at rest outside Watford market - David Murray

Thurs 17th January - There will be a working party at Millhoppers on Sunday 27th January - tasks will include raking again! For more details please contact John or Margaret Noakes 01296 660072

Wed 9th January 2002 - The first butterflies reported this year! Holland Park Orangery, West London at 1.30pm - a Red Admiral was flying outside in a sheltered sunny spot close to an old brick wall and large bushy shrubs growing at the foot of a historical building called The Ice House - Martin Shepherd

Broxbourne Woods - Today, Andrew Middleton saw 2 wing parts of a Comma on the ground - presumably the remains of someone's breakfast