Wed 30th June - I went down Ermine Street today, no Emperors I am afraid but I did see a White Letter Hairstreak in Goose Green Car Park, but I could not get a picture. Also saw along Ermine St, Large Skippers, White Admiral, Meadow Browns and lots of Ringlets -  Sandra Standbridge

Bricket Wood transect in dry and reasonably warm conditions with periodic sunshine but a stiff SW breeze: 42 butterflies of 13 species including one White Admiral (but more elsewhere on the site), three Purple Hairstreaks all put up from ground level possibly having emerged this morning (and perhaps pointing towards a good year to come for this species), the three common Skipper species including a freshly-emerged Essex with wings not yet expanded, two Ringlets (which have been recolonising the site since 2002 having been absent during the 1990s) at widely separated locations, two Marbled Whites, one male Brimstone and a Red Admiral.
At the edge of the site was a male Oedemera nobilis, a beetle which is spreading in south Herts and is well worth looking out for. The males are distinctive, as they have swollen hind femora and elytra which do not wholly cover the abdomen; they are bright green and about nine millimetres in length (there is an illustration in the Collins Pocket Guide to Insects). Any records should be sent to the HNHS Coleoptera recorder Trevor James.
 On Sandra Standbridge's moth photos: that in the lower right picture is the common Tortricid Agapeta hamana, the larvae of which feed in the roots of thistles. The moth in the upper right is heavily worn (note the scales missing on the thorax) but appears to be a Pyralid. In the lower centre is a Pyralid of the sub-family Crambinae (a 'grass moth') (possibly Crambus pascuella) but again a more precise ID is not really possible - Colin Everett

Tues 29th June - There was a Marbled White today at the Minet Country Park, Springfield Road, Hayes (Middlesex). This is the first record for the site, which I, and others have been visiting for several years - Colin Conroy

The first Purple Emperors were seen in Hertfordshire today, 1 male was seen on territory and perched in view for 20 minutes. Unfortunately increasing cloud cover this afternoon reduced potential activity.  At another site a male was disturbed by a hornet during cloudy weather - Liz Goodyear & Andrew Middleton (confirmed reports have also come from Surrey, Upper Thames and Kent where I received this message with photos which I shall forward to  BC Kent "Thought you might like to know that a Purple Emperor, male, visited my garden, near Ide Hill, Kent, this afternoon. It flew around and settled in the patio area several times. It had no problem with my taking photo's, even from two inches away. Magic. First time that I've seen one.  I have attached four photo's, in which it was drinking moisture from the moss that is in between the bricks on the patio")

I went over the Cornmill Meadow and saw, mating Small Skippers, Large Skippers, Meadow Browns,  Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Commas, mating Burnet Moths and 2 unidentified moths of same species (Shaded Broadbars) - Sandra Standbridge

News from Sunday, during Dragonfly Atlas work, I recorded 1 Meadow Brown and 1 Speckled Wood at Batchworth Heath, 8 Meadow Brown at Moor Park Golf Club, 1 Large Skipper, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Comma and 1 Brimstone at Hampermill Lake and 2 Speckled Wood at Cassiobury Park - Alan Reynolds

Mon 28th June - I found this moth outside my flat in Stevenage 21st June - Steven Penn (see below Buff Ermine)

Broxbourne Wood NR, today, at least 10 White Admiral some looking very fresh as well as a tatty aberrant. Also in the area Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Comma, Speckled Wood, 2 Common Blue, Red Admiral, Ringlet & Meadow Brown but no Purple Emperor yet - Liz Goodyear, Andrew Middleton with Nigel Agar (however Purple Emperor were flying in Hampshire yesterday!)

News from 25th, Telegraph Hill  Marbled White, Large and Small Skippers, Ringlet, Small Heath & Meadow Brown. Nearby on the Pegsdon Hills in Beds, all these plus Painted Lady and Small Tortoiseshell - Nigel Agar

Sun 27th June - 5 or so ringlets seen in Hatfield House grounds this morning, first time I have seen them there. Whipsnade Downs (afternoon) ringlets in their hundreds, also around 40 marbled whites - Roger Gibbons

Visited Bentley Wood near Salisbury. PE are not yet out & the site had been well visited by people looking for them today. Masses of Silver Washed Frit, White Ad, Ringlet & Meadow Brown.  Small Pearl Bordered Frits still hanging on.  Marbled Whites, WLH, Red Ad, Comma Small Torts, small skips, a Brimstone, Large & Small Whites, Small heath & Speckled Woods also seen - Malcolm Hull

News from Monday, Marbled white at Bishop Stortford on the embankments of the by-pass by the tea kiosk watched for 3/4 mins before disappearing over the bank.  Todays sightings [Sunday 27th June] - Crooked mile nr Waltham Abbey 4/5 white letter hairstreaks around the ash by the round bungalow.  Spent 2 hours in Broxbourne Woods looking for a early purple emperor [no luck]. But here are the totals: white admiral  40+, meadow brown 100+, ringlet 10+, large skipper 10+, speckled wood 3, plus singles of purple hairstreak [around oak by bench], comma, peacock, small tortoiseshell, red admiral, small white,  large white. Most of the white admirals are going over and look pretty tatty, the purple hairstreak was first for the year - I've attached a few photos - Nick Sampford

Horsenden Hill, today's event passed off pretty well. The weather cooperated and we had a total of 16 participants (including myself and Rachel).  Rachel set the ball rolling with a selection of moths from the MV trap that was run overnight at Horsenden Farm. We had some pretty good crowd pleasers like Elephant Hawk, Lime Hawk, Peach Blossom and Burnished Brass. I'll include a fuller list of moths when I send in the report. As for the walk itself, we got most of the things we were hoping for: 10.00-12noon White-letter Hairstreak (9 individuals at two locations including 3 nectaring on Creeping Thistle), Purple Hairstreak (6), Small Tortoiseshell (3), Comma (3), Speckled Wood (1), Marbled White (1 on southern slope of Horsenden Hill "Home Mead"), Large Skipper (14), Small Skipper (11), Painted Lady (3), Red Admiral (3), Large White (3), Meadow Brown. Day-flying moths: Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet (4), Cinnabar (2), Heart and Dart (1), Large Yellow Underwing (1) - Andrew Culshaw

Saw my first small skipper of the year whilst weeding on my allotment in Cheshunt this afternoon. Also several whites. Otherwise fairly quiet - Roger Newbold

Sat 26th June - news from Friday, Broxbourne Wood NR - 4 White Admiral, 1 Ringlet, 3 Large Skipper, 1 Comma and 19 Meadow Brown.  Brickendon Green, 1 White-letter Hairstreak on bramble - Diane Andrews

Sandra and I went for a late evening walk over Balls Wood and saw an elephant hawkmoth, a few straw dots, many micro moths, ringlets low in the grass and lots of other moths - Kevin and Sandra Standbridge

James Fish's observation that his Humming-bird Hawk-moth at Balls Wood may have been ovipositing on Cleavers (see news for Wed 16th June) is of some interest as the one I saw near Bushey three days earlier was also taking an interest in this species of plant. At the time this puzzled me as Cleavers isn't a potential nectar source (although had the moth wanted such, it could have found many suitable flowers in the nearby gardens or allotments). It may be worth checking Cleavers for larvae in several weeks' time. 
Sandra Standbridge's moth is a male Archips podana, a common and very attractive member of the micro-moth family Tortricidae. The larvae are polyphagous (i.e. are not fussy about what they eat). The adults are familiar in moth traps during high summer but can also be found by day resting on foliage. - Colin Everett.

Fri 25th June - Millhoppers Transect today- mating pair of Essex Skipper seen - Margaret Noakes

Correction Monday 21st June, Wormley Open Spaces, entry should have read Large Skipper not Essex Skipper - none reported as of today - LG

Thurs 24th June - Sandra went to Balls Wood today and saw six White Admirals, some of which are already starting to look very worn - 
Kevin and Sandra Standbridge

Tues 22nd June - I recorded first Marbled Whites of this year at Bunkers Park (2); and Long Deans (6). Also first sighting on Bunkers Park of Small/Essex Skippers (3), one of which was positively identified as a Sm. Skipper, the other two were most likely Smalls - Mike Pearson

Spent 3 1/2 hours scouring tetrads in TL41 today, before the sun went in!  Grand total of 2 Large Skipper in 8 tetrads visited.  Visiting times depended on how quickly one was seen.  All in all rather poor, especially since 5 years ago, in two of today's blank tetrads, at the same sites visited one was seen almost immediately - Liz Goodyear

At Horsenden Hill (1130-1330) I saw White-Letter Hairstreak (1), Ringlet (1), and also Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Meadow Brown, Comma, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Common Blue, Large White.  I have never before seen a Ringlet in the Ealing area - John Eborall

On June 21st near West Hyde church saw over a dozen small tortoiseshells basking in the sun. Looked very fresh! Also my first Large Skipper this year and a Speckled Wood. June 22nd. large batch of Peacock caterpillars along Maple Cross farm track but only a couple of small tortoiseshells despite having seen many batches of caterpillars a couple of weeks ago - Ann Piper

Ickleford area, Small heath on 13/6 first record to my knowledge for the site. Small copper, brown argus and common blue all doing okay there also - Stuart Pittman

Mon 21st June - News from 19th, in and around Rickmansworth Aquadrome as part of the Dragonfly Atlas Project, 1 Meadow Brown, 4 Small Tortoiseshell and 2 Speckled Wood at Bury Lake, 1 Small Tortoiseshell by the River Colne, 2 Red Admiral and 1 Speckled Wood at Batchworth Lake, and 1 Comma, 1 Red Admiral and 4 Speckled Wood on the Grand Union Canal  - Alan Reynolds

Wormley Open Spaces, Small and Essex Skipper (error should have read Large Skipper) observed - Andrew Middleton

News from Saturday 19th June - Gutteridge wood, Hillingdon  1 White Admiral on the south east corner of the wood. As far as I am aware this is only the 2nd record for this species in that area. The 1st was by Ann Rix on 8/7/98.  On the same day close by in the meadows to the north of Ten-Acre wood were 3 Gatekeeper, 12+ Small Heath, dozens of Meadow Brown and Large skipper (the most I have seen for a long time in that area), 4 Common Blue, 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Small Copper, 1 Red Admiral and 1 Painted Lady - Steve Pash

Trent Park 14th June transect, 121 small heath, 6 small copper, 24 large skipper. One small skipper on Sat 19th - news from Robert Callf

Harold Hill/Weald area, Essex, Sat 19th 50+ white-letter hairstreaks in several good colonies so far - Colin Jupp

Sun 20th June - Horsenden Hill News - Not much time for a full swing around the area, but 4 White-letter Hairstreaks on elm and ash on the south facing slopes of Horsenden Hill on Saturday 19th June. The first one was seen on Wednesday (16th) in the same area by Rachel Terry, so it looks like we should have something to show people on the LNHS/Butterfly Conservation walk next Sunday (weather permitting) - Andy Culshaw

White Admirals on my transect at Bricket Wood. By far the most seen in a single week in the last 6 years and 10 days earlier than usual.  Fairly good numbers of Large Skippers - In St Albans, 3 White-letter hairstreaks on Wych Elm at Folly Lane & 1on Wych Elm at Everlasting Lane - Malcolm Hull

We went over to our local Balls Wood in Hertford Heath, saw 6 White Admirals, 8 Ringlets, 2 Small Skippers, Meadow Browns, Large Skippers, Speckled Woods, 2 Red Admirals and a small moth which we are trying to identify, Have enclosed various photos, including the mystery moth!! Sandra went to Cornmill Meadow yesterday and saw a mass hatching of small skippers and 5 spotted burnet moths - Kevin & Sandra Standbridge

Bob Hasra has just returned from a holiday in Italy - this is his report. My first sighting of the Green Hairstreak was near Lake Tovel on 4 June. Here I came across at least a dozen of them. Some of them were laying tiny eggs on the heather growing around the lake. I also saw what I believe to be a small fritillary species but it was too fast for me to make a definite id. Also present were the familiar Orange-Tip, Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral. The lake environs were also host to a number of day-flying moths of which I have one on video. About 1820m altitude in Merano, I came across two skippers- the Grizzled Skipper and another species I've yet to find out about. Both were basking in sunshine on the banks of a small mountain stream. Although I didn't see any wild strawberry plants at that altitude, there were plenty around the cablecar base-station and I certainly helped myself to the fruit ( :
Near Trento I came across the Common Swallowtail for the first time. In fact a Scarce Swallowtail was flying around in the same area too. It flew close to my head and back a number of times. Has anyone else noticed this behaviour ? I later saw the butterfly feeding from Valerian but from inside the cablecar so couldn't get any pictures. Around this area I came across some unfamiliar species of 'blue 'butterflies (Lycaenids) but need to get my pictures back from the lab before I can identify them or post them to you. Wish I could've stayed in Italy longer to find out what butterflies were coming out of the large chocolate-brown chrysalises hanging from the roof of the cablecar station in Sardagna ! - Bob Hasra

Sat 19th June - Hot news from across the border, I saw my first (3) Dark Green Fritillaries on Sharpenhoe/Moleskin today in their usual haunts.  Two of the three looked like freshly emerged males. Also other first flight sightings this year for the site  were Marbled White & Ringlet -  David Chandler 

Fri 18th June - Today I saw the most unusual moth, that I had never seen before, searching the internet I found this to be a Elephant Hawk Moth. I see that this is quite a common moth, but all the same one that I had ever seen before, sitting on the front wall of my house, at 15:00 on the 18th June in Sandridge - here is a photo taken on my mobile phone, may not be the best quality, but now I have found your website will take pics and try to identify everything that I see - Craig Henderson

Thurs 17th June - Did a transect training run at Balls Wood. Highlight was 5 pristine White Admirals in 53 minutes. Very good views probably as the weather was less than perfect for high flying.  Plenty of Large Skippers, Meadow Browns and Speckled Woods and a couple of Ringlets and Red Admirals. Also several Bloodvein and Straw Dot moths - Andrew Wood

Weds 16th June - News from 15th; Pheromone, clearwing record: Hexton Chalkpit 1st Six-belted Clearwing came 11.33am (lure put out 11.29), 2nd at 11.38.  Lure 150mm above ground. Another location on site 12.02, single individual came after 4 minutes. Also Humming-bird Hawkmoth at site - Andrew Palmer

Thundridge, news from 14th; I've had first meadow brown in garden - Nick Sampford

Balls Wood. Large Skippers (many) Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, also Hummingbird Hawkmoth (the Hummingbird Hawkmoth appeared to be egg laying on Comon Cleavers, although this is not listed as a food plant it is in the same family as the Bedstraws, unfortunately I did not have a hand lens with me to search the plant) - James Fish

Saw my first summer brood Small Tortoiseshell on Widbury Hill today. Also Burnet Companion and a few Meadow Browns and a Large Skipper - Andrew Wood

Mon 14th June - First Large Skipper seen in the garden - John Murray

Robert Callf rang to to say Robin White had seen a Purple Hairstreak on a blackthorn, this morning at Vicarage Farm

From Horsenden Hill, Painted Lady (3), Large Skipper (13), Common Blue (5), Comma (1), Meadow Brown (7 - my first of the year), Small Copper (1). Also Burnet Companion (8) and Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet (10) 12th Highlights (personal preference) of 80+ species from a moth trap run at Horsenden West Meadows (with Rachel Terry and David Howden) - Elephant Hawk Moth (1), Small Elephant Hawk Moth (2), plus Blotched Emerald, Beautiful Hook-tip, Bird's wing, Barred Straw, Blue-bordered Carpet - Andrew Culshaw

Sun 13th June - A Hummingbird Hawk-moth along a footpath in parkland/pasture near Bushey at 1420 hours. Later at 1615 hours a male Red-tipped Clearwing moth came to a combination pheromone lure along the River Colne near Watford (a new tetrad record) - Colin Everett

In 3 hours at King's Mead on a hot sunny day, I still managed to see only 2 Common Blue, 8 Large Skipper, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Painted lady, 2 Meadow Brown and 1 Peacock  - Alan Reynolds

Saw two white letter hairstreaks at 10.10 on and around prunus species at Sewardstone Marsh - Martin Shepherd & Enfield Lock Conservation Group

Sat 12th June - In 5 hours on a fairly reasonable day, the only butterflies I saw were 2 Speckled Wood at Maple Lodge and a Speckled Wood and Painted Lady at Pynesfield Lake - Alan Reynolds

Saw my 1st large skipper this morning in my Greenford garden, initially basking on Calceolaria flower +c.O.5 hr later nectaring on herb robert. Possibly same individual seen in pm nectaring on red valerian. The only butterfly I did see today!  I did find a 6-spot burnet larva beside some bird's-foot trefoil + possibly about to pupate on thrift flower stalk - Neil Anderson

Fri 11th June - Just seen a Meadow Brown at Telegraph Hill. First for us - Sally and John Foster

2 Painted Lady and Red Admiral Coppetts Wood this afternoon - Tony Clancy

1 White letter Hairstreak seen between reservoirs, Ponders End - Andrew Middleton

Went over our local Balls Wood in Hertford Heath this morning, saw 10 speckled woods,1 red admiral, 3 large skippers,lots of moths, which we are still trying to identify and will send pictures at a later time. 1 female emperor dragonfly,3 male broad bodied chasers and 2 females.  We then went to a site in Northants for the first time and were amazed at the number of Black Hairstreaks, Sandra attaches a photo showing one that has recently emerged from its chrysalis, which it is standing on. We also saw a painted lady, a meadow brown, 5 large skippers, a worn comma, and loads of the oak rollers - Sandra & Kevin Standbridge

Rammey Marsh, Middx: painted lady (08.43) and red admiral (09.43) both at rest on bramble.  Also five large skippers and two common blues - Martin Shepherd

We saw a Painted Lady in Whitton (Middlesex) just outside our house (8th June). It was evening so it was resting and difficult to say which way it was going - Eleanor Lawrence

I also saw painted lady (my 1st UK this year) at noon (9th June) flying determinedly along tube track at Ravenscourt Park Stn in E.direction. In my own Greenford garden I disturbed a silver-Y whilst watering some pots (again 1st of year) - Neil Anderson

I had another 4 Meadow Browns yesterday (10-6) at Brent Reservoir on the transect I share with Andrew Self, also 1 Painted Lady there. 1 Painted Lady and 3 Red Admirals in and around Barnet on mapping visits (9th June). None were in any great hurry with one Red Admiral on a house wall and the other three insects all on Bramble. I had a very early Meadow Brown this afternoon (10th June) at Potters Lane Barnet. Another feature of the past three or so weeks has been the large number of Small Copper, I've had it in 9 out of the 11 tetrads that I am visiting in TQ29. On one walk (23rd May) Whitings Hill/Dollis Valley West I had 19 Small Coppers! - Roy Beddard

2 Painted Ladys and Red Admiral seen in Coppetts Wood - Tony Clancy

Thurs 10th June - The answer to the picture link below is Actias luna (Saturnidae), the Luna Moth - thanks to the ukmoths newsgroup for the identification - LG

Had a brief walk round the Museum's Wildlife Garden before I left yesterday evening and was pleased to see lots of Six-spot Burnet larvae and cocoons (the colony seems to be doing very well now) but was even more pleased to add a new species to the list for the garden, Burnet Companion. I saw at least three, possibly four, including a pair in cop. A nice moth for urban Middlesex - especially so close to Cromwell Road - Martin Honey

Ware garden - another Painted Lady this morning, a much larger individual - Liz Goodyear

3 Large Skippers & 2 Painted Ladies recorded on Bunkers Park yesterday, 9 June.  The P Ladies were loitering and not going anywhere particular. 14 Common Blues were seen.  In spite of 30C temperatures on Tuesday, this number was 93% down on the same week last year - Mike Pearson

I saw a Painted Lady yesterday (8 June) while doing my Colney Heath transect around 1400 hrs. It wasn't flying anywhere much, more browsing on Bramble in a sheltered spot (wind c4). It looked tatty & tired. Saw Large Skipper Sun 6 June on The Warren, unfortunately off-transect - John Moss

Wed 9th June - We went for a walk today at Balls Wood in Hertford Heath and saw 5 large Skippers, 5 Speckled Woods, a pair of White Ermine moths, a Treble Brown Spot and possibly a cream bordered green pea or Green Oak roller ( our moth knowledge is not great and we have included pictures of these to help identification).  We then went to Wicken Fen in Cambs and saw another unusual moth which we think is a Silver Barred moth, we also saw 5 Brimstones, 5 Speckled Woods, 3 Large Skippers and hundreds of dragonflies. Sandra got her first photo of an Emperor Dragonfly and we also saw 2 other firsts, Scarce Chaser and Four spotted Chaser - Kevin & Sandra Standbridge

Weald Park, Essex, 1 meadow brown, 39 common blues, painted lady, plus two more Harold Hill (plus 2 Sewardstone) - Colin Jupp

Trent Park area, 8 painted ladies, 1 meadow brown, brown argus Vicarage farm - Robert Callf

On Monday 1 Red Admiral in Ware Park. On Tuesday 8th on Kings Meads near Ware 11 Large Skippers and 1 Common Blue at Chadwell Springs Chalk Bank. Today: 7 Common Blues, 3 Large Skippers and a Cinnabar Moth at Ware Park Quarry and one Painted Lady on the entrance to the Quarry footpath on Westmill Road Ware - Andrew Wood

Stevenage - my parents had a Red Admiral in their garden this afternoon - Steven Penn

I received an email today with this message "this is on my door.  Can you tell me what it is?" Click here for picture - Answer will be posted tomorrow and the sender lived in North central Pennsylvania if that is a clue! - LG

Saw a Small Copper at Glade Lane Meadow, Ealing this afternoon.  This is the first Small Copper I have seen since 2001.  Also 2 Common Blues - John Eborall

We saw large skipper, speckled wood and ringlet yesterday for the first time this year at Aldbury Nowers, as well as grizzled skipper which still around. I have previously picked up green hairstreak and dingy skipper on the transects, which is good although few in number - Martin Hicks

One painted lady seen in my St. Albans garden, 4.25pm, yesterday - Liz Anderson

Rammey Marsh, Middx: large skipper and red admiral this morning (08.35) - Martin Shepherd

I also saw several Painted Ladies on The Lizard last week so they are certainly "on the way". One Large Skipper at Horsenden Hill on Sunday 6th June allowed close approach and a quick photograph - Andy Culshaw

It may be that a migration has arrived in Britain.  Can you please keep a look out for this and other butterflies, not forgetting to record direction of flight (as exactly as possible rather than just North), numbers seen in a given time, where you saw them, and the date and time. It would also be very useful if you can make records of the speed of flight, by using a stop watch or digital watch to time the passage of the butterfly between two points, such as one side of your garden to the other.  These records are very rarely made but are of extreme interest - John Murray

9.50 am, Painted Lady in Ware garden nectaring - Liz Goodyear

8 o'clock this morning Painted Lady in my garden N.W. Bishop Stortford - Jim Fish

Tues 8th June - Just to let you know that I found a Mother Shipton moth when walking along the public footpath through the fields of Harrow School on Sunday 6 June - Michael Robinson

Barnet area, 1 Painted Lady at National Institute for Medical Research in the grounds at 10.40 am 2nd June - Frank Johnson

Mon 7th June - Frogmore Quarry - just 2 Grizzled Skippers found this lunchtime. Had almost given up searching. Also 7 Small Copper, 8 Common Blue (all males). On what is left of the lake there were 2 Emperor Dragonflies, 5 Broad-bodied Chasers and plenty of Azure damselflies. News from 6th June - Wheathampstead LNR (nr. Development Centre) - Small Heath on the up this year with ten plus in the grassland area. Common Blues also doing well. Caterpillars of burnet moths getting very large now. Also first Mother Shipton moth from this site - Trevor Chapman

King's Langley Garden Transect, yesterday, we saw our first Painted Lady of 2004 in my mother's garden in King's Langley - David Chandler

Sun 6th June - Today walking the disused Allotments Rye Street Bishops Stortford and in the vicinity of Wickham Hall. Speckled Wood 3, Holly Blue 1, Common Blue 3, Orange Tip 1xM, 1xF, Red Admiral 1, Small White 5, Small Copper 1, Mother Shipton 2, Yellow Shell 2,and numerous colonies of Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars -  Jim Fish

Thurs 4th June - Sandra Standbridge's Large Skipper photos see below have been identified as a Large Skipper ab pallida - see Natural History Museum's Cockayne Data Base website for more details.  Identification was helped by contributors of uk-leps

Had small copper and common blue at Grovelands today - Andrew Middleton, Robert Callf and Bill Cutts

Last year, on 2 June 2003, I counted a record single visit total of 164 Common Blues on my Bunkers Park transect; yesterday, 2 June 2004, I saw just 3 !!!  - Mike Pearson

Tues 1st June - 2 Red Admirals yesterday in Potters Crouch Plantation, near St Albans - Malcolm Hull

May 2004

Mon 31st May - Trent Park, c75 small heath, plus small coppers today, and mating Brown Argus yesterday - Robert Callf and Robin White

Saw a red admiral steaming north through Tring (Herts.) today. Presumably a migrant from warmer shores - Nick Bowles

Therfield Heath, late afternoon (17:45 for about 50 minutes), with alternating cloud and sunny spells. Obviously still a little cool for evening sunning by butterflies! Church Hill, Small Heath, 1 at western end of hill. Many undistinguished silvery "micro" moths.  Treble-bar moth species (Common or Lesser), 1-2 on lower slopes at eastern end of hill - Guy Manners

News from Sunday, a Red Admiral, Hoggates Wood, Bishop Stortford - Jim Fish

Some sightings from the weekend. Friday 28th, Digswell railway cutting, Welwyn North Station - Good amount of wild strawberry no Grizzled Skipper's unfortunately. 3 burnet companion, 1 large white, 1 common blue. Also numerous Speckled Woods in Hamergreen Wood.  Sat 29th, Aldbury Nower's - 5 Common Blue, 2 Large White, 6 Burnet Companion, 1 Small Copper. Sun 30th, Tring Park - 3 Grizzled Skipper (hurah) 2 Dingy Skipper, 2 Common Blue, 1 Orange Tip, 3 Large White, 3 Brimstone, 5 Mother Shipton, 10 Burnet Companion - Jez Perkins

Green Hairstreak, Dingy Skippers and Small Heath have been active at Telegraph Hill. Grizzled Skippers reported but not found by me. Common Blue flying at Pegsdon Hills last week, also Brown Argus at Telegraph Hill - Nigel Agar

I thought you might be interested in some photos I took last year of Variations, I think the silver washed is called an Valezina (we saw it at Bentley Wood and the Skipper in the woods at Hertford Heath - Sandra Standbridge

Some photo's taken last  week. The Grizzled Skipper, at Waterford, and the Common Blue, near Hertford. The mating Privet Hawk moths were on an old post in my garden and were 'busy' all Friday morning. They parted around mid-day and spent all afternoon and evening till dark recovering - Richard Bigg

 Sun 30th May - Today, Westbrook Hay, Boxmoor,  Large White, small copper, common blue & painted lady (and lots of those micro moths with the huge antennae). I will keep you informed in future of any other notable sightings in Hemel - Dave Hutchinson (we met Dave at the Herts County Show)

Went for a walk this afternoon  around the set aside fields along the River Rib between Ware Park and Bengeo and before the rain saw 1 Brown Argus, 3 Peacocks, 2 Orange Tips, several unidentified whites and these moths: 1 Mother Shipton moth, 1 Lime Speck Pug actively feeding and 1 Garden Pebble - Andrew Wood

Sat 29th May - Went to the Cornmill Meadow today and saw mating buff-tip, 1 large skipper, cinnabar moth, small copper, 2 Burnet caterpillars, getting ready to cocoon at the top of grasses  - Sandra Standbridge

Fri 28th May - At work, Stevenage. 8 Small Heath with 7 Cinnabar and I Burnet Companion moth, and 4 Azure Damselflies. Frogmore Quarry lunchtime - only 2 Grizzled Skippers but not that warm, 3 Small Coppers, 1 Large White and 2 GV White. 3 Azure and 1 Large Red Damselfly. Then on to Astonbury Golf Club lily pond to see 3 Red-eyed and 50 Azure Damselflies. Also a nice Little Owl - Trevor Chapman (more Dragonfly news)

One of my 'local moth-ers' in Ealing finally managed to buy his own trap. On its second outing in the back garden, it turned up a rather nice record- Buttoned Snout. There is a reasonable sized patch of hops growing on Horsenden West, where the old cottages were. So this could well be a resident species for the site. His garden is not that far away from the area in question.  Moth was taken by David Howdon, but the pictures mine - Rachel Terry

Thurs 27th May - Decided to try and visit two more tetrads today, but unfortunately forgot my binoculars! Visited TL3610 between Hertford Heath and the A10 and after over 40 minutes saw my first Orange Tip, also seen, were Green-veined White, a Peacock, Large White and Speckled Wood.  Then drove to Dobbs Weir and had a lovely walk by the river but saw only a pair of mating Green-veined White.  Then walked towards the railway line and found an amazing field of moths mostly Burnet Companion and Mother Shipton.  The lack of "bins" was very frustrating!  Eventually after spending 40 minutes again in the same tetrad saw 2 Orange Tip (they are like buses you don't see any for ages and then 2 come along!)  Nice to see a Brown Argus and Common Blue as well plus a fox - Liz Goodyear

We went into Bedfordshire on Saturday  and saw in excess of 3 Dukes, mating Brown Argus, 2 pairs we think!, 6 Grizzled Skipper, 3 Brimstone, 3 Orange Tip. Then went to Ivinghoe Beacon and saw our first Dingy Skippers at least 8.  25th May -  Over the Cornmill meadow I saw a tree full of I think Lackey caterpillars ( Photo attached). I also saw  2 common blue and 2 small coppers and hairy dragonfly - Kevin and Sandra Standbridge

I was in Langley on Tuesday lunch time.  I saw 3 Orange Tips (2 male, 1 female), 1 Large White and 1 Small Tortoiseshell. I have attached a photo of the female Orange Tip - Steven Penn

Wed 26th May - Are you going on holiday to Europe this year? If so visit this website which has been set up by Butterfly Conservation - LG

Visited Aldbury Nowers after work yesterday about 6 o'clock and had 4 Brimstones, 1 Large White and numerous Common Blues. It clouded over as I got there so it wasn't hugely productive - Jez Perkins

Mon 24th May - Small Copper, 1 at Amwell this pm. My first here for a number of years - Toby Austin

Thurs 20th May - Some pictures including moths to look for during the day including:- I found a small group of Small Yellow Underwings near
Ware Park Quarry on Tuesday, went back with the camera yesterday and found only one. Here is a picture - Andrew Wood

Wed 19th May -Stevenage (lunchtime walk at work) - 4 Small Heath, 1 Common Blue, 5 Burnet Companion, 6 Cinnabar and 5 Blue Damselflies (one confirmed Common) - Trevor Chapman

" Dukes"  I've put some of the pictures on the web page - link below. I think they're mostly males, but the variation within the colony seemed quite dramatic - especially the darkest one. Not that I've ever seen so many in one place that I could make the comparison! Note that they're nearly all sitting on very low bramble leaves - Roger Gibbons

Telegraph Hill  yesterday on my transect  -  4 Brown Argus.  Also heard reports of Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper and Green Hairstreak been seen, also yesterday  on the same site and Pegsdon Hills where I noticed another 2 Brown Argus and 3 Small Heath - Valerie Fullforth

Tues 18th May - Lunchtime today Frogmore Quarry, after 70min searching found 6 Grizzled Skippers. Plenty of Tormentil and a single patch of Wild Strawberry down from the NE corner. Also 4 Small Copper, 1 male Common Blue, 2 GV White, 4 Orange-tip, 1 Red Admiral. Plenty of Pyrausta moths flying too. And the constant sound of Cuckoo, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Goldfinch and Yellowhammer - Trevor Chapman

Aldbury Nowers - 10.30-1.30pm, c.8 Grizzled Skipper (west meadow near Pitstone Hill only) including one egg laid under leaf of agrimony, 7 dingy skipper total spread through all meadows, 2 green hairstreak, c16 small copper also egg laid under edge of sorrel leaf, brimstones, orange tips, holly blue, 6 Brown Argus, Small Tortoiseshell, comma, speckled wood, various whites, cinnabar, mother shipton, burnet companion, small yellow underwing, pyrausta sp. Pitstone Hill pm - c.15 green hairstreak,  5 dingy skipper, 1 small heath - Andrew Middleton & Liz Goodyear

I went walking the dogs in balls wood Hertford Heath today, saw 4 male brimstones and a comma.  Also went to Fishers Green today and just outside Pinders car park, I saw my first Puss Moth - - Sandra Standbridge

Mon 17th May - Green-Veined White feeding on Forget-me-nots in my Brooksman Park garden today - Rupert Pyrah

During a Dragonfly Atlas recce in TQ09 on Sunday 16th May, 2 Orange Tip, 2 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 3 Small White at Piper's Farm - Alan Reynolds

Some butterfly news for last weekend: 16th May,  Aldbury Nowers, Herts, Grizzled Skipper (3+ in the paddock to the right of the path as you walk up the hill from the road), Brimstone (10+), Orange-tip (5), Comma (1), Peacock (4), Small Tortoiseshell (1), Small Copper (6), Holly Blue (1). Also Cinnabar (6) and Garden Carpet (1). 15th May Horsenden Hill, Middx, Common Blue (1), Small Copper (1), Large White (1), Small White (11), Green-veined White (12), Small/Green-veined White (9), Orange-tip (8), Peacock (6), Holly Blue (1), Small Tortoiseshell (1), Comma (1).  David Howdon and I ran a light in Perivale Wood on Friday evening (14th May) - confirmed identifications were Brimstone moth 2, Sandy Carpet 3 (in trap) + 4 (on the wing about the site), Ruby Tiger 1, Sallow Kitten 1, Lychnis 1, Oak Hook tip 1, Pale Tussock 1, Chinese Character 1, Tinea Trinotella 1, Brindled Pug 3, Twenty-Plume moth 1, White Shouldered House Moth 1, Least Black Arches 1. One unidentified micro is with Rachel Terry to see if she can work it out!  Andy Culshaw

News from Sat 15 May and Sun 16 May - Whipsnade Downs: generally warm 20-22 C but mostly cloudy pm - "dukes" recently emerged and looking very fresh - counted 20 total (on each day) in about five separate locations over several hundred metres - very active in the brief spells of sunshine - met someone who had just come from Ivinghoe Beacon and counted 31 - also 2-3 grizzled skippers and 2-3 green hairstreaks although the master tree seems more dead than alive - lots of brimstones and orange tips and the odd green-veined white - Roger  Gibbons

Aldbury Nowers, arriving just before 10 a.m. I quickly saw Brimstone 2, Orange Tip 5, Green Veined White 1, Small Copper 3, Holly Blue 1, Brown  Argus 1, Peacock 1 and several Pyraustra micros (aurata and purpularis - I believe) plus 2 Mother Shipton but no Grizzled Skipper in 30 minutes - Nick Bowles

Many tetrads were visited over the weekend - please check the updated map when done (it will take a little while) - The main area now is central/north Middlesex.  These tetrads are more random, with many having little potential habitat or places to park .  If you can visit any of these please let myself and John know.  Thank you to everyone that went out and filled the map so superbly

Sun 16th May - Went over to Ivinghoe Beacon on Sunday to photograph Dukes : Mainly below bend in road saw 10 Duke of Burgundy mainly, 2 Dingy Skippers, 1 Green Hairstreak, 5 Brimstones, 2 Orange tips, 1 Small Tort, 1 Mother Shipton, 2 Burnet Companion, Cinnabar and a Tree Pipit. Last week no sign of Grizzled Skipper at Frogmore Quarry but I bet they have emerged now - Trevor Chapman

Weekend Field Trips Roundup 
Sunday - Waterford Heath - 6 people attended and went home very happy!  In total 13 Grizzled Skipper were seen, 11 on the south pit and 2 on the north pit.  Everyone found one for them self!  Total species seen in addition to Grizzleds were 2 Cinnabar moths, 2 Brimstone, 1 Green-veined White, 2 Latticed Heath (so everyone was able to see the difference),  4 Orange Tip, 7 Burnet Companions, 1 Small Copper, 1 Small Heath, 2 Holly Blue, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Large and 1 Small White, and 2 Roman Snails - Alan Downie
Saturday - Aldbury Nowers, after the 2 previous years events were dogged by bad weather, Saturday, was a lovely sunny day.  Unfortunately no Grizzled or Dingy Skippers were seen, but 9 people attended and were rewarded with sightings of WHITES: Brimstone 11, Large White 5, Small White 4, Green Veined White 11, Orange Tip 14. BLUES & COPPERS: Green Hairstreak 4, Holly Blue 1, Small Copper 5. ARISTOCRATS: Small Tortoiseshell 1, Peacock 3. BROWNS: Speckled Wood 1 and several species of moth - Dave Chandler (Thanks to everyone who came along and in particular the field trip leaders - next week is National Moth Night and 23rd May - Bedfont Lakes)

Sat 15th May - North  Herts, nice to see Green hairstreak and dingy skipper hanging on there today (Sat 15 May) My last records for  Dingy Skipper on this private site were back in 1997!! - Stuart Pittman

A walk around theAshridge Estate in the afternoon was notable chiefly for the fact that I saw only one Speckled Wood in this apparently prime location. Earlier Malcolm Hull and I found a Silver Y in a gully onIvinghoe Beacon in Bucks - Colin Everett

Aldbury Nowers, visited today after the branch field trip & saw Green Hairstreak 2, Grizzled Skipper 5, Comma 4, Speckled Wood 1, Orange Tip 9, Green-Veined White 15, Peacock 3, Holly Blue 3 Large White 1, Brimstone 19, Small Copper 1, Mother Shipton & Burnett Companion Moths, Over the border in Bucks at Inchcombe Hole I saw 4 Small Heaths & atIvinghoe Beacon a Duke of Burgundy & Silver Y moth - Malcolm Hull (sorry forgot to credit this earlier)

Trent Park, 4 small copper, 3 small heath, 3 mother shipton, 2 burnet companion - Robert Callf

Thundridge garden - 12 orange tips, small copper,  green veined and small white in garden today - Nick Sampford

Friday 14th May - Waterford Heath, had 3 grizzled skippers by the bench at Waterford late yesterday afternoon  plus 20+ orange tips  large, green veined and small white, female brimstone and holly blue - Nick Sampford (Nick has a new macro lens!)

Rickneys area, Hertford this afternoon, 4 Small Copper, 2 Burnet Companion & 1 Latticed Heath moth. Tetrad bashing in East Herts again didn't produce anything spectacular apart from a Small Yellow Underwing moth in a field at High Wych! - Liz Goodyear

Thurs 13th May - are, along the old Lea this morning 3 male Orange tip, 1 female Orange tip, peacock - Ian Edwards          

Lunch time walk near Norton Green today.  I saw 2 small whites and 1 orange tip - Steven Penn

Tetrad bashing in East Herts before the cloud took hold didn't produce anything extra ordinary, although Orange Tip seemed to be in good numbers.  Did see a Cinnabar moth near areside and on my return there was a fox in my garden, watching the guinea pigs! - Liz Goodyear