Archive Page
Sightings and news from July
to December 2006
This page contains sightings
details of all the butterflies and moths reported to the Sightings page between
July and December 2006.
Note: These pages have been copied from the
original sightings page and some links will no longer work.
December 2006
Thursday 28th December
When you think it is all over for sightings of butterflies this year, it isn't! On the way to Kew Gardens for the ice skating today the 28th December on the Chiswick roundabout, I spotted a Red Admiral flying past. Then while waiting for the children to get their boots on at the ice rink another Red Admiral flew past, probably disturbed from it's hibernation from the massive influx of people, or the fact it was a very warm day for this time of year?
If this is the result of global warming, well it's not all bad!! Helen George
My father told me that he saw a butterfly in Bronte Paths, Stevenage this
morning. I assume it was a Red Admiral (just hope it wasnt a wind blown leaf!. It was very warm today, with lots of insects and one or two bees in my
garden but despite all my attention no butterflies appeared - Phil Bishop
Tuesday 26th December
I enjoyed today even more with a totally unexpected Red Admiral flying along the eaves of my house and then the neighbours, at about 10.45 this am - weather was grey, dull and 5C. Evidently looking to get into somewhere warm and presumably lured out of its resting place under false pretence.
Not Red Admiral conditions - I was so surprised that I called for a witness to make sure it wasn't simply christmas spirit!
My latest ever UK butterfly and not forgotting to mention that I live in Tring - not a soft, south coastal location with mild temperatures.
Best wishes for 2007, Nick Bowles
Wednesday 20th December
Ware, just returning from the shops at 11 o'clock - got out the car and could see a Red Admiral flying around the front of my neighbours' houses. Air temperature reading in the car was 0 degrees and only an hour earlier I had spent 10 minutes scrapping the ice off it - by 11 o'clock the fronts of the houses were basked in glorious winter sunshine!
- Liz Goodyear
Tuesday 19th December
A Red Admiral in North Watford this afternoon; it flew around buildings, traffic lights and a bus stop in the St Albans Road opposite Regent Street before heading away down Bruce Grove. The maximum air temperature at Garston was only 4 degrees C but the afternoon was sunny with just a light breeze - Colin Everett
Sunday 17th December
More!! Monthly Working Party Fir and Pond
Woods HMWT NR - 3 red admirals seen by working party volunteers - David Gompertz
Had a Red Admiral in the back garden yesterday, 16th December - in New Southgate - Tom Clarke
Saturday 16th December
3.15pm.... Fir and Pond Woods HMWT NR ... red
admiral flying along the path on the north side of the meadow - David Gompertz
A good friend of mine travelling on the Circle Line today between Victoria and Paddington stations saw a Red Admiral flying around inside her carriage! An unusual sighting to say the least and a quicker way to get from A to B! -
Malcolm Newland
Tuesday 12th December
I had a single Red Admiral on Saturday 7th Dec, flying and basking in the sun on euonamus leaves in my Borehamwood garden, it was rather pale and worn, if it survived the frost on Saturday night it may even now be holed up somewhere, I wonder is there any idea just what low temps they can endure in the winter hibernation - Jim Terry
Sunday 10th December
I had another Red Admiral on Saturday 9th December at about 12:00, in Garston, Watford - Bob Cripps
Saturday 9th December: Government Row, Enfield Lock: Red Admiral heading south at 14.04 in cold sunny conditions. It was bumping against brickwork and upper windows - trying to warm up? Martin Shepherd
5 Dec. Red Admiral flitting round my garden in Hatfield around 10.30,
despite the dull sky & cold wind. I wonder if it was disturbed by birds
foraging or shrubs flailing in the wind. This is the 1st sighting since 5
November & latest ever - John Moss
Hampton Middx 11.45am 4th December, I was so amazed to look out of the window today and notice a Red Admiral
butterfly sunning itself on my car that I just had to tell somebody - in
addition to my wife that is - Raymond Wren
Hitchin, on Saturday 9 December at 12.30 am,
I was cutting down the buddleia 'tree' and removing ivy from the base and obviously disturbed a Red Admiral which flew off into the adjacent beech hedge. This corner of the garden gets all day sunshine and is well protected - Val Fullforth
Robin Law reported two Red Admirals at Folly Lane Allotments, St Albans on Tuesday 5 December. Tom Hull reported a single Red Admiral at West Hampstead Siverlink Railway Station on Saturday 25 November - news via Malcolm Hull
Saturday 9th December
Hemel Hempstead, Red Admiral on usual Hebe at allotment midday in cold but sunny conditions. I had my camera with me hoping to geta shot of it nectaring but it would not cooperate - Malcolm Newland
1 Red Admiral flying around a pear tree at the junction of Cowper
Crescent and The Avenue in Bengeo, Hertford at 1315 today - Andrew Wood
Wednesday 6th December
Red Admiral at rooftop height at midday in a garden in Hemel Hempstead.
Malcolm Newland
Andy Brown (our reserve officer for Hertford Heath) saw a red admiral
(and a common darter dragonfly) there this morning - Tim Hill
Ware, I was just about to go out but was convinced I should see a Red Admiral in my front garden. I was rewarded almost instantly by seeing one fly from my neighbour's garden and up over the house - Liz Goodyear
Tuesday 5th December
Just to out do Steve Murray I have just had a Red Admiral in the back garden, Woodside, Watford, today, 5/12/2006 at 13:30.
It seemed to me to be looking for a place to hibenate, as it appeared to be looking around the roof space on the kitchen - Bob Cripps
Monday 4th December
During a short visit to my Hemel Hempstead allotment this morning I saw a Red Admiral again nectaring on Hebe at 10.15 a.m. before it moved to sun itself on a metal wheelbarrow.This sighting beats my late record for this species which was 3.12.2001 in my own garden - Malcolm Newland
Started by west Ware lunchtime walk in bright sunshine, but by 1230 it
was at least 7/8 overcast. I turned into Clarkes Close, a road I have never
been down before, to find a Red Admiral flying quite strongly round in
circles over the road, before disappearing eastwards. My first ever
December butterfly - Andrew Wood
Sunday 3rd December
A Red Admiral was seen today at Tyttenhanger gravel pits by Steve Murray - news via Bob Cripps
A single Red Admiral was seen on the 2nd of December in my back garden
(Chiswell Green area) I can't remember ever sighting anything but a hibernating
butterfly in December before now. Also picked a few raspberries today which
is equally unusual - Alan Gardiner
November 2006
Thursday 30th November
2 red admirals and 1 comma recorded in Havers Lane, Bishop's Stortford
yesterday (29.11.06) Looks like there will be some for December - news via Jono Forgham
Wednesday 29th November
Saw two Red Admirals nectaring on Hebe in brilliant sunshine on the allotment (Hemel Hempstead) this morning - Malcolm Newland
Thought you'd like to know I saw a Winter Moth
today. As I was staggering along with a brushcutter at
Stanmore Country Park one floated into the fallen
leaves beside me. I picked it up and it crawled around
on my hand for a few seconds before floating away into
a bramble bush - John Hollingdale
4 Red Admirals and 1 Comma on the west side of Ware this lunchtime -
Andrew Wood
Ware garden, 1 Red Admiral basking in the early morning sunshine on my house number (which just happens to be a Purple Emperor)- Liz Goodyear
Monday 27th November
Robert Callf called with news of Robin White’s November sightings ~ painted
lady Nov 1st north Enfield, and comma Nov 4th Vicarage Farm, Enfield - news via Andrew Middleton
I'm slightly dumbstruck (a rarity for me) that I have seen another Red Admiral in my neighbour's garden today (Hampstead).
Sadly the photo was poor, because of the shade area - the Red Admiral was sunning itself in the sunlit area - it stayed there for a while then fluttered off in a very leisurely way - clearly enjoying the relatively warm sunshine
- Mark Barclay
Friday 24th November
1 Red Admiral seen last Sunday pm (18th) in Benington on Walkern Road. Seen quite a few late ones this year but that was the last - Richard
Thursday 23rd November
1 active Red Admiral seen morning of 21/11 at Little Heath (nr. Potters Bar) bottom of Orchard Way in a front Garden. Weather was sunny and still - David Martens
Sunday 19th November: Red Admiral, 1 on a 'sunny-side' wall at Hitchin
Cricket Club - Roger Hicks
Hampstead, this year has seen my late record sighting - I started taking photos of Red Admirals in my neighbour's garden on 27th October. I've attached two photos - the first one, if you look carefully, has 4 Red Admirals and the second one, just one Red Admiral - but this was taken on 15th November - what a joy, so late in the year.
Quick anecdote re my earliest sighting. It was a cold and frosty (but bright) morning, as they say, on 15th February, 3 years ago. I had to drive to Worksop on a business trip. I arrived early and parked my car in the open air town centre car park. It was sunny, but certainly cold. To my amazement I saw two Peacock butterflies gently frolicking and then settling happily on the tarmac to absorb the rays. I realise they may have been disturbed from hibernation, but they seemed to be genuinely relishing the sunshine - they obviously breed them tough in Worksop - Mark Barclay
Tuesday 21st November
News from Malcolm Hull: Sunday 19 - 2 Red Admirals at Folly Lane St Albans at 11-11.30, Monday 20 - Red Admiral on Harpenden Common at 11.15
Hemel Hempstead, solitary Red Admiral sunning itself on south facing brick wall at allotment at about 11.30 a.m.No shortage of nectar as right next to the wall is a pale purple Hebe c 6ft tall and of similar width which is in full bloom! - Malcolm Newland
Monday 20th November
I saw a Red Admiral fly across a friend's garden in Grove Hill, Hemel Hempstead this morning - Malcolm Newland
Sunday 19th November
A Red Admiral at Batlers Green (Radlett) in the early afternoon. Also a queen bumble bee Bombus (probably terrestris) at nearby Blackbirds Farm and an abundance of moths in woodland at Bricket Wood just after dark (those I checked were Scarce Umber) - Colin Everett
A report of a Clouded Yellow at Gubblecote - news via Nick Bowles
...during a successful working party in Fir and Pond
Woods NR....one red admiral (and 2 common darters) on the meadow - David Gompertz
To my joy, 2 Red Ads sunbathing by the football pitch at back of my house in Tring while I watched some Sunday league and one of them laid an egg (19th Nov).
So now I have two larvae under observation and yet another egg to watch. Both larvae inside tents so i don't know if they are continuing to grow or simply quiescient -conumdrum is that if i open the tent to find out I will probably kill them. Shall have to continue checking and maybe eventually the larvae will move to a new leaf.
Tring AFC reserves were losing by 3 goals - so I came home, while the egg laying was still a far greater pleasure than the football was a disappointment - Nick Bowles
Just after 2pm, a Red Admiral seen flying north across a nearby road, then about 2.30 a Red Admiral flew south across my Ware garden - Liz Goodyear
Tuesday 14th November
Sunday 12th 1 Red Admiral in the garden in Bengeo, Monday 13th, 5 red
Admirals in various bits of western Ware, Tuesday 14th only my second
blank day this November - Andrew Wood
Monday 13th November
I had a single Red Admiral in my garden in Letchworth on Sunday 12th
November - Ian Small
Sunday 12th November
Tring, I took another look a the red admiral eggs I saw laid last week as I couldn't find any butterflies.
I was slightly surprised to see two of the eggs unhatched and one now larva. Also one other larvae very close by which was being visited by a wasp (presumed parasitic) that seemed unable to penetrate the larval tent - Nick Bowles (photos will be posted later)
Ware garden, 1 Red Admiral on my buddliea - Liz Goodyear
Saturday 11th November
Friday 10th November 1 Red Admiral on the Bourne in Ware, Saturday 11th
November 1 Red Admiral in Stevenage Station car park - Andrew Wood
Friday 10th November
Like Clive Burrows, I too saw a Holly Blue on Nov 9th, flying high in my
garden in Pinner, Middlesex. Another (or the same specimen) was seen here two
days previously. I have never seen Holly Blues flying so late in the season
before - Graham Elcombe
Thursday 9th November
Saw a Holly Blue this morning at 1140 hrs. Flew just above head height in the sunshine across garden in Hatfield Road St. Albans - Clive Burrows
Today at lunchtime on the west side of Ware 9 Red Admirals and 1 Painted
Lady - Andrew Wood
Wednesday 8th November
Ware, amazingly a Peacock feeding on white Hebe at 1pm today in a very brief
burst of watery sunshine, though it wasn't cold like yesterday - Andrew Wood
IMPORTANT NOTICE: There will be a conservation work
day at Millhoppers Reserve on Thursday 9th November between
10:00 - 15:30. We will be raking the meadow areas after they
have been cut. The day has also been promoted on the Countryside
Management Service website. It would be great if you could come along and lend a hand. Tools, tea,
coffee (and maybe chocolate biscuits) provided by the Countryside
Management Service - Jez Perkins, Projects Officer, Countryside Management Service
Tuesday 7th November
News from 5th November, Cheshunt Marsh, near Bowyers Water: White Sp at distance (12.05). 6th November, BP Garage, A10, Cheshunt: Red Admiral heading south at 10.10 - Martin Shepherd
Hemel Hempstead sightings: 26/10 Red Admiral
27/10 3 Red Admirals and a Painted Lady(new late record), 31/10 Red Admiral, 2/11 Red Admiral,
3/11 Red Admiral, 4/11 Peacock, 5/11 Red Admiral. Hoping to see more especially on my South African Buddleia Auriculata - Malcolm Newland
We had a very late speckled wood at Railway Fields November 5th - at the start of our annual fungus foray (now in its
17th consecutive year!)- David Bevan
Monday 6th November
Over the weekend, and again today, Monday, a single Red Admiral has been patrolling my garden (Gaddesden Row); at times with the air temperature below 10C. I have seen it on three occasions nectaring off the sap of a small ornamental tree (Amelanchier lamarkii), at a point on the trunk just below where the crown of the tree branches out; at an area of bark significantly damaged by the activities of a family of Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, which attend my bird-table - Michael Pearson
A single Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) seen yesterday, Sunday 5 November,
at 12:50 in a garden in Welwyn Garden City. Butterfly flying SSW at ca 1.5m/sec. Sunny, warm(ish) at ca 13 degrees C, with a gentle
to moderate westerly breeze and another single Red Admiral today - Jon Sharpe
Still pretty good for the time of year as around the west side of Ware
today over lunchtime I saw 6 Red Admirals, 2 Commas, 2 Painted ladies and
2 Peacocks - Andrew Wood
Stevenage 1 Red Admiral in very good condition in our lounge today - Ian and Sue Hardy
1 Red Admiral in my Stevenage garden this morning, for about 10 minutes
before flying south, followed 5 minutes later by a Silver Y moth - Steve Lane
Sunday 5th November
Marooned in a sea of desks at work all week I had to wait until today to look for November butterflies but was pleased to find two Red Ads in the garden (Tring). One was a female and when it went over the fence I observed it to lay three eggs in field behind my garden
- my first Nov egg laying record. I also believe I saw that rare beast a Small Tort - (probably) i was some distance away when it got up from the ground and flew off straight into the low sun but I am fairly sure based on jizz in flight. Have to admit it could have been a Comma (on size alone)- Nick Bowles
Sawbridgeworth Marsh, 1 Red Admiral still coming to Buddleia today - Mike Harris
At least 5 this morning at Amwell. Seemed to have lost the urge to migrate.
All flying around rather aimlessly - Alan Reynolds
One Red Admiral briefly in the garden (Harpenden) this morning, outside temperature 11 degrees. A peacock later on the patio - Robin Pearson
Saturday 4th November
King's Mead - No Red Admirals today, but a super Clouded Yellow at close range - Alan Reynolds
Enfield Island Village near River Lea: Small White at 13.55 - Martin Shepherd
Unusual Bishop's Stortford news. This picture shows part of the Pupal case on the thorax of a Painted Lady; does this perhaps suggest it has recently emerged - in which case, wouldn't it likely have emerged in the UK?
I had 2 Painted Lady's; 3 Peacocks and 2 Red Admirals feeding on an ice-plant in someone's front garden in Thorley Lane Bishop's Stortford around 1.0pm today. I've never seen Painted Lady's this time of year personally, so for me it's a good record. But this particular individual (the other one was 'normal') looks really unusual.
Has anyone seen this before? Also, today a Ruddy Darter (male) and Common Darter along the Stort at Thorley Wash - David Sampson
Having spent a couple of days last weekend diving out in Weymouth bay and
off Portland I saw about 10 Red Admirals flying straight out to sea towards
the nearest land in France. Going SSE quite fast at about 12 feet off the
water. Nice to see we can return a few butterflies in a good year - Trevor Chapman
Friday 3rd November
In Ware today 3rd November, at lunchtime I saw a Red Admiral and a Comma on ivy in Ware Cemetery and a
Painted Lady on buddleia in Fanshawe Crescent. Earlier, four Red Admirals and a Peacock , all but one
Red Admiral nectaring on white hebe at 1030 this morning, the other Red
Admiral thermoregulating nearby - Andrew Wood
Thursday 2nd November
3 butterflies today, 2 Red Admirals and 1 Peacock. In fields adjacent to
Great Ashby Park. - Steve Lane
Five Red Admirals and a Comma on my lunchtime walk around the west side of
Ware today - Andrew Wood
Ware, at the end of my road this morning at 9 o'clock in 4 degrees (but sunny), a Painted Lady was hurtling around - Liz Goodyear
Wednesday 1st November
Late news from 18th October, 1 Clouded Yellow at Rye Meads - Andrew Palmer
Some November butterflies - Bengeo, three Red Admirals thermo regulating on the garden fence this morning
around 1130 and one about 40 mins earlier on an Alamanchia (photos attached). A Clouded Yellow at Waterford Heath South Pit at lunchtime, quite
active, but as I have seen one at virtually the same place on 3rd and
18th Oct is there a small colony, or is it one sticking around? Also one Red Admiral flying around the eaves of a house in Cowper
Crescent in Bengeo - Andrew Wood
1 Red Admiral in our Stevenage garden today - Ian and Sue Hardy
1 Speckled Wood at Trent Park this afternoon, also 2 Red Admirals, 1 at Trent Park and the other in Oakwood - Robert Callf
One Red Admiral in our garden in Stevenage 30/10/06 - Ian and Sue Hardy
Tuesday 31st October
A Red Admiral this morning on my allotment in Coldharbour Lane, Harpenden - Alan Jackson
Monday 30th October
A pristine Red Admiral was sunning itself on tree trunks at Bencroft Wood West car park (Broxbourne Woods) yesterday morning and afternoon as we were coppicing the hornbeams - Alan Jackson
News from Sunday, Rye Meads RSPB, 3 Red Admiral, 25 Common Darter, 3 Migrant Hawker. Sawbridgeworth Marsh, 1 Red Admiral - Mike Harris
Ware garden, got home at 1.30 (100% cloud but 17.5 degrees) to find 4 Red Admiral nectaring on the buddliea, probaby 5 around in total - Liz Goodyear
Whilst walking around King's Mead on Sunday, 1 Clouded Yellow, 1 Painted
Lady, 1 Peacock and 3 Red Admira1 - Alan Reynolds
At 2.15pm yesterday I saw a Small Tortoiseshell
sunning itself on the wall opposite Watford High Street Railway Station - David Chandler
Sunday
29th October
Trent Park – 1 clouded
yellow, 1 red admiral, and a pair of fresh-looking speckled woods
interacting – Robert Callf
Just a single red admiral to report in Maple
Cross this afternoon Oct 29. But lovely to see it
enjoying yet another sunny day! Ann Piper
Sunday AM on a dead
bulrush leaf by the Pond in Fir and Pond Woods NR
..... a small copper! David Gompertz
I've just had 12 red
admirals at once on ivy over the pergola in our back garden in
Harpenden (09.45 Sunday 29th
October). The most I could get in a single frame on the camera was
5. I have certainly never seen so many red admirals at the same
instant, and don't usually expect to get one of the best butterfly
moments of the year in late October! Also two commas and a peacock
in the garden, but not on that stretch of ivy. - Richard Harrington
Ware garden
early morning, 5 Red Admirals and 2 Painted Ladies in my front
garden. Making use of the warm south facing brickwork to charge up
their batteries and then nectaring on globosa buddliea. Later in
morning between Braughing and Furneaux Pelham, a
Clouded Yellow - Liz Goodyear
Friday
27th October
Two Red Admirals flew south
across Hilfield Reservoir this morning while
I was bird watching - Robin Pearson
King George V Reservoir, Middx/Essex
border; 35 Red Admirals south between 11.25 and 12.25 in bright cool
conditions with increasing high cloud and SW breeze - 25 in the
first half hour. All butterflies at around shoulder height and
moving quickly - Martin Shepherd
1 Painted Lady and 5 Red
Admirals, Vicarage Farm and 2 Red Admirals, Parkside
Farm - Robert Callf
Thursday
26th October
A clouded yellow was seen by
Robin White on 24th at South Lodge
Farm,
Enfield - news via Robert Callf
A Red Admiral made a
brief visit to my Stevenage garden at 1pm today,
unfortunately the sun disappeared and so did the butterfly - Steve
Lane
Tuesday
24th October
Butterflies on the increase
in North-Herts today Despite heavy
overnight rain I added a further three species to my list of
Saturday making it six in all. The still fresh common blue must be a
3rd brood individual & continues to get closer to the latest
ever sighting for the species of 26/10/97 (Hilfield Park Reservoir;
S. Murray) if thats' Middlesex? (confirmed in
Herts) Then the Herts record of 19/10/99 (Shepperson) has gone?
Still eight red admirals, a nice small copper flying within feet of
the Common blue as were two basking singletons of Brimstone and
Peacock tempted out by the midday sun along with a silver y moth
which almost fooled me into believing I'd got eight for the day
there, but that would have been greedy. Till I got home that is and
a Comma was on the Weyriana Buddleia - Stuart Pittman
All I can add is a
Painted Lady as well as Red Admiral in my Ware
garden at 12.30 this morning also after the rain - Liz
Goodyear
Sunday
22nd October
Nice crowd of nymphs
yesterday at Ickleford, Ten Red admirals and 4
Commas all on one Ivy bush. Best sighting the common blue still
flying from previous week in fallow field - Stuart Pittman
Saturday
21st October
3 Red Admirals in Stevenage during the afternoon, 2 in
my garden and the other outside my daughter's house in Tates Way -
Steve Lane
A rather
worn Red Admiral was the only butterfly I saw [in my Harpenden garden] today - Robin
Pearson
Two Red
Admirals and One Small White (20/10/06)in my Stevenage garden - Ian Hardy
Friday
20th October
Ware garden, 2 Red
Admirals and 2 Painted Ladies on my buddliea at 2.30 this afternoon
- Liz Goodyear
Thursday
19th October
High Wych, 2 Red
Admirals not migrating and Allen's Green, 1 Comma
- Liz Goodyear
Wednesday 18th October
One small copper seen briefly at lunchtime in
Shire park,
Welwyn garden
City - Robin Pearson
Monday
16th October
Hemel Hempstead, Red
Admiral numbers in the garden have dwindled to just two today
together with a Peacock in beautiful condition which kept coming
back to nectar on a tall single pale yellow dahlia - Malcolm
Newland
Robert Callf
saw 2 Peacocks and 2 Painted Ladies whilst walking around Parkside
and Vicarage Farm today. Also seen 1 Small White settled
at Parkside Farm. Only one definite Red Admiral noted today flying
south.
Harpenden, fairly quiet weekend, just
three Red Admirals in the garden on Saturday 14th Oct - Robin
Pearson
Sunday
15th October
Robert Callf saw 5 red
admirals and 2 painted ladies on Vicarage Farm and 2
red admirals on Parkside Farm today, whilst I had a
painted lady arrive in my moth trap sometime between 8 and 10pm last
night - Andrew Middleton
Saturday
14th October
Borehamwood, 1 Red
Admiral, at 10.05am - trying to get into houses gave up and headed
south West at about 5 mph wind assisted - Alex Lewis
News from 12th October, Wilstone Reservoir
(12.30 to 2.30) many Red Admirals seen over a 2 hour
period, with 2 to 4 in view on any scan of the reservoir - 2 dozen
plus seen, probably many more as passing continually right across
reservoir slowly but steadily into the light wind - heading S/SSW -
Ed Griffiths
Friday the 13th at Ickleford did not prove unlucky for
me with Red admirals x 6 , Painted Lady, common blue, Small copper +
speckled wood - Stuart Pittman
Friday
13th October
I saw a Humming-bird Hawk
Moth on Wednesday 11th October in Cowley
Road, Uxbridge. I watched it for about 10
minutes before the heavens opened and the downpour began. I may have
seen it agin on Thursday, but the view was too brief to be certain -
Dave Parmenter
News
from Robert Callf: 1 female Clouded Yellow near the water garden in
Trent
Park, a Peacock flying around Parkside Farm and about 10
Red Admirals flying south in 3 hours. Robert wasn't specifically
looking out for red admirals though.
Tony Baumber saw two clouded yellows by the King
George V Reservoir today, and I saw another two in the East
India Dock basin area, watching with Mike Messenger and
Gary James - Andrew Middleton
Thursday
12th October
Today (12th October) we have
seen a very noticeable mass migration of Red Admirals across the Rothamsted estate in Harpenden,
Hertfordshire. In a timed 40 min count at noon, 45 individuals were
seen flying through a 100-m stretch of open field, and they were all
going approx south (estimated vanishing bearings varying between
about 170 and 200 degrees), flying into a very light wind from the
SSW or SW. This migration has been going on from at least 11:00 am
(quite probably earlier) and is ongoing as I write, so enormous
numbers must be moving through if this migration is occurring across
a broad front throughout the country. I would be extremely
interested to hear if anybody else out there has witnessed similar
movements today (or in the past few days), or indeed sees similar
movements in the future. Please email me with as much detail as
possible about any migration observations - Many thanks, Jason
Chapman, Rothamsted Research
)
I also saw red
admirals moving through today, especially from 11am to 2pm. I
watched in Durants Park as they moved SSW - timing a few over 300m
gave a ground speed of about 20km/hr - Andrew Middleton
Red admirals moving SSW 12th
Oct 06
| Site |
Number |
Time |
Minutes |
Rate min per
butterfly |
| Epping Forest - Wanstead
Flats |
6 |
10:40-11:10 |
30 |
5 |
| Epping Forest -
Chingford Plain |
38 |
11:25-12:05 |
40 |
1 |
| Ponders End - Durants
Park |
17 |
13:10-13:30 |
20 |
1 |
| Brimsdown Marsh |
3 |
13:50-14:00 |
10 |
3 |
| Ramney Marsh |
7 |
14:10-15:10 |
60 |
9 |
Total
71
ground speed measured over 300m equiv to
20km/hr
Three Red Admirals Stockers
Farm near canal bridge on ivy - Sezar Hikmet
I repeated my walk
around west Ware this lunchtime and in an
hour saw 128 Red Admirals, 3 Commas, 2
Painted ladies, I Peacock and I Clouded Yellow. All were feeding on
or flying around Ivy, apart from the Clouded Yellow. The Ridgeway, a
suburban road with much ivy on one side yielded 44 red Admirals in
about 100 metres, when a car drove past the number of butterflies
flying up was amazing to watch. Incidentally this road was also the
location of the Clouded Yellow, which settled briefly on the grass a
couple of times, though long enough to be photographed before flying
off - Andrew Wood
Popped home at lunchtime to find 14 RA's and a
Comma all on one ivy bush (see photo). Also numerous bees and other
insects. Location: East side of Harpenden - Robin
Pearson
Wednesday 11th October
Yesterday (Tues 10th)
I watched Red Admirals flying southwards past Steps
Hill. Saw over 40 in 20 minutes. All flying singly in the
same direction. Also 1 Painted Lady and 1 Clouded Yellow - Don Otter
1 Red Admiral
briefly in my Stevenage garden this morning
(11/10/6) - Steve Lane
Monday
9th October
Robert Callf's news: Trent
Park, Small Copper today (also 3rd and 7th) and 1 Comma.
7 Red Admirals at various locations and a Small White near Silver
Street Station in Edmonton later.
Just to let you know
that I saw a chalkhill blue at the top of Royston
Hills while golfing yesterday (8th oct)- David Heath David has confirmed that this was a definite
male, and was disturbed near the 10th tee which is close to Church
Hill on Therfield Heath. If anyone would like to go and look, email
me for more details LG
Sunday
8th October
The southward movement of Red
Admirals continued today, including some heading across the open
water at Aldenham Reservoir. At the latter
site there is an active Hornet nest in the top of a 5-metre tall
split Scots Pine stump next to the perimeter path (just N of the
sailing club HQ) - the fine architecture of the nest clearly visible
through close-focusing binoculars - Colin Everett
I saw two clouded
yellows on Tottenham Marshes yesterday, both
bright and in good condition - Quentin Given
Saturday
7th October
Hemel Hempstead, at
11.40 a.m. there were eleven Red Admirals in the garden, the most I
have seen since I began keeping records in 1986. One was not much
more than half the size of a normal specimen. Joining them were a
Comma and a worn Painted Lady - Malcolm Newland
Cycling around Ashridge with the family this pm I
saw single Speckled Wood, Small Copper and Red Ad and a probable
Comma (or Small Tort). 4 species seems pretty good for a wood where
I often struggle to see 4 species in May - Nick Bowles
20 Red Admirals today on
ivy flowers along the track at Amwell. Also a wet Red
Admiral flying around my Hertford garden in pouring rain on Friday 6th October. - Alan Reynolds
Thursday
5th October
Red Admirals general on ivy
flowers in recent days, especially in the first few hours of the
morning (RAs can become active in temperatures several degrees lower
than those needed by 'true' hibernators). My records have included
one heading S over the A412 in Garston on Tuesday 3rd and one flying in rain at Garston today - Colin Everett
Coppetts
Wood area this morning 2 Painted Ladies, also good
numbers of Red Admiral, 40+ heading in S.w direction almost
certainly on migration - Tony Clancy
Wednesday 4th October
There were nine Red Admirals in the garden (Hemel
Hempstead) before 10 a.m. when I had to leave to catch a
train to London. Five were on Colletia Armata and the rest on
Buddleia Beijing and Michaelmas Daisy. I also had a perfect Painted
Lady, my first for over a month and a new late record for the
garden. While in London I saw a Red Admiral resting in the sun on
some gravel at the Chelsea Physic Garden - Malcolm
Newland
In an hours
walk around the west side of Ware this lunchtime I
saw 51 Red Admirals, 2 Small Whites, 1
Large White and 1 Comma. All the Red Admirals were around ivy. In
the garden in Bengeo 4 Red Admirals were sitting in
a plum tree soaking up the sun soon around 8.30 am and there was a
Painted lady on buddleia in the front garden - Andrew Wood
Whilst driving through
Ware this morning at 8.10 (only 10
degrees C and in shade) a Red Admiral was seen flying very strongly
across the road in front of me. About 5 minutes later another was
seen but this one seemed to be heading for an ivy bush that was in
the sunshine - Liz Goodyear
Tuesday
3rd October
Clouded Yellow just over the
Middlesex border at Gunpowder Park, Sewardstone, Essex,
seen at 09.53 - Martin Shepherd
On an hour's walk around Bengeo
and Waterford Heath/Marsh today I saw 8 red Admirals, 1
painted lady, 1 Clouded Yellow and 1 Small Copper - Andrew Wood
At Amwell 25 Red Admirals, also 1
Speckled Wood and 1 Comma and at King's Mead 5 Red
Admirals and what must be getting a rather late Clouded Yellow -
Alan Reynolds
Ware
garden, at 10 o'clock this morning there was a
Hummingbird Hawkmoth on my buddliea - Liz Goodyear
Monday
2nd October
On Saturday (30th Sept) I
saw, along with a dozen or so other people, a Clouded Yellow at Minet
Country Park in Southall at about midday - Michael
Robinson
Another
clouded yellow: October 2nd, 1.30, Porridge Pot Lane near
Redbourn - female I think. Also two red admirals and one
large white whilst out on my lunch time run - Richard Harrington
Wheathampstead, Red Admiral - One on
the wing in my garden today - Robin Pearson
Sunday
1st October
I saw a fresh looking Clouded
Yellow at Minet Country Park, Hayes. 2 Red
Admiral also present - Steve Pash
I had a couple of Commas in my Stevenage garden, when the sun came
out between the rain - Steve Lane
On Saturday Sept 30th
I saw a Clouded Yellow, flying fast but apparently quite fresh, at
Sarratt Bottom, about 100 metres SE
of the Bucks frontier - Graham Elcombe
Vicarage Farm, Robert Callf recorded
single small heath, fresh male common blue, small copper and red
admiral today and will try for a record 'late' sighting of the small
heath over the next few days.
Hemel Hempstead on Saturday, six mint
condition Red Admirals and one Comma in the garden at the same time
taking advantage of the sunny weather to nectar on various flowers -
Malcolm Newland
September 2006
Friday
29th September
News from 27th September.
In my mother's garden in King's Langley I saw a Small
Tortoiseshell flying over the Buddlia. It was nice to see a ST in
what I hear has been a poor season for them in the south of England
- David Chandler
Wednesday 27th September
Bishop Stortford, I know it's not a
moth - and so its not at all important (!) - but I thought that some
of you might like to know (so you can keep a look-out in your own
areas) that I have just (12.04 hours, Wednesday 27.9.06) spotted a
Camberwelll Beauty butterfly in my
garden! It flew off strongly as I rounded the corner whilst
returning the moth trap to the lawn - Colin Plant
Tuesday
26th September
I have just had a phone
call from Robert Callf to say that he has just seen a Queen of Spain fritillary at Vicarage
Farm, North Enfield. 10.49, seen on the grass with wings
at 45 degree angle - he was able to see the 'mirrors' on the hind
wing. He had been with Robin White but as he called him back it flew
up, gained height, flew over the hedge in a northerly direction
never to be seen again. It was in good condition.
Today, 15 Red Admirals on ivy along a 50 metre
section of lane at Amwell - Alan Reynolds
Red Admirals are on the
move, several seen today going in a southerly direction in TL41
although several were also happy enjoying the late September sun and
ivy flowers. Also one Clouded Yellow using the same migration route
near Great Pennys Farm and one Common Blue
at Allen's Green - Liz Goodyear
Monday
25th September
News from Sunday at Amwell GP, 1 Large
White, 5 Small White, 5 Red Admiral, 2 Comma, 2 Speckled Wood. All
on Ivy, just the other side of river from Watchpoint. Also at least
5 Vapourer's in flight in bright sunlight - Mike Harris
1 clouded yellow - Tyttenhanger gravel pits - Sunday morning - Alex Lewis
Stevenage, I had 1 Comma and 1 Red
Admiral in my garden on Friday the 22nd -
Ian Hardy
Sunday
24th September
Today at Trent
Park - two Clouded Yellow, one Small Copper, one Small
Heath, one Comma and numerous Red Admiral appararently flying south
- Robert Calff / Phil Rhodes
Today at King's Mead 1 Clouded
Yellow and 4 Red Admiral - Alan Reynolds
Ickleford - Common blue, small heath
& Small Copper still on wing today, Brown Argus on 17/9 there also - Stuart Pittman
Saturday
23rd September
Brian Day phoned me to say
that he saw a White Admiral today in Reservoir Road
Ruislip, by Ruislip Lido. Also I should say
that the sighting in Balls Wood on Thursday should be credited to
Andy Holtham - Andrew Wood
Visited Balls Wood this
afternoon. Three commas but no sign of any second generation white
admirals - Roger Newbold
Thursday
21st September
Trent
Park, New Fields, 7 Small Copper and 4 Small Heath
including one that looked fresh - Robert Callf
'Ivy trees' by Sawbridgeworth cemetary had over 20+
Red Admirals flying around. 2 Small Copper by Spellbrook level crossing. Hadham
Towers 1 Small Heath and 1 Small Copper but the site has
just been landscaped and trees are due to be planted! - Liz
Goodyear
I spent this
afternoon in Balls Wood and various bits of Broxbourne Woods but did
not see anything. However one of the volunteers in an HWMT working
party in Balls Wood had seen and photographed
a White Admiral during their morning
break. All I saw were a few Red Admirals, Commas and Speckled Woods
plus a Peacock and an unidentified blue in Danemead -
Andrew Wood
Wednesday 20th September
Diane Andrews found a small heath in Ally
Pally today, her first sightings there and probably the
first record for many years - news via Andrew Middleton
News from 19th, St
Nick's Church Yard, 9.30-10.00am. 7 Red Admiral, 2
Speckled Wood,1 Small White, 1 Harlequin Ladybird. I am intrested to
know if anyone else has any records of the Harlequin Ladybird in or
around Stevenage - Lee Browne.
Hemel Hempstead: Convolvulous Hawkmoth, found dead by the
Redbourn Road on 19/9/06 - probably a traffic casualty - Frank Tuck
This weeks
sightings....Today, I went to Mudchute LNR for my
final lunchtime walk of this butterfly flight season and I saw a
Large White, eight Small Whites, two worn-out Green Veined Whites,
six Speckled Woods and a Red Admiral. 17th
September: On the way to the Saracens rugby match I saw a Red
Admiral in central Watford near the Tesco Metro
superstore & in The Watford Stadium itself I found a Peacock
searching for a hibernation place. 15th
September: In my mothers garden at Barnes
Rise King's Langley I saw a lone Comma feeding on one of
the last few flowers of her Buddlia bush - David Chandler.
Since Sunday, I have
managed to see a Clouded Yellow each day in TL41, near Gilston, near Hunsdon,
near Much Hadham (Helice form photoed by
Andrew Middleton) and today near Sawbridgeworth! Also Painted Ladies
being seen and numerous Red Admiral on flowering ivy and the
occasional Small Copper turning up in places where I least expected!
- Liz Goodyear
Monday
18th September
I saw 2 more
White Admiral in the Ruislip Woods complex
on Sunday morning (17/9/06). One in Copse
Wood and the other on Poors Field. Also, Red Admiral, Comma,
Speckled Wood, Small Copper and Small White - Steve Pash
Trent
Park news from Sunday, 1 Clouded Yellow, 2 Comma, 3 Red
Admiral also 13 Small Copper and 7 Small Heath - Robert Callf
Sunday
17th September
A Clouded Yellow today
heading NW through a narrow semi-wooded gully adjacent to Bushey
Cemetery. A Small Heath last weekend on rough grassland
at Old Parkbury near Radlett, a former
stronghold for that species but now subject to an application for a
massive rail freight terminal. Over at Chiswell Green (St Albans),
there are ambitious plans for a major tropical butterfly-house with
(I believe) some provision for native species and habitats - Colin
Everett
Tetrad
bashing beside the River Stort today produced: TL4612
(west of Sawbridgeworth) - Painted Lady, Brimstone, Small
Copper and the final Red Admiral to complete the 23 tetrads of TL41.
Next to Gilston and the edge of Pole Corner
quarry, 1 Clouded Yellow, 4 Common Blue, 1 Small Copper
and on a buddliea near Latton Lock 9 Red Admiral. Commas
also seen - Liz Goodyear
Rye Meads RSPB, on Saturday 16th
Sept, on Ivy outside the Ashby Hide: 15 Red
Admiral, 6 Comma, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Small White. Also Red
Admirals seen in ones and two's throughout the site. Many Migrant
Hawker & Common Darter - Mike Harris
Monday
11th September
2nd
generation White Admiral seen on my Balls
Wood transect today Sept 11th
- Andrew Wood
A
modest addition to the Small Heath total around St Albans yesterday:
one flying over arable land near Ayot Greenway, east of
Wheathampstead, mid-morning. Good to see them back in Herts.! - Alan
Jackson
After 8
seasons of surveying TL41, I have at last found a Small Heath, two
infact just north of Danebridge and only about 200 yds
short of the dividing line with TL42. Also visited TL42 and found Small Heath in two
tetrads but very little else. In TL4420, I saw only 4 butterflies,
Small White, Comma but also Small Heath and a Clouded Yellow. In 30
minutes in fields near the Henry Moore Foundation, I did not see one
butterfly! - Liz Goodyear
Sunday
10th September
I saw a fresh
White Admiral this afternoon (10/9/06) in Park
Wood, Ruislip. This follows reports of a few recent
sightings in the UTB area. - Steve Pash
At last a good day when
I could get out. But Bricket Wood was almost
butterfly free! The highlight was a late male Brimstone nectaring on
Michaelmas Daisy, also Speckled Wood, Green-veined White, Red
Admiral & Comma. More success at The Warren, Colney
Heath - 34 Small Heath, 13 Small
Copper, 3 Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshell & Comma. Nothing
but Speckled Woods & a Large White at Jersey
Farm. At Nomansland Common, 22 Small Copper,
14 Small Heath, 1 Common Blue, 1 small White & a Silver Y moth.
These are all sites I have seen Clouded Yellow in previous years,
but none today. Still 11 butterfly species is not bad for September
& I've never seen so many Small Heath in St Albans District on
one day before - Malcolm Hull
Thursday
7th September
Walking down the lane
towards Hunsdon Lock, we saw a red admiral,
then opening the gate to the towpath towards the north end of
Hunsdon Meads, a large dark butterfly took off, either from the
sunny side of the post, or the bare ground. I was lucky enough to
see it in flight from 10-25m, although it was lit from behind by the
sun. The most distinctive feature was the pale or whitish thick
margin running around both wings. The remainder of the wings were
dark, lacking a white apex to forewing or red of a red admiral. I
concentrated again and the very pale margin was again obvious, being
lit by the sun from the other side. This time I seemed to detect
some claret brown colouring to the upperwings - I imagine the light
was shining through the wings to some degree. The butterfly made off
through adjacent trees and shrubs. The smell of abundant rotting
fruit from a nearby old orchard wafted across the lane. I tried to
make it into a red admiral, but I think it was a Camberwell Beauty
and I'm putting it in my notebook as one. Wish it had hung around
for better views - Andrew Middleton (Liz was distracted by a Large
White!!!)
Did some
recording in TL41 with Andrew Middleton today. Highlight for me was
18
Small Coppers on Hunsdon Meads mostly
TL4010 but a bit of TL4210, also seen Common Blue, Brown Argus,
Comma, Red Admiral, Holly Blue, GV and Large White. The highlight
for Andrew as I missed it completely was a probable Camberwell Beauty by Hunsdon
Lock - see above for full description. Then went to TL4212 and the only butterfly was
Speckled Wood and to Redericks Lane and walked by the River Stort (TL4612). Here we saw 2 Small
Coppers, 3 Common Blues, Green-venined White and 2 Commas, all new
for the tetrad. Still no Small Heath for the decad? - Liz Goodyear
Wednesday 6th September
By the A41 interchange at Leavesden
Green (Watford), there is a traffic island (TQ 094 998)
built on the edge of the former airfield. With scattered clumps of
Red Clover among scabious, yarrow, trefoils, broom, etc, I had
thought that it seemed suitable for Clouded Yellow and so it proved
this afternoon when one (probably a male) stopped to take nectar
before continuing south across the A41. At least as significantly,
the island also holds a small colony of the now rather local Small
Heath - Colin Everett
Tuesday
5th September
** 4pm on 5th September 06
** I had been shopping in Central Watford and was walking home along
the Colne Valley path secretly hoping for
a sighting of "a migrant that likes willows" similar to those that
border the river, when, as I was turning into Orphanage Road, I
found a very fresh male Clouded Yellow on a small patch of waste
ground no more that 300yards from my home. It was not the migrant I
was hoping for but non-the-less a very exciting find and a splendid
sighting to add to my list of species seen in Central Watford this
year (13) - David Chandler
Sightings for my Stevenage garden for the last few days.
When the weather brightens up, the buddlieu comes alive, best
counts, 3 Red Admirals, 4 Painted Lady's, 3 Hummingbird Hawk Moths,
2 Large Whites, 2 Small Whites, 1 Peacock, 2 Commas. 2 of these
butterflies are much small than normal size and are in very good
condition, 1 Small White is about the size of a white-letter
hairstreak and the Comma (photo attached) about half the size of the
other one visiting the buddlieu. Great Ashby Park still
has lots of Painted Lady's, Common Blues, the odd tatty Meadow Brown
and 2 Small Heaths - Steve Lane
Sunday
3rd September
Watched a Hummingbird
Hawkmoth at 1230 today nectaring in very strong winds on buddleia
opposite Davenport House in Bowers Way, Harpenden - Alan
Jackson
A recorder
from my area TQ 09 reported an unusual butterfly
in her garden in Mill End last Monday Aug
28. She described it as very pale green on the underside. Leaf
shaped. When it opened its wings they were bright orange and rather
square in shape. Then it flew off. I had initially thought of a form
of Brimstone but the description almost perfectly matches the
Cleopatra! It is probably a release rather than migrant a long way
from home! If any one has any comments I would be pleased to receive
them! - Ann Piper
Friday
1st September
I know it was a bit of an
easy win with the information kindly given to me by Michael Pearson
but none the less finding my 37th different butterfly species of the
season, a Clouded Yellow in the lower clover meadow at Bunker
's Park was a sheer delight. Having not seen a CY since
2003 this slightly washed out male still gave me simple pure
pleasure - David Chandler
Fridays seem a good day for butterflies for me.
Last Friday week, 25th August, I was
driving through Abbots Langley when this large dark
brown butterfly with a thick white border on its front and hind
wings flew in front of my car. I was convinced that it was a
Camberwell Beauty. What struck me at the time and I believe what
attracted me to the butterfly was the way the wing border appeared
to flash on and off in flight. Unbelievably today, 1st September, whilst I was in the kitchen I
noticed this flashing again as a dark brown butterfly flew across my
garden. I dashed out and managed to see the strong wing border on
all wings. Again I would describe the colour as whitish. I was not
able to see the blue on the wing as again it was just a fly by. I
would say that the size was slightly bigger than a Red Admiral. The
Abbots Langley sighting was at 11:30. I live at Woodside, Watford, the sighting time
was at 13:45. It had clouded over by this time but there were a few
Small Whites drifting about - Bob Cripps
News of a tenth Camberwell Beauty right
on the eastern border of Hertfordshire at Sawbridgeworth. Andrew Wood received
a phone call from Lisa Collins to say that her daughter Isobel had
spotted one on the windowsill and told her mum, who looked it up and
confirmed the sighting. A photo was taken and sent to Andrew with
this message "The quality is not too good, but at least we have an
image. Hope it is of use and I'm sure that Isobel would love any
feedback to use at school" - Lisa and (Isobel Collins age 7)
AUGUST 2006
Thursday
31st August
Saw my first Small Copper of
the year in Hemel Hempstead today. It looked like
a fresh specimen although it did not settle for more than a couple
of seconds. Nothing much of interest to report from my own garden
apart from a more or less resident H B H M which has been seen
nectaring several times a day mainly on my numerous Buddleias since
the 14th of August - Malcolm Newland
Visited four tetrads in TL43 today starting at
Great
Hormead. (This is a decad that according to the 2005
report has not had a record reported). Key species of the day was
Speckled Wood with over 80 recorded during a 7+ mile walk mostly in
Scales Park. Also nice to Small Heath, Common Blue and Brown Argus
in the field margins although not in every tetrad. Also seen Small
White (large numbers), Large White and 1 Green-veined White, Holly
Blue, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Comma and a Painted Lady. 12
species in all but distributed over 4 tetrads unfortunately - Liz
Goodyear
I thought
you would be interested to know I have found a small colony of Brown
Argus on the Brunel University campus in Uxbridge.
On the 24th August I discovered 2-3
individuals on waste ground. I went back the following day and saw
at least 6, some of which were worn but the attached pictures are of
one in fairly good condition. The habitat is mainly bramble scub
with a variety of native and non-native plants. Open areas have
remained due to illegal horse grazing which has gone on for many
years. It is now owned by Brunel University and not open to the
public. The university is keen to maintain this land as a wildlife
area and I have already suggested a few measures to protect the
foodplant, which appears to be Cranesbill. I will be visiting the
site regularly to monitor their progress and keep you updated. As
far as I`m aware Brown Argus are pretty scarce in the London area. A
few years ago a colony appeared at Broadwater GP in Harefield but
died out due to scrub invasion. I think at the time it was one of
the only colonies in Middlesex. I will do my best to prevent the
same thing happening to this colony - Steve Pash
Wednesday 30th August
Another Camberwell Beauty
report has been received from SW
Middlesex. I spotted a Camberwell Beauty at Bedfont
Lakes Country Park near Heathrow on 27th August feeding on Buddleia. I took some
photos - apologies for the slightly ropey picture quality, light was
not good and only had my spare camera with me - Richard Staines
Tuesday
29th August
AM at Fir and
Pond Woods NR seen in the meadow area...3 brown argus
(see attached photo), 3 red admirals, several speckled woods, 2
common blue, 1 small copper. A pleasing collection. This brings the
species list for the Reserve over 2004-2006 to 25 - David Gompertz
Monday
28th August
Thought you might like to
know that last Friday (August 25th) my wife and I visited Rye
Meads RSPB Reserve where we managed to see one gatekeeper
(looking reasonably smart) as well as one female common blue, one
comma and several small/g.v. whites - Roger Newbold
At least three Clouded
Yellows (both sexes present) among clover at Bunkers
Park - Colin Everett
Friday
25th August
Camberwell Beauty number
eight has been reported and beats the 1995 previous record year.
Terry Goddard was with his 6 year old nephew, bird watching at Cheshunt
Park this morning and saw a Camberwell Beauty
around sallows behind the clubhouse at about 11am.
I went back to Mudchute
LNR today (August 25th) during my lunch-hour looking for
small tortoiseshells which have been scarce in their summer brood in
our region. I have seen them at Mudchute earlier in the spring when
I've visited the site, but unfortunately none were to be seen by me
today. However I did find Commas (2) Speckled Woods (4), Green
Veined Whites (8) & Small Whites (14) but not much else - David
Chandler
Late news
from Wednesday 23rd August. A Hummingbird
Hawk-moth on a garden Buddleia at Garston (Watford) in
cloudy conditions just after 1000 hours. - Colin Everett
Thursday
24th August
A seventh report of Camberwell Beauty has been reported
to Butterfly Conservation of 2 visits on Saturday August 19th in a south
Herts garden. This report equals the record set in 1995.
Wednesday 23rd August
I thought you may be interested in a Camberwell Beauty ! sighting nr North
Acton station yesterday am. I
was walking to work along a footpath that runs from the tube station
to the Park Royal road, between the tube line and North Acton
cemetry at about 09:30 hrs. There is an amount of bramble on the
railway embankment with a large number of ripe Blackberries (most
now just out of reach of ones hand!) and walking down the path I put
up a large butterfly which I saw was dark with a yellow outline on
both wings. It flew over the fence onto the Blackberries but did not
alight for long and was soon away down the embankment, flying and
with a gliding action that reminded me of a White Admiral. It had a
couple of white markings on the top part of the upper wing and
initially I took it for a melanic Red Admiral or Tortiseshell - not
really believing it could be a Camberwell Beauty. I really only saw
it in flight for about 10 seconds. I was not able to hang around to
see if it came back nor was in a position to go looking for it!
Looking in the Collins guide last night confirmed it - the white
markings are on the Camberwell Beauty along with the dark wings and
the promienent yellow border. That was the last thing I would have
expected to see in Park Royal! I guess this is another migrant from
the recent eruption from Europe. The ripe blackberries were the
attraction. Well, its a first for me - now I know they are around I
will look out for others. - Graham Dawson
Walking back from Edmonton today I
crossed the railway by the Montagu Road pedestrian crossing, and saw
a sheet of common toadflax Linaria vulgaris. I looked down and saw
three, what looked like, well grown toadflax brocade
larvae, going from memory of seeing images. The site is
TQ353930 and I imagine there would be plenty more of this plant
strung out along the lower Lee Valley railways and brownfields.http://www.acmiddleton.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/toadflax.JPG
I trapped an adult in my garden on 23 Jul 2003, but have never found
a larva on the purple toadflax I planted, or on the few patches I
have found growing wild. The purple toadflax has been a great
attraction for bees though - Andrew Middleton
Tuesday August 22nd. Enjoyed a walk in the
Wildhill area (near Essendon
starting in square 2506). Saw 4 speckled woods, 3 small whites and 1
small heath. Disappointing not to see any late gatekeepers or meadow
browns; are there any still around? - Roger Newbold
Tuesday
22nd August
Ware garden, I wondered
what the cat was watching this evening only to see a Humming-bird
Hawkmoth on the front garden buddliea - it stayed for over an hour.
Garden butterflies today included a Comma, 3 Painted Ladies and 3
Red Admirals - Liz Goodyear
Robert Callf rang to say that he had a
Humming-bird Hawkmoth on buddliea by his flat in Southgate
Monday
21st August
I don't normally post Uk-leps news but thought this message sent
by Chris Van Swaay of the Dutch Butterfly Conservation was extremely
interesting. "First of all N antiopa
(Camberwell beauty). The invasion started 4 August, peaked on 6
August (40 observations), and now is more or less stable (depending
the weather) on 5-10 per day. The first few days almost all
observations were along our west coast, with butterflies reported
flying south. For that reason we expect the origin in the north
(Norway?). Good to read they have reached the UK as well. July gave
us an influx of P daplidice/edusa (BathWhite) in the northern part
of NL. At some places 15-20 butterflies were reported. It seems
possible that some have crossed the northsea, so be alert. Since
most butterflies were seen in the north, we expect an eastern origin
(Poland?). From the Colias species we have had a good influx on C
croceus. Numbers look like those in the UK. But also C hyale is
doing very well. It's always surprising to see that they hardly seem
to reach the UK, where C croceus doens't seem to have a problem
crossong the sea. In Belgium and NL last week three L boeticus (Long
tailed blue) have been reported. This is exceptionally high for us.
Keep your eyes open, because they might reach your country as well.
Once in a while (when appropriate or interesting) I will try to give
an update on the situation here in NL as far as it might be
interesting for the UK. Thanks to our online input system for
butterfly records we have a continues and updated knowledge on the
situation here. Chris van Swaay Dutch Butterfly Conservation"
Confirmation of the
third Camberwell Beauty report as follows "Saw a beautiful and
unusual butterfly at work on Weds
16/08/06, am convinced it was a Camberwell Beauty. Dark
chocolate brown with quite a deep and well defined creamy-white
border to the bottom of the wings. Didn't notice any blue spots,
though. Seen in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, next
to a busy road on our industrial estate. There is a steep bank of
grass outside our large office block, with large clumps of lavender
on it. The only trees nearby are silver birch, pines, cypress (the
dreaded leylandii!), rowan, crab apples and eucalyptus. The
butterfly just rested on the grass for a few minutes with its wings
spread out and much to my regret flew off" - Carol McNaughton (news
via Peter Eeles)
I
had an extremely worn purple hairstreak at Commonwood Common, Sarratt on Wednesday 16th August - Jez Perkins
Sunday
20th August
I had a Camberwell Beauty in my garden in Berkhamsted this afternoon (Sunday)
20th, for about 20 minutes - Brian Roberts
The fourth report of Camberwell Beauty has been phoned
through today from Pat Langford. She and her husband saw it very
briefly at 2.15 today in their garden which is between Tewin
and Datchworth!
A report from one of my Rothamsted colleagues
confirms that at least one clouded yellow was still in Sawyers
Field on Thursday 17th August,
about four weeks after they were first seen there. Richard
Harrington
Netherhall (Glen Faba gravel pit area) Lea
Valley, 1 Brown Argus (not seen here before); 1 Clouded
Yellow; + a number of Common Blues, 1 Painted Lady - Nigel May
Ware
garden - regular monitoring of the buddliea, hasn't
produced any Camberwell Beauties (isn't that a surprise!) but I have
seen a Brown Argus today nectaring. Over the weekend several Red
Admiral and Painted Ladies, a Meadow Brown and Large White also a
solitary quite tatty Small Tortoiseshell. One of my sedums is just
starting to flower and the butterflies had already found the pink
flowers - Liz Goodyear
Friday
18th August
I have now heard of a third
report of Camberwell Beauty in Hertfordshire
(permission is pending to post). A full log of national sightings
can be viewed here on UK Butterflies website http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=619
Thanks to Peter Eeles for the news.
Wednesday 16th August
Thought you'd like to know that I saw a Camberwell Beauty in my back garden
this afternoon. It was resting on a pile of logs but flew off just
as we tried to photograph it, we did catch the end but not much to
see. I live in St Albans. Me and my dad were very
excited as we've never seen one before - Hannah Perryman (Message to Hannah - I have tried to reply to
your email but it wouldn't deliver. Can you email me again with your
phone number or ask your Dad to ring me follow links to committee
page - Thanks Liz)
Thought you would like to know I saw a Clouded
Yellow this morning (16th August) at Rye Marsh RSPB. Other
butterflies seen were singles of Common Blue, Holly Blue, Red
Admiral, Comma and Speckled Wood. Incidentally, and rather belatedly
I saw three Marbled Whites along what was the River Beane at Chells
Manor Stevenage on 22nd July -
Phil Bishop
Tuesday
15th August
Bishop's Stortford garden:
Thought you might like to know that I had a definite
Camberwell Beauty feeding on a
buddlieia in my back garden at approx 1.30 pm this afternoon. It was
just a chance sighting because I was only taking a peak out of the
kitchen window, when I saw this huge 'blackish' butterfly with
creamy white border on the wings, feeding on the buddleia. Of course
it didn't stay for long ( though I hesitate to guess how long it
might have been there feeding before I saw it) and I didn't have
time to get my camera before it was away. But there is absolutely no
doubt about the record - David Sampson
I had a site visit today at Bunkers
Park and saw: 3 common blue, 5+ Clouded Yellow. All were
in Bottom Field. I've attached a photo of a clouded yellow. I've
attached it in 2 formats just in case you have problems opening it -
Jez Perkins
Pleased
to have a visit from a Hummingbird Hawk Moth in my Harpenden garden this am - Geoff Horn
Sunday
13th August
Had a quick walk around Great
Ashby Park, Stevenage, the rain stop just long enough to
walk the dog, did not expect to see much in the conditions. 1
Clouded Yellow, 1 Small Heath, a few Meadow Browns and Painted
Lady's. My garden has not had much either, 1 Red Admiral, a few
Gatekeepers and Small Whites, 1 Hummingbird Hawk Moth and still lots
of Silver Ys - Steve Lane
News from Friday 11 Aug
2006. Walked our usual route in Bricket Wood. Saw a 2
Brown Argus & Painted Ladies, 3 Speckled Wood, 1 Peacock, 1
Common Blue, 6+ Gatekeepers and 2 Green-veined White. We also saw a
very tatty, weak Silver-washed
Fritillary. I took one photo and then followed it to try for
another when a Hawker (Southern we think) struck and carried it off!
End of story! White Admiral caterpillars - No 1 could not be seen,
the leaves were all brown and wrinkled (not made into a tent) and we
hoped that it had walked up the main stem to fresh leaves. No's 2, 3
and 4 were all OK and one had made a tent. Glen & Moira Barnes
see
http://www.hertsmiddx-butterflies.org.uk/photos/2006_photos.html for
the pictures
We're back in France (since 29 June) and it was
certainly a good idea to take three days to get here via the Vercors
National Park just south of Grenoble, although the fun started in a
service station (a small picnic site, not a commercial one) near
Dijon. A medium size butterfly was circling us quite low and it took
a few seconds to realise that it was a mini-sized ilia (actually
only realised when it landed on me), about two-thirds of the size I
would have expected. It disappeared for a while but we found it
again in the lorry park area where it had been clobbered, more
likely by the passing gust of a lorry than by being hit, as it was
just about alive. It clambered onto my finger so I could take it to
the edge of the site but it clearly wasn't going to survive. I took
a few hurried photos (two attached 2024, 2025, not good enough for
the public view) at different angles to show the purple iridescence,
but felt quite guilty at taking photos of a dying animal.
Just to compound matters, a few minutes later we
found a mini-high brown fritillary half-alive in the lorry park, and
took him to the edge as well, but I think this was almost dead,
too.
If this wasn't bad enough, a few minutes
later a majestic iris came down to sample the delights of some dried
up diesel fuel on the lorry park. This was still alive when we left,
but was so absorbed, I wouldn't give much for its chances.
The Vercors is a superb area and there are two
places I would strongly recommend visiting if in that area. There
was a flower field at the Col de St Alexis that had nine types of
fritillary. We went to Verona last week to see the opera (Aida -
fabulous experience) and took in a couple of days around Lake Garda,
which produced one iris circling around and again briefly landing on
me (well, it was very hot!).
We've just been
away (24-30 July) in the Alpes Maritimes, two each in Isola 2000,
Rimplas and Le Boreon (northeast of St Martin Vesubie). Isola was
great -' scarce and purple-edged coppers in hundreds, mountain
clouded yellow, silvery argus and geranium argus in good numbers,
and plenty of erebia ringlets but unfortunately 90% were almond-eyed
(this seems incredibly common to me) and most of the remainder were
common brassy with one or two scotch argus and arran brown. The
highlight was a colony of what I believe were balkan fritillaries
(3219, 3241).
The Rimplas site has lost many
of its species it seems (no provencal fritillary, hermit, striped
grayling, or tree grayling) following the apparent flattening of the
mountain track and covering the flowery verges with rock, as we saw
in May. However, dryad, black satyr, and meleagers blues were in
healthy numbers.
Le Boreon was expected to be
the highlight, nestling at the edge of civilisation in the
Mercantour Park, but was almost bereft of butterflies, even common
ones, at altitudes of 1500-2000m. The only real highlight was a
small colony of marbled ringlets, also a life tick for me, and one
or two were prepared to exchange some of my sweat for a photo
posing. There was a magnificent convulvulus hawkmoth settled on the
hotel wall in the morning, though.
Finally,
an unusual pose from the king of all butterflies (2714), a wood
white that almost completely lacks markings (2554) and an apollo
(2243) - Roger Gibbons
Saturday
12th August
Belated news from Tower
Hamlets Cemetery, where Terry, one of the guys whom works
at the Soanes Centre within the cemetery, told me that he had
another Silver-washed Fritillary on Saturday 5th August. This individual showed
a pristine left forewing, proving it to be a separate individual
from the one seen late July, which had a tatty left forewing. This
sighting was from "Monument Glade", close to the glade where both I,
Phil Hissey & Keir Mottram saw the other individual - Bob Watts
Thursday
10th August
Waltham Abbey garden,
large numbers of Silver-Y moths from 25.7, along with 3 to 4 Painted
ladies on Buddleia davidii; 28.7 1 Volucella zonaria - apparently
Britain's largest hoverfly (identified from article in 'British
Wildlife' 4.06); 9.8 1 Hummingbird Hawkmoth on Buddleia and verbena
bonariensis. All of the above in my back garden - Nigel May
Wednesday 9th August
I had another sighting of Clouded Yellow near Frogmore
gravel pits St Albans on the 8th of August on a large
area of rough grassland which is an infilled gravel pit - Alan
Gardiner
Tuesday
8th August
Hemel Hempstead garden,
another first! I was pleasantly surprised to see,for the first time,
a female Gatekeeper egglaying on a patch of reasonably succulent
grass where my very small lawn meets the herbaceous border. She must
have been desperate! - Malcolm Newland
Weekend Field Trips
Reports:
Saturday
5th August - Therfield Heath: Therfield went very
well with nearly 40 people in hot sunny weather. We saw plenty of
Chalkhill Blue - perhaps 50+ and everyone got a good view. Also
Common Blue, Brown Argus, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Small Heath,
Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Essex skipper and the whites. No sign of
Chalk Carpet - we think the moth is often very localised - Sharon
Hearle (Eastern Regional Officer)
Sunday 6th August - Ruislips
Woods: Yesterday's branch field trip to Park Wood Ruislip
was modestly attended; in partly cloudy conditions six members
(including myself) saw ten species: Large White, Small White, Green
Veined White, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Comma, Small
Skipper, Common Blue & Purple Hairstreak. One Purple Hairstreak
was very obliging and was perched low enough in the bushes for all
the party to have a close-up look with the naked eye - Dave Chandler
Letchworth
garden, 1 Silver Washed
Fritillary yesterday - David Heath
I took a 20 minute minute walk in a field in Great
Ashby in Stevenage this after noon saw 3 Clouded Yellows,
20+Common Blues, 6 Small Heath, 2 Peacock and 1 Silver Washed Fritillary - Ian Hardy
Enfield
Lock: Hummingbird Hawkmoth at 18.10 hovering and
nectaring on window-box flowers at front of my house - Martin
Shepherd
Monday
7th August
Just received a report of a Striped
Hawkmoth nectaring at Petunias in a garden near Harefield,
Middlesex last night (6 August) - news via Martin Honey
A clouded yellow was
seen in Trent Park on
Sunday - news via Robert Callf
Sunday
6th August
I was lucky enough to record a
Silver-washed Fritillary in my Brookmans Park garden on July 29th. It was about to settle on a
buddleia until a Peacock chased it off. Today around Essendon there were 5+ Painted
Ladies. Yesterday at Dame Alice Owens School, Potters Bar
there was a Clouded Yellow, and in my Brookmans Park garden a
Hummingbird Hawk-Moth - Rupert Pyrah
Great Ashby Park, Stevenage, also
forgot to add Small Heath to yesterday's list. At least 2 Clouded
Yellows this morning (Sunday)- Steve Lane
Ware
garden, a very brief sighting of a Hummingbird Hawkmoth
in the early evening. In the last week in Norfolk, 3 (2nd
generation) Swallowtails, seen by the river at Horning on the 31st
July. Also lots of Graylings, a few tired Dark Green Fritillary and
3 Wall Brown seen on the north Norfolk coast in the Horsey/Waxham
area - Liz Goodyear
Saturday
5th August
2.30pm. I've just been back to
Sawyers field at Rothamsted for half
an hour and got four sightings of clouded yellow, I suspect of the
same individual each time. So whereas last weekend I reckon there
were around 6 in the field, today there is probably only 1. It was a
male and hardly settled at all - Richard Harrington
Brown Argus continue to
do well locally. I saw 6 on the transect at Bricket Wood - total for
all walks in the previous ten years is 3. Two seen in my back garden
in St
Albans (never seen here before this year) & 1 in our
local park (first ever record). Two male Siver Washed Fritillaries recorded on the
transect at Bricket Wood - a very tatty one
patrolling in the main clearing and a fresher specimen on buddleia
in the front garden of one of the houses at Old
Bricket in School Lane - Malcolm Hull
Female Clouded Yellow
at
Roughdown Common near Felden (Hemel Hempstead); also 100+
Common Blues there. Two further gaps in the west Herts distribution
of Silver-washed Fritillary were plugged,
with one around garden buddleias at the west edge of Bury
Wood and another patrolling a ride in Scatterdells Wood near Chipperfield.
Plenty of Painted Ladies, Red Admirals and Silver Ys; Vapourer moths
are also common at present. Along a bridleway west of Apsley a
worker social wasp was grappling with a grounded Purple Hairstreak;
when I placed a container over them they separated, the hairstreak
then flying up into the oaks - Colin Everett
Great
Ashby District Park, I had a late morning walk around the
park today, and to my surprise I found at least 3 Clouded Yellows (3
seen together, but many sightings) photos attached, also many
Painted Ladys, Small Copper, Common Blues, Brown Argus, Peacock, Red
Admiral, Meadow Brown, Large & Small Whites, Small/Essex
Skippers. Whatever wild flower seed mix the developers used on this
area has improved the butterfly habitat, with good numbers of many
species this year.
I have now finish the
challenge of seeing all 58 main land breeding species in a season,
starting on May 19th with Chequered Skipper at Glasdrum Wood,
Scotland and finshing August 3rd with Lulworth Skipper at Durlston
Country Park, Swanage. So I can now get back to watching some local
butterflies. It had been a very enjoyable challenge, but I still
need to photograph a few I've missed - Steve Lane
Friday
4th August
On Saturday 29th July I saw a Marbled White in
the meadows adjacent to Ten Acre wood in Hillingdon. This is
the first time I have seen this species in that area. Also in the
same area, 20+ Painted Lady, 8 Red Admiral, dozens of Gatekeeper`s
and Meadow Brown`s, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Purple
Hairstreak, Small Copper, Large, Small & GV White and Common
Blue. On Sunday 30th July I found a
rather worn White-letter Hairstreak nectaring on Brambles at the
eastern edge of Ladywalk wood, Maple Cross. Again
lots of Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown. A
few Large & Small White, 4 Common Blue,a Comma and a Small
Copper - Steve Pash
Wednesday 2nd August
I went to The Chelsea Physic
Garden today where I was lucky enough to see a Plain
Tiger butterfly on a Sea Holly. Apparently several
specimens had developed successfully from early stages present on
some imported plants and had hatched in late July.If any others are
reported from the London area at least we know the source - Malcolm
Newland
Tuesday
1st August
Enjoyed a walk in the west of
the county around Wilstone (N.W. of Tring), following
the instructions in our "Pub Walks in Hertfordshire" book (for the
most part successfully.) It was fairly blustery but we managed to
see approx. 20 Gatekeepers, a similar number of whites (mainly
small), 14 Meadow Browns, 8 Red Admirals, two Essex Skippers (no
sign of orange on antennae), one Comma, one Small Tortoiseshell, one
male Common Blue, several Silver Y moths and two Magpie moths.
Nothing spectacular but a very pleasant walk - Roger Newbold
Monday
31st July
Visiting a friend's garden at
Grove
Hill today, I was pleased to see a male Common Blue which
came to rest on a Love-in a-Mist seed pod.I also noted a single
Comma and several Peacocks and Painted Ladies on her three
Buddleias. Malcolm Newland
Sunday
30th July
One male Silver-washed
fritillary seen on 30/07/06 at Danemead on Marsh
thistle see photo - Phil Jeffery
News from 20th - Enfield
Lock, Middlesex: Painted Lady in the garden on buddleia
at 6.10pm - Martin Shepherd
I went to inspect the only 2 clumps of Fleabane
at King's Mead today to see if I could
find any Brown Argus. I was rewarded with 5 Common Blues, amazingly
the first that I have seen at King's Mead this year. This was
quickly followed by a single Brown Argus, again the first for the
site this year. My attention was then drawn to another blue
butterfly. somewhat larger than the Common Blues. Unfortunately,
although it readily settled on the Fleabane, it was very reluctant
to open its wings. Eventually my patience was rewarded and I was
able to take the attached photographs of what I believe to be a
Chalkhill Blue - Alan Reynolds
Saturday
29th July
Brown Argus, Small Copper and
Common Blue among half-a-dozen other species at the far western edge
of Commonwood Common (between Sarratt and
Chipperfield); a very worn Ringlet along a bridleway SE of
Chipperfield; widespread Painted Ladies and Red Admirals.
At Croxley Common Moor I bumped into the
Herts Recorder for Spiders, Doug Marriott, who mentioned hundreds of
Painted Ladies on the buddleias along the nearby disused railway
line (cf Graham Elcombe's similar report from the same site two days
previously) and also remarked that in his youth (which he assured me
was sixty years ago), Whippendell Wood had been a stronghold for
SWF, with large numbers on bramble banks in the so-called
'strawberry fields' (close to my record from last week) - Colin
Everett
I went back
to Sawyers field at Rothamsted today. I reckon there are
around 6 clouded yellows in it. Still haven't seen a female. Picture
attached. (Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ7 in telemacro mode - ie picture
taken approx. 1 metre away) - Richard Harrington
2
Silver-Washed Fritillaries seen in Stevenage this morning
(one in Whomerley Wood and one at the Shackledell grassland).
Attached is the photo taken at Shackledell. Also saw about 80
Painted Ladies mostly in Millenium Wood. - Peter Clarke
1 Clouded yellow seen
near Norton Green, Stevenage on Tuesday 25 July at approx 1pm. 16 painted
ladies (probably more but that's the most we could count for sure as
they kept moving) in same place on Friday 28
July - Christine Penn
Friday
28th July
Hemel Hempstead. In the
garden today, seven Large Whites, two Red Admirals, Two Gatekeepers,
three Painted Ladies, ten Peacocks, three Small Whites, a
Green-Veined White,two Commas, two Meadow Browns, a Holly Blue and a
male Brimstone, but at 10.45 a.m a Silver
Washed Fritillary arrived in belligerent mood chasing away any
rivals for nectar. It stayed in and around the garden for over an
hour visiting mainly Buddleias Lochinch and Pink Perfection together
with Verbena Bonariensis. Luckily I was able to photograph it. If I
hadn't had to stay in for the postman as I was expecting a parcel I
would have missed this third sighting of a S.W.F.in two years.I also
enclose a photo of one of the two Marbled Whites to turn up this
year - Malcolm Newland
Yesterday an amazing 20 Painted Lady at King's
Mead - Alan Reynolds
Three clouded yellows (all males, I think -
certainly at least two of them) seen flying at the same moment in
Sawyers Field on the Rothamsted Estate, Harpenden, today
(28th July). Lots of clover there. Although it slopes away extremely
gently, the field could just about be described as a hilltop, so I
wonder if the males are anticipating the arrival of females at the
same site. The males were flying low, and scarcely stopping,
although one was kind enough to allow me a photo. I'll try to spend
a bit more time up there over the weekend - Richard Harrington
I just thought I'd let
you know that here in Harpenden centre on Bowers Way,
there's an extensive buddleia which, over the last few days, has had
multiple painted ladies (> 6 simultaneously), large whites (at
least 4 sim.), numerous peacocks (4 sim.) and red admirals (2 sim.).
They are flitting around most of the day. There have also been the
occasional meadow brown, as well as several 'brown moth-like' fliers
(silver Y moths). I was also tidying up a
shed at home in Harpenden at weekend and disturbed a bright red and
black flier - might have been either a narrow bordered 5 spot burnet
moth or a cinnabar moth - it was too quick for me - Paul Gloess
Saw the Shrike today -
excellent views but no Clouded Yellows (Croxley Moor). Had to let
three Painted Ladies out of the house this morning and they seem to
be everywhere this year. Also Brown Argus in my Chiswell
Green garden - Alan Gardiner
Thursday
27th July
I imagine Broxbourne Wood is pretty well
covered by various people, but I went there yesterday in the rather over-optimistic and,
as it proved, vain hope of seeing a Purple Emperor. It was muggy and
warm, but mainly cloudy, but a few Purple Hairstreaks flitted
around, and in the glade north of the P.E. site there were four
Painted Ladies, two Peacocks, a Small Skipper (managed to get the
camera eyeball-to-eyeball with it to check), two Ringlets and a
Pierid or two which wouldn't come near me - so not too much. Walking
through the bracken, I disturbed large numbers of Silver Ys, so it's
learly a good year for them; but they don't seem much to go for moth
traps - only one or two have tried out the trap I run sporadically
in Highgate Wood. In Highgate Wood, the summer generation
of Speckled Woods are appearing - they are well-established here,
and three were fighting it out for possession of a small sunny glade
on the morning of the 25th; one obligingly settled for a
photo-opportunity. Haven't seen any Humming-Bird Hawks as yet, but
last year in Dorset I was watching one hover at a flower when, to my
surprise, it settled on the adjacent stone wall - something I'd
never seen before, and very well-camouflaged: I'd never have spotted
it if it had just been sitting there. My camera was pleading for
mercy by the time I had finished with it - got some great shots, and
even a reasonable one of it in mid-hover, which you might like for
winter - Michael Hammerson
This afternoon (July 27th) I visited the former
railway sidings on the other side of the canal from Croxley
Common Moor. Painted Ladies were very numerous on the
wild buddleias which flourish abundantly over the whole area.
Numbers impossible to count but in an approx half mile stretch I
must have seen hundreds. Also one Clouded Yellow, and the occasional
Comma, Red Admiral and Peacock; but no Small Torts - Graham Elcombe
Buddlia Bush in
citizens advise bureau, St.Albans: Circa
12 Painted Ladies. Symondshyde Woods nr Sandridge. Along
the Bridle path heading east to west (before going south) 1300 -
1400: 2 (1m) Silver Washed Fritillary
(Geoff took some excellent shots of the male which hopefully he will
put on this website soon), 2 White Letter Hairstreak 1 Purple
Hairstreak (1st for the site for me, 1 Green Veined White. All I
need now is Purple Emperor for this site & I will no longer have
to venture to broxbourne woods to see all these lovely butterflies!
Hexton Chalk Pits: Never been here
before. Numerous Chalk Hill Blues & Painted Ladies & 1 tatty
Marbled White but no sign of any Dark Green Fritillaries (only
stayed for about half hour before the monsoon came.) There may have
been a cheeky DGF somewhere!! - Darin Stanley & Geoff Horn
Tower
Hamlets, Bob had told me the exact glade where he'd seen
it (Silver Washed-Fritillary) on Tuesday
(by post no.6 on the Millennium Walk round the site), I popped over
there after a quick rain shower, and there the little blighter was.
In Tower Hamlets! Looking in good nick as well, I thought. It flew
and glided around the glade a bit, had a pop at a couple of whites,
nectared on a thistle, perched on a dead umbellifer, then popped up
into the canopy. I wandered over the path at the back of where it
had flew up in to, hoping to see it in another glade a little
further on, but managed to put it up from about a yard in front of
me off an elder by the side of the path! I just didn't think it
would be there, and if only I'd been more careful I could have had
even better views. Staggered but happy - Keir Mottram
News from 25 July 2006. Hot, sunny day.
Drove to Bricket Wood and parked in School
Lane. Walked down path, crossed the bridges and saw and photographed
a Brown Argus. Carried on to & turned right seeing Red Admiral,
Gatekeepers, Green Woodpecker, Comma and Peacock. Mo was searching
for and found 3 more White Admiral caterpillars and I found another
Brown Argus. Carried on and checked the first White Admiral
caterpillar that Mo Had found. Looks healthy. No sign of the one
from the egg. Another Brown Argus seen at 10.50. We were now in the
more open area at 10.55 when we saw a
Silver-washed Fritillary. Pale and very tatty with its wing
edges looking fringed. We then saw another much brighter one
feeding. Photographed both. As we walked back we saw 2+ Purple
Hairstreaks and another 2 Brown Argus. As we carried on we saw
another Brown Argus, a Brimstone and a Peacock. At the crossroads we
decided to go straight across towards the pub. We saw a Speckled
wood and a patch of Violet plants. At the pub we turned and followed
the road back to the car. We saw at least 6 Brown Argus, 2
Silver-washed Fritillaries, 2+ Purple Hairstreaks and 4 White
Admiral Caterpillars plus one egg - Glen & Moira Barnes
My wife Sandra had a
White Admiral at Ashridge on Friday. As far as we
know, a first. (Unfortunately it turned out to be in Bucks!) - Don
Otter
I was at Bishops
Stortford railw
