Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Fir and Pond Woods. Adjacent field had 2 Brown Argus, Common Blue and Small Copper. [Posted by Paul Driver]
Small Blues at Heartwood. Searched round the west side of Heartwood and found 20 Small Blues this afternoon. Seven were on the damp margin of the dog pond, with five crowded together on a dead branch. Other butterflies joining in this summers craze for taking care moisture/salts included 2 Commas, 1 Peacock, 1 Large White, 1 Ringlet and 1 Small Skipper. With 12 large dragonflies patrolling round the pond, this is a life-risking activity for the butterflies, showing the importance they place on this fashionable activity. 12 Small Blues in Valley Field where the Kidney Vetch sown by the Branch ten years ago has spread across large swathes of the hillside. Finally just a single Small Blue on the airfield, last years hotspot. Other notable sightings, an Oak Eggar at the NE corner of Puddlers Wood and a sole Purple Emperor circling the high Ash tree in Langley Wood [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Sightings at Enfield & Trent Park. At a private site near Trent Park - male Common Blue & 1 Red Admiral. At Trent Park - 1 Peacock edge of Ride Wd & 4 Red Admiral. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Four Spotted moths - 2nd brood. Together we found 7 Four Spotted moths in the Barley area this morning including 3 on a new farm margin. Several other species present in very large numbers including at least 12 Marbled White, several Sitochroa palealis (Sulphur Pearl), single Pyrausta despicata and Six-spot Burnet. [Posted by Liz Goodyear & Sharon Hearle]
Broxbourne Woods. White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary, 2 Purple Hairstreak, on oak, 8 Peacock on Buddleia. Gatekeeper in large numbers. [Posted by Paul Driver]
Sightings at Oakwood. At Oakwood Station - 1 Jersey Tiger, 2 Comma, 3 Large White, 2 Peacock & 4 Red Admiral all attracted to the flowering buddleia here this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Heartwood Forest Purple Emperor Update. Once again Heartwood didn't disappoint! From 10 am through to 1.30 when I left, we enjoyed regular flights of both sexes, and up to 3 individuals at a time feeding on the sap run above the dog pond at Well Wood ( TL 15751 11346 ). It is possible that there were 4 or 5 individuals, but 3 was the most seen at a single moment, including a very fresh female. These sightings were less frequent during the sometimes long periods of cloudy conditions, but nevertheless they continued, probably due to disturbance at the sap run by ants, hornets, and wasps, all of which have been noted through the spotting scope kindly brought along and shared by Peter over the past few days. This hypothesis was reinforced at 10.40 when a male tumbled out of the sky onto the path next to us, desperately flapping and twisting and rubbing itself deliberately on the bare earth, giving the distinct impression it was trying to brush something off. Reviewing my photos I am astonished to see that I managed to catch the perpetrator (sadly slightly out of focus) - a wasp can clearly be seen, thrown off in one shot, and latched onto the abdomen in another. Luckily our butterfly appeared to be none the worse for wear after its encounter, not showing any signs of discomfort, but remained grounded and rested to recuperate for a few minutes, allowing excellent photo opportunities. At 12.35 Annie called out an Emperor that she spotted puddling at the far side of the dog pond, and once again we were given the chance to take a good sequence of photos of what turned out to be another male. It's of interest that although I left the dog pond area for nearly an hour between about 11 and midday, visiting my usual emperor hot spots, I saw no sign of them anywhere. In addition to the Emperors we spotted 2 Small Blues puddling at the dog pond, and I found a third on horse manure half way down the main ride to Langley Wood. After reviewing my photos, it is clear these are the 13th and 14th Purple Emperor males I have seen this season, in addition to 4 confirmed females (I still need to check some other individuals reported on this blog by others, and hope also to receive photos of the probably new female, and other individuals on the sap run today). [Posted by Andrew Neild]
Purple Emperor near Wigginton. Walking around the edge of a field near Wigginton saw a Purple Emperor gliding around the top of the trees at about 1.45pm and also fortunate enough for a Purple Hairstreak to come down from the oaks landing on the bracken in front of me for a photograph opportunity. [Posted by Philip Woodward]
Sightings at Southgate & Trent Park. 1 Comma & 2 Peacock nectaring on buddleia at Grovebury Crt, N14 this morning. At Trent Park [1100 to 1215 BST] - 1 Jersey Tiger nectaring on buddleia near Oakwood entrance - my first of the year [FOY] & 1 Purple Hairstreak. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
White-letter Hairstreaks near Brickendon. Sunny start again today so checked on the bramble blossom for hairstreaks and Gatekeeper abs. No abs seen but the Gatekeepers done their best to make it easy for me. There were three White-letter Hairstreaks all on the bramble at the same time. First had a prominent blue spot, second had no blue spot and the third was just very worn. Close up comparisons mean there is at least five individuals so I wonder how many are there actually around elsewhere. Is it too early to call it a good year for WLH? [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Heartwood Forest Purple Emperor Update. After a three day absence, I returned to Heartwood Forest this morning in stunning weather, with blue skies, relatively cool temperatures (max. 24 degrees), and light winds (the dog pond at Well Wood, the ride to Pudler's wood, and the ride along NE Langley Wood were protected from the prevailing wind). All Purple Emperor activity took place above us, but despite an early start at 09.20, and the perfect weather conditions, no activity was observed around Langley Wood, and none subsequently at the dog pond until it all kicked off just before 10.00, when an Emperor landed on the sap run in the top of the oak. Up to three Emperors were seen flying on multiple occasions over the next hour at this site, and it was fun to share our experience with curious bystanders, all of whom got excellent views. Who would have thought a dog walk could provide quite so much excitement!? At 10.45 I decided to check out the ride to the NE corner of Pudler's Wood, with a short detour into the Magical Wood, where I spotted an individual sallow searching in the low canopy at 11.05. A few minutes later, and only about 100 metres away, I spotted another (or the same individual?) when it landed some 4 metres above the ride, and remained for several minutes. On the way back to the dog pond I then spotted another individual which was flying high over the canopy. Back at the dog pond at 11.30 all activity in the oak had stopped except for a solitary and quick visit at 11.45, so I checked out the edge of the dog pond and spotted two very fresh Small Blues puddling on the mud. At Langley Wood there was no Emperor activity, and so I set off back to the car park, but was pleasantly suprised to spot another fresh Small Blue on horse manure about 50 metres down the path from the scout hut entrance to the main car park. And so to summarise, this was a perplexing day, with all flight, albeit in good numbers, more-or-less limited to between 10.00 and 11.15 (with the exception of one sap-feeding sighting). As for individuals, we saw 3 at the same time at the dog pond, plus I took photos of a 4th individual at Pudler's Wood, but I have not had time to check wing markings against previous sightings. I will do so and update the tally in my next report. [Posted by Andrew Neild]
Butterfly Numbers Booming. Strolling round local meadows in St Albans this afternoon, I was struck by the sheer numbers of butterflies. Gatekeeper, Peacock, Common Blue, Purple Hairstreak and Small Copper all seem to be doing particularly well. For example at William Bird Open Space, my Wilder St Albans patch, I counted 290 butterflies of 15 species in just 20 minutes. Nothing unusual today, tho I did see my first Small Heath for a few weeks, probably the start of a new brood. One other point of note - within the last week 2 Peacocks have gone into hibernation in my shed, the first of the summer. In the 12 years I've been monitoring hibernators, this beats the earliest entry date for this species by 9 days [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Sightings at Enfield, Oakwood & Trent Park. At Bramley Rd, N14 at bus-stop shelter - 1 Least Carpet & 1 Riband Wave. At Trent Park - 10 Comma, 2 male Common Blue, 1 Purple Emperor gliding around edge of Rough Lot, near Obelisk [TQ285979] at 1354 BST, 1 Purple Hairstreak edge of Moat Wd, 3 Red Admiral & 4 Six-spot Burnet by lower lake. At private sites near Trent Park - 1 Comma, 2 Peacock, 1 Purple Hairstreak, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Brown Argus, 2 Mother of Pearl & 1 Dusky Sallow - my first of the year [FOY]. Eugene Dillon-Hooper found a Elephant Hawkmoth on the wall just outside the entrance to Cockfosters station [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
One Bramble Two Hairstreaks near Brickendon. This morning was sunny and calm so I checked the brambles - specifically the ones where I recently saw a WLH. I immediately saw two Purple Hairstreaks resting on the bramble. Whilst taking the record shot on my phone I spotted a White-letter Hairstreak necturing close by. At one point they were on the same sprig of bramble but unfortunately edge on and too far away so no double Hairstreak photo opportunity but very close. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Sightings at Enfield & Southgate. 1 Small Copper at a private site near Trent Park. At Bay Farm, along 'London Loop' - female Common Blue nectaring on thistle head & 1 Painted Lady. 1 Red Admiral at Rectory Farm near 'The Red House'. 1 Comma at Hilly Fields Park. 3 Least Carpet [1 at bus-stop shelter at Charter Way/Chase Rd, N14 & 2 at Gordon Hill Station]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Purple Emperor at Tring Park. I saw a male Purple Emperor gliding around a sallow in the natural play area of Tring Park at about 2.15 pm. It settled for a short time at just above head height amongst the leaves before flying off. [Posted by Philip Woodward]
SW Fritillaries in Northaw Great Wood. 5 in various locations on bramble, mainly down by stream. Purple Hairstreak in Oak by visitor centre [Posted by Sam fuller]
Branch Event - Gladstone Park, Dollis Hill, Brent. Despite the predicted heavy rain, an enjoyable walk with the Friends Group and Brent transect walkers. Clouds of Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper around Thistle and Knapweed patches, also a few Common Blue, which are a bit of rarity in this park. Small Skippers and Small White amongst these. In a slightly damper patch Ringlet, Gatekeeper were predominate along with more Meadow Brown, Green-veined and Small White and a Speckled Wood. Then to an area with a great mixture of fine grasses where more Common Blue were seen and some Marbled Whites made an appearance. Finally to the lovely well maintained Walled Garden where Comma, Large White and Holly Blue added to the list alongside more Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Small White seen. Ten minutes after walk finished the heavy rain storm arrived. [Posted by Paul Busby]
Sightings at Oakwood Park & Southgate. Male Common Blue at Oakwood Park this morning at 0910 BST. 1 Black Arches at ASDA Southgate this afternoon - my first of the year [FOY]. 1 Green-veined White & female Large White at Southgate Chase Allotments this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Christine Bessant's photos from Saturday's walk at Bishops Wood. Photos from Saturday [Posted by Christina Bessant]
