Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Sightings at Enfield Town & Town Park, Enfield. 1 Speckled Wood at Chase Green Gardens, Enfield Town. 1 Comma & 1 Speckled Wood at Town Park, Enfield this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Bentley Priory nature reserve. A warm but mostly overcast afternoon kept the butterfly sightings down. With 3 Peacock, 2 Orange-tip, 1 Green-veined White and 6+ unidentified flying whites. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Sightings from Staines Moor. I popped down to Staines Moor this afternoon to see if any Small Coppers had emerged there, following my sightings of the species earlier in the day near Stanwell Moor a couple of km to the north. I drew a blank with this, but I did find a nest of around 100 Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars - a heartening sight considering the scarcity of the species these days. There was also a single Red Admiral caterpillar tucked into a nettle leaf in amongst the Tortoiseshells. On the adult butterfly front, there were a few Peacocks, GVW and Orange Tips, plus a Red Admiral. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. I had a walk out on my local patch after a few days away, and found my first Small Coppers (4) and Brown Argus (1) of 2025. I saw another ten species as well: Red Admiral (4), Peacock (18), Comma (2), Brimstone (2), Orange Tip (12), Small White (8), Green-veined White (15), Large White (5), Speckled Wood (7) and Holly Blue (14). [Posted by Dave Miller]
Sightings at Enfield. 3 male Brimstone [1 at a private site near Trent Park, 1 at Rectory Farm & 1 at Flash Lane, EN2], 1 Holly Blue along The Ridgeway, Enfield near Brooke Wd, 4 male Orange-tip [2 at private sites near Trent Park, 1 at Rectory Farm & 1 at Hilly Fields Park] & 1 Peacock at a private site near Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Mating Orange Tips. A mating pair on garlic mustard in the back garden in Bengeo today. [Posted by Andrew Wood]
Waterford Heath. A lunchtime walk around Waterford Heath with the family, was warm but not hot with gentle sun and partial cloud. Dotted around I saw 5 Grizzled Skippers in the North Heath and 4 in the South including a mating pair, 1 pristine Brown Argus (first seen by the missus, sadly flew away as I was getting my phone out to photograph) seen on the path between the central bench and gate to the silt pit in the South Heath. Also seen Cinnabar moth and one UFM, possibly a Mother Shipton which also gave me the slip. Regrettably the amount of dog poo around is an absolute disgrace, some people have no shame or respect. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Orange Tip Nectaring on Hedge Garlic. A rather fine Orange Tip male nectaring on Hedge Garlic on Harpenden Common [Posted by David Hunt]
Cassiobury Park. Another day, another walk, this time to Cassiobury Park. Starting from Rickmansworth Road and taking the right hand path down where I saw: Holly blue x 4, Peacock x 3, Speckled wood x 2 and 5 x unknown whites. I then went into the Nature Reserve where I saw, Orange tip x 5+, and 6 unknown whites, Red admiral x 1, and Brimstone x 3. crossing the river I went along the other side (where the Small tortoiseshells used to be), Peacock x 2, Brimstone x 1, Orange tip x 1, and another two unknown whites. Heading back up the other side of the Park, a Peacock and Green-veined white on the way, to the Green Gym/Peace Garden where I saw another Peacock, Speckled wood and another two whites (wish they'd stay still for an ID). One Comma by the Croquet Club, and then home to a Holly blue in the garden. [Posted by Rick Vickers]
Sightings at Enfield. Male Brimstone, 1 Large White, 1 Peacock & 1 Speckled Wood at private sites near Trent Park this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Aldbury Nowers. I decided to follow the currently un-walked Aldbury Nowers and Aldbury Nowers North Transects today. Please let me know if you are interested in taking one or other of them. Not huge numbers but found Small Copper, Small Heath, Brimstone, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Grizzled and Dingy Skipper. (All of these were also present over on the Bucks border at Incombe Hole along with Duke of Burgundy and Green Hairstreak.) [Posted by Andrew Wood]
Sightings at Enfield & Trent Park. 2 Green-veined White at Trent Park [1 near Obelisk & 1 along Leeging Beech Gutter near Water Grdn], 6 male Orange-tip [4 at Trent Park, 1 at Lakeside, EN2 & 1 at South Lodge Cres, EN2], 2 Peacock at Trent Park [1 edge of Moat Wd & 1 at North Lawn], 1 Red Admiral by lower lake/Trent Park, 1 Small White near Obelisk/Trent Park, 2 Speckled Wood [1 at a private site near Trent Park & 1 near Equestrian Centre/Trent Park]. 50 Green Longhorn [moth] counted on Oak, edge of Moat Wd/Trent Park & 1 at Water Grdn/Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
First Brown argus. Searching for grizzled skippers on Waterford heath south ,I saw my first Brown Argus, sunning itself on the east bank. [Posted by steve kiln]
Grizzled Skippers at Waterford Heath. This afternoon, 2 roosting on the east bank of the south Heath, later in more sun 1 flying on each Heath. [Posted by Andrew Wood]
Merry Hill. A fine sunny day, so a trip to Merry Hill was in order, I got there about the same time as the clouds came over. But despite that and the light breeze I did manage to see Green-veined white x 1, Speckled wood x 8+, Peacock x 4, Orange tip x 4, Large white x 2, Holly blue x 3, and another three unknown whites. I also noticed that the double Brown Hairstreak eggs we (myself and Pete Fewell) found earlier in the year had hatched. On the way back along the Foot path by the Railway lines towards Watford Heath I saw another Brimstone x 1, Orange tip x 2, Large white x 1, and another 2 unknown whites. The finally through Oxhey Park another Orange tip and unknown white, [Posted by Rick Vickers]
Sightings at Enfield. 3 Brimstone [female at a private site near Trent Park & 2, male & female, at Rectory Farm], 1 Green-veined White along the 'London Loop' at Bay Farm, male Holly Blue settled on track at Flash Lane, EN2 - my first of the year [FOY], 1 Large White at a private site near Trent Park, 4 Orange-tip [2, male & female, at private sites near Trent Park, male at Brooke Wood & male at Hilly Fields Park], 1 Peacock at a private site near Trent Park, 9 Speckled Wood [4 at private sites near Trent Park, 4 at Brooke Wood & 1 at Flash Lane, EN2]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
more grizzleds. at rickneys quarry near bengeo had 6 Grizzled Skippers along by the sapling wood in sun. about 2pm At waterford heath North at about 3pm 3 Grizzled Skippers on right of pond in the sun. Did not have long would have been more. None on south Heath. [Posted by steve kiln]
Small Copper in Alexandra Park. My first of year Small Copper on my Alexandra Park Transect. It was in a spot where I invariably see one each year. Right in the middle of a grass path. It faintly has the ab. caeruleopunctata -the small blue dots-on the upper hindwings. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
Maiden's Blush at Trent Park. 1 Maiden's Blush settled on grass at 'Old Golf Course' Trent Park - my first of the year [FOY]. Male Orange-tip & 1 Green-veined White by lower lake/Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Stevenage area website. I have updated the Stevenage butterflies website to add 2024 data for our branch area and nationally via the UKBMS. New charts also added for each species account [Posted by Peter Clarke]