Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
A few more Brown Hairstreak eggs at South Oxhey Playing Fields.. After yesterdays eggs found at South Oxhey Playing Fields we covered a bit more area than yesterday. We found a further 10 eggs with 2 near where the only one found last year was recorded and the rest a found nearby with the furthest by Hampermill Wood. 2 eggs found on older growth with Lichen on. We have marked up again with the red wool I had left over from last year at Prestwick Road Meadows. There are still bits that haven't been searched for eggs yet but 57 over the weekend is far greater than we imagined! With Rohan's count of eggs found at Croxley Moor it does seem that a Brown Hairstreak revival is going on in this corner of Hertfordshire!! [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. An even chillier start to the day for me today, but once again there was some early sunshine - enough to bring a few butterflies out. Two Red Admirals and a Comma were probably individuals I'd seen in recent days, but the Small Coppers were more interesting. I found three in one spot - I think I may have seen them all before, but never more than two at once. However, close scrutiny of the photos revealed three different individuals. I also found another one in a completely different spot, but didn't get a photo unfortunately. The weather is now set to become warmer again, with at least a bit of sunshine, so hopefully the season will continue for a few days longer. [Posted by Dave Miller]
South Oxhey Playing Fields egg search. After the Brown Hairstreak egg rescue last week at Prestwick Road Meadows we were keen to look for eggs at South Oxhey Playing Fields after seeing an adult late August. I'm glad we did as only one egg was found last year but Saturdays find was far better than expected. A total of 47 Brown Hairstreak eggs were recorded 34 mostly at the end of the rainbow starting at the corner of the hedge-line. The rest not far behind where the photo was taken. Rick got off to a flying start finding the first 4 eggs then I caught up by finding 4 eggs on one stem and it went from there. The eggs were marked up as we don't know of any potential management plans for this site so far. Hopefully these bits will be left over winter. Rick tagged the grid codes so he will be sending that data to Liz. We didn't get time to search the area last years egg was found yet, so more searching needed at this site. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. More sunshine first thing today, but very chilly again and it clouded over by eleven o'clock. However, a few butterflies were out basking despite the cold. Overall I found just nine today: Red Admiral (3), Small Copper (3), Comma (1), Holly Blue (1) and the surprise of the day, Small Heath (1). [Posted by Dave Miller]
Red-green Carpet at Southgate. 1 Red-green Carpet at ASDA Southgate this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Wildflower seeding in St Albans - Rewilding an old golf course. Contractors sowing wildflower seeds for butterflies in Verulamium Park this week. Half an acre is being scarified and sown with a mixture selected by the branch as part of our collaboration with St Albans Council. Next month a butterfly friendly wood edge will be established with 4500 shrubs and trees selected as butterfly and moth friendly This is the first of six sites in parks and green spaces which are being seeded by the council this Autumn [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. After yesterday's grim cold wet and windy day, today's sunshine was very welcome even though it started out quite cool. I headed once again out onto my local patch just west of Heathrow, and found six different species and a total of 18 individual butterflies: Red Admiral (9), Small Copper (3), Comma (2), Small White (2), Holly Blue (1), Clouded Yellow (1). The 9 Red Admirals were the highest number seen here since mid-September, so they could be either newly emerged or possibly a southbound migration with the abrupt change of wind direction. The Holly Blue was a new third brood male, and the Clouded Yellow was an immaculate freshly emerged female - but the standard version today! [Posted by Dave Miller]
Leavesden Country park and The Horse field Leavesden.. One Brown Hairstreak egg for at The Horse field Leavesden. Twelve found at Leavesden Country Park [Posted by Rohan Harris]
Red Admiral at Trent Park. 1 Red Admiral settled near Oakwood entrance at Trent Park at 1205 BST. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Herts Hedgerow Heroes. Our partnership with the countryside charity, CPRE Herts has now been launched. The aim is to plant, extend and improve hedgerows in Herts. Hedges provide important habitat for a wide variety of butterflies and moths, so its a great project for us to work on. This winter 10,000 hedge plants will go in, to be planted by volunteers. The two main locations have now been published, Rye End Farm, part of the Mimram Farm Cluster in North Hertfordshire, and the Woodhall Estate, near Watton at Stone, in East Hertfordshire. Find out more using the link below Hedgerow Heroes [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. A mostly sunny calm and reasonably warm morning on my local patch near Heathrow proved very productive for the time of year. I counted 18 butterflies: Small Copper (4), Red Admiral (4), Common Blue (3), Small White (3), Clouded Yellow (2), Small Heath (1), Comma (1). The Small Heath may well be the latest example I've ever seen here. One of the Small Coppers was a very new-looking female (the others were worn males). The Clouded Yellows comprised one fresh male that twice passed by me without stopping, and a pristine female of the form helice that was skipping from flower to flower. These are probably (like the ones seen last week) the offspring of butterflies recorded here back in August. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Brown Hairstreak egg at Borehamwood. One Brown Hairstreak egg found at TQ 2108 9730 Borehamwood. [Posted by Rohan Harris]
Red Admiral at Trent Park. 1 Red Admiral nectaring on Michaelmas daisies, edge of Triangular Wd/Trent Park at 1453 BST. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Brown Hairstreak at Croxley Moor. Twenty six Brown Hairstreak eggs found at Croxley Moor. [Posted by Rohan Harris]
Roxbourne park Harrow.. Thirty eight Brown Hairstreak eggs found at Roxbourne park Harrow. [Posted by Rohan Harris]
Prestwick Road Meadows egg rescue. Rick and myself took a look at the areas that are due for a blackthorn trim next week. The first two areas by Prestwick road, no B Hairstreak eggs were found. However we did find eggs at the other 4 spots due for cutting. A total of 27 eggs were rescued + 1 BBC moth egg. 1 egg found was left as it should escape any trimming back and 1 hatched egg from last year was also found. 6 of the eggs were found on a single stem. Due to the lack of time I didn't take any photo's and the rest of the site remains unsearched. We were surprised to find as many as we did and suspect there will be lots more eggs to find! [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Speckled Wood at Enfield. 1 Speckled Wood at a private site near Trent Park early afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Hummingbird Hawk-moth. A Hummingbird Hawk-moth was seen this evening feeding on the buddleia in my garden in South Harrow. [Posted by Michael Robinson]
Green-veined White at Enfield. Female Green-veined White 'very fresh' settled at a private site near Trent Park at 1140 BST - my latest record in recent years. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Clouded Yellow. Sighted on trees in the Beane Valley close to the river, upstream of Ford Lane, Aston. [Posted by Tony Bradford]