Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Finchley N3, N12 Pollinator Group at Long Lane Pasture. 25 people arrived for a butterfly walk at this 2 acre site on the North Circular Rd. Rescued from development 20 years ago, it is now an emerging woodland with sunny pockets of scrub and grassland. We recorded 14 species altogether, 11 butterflies and 3 moths. Gatekeepers were dominant with over 50 seen. The highlight for me was two Large Skippers - more than I have seen on any site this year. Finchley Pollinators is an enthusiastic local group promoting planting for insects in the local area. [Posted by Malcolm HULL]
Purple Emperor at Alexandra Park. This morning about 10.20 I was walking along the east side by the sallows and where the path floods when I saw a Purple Emperor flying low and then landing on the ground, perhaps looking for minerals. [Posted by Helen Bantock]
White Letter Hairstreak Parkland Walk South. I led a walk this morning for The Friends of PW. Among the usual expected sightings which included fresh Peacocks, we saw two White Letter Hairstreaks close up. One took a liking to the shirt of one of the group! This as far as I know is an unrecorded species for that patch. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
Branch Event Therfield Heath. A nice sized group peaking at slightly less people than the 16 species of butterflies recorded met at the main carpark today. Chalkhill Blue males were seen almost as soon as we stepped on to the mown grass by the cafe, many more than I would expect in this area. Maybe the very long uncut grass, due to the wet weather this year is driving them down to the mown non-SSSI area. Small, Essex and Large Skippers identified to species were seen near the scrub going up Lankaster hill along with a single faded Ringlet. Small/Essex skippers were seen throughout the walk in good numbers as were Gatekeepers, Chalkhill Blues and Meadow Browns. Enough Marbled Whites were still on the wing for everyone to get a good view, We then moved on to the bowl of the Rifle Range where 2 faded male Common Blues, male and female Brimstones and 3 Dark Green Fritillaries were added to the sightings. Two somewhat out of season Small Heaths were seen in the valley area. Flyby Red Admiral, Peacock, Large and Small White completed the list. Moths consisted of several Burnets and a Silver-Y We failed to find Small Copper where I saw one on Wednesday when checking the route. There have been more reports than usual of Small Copper this year but it remains a relatively rare spot on the Heath. [Posted by Nick Keep]
Trent Park & Enfield Road, EN2. 3 Peacock at Trent Park [1 nectaring on buddleia near Shaws Wd & 2 at North Lawn by lower lake], female Common Blue on thistle head at 'Old Golf Course' Trent Park, 4 Peacock together, nectaring on buddleia at Enfield Road, EN2. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Brown Hairstreak. I was amazed to see a Brown Hairstreak (female I suspect as the underside was a golden orange colour) in our garden in Pinner. It was the first I have ever seen in sixty years [Posted by Paul Luckham]
Trent Park. 6 Peacock together, nectaring on buddleia near Shaws Wd Cottages at 0955 BST, male Common Blue near Shaws Wd/Trent Park & 1 Six-spot Burnet at 'Old Golf Course' Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
NEW: Summer Butterfly Walk - Sunday 28th July in St Albans. The Green House St Albans has organised a walk as part of Big Butterfly Count
Meet at St. Albans Verulamium Museum 10.45 on Sunday 28th July.
Public · No charge.
Join Malcolm Hull from Butterfly Conservation for a leisurely one-hour walk around Verulamium Park and hopefully spot some butterflies and moths along the way. All are welcome at The Green House afterwards for refreshments and conversation about our wonderful butterflies and moths.
Meet at the Roman museum for 10.45am. We will have some spotter sheets on hand but you can also download your own guide and digital app by logging onto https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/. Share the details with your friends and let’s make this count matter https://www.facebook.com/events/s/butterfly-walk/1007574000556864/. [Posted by Malcolm HULL]
Rooftop butterflies. I saw a Peacock and Brimstone 8 floors up at my office in Embankment.The Peacock came back later on. There’s a nectar rich garden there that was buzzing with bees. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
Abundance of butterflies at Therfield Heath. If your butterfly batteries need recharging in this tricky year, I recommend a trip to Therfield Heath. In the space of four hours I spotted 15 species of butterfly plus lots of Six-Spot Burnet moths and Cinnabar caterpillars. The meadow at the foot of Church Hill had the most variety with dozens of Gatekeepers, the usual meadowland species, plus a couple of Brimstones and Dark Green Fritillaries, Peacocks and a Red Admiral. Oddly no Chalkhill Blues at all on Church Hill, but hundreds over on the heath (Lankester Hill and towards the Icknield Way), and a bonus trio of Small Coppers on the path between the burial mounds on the way back to the car park. [Posted by Annie Sutcliffe]
SW Fritillary in Northaw. Hot on the heels of my bedroom window Purple Emperor was this Silver-washed Fritillary on a kitchen picture frame. If only it were always this easy. On its last legs sadly. [Edited by Peter Clarke] [Posted by Sam Fuller]
Trent Park. 1 Ringlet at Icehouse Wd/Trent Park, 2 Peacock at North Lawn near Icehouse Wd/Trent Park, 2 Comma [1 edge of Water Grdn & 1 near Water Grdn/Trent Park], 1 Small Copper nectaring on ragwort near Water Grdn/Trent Park [First of the summer brood], 1 male Common Blue at 'Old Golf Course' Trent Park [First of the summer brood], 1 Silver-washed Fritillary & 1 Red Admiral along 'vista' near Moat Wd/Trent Park & 10 Six-spot Burnet at Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Purple Emperor Egg update. Following on from the post I made here on the 10th July at Balls Wood, regarding the witnessing a female Purple Emperor laying an egg, now 13 mostly cool days later the egg finally hatched (23rd July PM). My young daughter named her "Violet" and is fascinated to see the process in action, plus it's good exercise.[Edited by Peter Clarke] [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Gatekeeper. 10 Gatekeepers on a small garden patch, Abbots Road, Abbots Langley. This species which had record numbers here last year is bucking the trend of many other species by having another prolific year. [Posted by Clive Burrows]
Brown Hairstreak. Pristine Brown Hairstreak at Northwick Park this evening. [Posted by Rohan Harris]
Silver-washed Fritillaries in Symonshyde Great Wood. Five SWF today, all males. Four of them very docile and nectaring on bramble, just one patrolling on territory. Fresh flush of Speckled Wood enjoying the cool cloudy conditions [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Least Carpet & Riband Wave at Southgate. 2 Least Carpet & 1 Riband Wave at ASDA Southgate this morning. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Silver Washed Fritillary f. Valezina. Spotted this absolute beauty outside of Danemead HMWT after initially dismissing her up in a tree as a very large Speckled Wood, thank goodness I listened to that little inner voice of doubt and investigated into the brambles. Still photographs (especially mine) don't do this butterfly any justice whatsoever because as she moves about in the late sunlight she ripples with rich iridescent colours, absolutely stunning to witness. After enchanting me for several minutes the spectacle ended abruptly, seems I wasn't her only admirer and soon I had two other regular SWFs on the same patch bramble blossom, which of course only resulted in butterfly chaos. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Chalk Hill Blues at Hexton Chalk Pit. 20 plus Chalk Hill Blues in warm but cloudy conditions. Lots of Gatekeepers too 50 plus, Ringlets 10 plus as well as a few Marbled Whites. [Posted by Sam Fuller]
Immature lepidoptera on hop in Stevenage garden. On checking the hop, I discovered a Comma egg (photo taken on 15 July but egg still unhatched), a Comma larva and a Vapourer moth larva within inches of each other about 4 feet above ground. The hop is supported by a 'wigwam' structure of bamboo canes and the leaves are tightly packed. Also, an adult Vapourer (a first) turned up in my moth trap on Thursday night. [Posted by Peter Clarke]
