Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Heartwood Forest. A first time visit to this site, hoping - without success - to see Purple Emperors. However, c. 5 Purple Hairstreak around the oak tree adjacent to the so-called Dog Pond (presumably named after the dogs whose owners believe are immune to enterococcus infection?). Also small numbers of Small Skipper, Red Admiral, Comma, Peacock, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Large White, Small White. [Posted by Bob Theaker]
Culpepper Community Garden (Islington) key sightings. Brown Argus, Common Blue, Hummingbird Hawkmoth, Jersey Tiger [Posted by Ian Ellis]
Silver-washed Fritillary in Woodside Park N12. Worn individual visited garden. First record. [Posted by Ian Ellis]
Branch Walk at Gillespie Park, Islington. 30 people attended our Branch butterfly walk in Islington this morning. We spotted over 50 butterflies from12 different species. Gatekeepers were the most common, flitting along the shrubs and nectaring on the Marjoram. Common Blues were the next most numerous, flourishing in the swathes of Birds-foot Trefoil. Particularly noteworthy species included Ringlet, Purple Hairstreak, Jersey Tiger and Brown Argus, none of which would have been found in this location a few years ago. We searched the well endowed buddleia bushes along Drayton Park, which were yielded Red Admiral and Large White, but were otherwise disappointing Peacocks were seen i the park last week, but not today, suggesting that in this area Peacocks have already entered hibernation Green-veined White, Meadow Brown, Small White and Speckled Wood completed the days list. Many thanks to Elena and the Islington Ecology Centre who hosted the event and provided delicious Pizza, Chocolate cake and musical entertainment afterwards [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Female Emperor at Heartwood. At around 11am a pristine female Purple Emperor flew around us as we walked up the main ride from the car park past Langley Wood. It settled for a second before flying on down the ride. [Posted by John Yates]
Heartwood Forest Purple Emperor Update. I arrived earlier than usual at 09.00 at the dog pond at the SW edge of Well Wood ( TL 15751 11346 ). Here I met Paul, who had been around for at least an hour by this stage. A little disappointingly he had only seen a single individual, feeding on the sap run, and it was not present upon my arrival. A few minutes later a fresh and relatively intact female flew into view, settling high but positioned conveniently on a leaf edge and allowing some decent shots. Over the course of the next 90 minutes we additonally spotted at least two males flying around and visiting the sap run, distinguishable by the distinctive and significant damage to their wings. One of these males came down to the ground at 09.40 and also kindly flattered me with a visit to my butterfly bait feeding station, the first Emperor to do so, despite many commas, red admirals, wasps, bees and flies enjoying my tasty offerings over the previous few days (the bait consists of fermenting chopped bananas with red wine, honey, and brown sugar). My conclusion is that this bait is undoubtedly attractive to fruit-feeding butterflies, but much less so for Emperors - in fact even less than bare ground!!! A short time later a couple of dog walkers took great interest and asked what we were looking at. When I described a Purple Emperor, they said they'd just seen one in the north of the forest (approximately TL163118) near the descent to West End Barns, and showed me on their phone a photo of a fresh female on the ground (female groundings are very rare at Heartwood - I've seen only one since starting to look for this butterfly over the past 5 years - this shows the great opportunities afforded by citizen science, if we can harness it!). After 11 am there were few sightings and long periods of absence, so I called it a day at 11.40. However, I stopped off on the way to check out the NW ride along edge of Langley Forest and at midday I had great views at TL 16054 11042 of an individual which looked like it was planning to ground, although it never did so, flying from between 5 and 15 feet, and circling back and forth, but sadly it eventually flew off. Today's grounded male and the female I photographed in the oak are new to me (compared with photos). The female in the mobile phone shot by the dog walkers was impossible to check, the angle of view and resolution are unfortunately too poor. The total numbers of confirmed individuals this year has therefore now hit the milestone of 20 (15 males, 5 females). I have yet to check some additional phtoos sent in to me, so this number may still rise. Some observations from the past days: every male is in a very poor state, battered and worn, and males are probably on their last legs. Females have been more visible compared to previous years, and are still in decent condition, and even grounding, so we may yet see them for the next week or two. In the hot weather both sexes dramatically reduce their flying from around 11 am, so an early start is recommended for those wanting to spot Emperors around the dog pond and on the oak tree's sap run. [Posted by Andrew Neild]
White-letter Hairstreak near Chipperfield. White-letter Hairstreak persistently on bracken and on the ground on a ride in Woodman's Wood near Chipperfield, along with four Commas in a square metre of ground, suggesting an increasing desperation for moisture and/or minerals. This is a previously unrecorded tetrad for the hairstreak. There was at least one Clouded Magpie at the same spot, which is an uncommon moth in the county and like W-l H is an elm-dependent species, plus the now-expected Box-tree Moth. Also a strong emergence of Holly Blue, which was very common today - one was feeding on a raspberry (fruit not flower) at Chipperfield Common. [Posted by Colin Everett]
Sightings at Grovelands Park & Southgate. At Grovelands Park, Southgate [1130 to 1345 BST] - 3 Comma, 3 Common Blue, 3 Peacock & 1 Red Admiral. At Wynchgate, N14 - 1 Common Blue nectaring on lavender in garden. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Purple Emperor near Wigginton. On the edge of a field near Wigginton with mature oaks and sallows saw a purple emperor gliding over the trees and then coming down to settle on a sallow where I was able to get close up to identify. The farmer has left one side of his field to grow as grassland for about 10 metres so great to see numerous common blues, small coppers. Gatekeepers and Meadow browns feeding on thistles on one side and then on the other the possibility of seeing Purple Emperors and Purple Hairstreaks which I saw here last week. [Posted by Philip Woodward]
Jersey tiger moth. Rescued this beautiful moth from my garden room this morning. in Royston North Herts [Posted by John Keith Gypps]
White Admiral, Purple Emperor and Silver-washed Fritillary at Bricket Wood Common. A successful branch walk this morning across Bricket Wood Common. There were good numbers of whites and brown across the site. Purple Hairstreak was seen high in the oak and a pair on Brown Argus along the ride. Alongside Bricket Wood we had good views of Silver-washed Fritillaries and. White Admiral. A Purple Emperor was seen in flight along the canopy and perched obligingly high up in the oak. We then headed for the electric cable ride at the southern end of the wood, which has been the hot spot for SWF this year. In total we saw at least 7 of this species. On the way back Chris Newman showed us a Buddleia which had Peacock and Red Admiral. We then divided and some of us headed back, with good views of a second White Admiral. [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Purple Emperor at Bramfield. Purple Emperor spotted flying out of Bramfield Park Wood and around a single oak tree (about 10m from the edge of the wood) and back into the wood. Saw several purple hairstreaks in the oak trees along one of the rides together with a couple of silver washed fritillaries. [Posted by Carl Slater]
Northaw Wood count. I did my July Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey at Northaw Wood today. Ladybirds were flying in huge numbers throughout, it was very strange, I’ve never seen the like. In the heat I saw good numbers of Gatekeepers, only moderate numbers of Ringlets and Meadow Browns. All the whites were present in moderate numbers, a handful of Speckled Woods. I was surprised not to see many Purple Hairstreaks but maybe later in the day I’d have seen more. On the last section which is at the Northern edge of the wood, I saw some Commas and a half a dozen Silver Washed Fritillaries. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
Sightings at Southgate & Town Park, Enfield. Male Brimstone at Dalrymple Close, N14 this afternoon. At Town Park, Enfield [1400 to 1430 BST] - 1 Comma, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Red Admiral & 1 Mother of Pearl. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Rivers Orchard and fields Sawbridgeworth. Mid morning before the heat became unbearable... 2 Essex Skipper, 1 tatty Large Skipper,1 Small Copper (not regular here), 20 Common Blue, 8 Peacock, 2 Speckled Wood, 8 Marbled White, 67 Gatekeeper, 40+ Meadow Brown, 3 Ringlet. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Ruislip Gardens & Ickenham Marsh. Stafford Road Open Space. Hard work as the paths through the 'jungle zone' have not been cut back for a year. The closing up of the clearings, lack/loss of knapweed and thistle along with all the big meadows/fields having recently been cut made for a somewhat baron journey apart from dozens of gatekeepers, a few ringlet a single purple hairstreak and eventually 3 brown hairstreaks all making brief flights a few feet above the blackthorn thicket. Things perked up at the very southern end of ICKENHAM MARSH LWT Reserve along the brook with 6 or 7 brown hairstreaks making occasional short hops high up in the ash trees and my first sighting in this location of a small copper. Over the bridge across the brook on the east side plenty of thistle with a comma, red admiral, holly blue, 2 peacock, 2 common blue, 5 speckled wood, 15 ish small skipper and 1 purple hairstreak. This area will certainly be worth another visit for possible low level hairstreak activity. 2 weeks ago 2 white letter hairstreaks were seen atop the elms in the fields along Austins lane 'extension' towards the LWT Marsh reserve so lots of hairstreak activity albeit all well above ground level so far. [Posted by Nick Furtek]
Butterfly World - its bad news. Butterfly World was created as a haven for butterflies, its chalk rich meadows drawing in a huge range of species, including the Small Blue. Since it shut to the public ten years ago we have been monitoring its fate, as well as tracking the Small blues, which frequently stray onto adjoining land. Last year we received the good news that St Albans Council was taking steps to ensure the cessation of undesirable uses on the land. But their attempts have failed and the government have now decided that existing uses can remain. This is bad news for the butterflies and we are investigating if anything can be done to help retain their habitat. More in this weeks St Albans Times Butterfly World [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Batford. 1 Purple Emperor seen in flight in NW corner of weedy field flying along then hedgerow, going north. It turned around at second Oak tree and started heading south again until lost to view it weedy field. Great views seeing in flight, even over my head. [Posted by Darin Stanley]
Sightings at Oakwood. At Bramley Rd, N14 - 1 Comma, 1 Large White & 1 Red Admiral nectaring on buddleia. At Oakwood Station - 2 Comma, 2 Peacock & 2 Small White nectaring on buddleia. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Heartwood Forest Purple Emperor Update.. I arrived later than intended at 10.30 and was told that Purple Emperor activity was already winding down, undoubtedly due to the soaring temperatures. Earlier, from around 9am to 10am, there had been regular flights and 2 to 3 individuals feeding on the sap run in the oak above the dog pond at Well Wood ( TL 15751 11346 ). Others in the group had spotted Emperors in flight nearby, one along the ride by Pudler's Wood, the other a rare sighting on the west side of Well Wood. My primary excitement of the day, however, was a rare sighting in Heartwood Forest - a Silver Washed Fritillary, spotted around 11am by one of our group. I have seen this species once in five years in Heartwood, and never had the chance to take photos, but there have already been several reports this year so my luck was in! We also spotted 3 Small Blues puddling at the dog pond. From 11 am onwards there were few sightings, and always solitary, either in flight or on the sap run, and it became obvious at midday that butterflies were taking shelter from the 28 degree heat, even the abundant commas were sitting listlessly on leaves. My advice to those wanting to spot Emperors during this heat wave is to arrive as early as possible, perhaps even from 8.30 may be productive, but certainly 9am is a good time to aim for. [Posted by Andrew Neild]
