Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
White-letter Hairstreak in Stevenage. White-letter Hairstreak active over the elm canopy at Six Hills Common at 0845 hours [Posted by Peter Clarke]
FOY Marbled Whites and Small Skipper. On my Alexandra Park transect at midday I saw two new species for 2025: a couple of Marbled Whites and a Small Skipper. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
White Admiral outside Danemead HMWT. I saw this guy yesterday jetting about but wanted a photo which I got on today's walk. Lots of new faces around - at least a dozen fresh Red Admirals and a pair of Small Tortoiseshells necturing on buttercups. Haven't seen a Marbled White yet around the farm only elsewhere. Also FOY - Silver Y. Happy hunting [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Sightings at Enfield. At private sites near Trent Park - 2 Common Blue, 3 Marbled White & 1 Straw Dot. 1 Red Admiral along 'London Loop' path at Bay Farm. At Gordon Hill Station - 1 Comma & 1 Small White nectaring on Bramble blossom. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. Fewer species seen today on my local patch (14), but one was a butterfly I hadn't seen yesterday - a Brimstone. It looked completely fresh, and might well have been the first of the summer generation. By contrast, in amongst all the bright new summer Commas was one left over from 2024's hibernators. The other standout from the day was a very blue female Common Blue. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Sightings at Enfield & Southgate. At Chase Road/Charter Way, N14 - 1 Double-striped Pug at bus-stop shelter - my first of the year [FOY]. At Trent Park - 3 Large Skipper at North Lawn & 1 Comma at 'Old Golf Course'. At private sites near Trent Park - 1 Large Skipper, 2 Comma, 1 male Common Blue, 2 male Marbled White - my first of the year [FOY], 1 Barred Yellow, 2 Brimstone Moth & 1 Brown Silver-line. At Lakeside, EN2 - 1 Red Admiral. At ASDA Southgate - 1 Scarce Silver-lines - my first of the year [FOY] & only my second record here, 2 Treble Brown Spot & 1 White Ermine - my first of the year [FOY]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
FFY Marbled Whites. My first 2 of the year at the old Rivers Orchard and fields Sawbridgeworth, mid afternoon. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Gatekeeper. Early Gatekeeper confirmed on bramble on site near Swakeleys A40 roundabout after Transport for London verge monitoring [Posted by Paul Busby]
Holly Blue bonanza. Doing my transect at Waterford Heath South pit. The site has a lot of Holly Blues (13 on the site today ) because of one of its food plants is goats rhue an alien invasive plant. Also had a Painted Lady ,plenty of Meadow Browns but no Common Blues. [Posted by steve kiln]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. On a mostly bright rather than sunny day, I counted over 200 butterflies on my local patch, with 16 species seen. These included 23 Red Admirals, possibly part of a migration as there was also a faded Painted Lady in amongst them. There were good numbers of new Commas, more Marbled Whites (including a female) and as ever the everpresent Small Heaths and Meadow Browns. The former are having an excellent year here. Large Skippers are doing well, but the Smalls are only in single figures without the day-on-day increase I've seen in previous years - and of Essex Skippers there is (so far) no sign. This may be attributable to the timing of the grass cut on this site last year, which was right in the middle of their season. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Cranford Country Park. Purple Hairstreak and Small Skippers seen on long established transect route. This transect and others in Hillingdon are available for volunteers, happy to provide more details and walk the route. [Posted by Paul Busby]
Dark Green Fritillaries near Benington. We walked from Benington to Hooks Cross via the wide conservation verge along Walkern Road. We saw 57 along the verge, they were on pretty well every patch of Greater Knapweed in the cloudy bright conditions. Also seen on the walk were Small and Large Skipper, Small Tortoiseshell, Painted Lady, Peacock larvae, Small Heath, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Common Blue, Brimstone, Small White and Green-veined White. On the moth side of things Yellow Shell, Cinnabar, Treble Bar, Pyrausta aurata, Sitochroa verticalis, White Plume, Latticed Heath and Nemophora degeerella. [Posted by Andrew Wood]
Sightings at Forty Hall CP & North Enfield. 1 Chimney Sweeper, 4 Large Skipper [3 males & 1 female], 1 Holly Blue, 1 Comma & 2 Speckled Wood at Forty Hall CP, Enfield. 2 Speckled Wood at Gough Park, Forty Hill. 1 Barred Yellow - my first of the year [FOY], 9 Large Skipper, 6 Cinnabar, 4 Small Heath & 1 Comma at a private site in North Enfield. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Wilder St Albans District. The Branch has been supporting St Albans Council in its policy of "low mow" verges and creating wildflower meadows. Find out more about this and other wilding initiatives by joining next weeks online talk on Weds 18th June at 7.30 pm. Speakers include representatives from the council, Herts & Middx Wildlife Trust, Butterfly Conservation (me!) and Heartwood Forest. You can register now, by using this link here [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Sightings at Oakwood Park. Male Large Skipper, 3 Small Heath & 1 Burnet Companion at Oakwood Park this morning between 0855 & 0935 BST - all East of 10 km line. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Walkern Road and Hexton Chalk Pit.. Went to the site mentioned below on Walkern Road and despite it being windy saw at least a dozen Dark Green Fritillaries. Plus half a dozen Meadow Brown. Almost no butterflies at Hexton bar one Dingy Skipper a Small Heath and Speckled Wood. [Posted by sam fuller]
Sightings at Grovelands Park, Southgate. At Grovelands Park this afternoon [1425 to 1630 BST] - 1 Comma at TQ300941, 2 male Meadow Brown at TQ307946 & 1 Straw Dot at TQ308947. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Branch butterfly walk at Heartwood Forest. Despite the unpromising forecast, 30 people joined us for today’s walk. Luckily the rain held off, but the morning was overcast with only brief sunny spells. From the car park we headed towards the scout hut, where the first butterfly seen at rest was a Large Skipper Nectaring on Ox-eye Daisy. Meadow Brown and Small Heath were close by, rapidly followed by Small Blue, spotted by the youngest member of our party. Continuing uphill we saw more Meadow Browns and added Common Blue. In Valley Field, the Kidney Vetch and Birds-foot Trefoil were plentiful, but in the stiff breeze there were no butterflies to be seen … until finally we found a sheltered spot where Small Blues roost and several more were seen at rest. On our way back, the sun came out as we passed another Small Blue roost at the end of Piddlers Wood. First we saw a Small Blue Nectaring on Speedwell. The sun came out and suddenly there were three all flying together and a couple more close by. Speckled Wood, Red Admiral and a fully grown Peacock caterpillar added to the days list. Several species of moths were spotted including Grass Rivulet, Yellow Shell, Green Oak Tortrix, White Plume moth and dozens of Yellow-banded Longhorns. The days total of 10 Small Blues was very satisfying in poor weather conditions and shows that this species can recorded whilst roosting where it adopts a fairly conspicuous position on long grass [Posted by Malcolm Hull and Andrew Steele]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. I made the most of a bright morning before the rain forecast for the afternoon and walked round my local patch. Ten species appeared: Meadow Brown(82), Small Heath(37), Small Skipper(9), Common Blue(8), Red Admiral(8), Large Skipper(7), Marbled White(3), Small White(2), Comma(2), Small Tortoiseshell(2). [Posted by Dave Miller]
Sightings at Alexandra Park. After the rain I finally got out to do a transect. It was blowy. I saw Large Skipper, Meadow Brown, Small White, Holly Blue, Comma and Speckled Wood. Burnet Companion and Six Spot Burnet. No sign of Marbled White yet. Not huge numbers I hope that will change. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
Spring Fields Butterfly Bank. Christine Ridley and I visited the chalk bank we designed and seeded two years ago in Hemel. Most of the wildflower species we sowed are doing well, including Kidney Vetch and Birds foot Trefoil. No Small Blues or Dingy Skippers yet, but we did see 4 Common Blues, a Small Tortoiseshell, Burnet Companion and Yellow Shell. Also Painted Lady and Meadow Brown nearby. With hindsight, we may have overdone the Oxeye Daisies! [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Small Blues doing well. Technical issues this week, so a late report of my trip on Tuesday 15 Small Blues at Bourne End junction. And 9 at Heartwood Forest [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
A Quiet Day in St Albans. Just one butterfly on my walk today, but delighted to report a Small Tortoiseshell. I noticed several of the stems of Sweet Rocket in the garden had been stripped of all leaves and flowers. I originally introduced this plant to attract Orange Tips, but they much prefer the Garlic Mustard On inspection, the plant damage was caused by Large White caterpillars, one of which is now pupating on the kitchen window! [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Wet Aldbury Nowers. I did a walk out with our new Transect volunteer for the two routes here. Despite the rain we saw an early Ringlet, Meadow Browns, Small Heaths, a Common Blue and Small Skippers. [Posted by Andrew Wood]
Tick and Lyme Disease. It's that time of the year where we need to be more aware of ticks and Lyme Disease. If you are an Assemble member you should find more information in the 'No. 24 Tick and Lyme Disease' document in your Document Hub. The updated guidance has been uploaded to our website (under Committee in the menu bar) [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. A strange sort of day weatherwise on my local patch, mostly cloudy but with a few sunny intervals and still a coolish breeze. However, I managed to see around 200 butterflies of 14 species during the day, including my first Marbled White of the year here. Other highlights included more fresh Small Skippers, a female Large Skipper, another very new Painted Lady, more Small Tortoiseshells and at last a definite female Meadow Brown among the many males. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Sightings in the Barnet & Enfield areas. 1 Painted Lady 'fresh' seen in flight & settled on Bramble 1202 BST [TQ269972], 1 Yellow-banded Longhorn Moth [TQ253973], 1 Alabonia geoffrella [TQ257970] & at least 5 Speckled Wood at Monken Hadley Common. 1 Straw Dot near Cockfosters entrance/Trent Park [TQ280967]. 2 Willow Beauty [1 at Oakwood Station & another at ASDA Southgate] [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
A sunny afternoon at Therfield Heath. After a rainy start at Therfield Heath it brightened up quite nicely . A few slightly tattered Adonis blues and lots of small Heath around . Also a very early marbled white first one of the year . [Posted by James Somerville]
A sunny afternoon at Therfield Heath. After a rainy start at Therfield Heath it brightened up quite nicely . A few slightly tattered Adonis blues and lots of small Heath around . Also a very early marbled white first one of the year . [Posted by James Somerville]
Alabonia geoffrella at Trent Park. 1 Hedge Beauty [Alabonia geoffrella] at Nature Trail/ Trent Park this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Dark Green Fritillary. At least 21 Dark Green Fritillary "In the field edge which runs along the Walkern road approx 200 yards before the R hand turn down Ford Lane." TL 28295 23478 [Posted by Paul Lufkin]
Purple Hairstreak. I found this caterpillar in a Turkey Oak this morning in Hitchin, kindly identified by Malcolm Hull as a Purple Hairstreak [Posted by Phil Barron]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. Every day when I visit my local patch there seems to be something new at the moment. Today I found my first Small Skipper of 2025, a newly emerged Painted Lady which was still a bit floppy and docile, and a group of new male Small Whites puddling on a rare patch of wet mud. There were another 12 species flying, including 5 Large Skippers, my highest total here this year so far. Meadow Browns were probably now up at the three-figure mark - and I only saw a couple of definite females. [Posted by Dave Miller]
FFY White Letter Hairstreaks. 5-6 around the Elms at Cheshunt park around 11.00, plenty of chasing and clashing , suspect they have been out here for at least a couple of days. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Rivers Orchard Sawbridgeworth. My first 3 Meadow Brown and 2 Large Skipper of the year, also 1 Holly Blue, 8 Common Blue and 5 Small Heath. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. Under mostly cloudy skies this afternoon, I decided to attempt a count of Meadow Browns and Small Heaths on my local patch. I ended up with 87 of the former and 43 of the latter - and wondered what the totals might have been in full sunshine. Only 10 species seen altogether today though: Meadow Brown(87), Small Heath(43), Common Blue(11), Small Tortoiseshell(9), Comma(4), Small White(3), Red Admiral(2), Brimstone(1), Speckled Wood(1), Large White(1). Though numbers have dropped a lot in recent days, there are still one or two new Common Blues around. All the Commas were second brood individuals, looking as vibrant in brown and orange as any fritillary. The highest Small Tortoiseshell total of the year so far here included a pair that hadn't heard the rumour that their species may be becoming single-brooded... [Posted by Dave Miller]
Therfield Heath butterflies. BNA Herts had a wildlife walk at Therfield Heath. we went to church hill very windy but saw 2 Marbled whites, 4 Meadow Brown, a Common Blue, 2 Brown Argus. The highlight was a Dark Green Fritillary. on Church Hill my first of the year. We went to the Rifle Range after lunch and saw 4 Adonis blues, 2 Brimstones. The wild flowers were lovely too. [Posted by steve kiln]
Small Blue at Millhoppers. During today's work party I was delighted to see this fluttering around our chalk bank. This is the first ever record of Small Blue at the Millhoppers Reserve! Apologies for the 'record shot' pictures. [Posted by Chris Hilling]
