Sightings 2022

Welcome to the Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch sightings page for butterfly and moth news from around the area

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Please include grid reference (6 digits preferred but 4 digits will do) or post code for your sightings. If you have the what3words app you can supply me with the 3 words denoting the site. Grid reference can be obtained using the Gridreferencefinder or Streetmap. If you need any guidance let me know. Most, if not all, sightings listed here with sufficient detail given, will be added to the branch database but see note below. Some sightings if deemed 'trivial' may not be posted here but will still be included on the database.

Wherever possible please use the iRecord app to submit your butterfly (not moth) records to reduce the possibility of transcription errors - please read the General Recording page for details. If you are using a spreadsheet please enter your records in the correct format - see following example; this will ease the amount of work for the county recorder.

For moths however, the much preferred method is to submit your moth records on a spreadsheet, if you can, in the format shown here. More information can be found on the Moths - Introduction page.

NOTE: To avoid any duplication, if you are submitting records via a spreadsheet to the Branch Recorder (Andrew Wood) and also have emailed me for the sightings page please let Andrew or me know. Records entered on the iRecord and iNaturalist databases, for example, will be picked up and verified by Andrew.

Photos are welcome and a selection will be posted on this webpage but please keep these to a reasonably small size. Provide a link if your photo is on an external application like Flickr. Alternatively post your photo on , or

Please email Peter Clarke (peter.clarke4@ntlworld.com) to send in your news.

May Date Description Recorder 21 May Dozens of Adonis Blues at Church hill, Therfield Heath this afternoon. And a couple of Cinnabar moths. Chris Benton 21 May A Large Skipper in the Affinity Field beside Ruislip lido John Edwards 21 May Doing my afternoon transect I saw 4 Male Common Blues - my first sightings of them this year. They were in pairs in the lower and upper butterfly meadows at Alexandra Park. Also a Red Admiral. Otherwise by far the most prolific flying were the Holly Blues, I don't recall a better year for them, they are everywhere! Dee Cullen 21 May Painted Lady at Burleigh Farm, Knebworth Alan Ford 20 May Stevenage Old Town Painted Lady x1 Richard Best 19 May Norton Green, Knebworth (TL224227) Small Heath x1 Richard Best 19 May Went to Therfield. On Church Hill had 10 or more Adonis Blues, several Small Heath, Brown Argus, Brimstone, Painted Lady and a Mother Shipton moth Steve Kiln 19 May Hounslow. Another lovely sunny day with plenty of butterflies to be enjoyed : Holly Blue: 17, Peacock: 14, Small White: 5, Green-veined White: 3, Brimstone: 1, Orange-tip: 3, Comma: 2, Speckled Wood: 11, Green Hairstreak: 5, Red Admiral: 1, Brown Argus: 4, Common Blue: 2, Small Heath: 8, Small Copper: 1, Painted Lady: 1 and one Mother Shipton moth Peter Gore 19 May Painted Lady in my Harpenden garden, first for many a year Robin Pearson 19 May Roughdown, Hemel Hempstead - Painted Lady Sheethanger, Hemel - 1 Painted Lady, 2 Orange-tips, 2 Holly Blues, 5 Brimstones, Small Yellow Underwing, White Ermine, 2 Mother Shipton, Crambus lathoniellus Shrub Hill, Hemel - 9 Dingy Skipper, 3 Silver Y, Painted Lady, 23 Burnet Companion, 2 Holly Blues, 2 Common Blues, 5 Common Carpet, 2 Silver Y, 4 Mother Shipton, Cranbus lathoniellus, 1 Painted Lady, 1 Peacock, 1 Small White, Glyphipterix simpliciella Malcolm Hull Andrew Wood 19 May St Albans - Painted Lady in the garden Malcolm Hull 19 May Spent the afternoon on Hounslow Heath again. Sunny, hot conditions meant that there was plenty to see. Photographed 6 individual Green Hairstreaks (confirmed as individuals by looking at the pattern of white markings), of which 3 along the gorse by the Post Office building and the other 3 along the paths around the heather pen (on oak and bramble). Also saw the following species: 2 Red Admiral, 2 Brimstone, 1 Orange-tip, 4+ Holly Blue, 4+ Green-veined White, 1 Painted Lady (my first this year), 5+ Peacock, 1 Large White, 3 Small Copper, 3+ Small Heath, lots of Speckled Wood and 3+ Small White. Even had an Orange-tip appear out of nowhere to land on me when I was just standing around minding my own business :-) Sally Ewen 18 May Painted Lady at 1-50pm in the garden of the Elephant & Castle pub at Amwell near Wheathampstead. The butterfly was feeding off the allium, off and on, for more than an hour. (A Brimstone was also present) Robert Walker 18 May Hounslow. Again my day began with a Painted Lady in my garden. Yesterday's seemed conventional,quickly disturbed from Valerian flowers; today's oddly seemed to dive in like a predatory bird and leave just as quickly perhaps finding pink Oxalis flowers and Echinops leaves not quite what it wanted. Again a second Painted Lady was seen on my walk albeit at the opposite extremity in time and distance from yesterday's. Suffice to say they're around! I'm long used to blue butterflies on bare earth being Holly Blues but disconcerted by the numbers currently frequenting Bird's Foot Trefoil and other meadow plants. Common Blues would be justified in complaining as I do when I have to alter a premature record. The Marshalling Yards meadows also feature Green Hairstreaks likewise on Lotus and also on Bramble. Both these are recognised food plants but on the heath they're more conventionally always on Broom. Standing at the edge of what was once Pevensey Road sewage works but is now known as "The Rings" and used as an outdoor graphic arts centre I saw 8 feet down and 20 or so in front of me a small something at the centre of an Ox-eye Daisy. I was delighted when binoculars showed this to be exactly what I expected, a nectaring Small Copper. Yesterday's first was pleasing and colourful on a buttercup, today's felt even better. The final noteworthy sighting occurred when I disturbed a large (cat-sized) animal as I walked back along a short path. This was a heavily spotted muntjac fawn and only its faltering progress on wobbly legs allowed me to see it, thus demonstrating how effective its camouflage was and how easily I can miss seeing things: twice, in this instance. Here's what I did see, deer excluded: Painted Lady: 2, Holly Blue: 20, Small White: 4, Green-veined White: 3, Orange-tip: 3, Speckled Wood: 15, Green Hairstreak: 4, Small Copper: 4, Peacock: 8, Common Blue: 4, Brown Argus: 2, Brimstone: 4, Small Heath: 4, Comma: 1 Peter Gore 17 May Had a first Painted Lady in my South Mymms garden, as well as Red Admiral (1), Holly Blue (1), Orange-tip (1) and Green-veined White (1) Terry Wood 17 May Noted about 12 Adonis Blue during a walk along the Church Hill 'footpath', Therfield. Also a mating pair of Small Blues at the Hillbrow site in Letchworth Phil Rhodes 17 May I looked at both ends of Therfield Heath for butterflies. Adonis Blues were very active (as might be expected in temperatures of 27C). Sightings are as follows: Therfield Heath - Old Rifle Range area (TL348400): Orange-tip (1), Large White (1), Green-veined White (3), Brimstone (6), Small Heath (20+), Red Admiral (1 - pristine specimen), Peacock (1), Comma (1), Small Copper (1), Holly Blue (1 + many more just off The Heath), Brown Argus (6), Common Blue (2 males), Adonis Blue (8 males). Therfield Heath - Church Hill area (TL332396): Orange-tip (1), Green-veined White (2), Brimstone (8), Small Heath (2), Red Admiral (1), Peacock (2) , Comma (1), Brown Argus (2), Common Blue (5 males) and Adonis Blue (15+ including 2 females) Martin Johnson 17 May My first Painted Lady of the year was hurtling around my Ware back garden. In the front a pristine Red Admiral was nectaring on valerian. Numerous flights of a Holly Blue so suspect more than one. In the afternoon, a female Brimstone was checking out my alder buckthorn but despite lowering her abdomen I couldn't see an egg. At the same time another female was in the garden and later a male Brimstone was engaged in a courtship flight with a female Liz Goodyear 17 May Hounslow. The day began well with a Painted Lady in my garden and a second one was seen on the walk that followed, with Small Copper also belatedly added to the year's list of species: all we can reasonably hope to see here at this stage. Lack of sun in a couple of key areas reduced numbers a little but still good overall: Painted Lady: 2, Holly Blue: 22, Small White: 2, Orange-tip: 2, Peacock: 11, Brimstone: 6, Comma: 1, Speckled Wood: 8, Green-veined White: 5, Common Blue: 6, Green Hairstreak: 6, Brown Argus: 3, Small Heath: 3, Small Copper: 1 Peter Gore 16 May Despite a cloudy blustery day it was humid and warm in North London. On my way to do my transect I'd walked up my road a few yards when I saw a Painted Lady my first this year. It was a quiet transect not many flying but of note was my first Silver Y of the year in the anthill meadow. Dee Cullen 15 May Branch Event The annual Bovingdon Brickworks walk (with kind permission of the Box Moor Trust) often succumbs to bad weather and this year was no exception. With a favourable forecast during the week, it was with horror on Friday that I saw the forecast had changed! However, the walk went ahead with 6 enthusiastic walkers and an even more enthusiastic ranger - Steve. Setting off the sun was just shining which meant that we knew that the Dingy Skippers had come off their roosts! We had several sightings across the site before cloud cover halted all activity. It was only as the walk was ending and the sky was even more overcast and the rain was imminent that we found our first seriously roosting Dingy Skippers! With 3 being found hiding on knapweed seed heads and a Common Blue nearby. In total during the walk we found 10 Dingy Skipper, 3 Common Blue, 2 Orange-tips and 2 Peacock Liz Goodyear Andrew Middleton 14 May At Aldbury Nowers, 2 Small Blues Chris Benton 14 May I went to Aldbury Nowers (but walked to Incombe Hole and back, just in Bedfordshire but full of butterflies especially Duke of Burgundy a great place to visit). No Dukes at Aldbury Nowers. but it had Dingy Skippers and Grizzled Skippers, Green Hairstreak, Brown Argus, Orange-tips, Small Heath, Brimstones galore, Burnet Companion, Mint Moth and Common Carpet Steve Kiln 14 May Hounslow. No possible complaints about weather; I felt like staying even longer in the sun but for lack of food and the inevitability of evening. Good to see Small Heath numbers increasing and they're back sunbathing at their usual angle away from the sun, particularly on the edges of the meadows' footpaths where everything has seemed so devoid of butterflies since the end of last summer: Holly Blue: 24, Peacock: 16, Small Heath: 13, Red Admiral: 1, Speckled Wood: 13, Green-veined White: 5, Orange-tip: 4, Common Blue: 6, Green Hairstreak: 3, Brimstone: 1, Large White (1st): 1, Brown Argus 1, Small White: 3, Small Tortoiseshell: 1 Peter Gore 14 May Bovingdon - A good range of species at three different types of site around the village. At the Brickpits, 4 Common Blues, 4 Peacocks, 1 Silver Y, 3 Treble-bar, 10 Dingy Skippers, 1 Silver-ground Carpet, 1 Mint Moth, 3 Large Whites, 1 Mother Shipton, 1 Speckled Wood, 4 Orange-tips, 8 Green-veined Whites. At the Airfield, I saw 4 Peacocks, 1 Comma, 2 Large White, 3 Holly Blues, 1 Common Blue, 1 Painted Lady, 1 Brimstone, 15 Small Whites and 6 Orange-tips. At Spring Meadow Farm, Whelpley Hill I saw 8 Dingy Skippers, 5 Peacocks, 1 Common Carpet, 2 Mint moths, 3 Common Blues, 1 Comma, 3 Burnet Companions, 5 Large Whites, 3 Brimstones, 1 Orange Footman, 8 Orange-tips, 1 Small White and 1 Green-veined White Malcolm Hull 14 May While walking the Knebworth transects I spotted my first Painted Lady of the year in Graffidge Wood Peter Clarke 13 May Hounslow. A sunnier day and butterfly numbers respond accordingly: Holly Blue: 22, Brimstone: 3, Green-veined White: 3, Speckled Wood: 13, Peacock: 13, Green Hairstreak: 3, Orange-tip: 2, Common Blue: 5, Small White: 3, Comma: 2, Small Heath: 2, Brown Argus: 4, Red Admiral: 1. Many thanks to Sally Ewen for her kind comment. It is indeed always good to meet a fellow butterfly enthusiast and for me especially one who is substantially younger than I am! Peter Gore 12 May Good day for butterflies on Hounslow Heath. Nice to meet Peter Gore also out butterflying. Highlight was 5 (possibly 6) individual Green Hairstreaks along the path opposite Post Office building. Also saw (and photographed) Small Heath (2), Small Copper (2), Brown Argus (1), Speckled Wood (2), Green-veined White (3 or 4), Small White (1), Brimstone (1), Peacock (3) Sally Ewen 12 May Hounslow. Another day like Tuesday with intermittent sunshine leading to an apparent redistribution of butterflies that is of course misleading as are relatively low numbers again e.g. only one Green Hairstreak spotted but a very reliable informant had seen 5 earlier and got photographs, eyebrows included. Most interesting was a further sighting of one in a Whitton garden. Whilst they're not unknown garden visitors this is the first I can recall hearing of relatively locally. These are my sightings: Holly Blue: 5, Brimstone: 3, Orange-tip: 3, Green-veined White: 5, Green Hairstreak: 1, Speckled Wood: 5, Peacock: 8, Red Admiral: 1, Small White: 1, Small Heath: 3. After seeing none earlier in the week I was pleased to see three Brimstones; a fourth much smaller bright yellow sighting flew moth-like deep into a blackthorn bush where I couldn't find it but still feel justified in labelling it a Brimstone moth presumably disturbed into flying briefly during the day. The lowlight of the walk was a thankfully rare sighting of two freshly dumped shopping trolleys in the River Crane Peter Gore 10 May Had 6 Small Blues in the afternoon in the breezy sunshine on the perimeter fields of the old butterfly world site at Chiswell Green Clive Burrows 10 May In Rickneys at 2pm. 3 Grizzled Skippers, Brown Argus, 2 Common Blue, Small Heath, the whites, Orange-tip, Holly Blue, Peacock and a stoat. At Waterford south. 3 Grizzled Skipper, the whites and Peacocks and Lattice Heath and Mother Shipton moths Steve Kiln 10 May 1 Brimstone - Priory School, Hitchin; 1 Small White, 2 Peacock - field NW of Priory School, Hitchin; 1 Peacock, 2 Small White mating, 2 Holly Blue - field between Burford Way and River Oughton, off Bedford Road, Hitchin David Inward 10 May Hounslow. A late start, a lot of cloud and breezy conditions all meant that numbers seen were limited but three more species added to this year's list and a Red Admiral on the heath is the first anywhere here since February: Holly Blue: 15, Green Hairstreak: 4, Speckled Wood: 9, Red Admiral: 1, Orange-tip: 5, Small Heath(1st) : 2, Common Blue (1st): 1, Brown Argus (1st): 3, Small White: 1, Peacock: 2, Green-veined White: 1 Peter Gore 10 May Large Tortoioseshell in Stanwell Moor area. Also seen: Small Copper, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Brimstone, Orange-tip, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Small Heath, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Peacock Dave Miller 9 May We visited Waterford Heath south - starting just after 1 and managed to choose the worst possible time for weather. It was breezy and warm but cloudy and the Grizzleds simply weren't doing anything. After 'wasting' an hour looking we were about to give up when the sun returned and we did a complete circuit of the site finishing just after 4 - finding eventually 15 Grizzled Skippers in total Liz Goodyear Andrew Middleton 9 May 1 Holly Blue - Willian Road, Hitchin; 3 Speckled Wood, 1 Green-veined White, 2 Orange-tip, 1 Brimstone - School Lane area, Great Offley NW; 1 Orange-tip, 1 Brimstone - School Lane, Great Offley NE David Inward 8 May Therfield Heath (Church Hill): Small Heath 5, Brown Argus 3, Peacock, Brimstone, Adonis Blue 3+ Andy Clifton 8 May 1 Holly Blue - St Faiths Close north, Hitchin; 1 Speckled Wood - Walsworth Common, Hitchin David Inward 8 May I found two Small Yellow Underwing moths on Halsey Field whilst walking my transect Chris Ridley 6 May 1 Brimstone - St Faiths Close north, Hitchin (TL198303); 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Orange-tip - Fairlands Valley Park north central part (TL2524) David Inward 6 May Therfield Heath (Church Hill): Common Blue (1 male), Brown Argus (3 males), Brimstone (8), Orange-tip (5), Peacock (1), Cinnabar Moth (1), Mother Shipton (2) Martin Johnson 6 May Brown Argus at Scotch Common, Ealing, the earliest I have ever seen one anywhere John Eborall 5 May Hemel Hempstead - Out looking for suitable wildflower meadow sites. At Warners End I saw 5 Orange-tips, 4 Small Whites and 1 each of Peacock, Holly Blue and Brimstone. At Shrub Hill Common I saw 7 Dingy Skippers, 2 Burnet Companion, 2 Common Carpet, 2 Mint moth, 7 Brimstone, 6 Orange-tips, 4 Small White, 3 Peacock, 1 Large White and 2 Holly Blue. Hoping for more sun tomorrow! Malcolm Hull 4 May Hexton Chalk Pit in afternoon. 2 Brimstones, Green-veined White, one Small Heath and 9 Dingy Skipper and Mint moth Steve Kiln 3 May We started the day at Hexton Chalk Pit just after 10.15 in perfect roosting conditions - nice and cloudy! In total in about an hour we found 49 Dingy Skipper either roosting mostly on knapweed heads and a few just thinking about basking! (This is our highest ever count at Hexton in 20 years!). No Green Hairstreak were seen. We then went onto Telegraph Hill and Hoo Bit and here just 1 Dingy Skipper was found on either site. At Hoo Bit we also saw a Brown Argus but the highlight was just after we started walking along the Icknield Way 3 Orange-tips were found roosting on flower heads close together. We think two were male and one a female. On the way back we stopped at Waterford Heath north - the sun was trying to come out and we didn't know whether we would find flying Grizzled Skippers or roosting individuals. The first two were roosting but then we started to find either basking or flying individuals as we got closer to the railway line. One was found basking high up on an Evening Primrose seed head. We then went across to the east side of the pit and they were now all roosting. In total we found exactly 10 individuals over a 2 hour period Liz Goodyear Andrew Middleton 2 May 1 Holly Blue - by railway, Walsworth Common, Hitchin (TL192304) David Inward April Date Description Recorder 30 Apr What a joy to see so much sunshine! I took the opportunity to seek out Green Hairstreak, returning after a three year absence to Hexton Chalk Pit (entrance gate at TL106300) in the Chilterns, arriving at around 11:00 am. There were not many species on the wing upon arrival, but a good number number of Dingy Skipper were flying over the low grass, and later I saw at least 15 individuals of this species (at a conservative estimate to avoid double counting). Early on there was no sign of Green Hairstreak until I got to within 50 yards of the furthest (southern) fence, just where the reserve becomes very narrow. A single individual was sunning itself on low vegetation, and posed very nicely for me, as did a second specimen a short time later, which also nectared for a short while on a white inflorescence of a Viburnum lantana bush. I then spotted several individuals flying around a sycamore tree (at exactly TL 10759 29828), for those wanting not to waste time searching elsewhere!). This was clearly the most popular perch on the reserve, since I saw none anywhere else before leaving at 2 pm. At one time I saw 5 in a single vista: a mating pair about 10 feet up, a single male a foot away from them, and two males fighting almost continuously 20 feet up. Adding in the Green Hairstreak I'd been photographing other out in the open, that made a certain count of 6 individuals of Green Hairstreak, although I suspect there were more somewhere out of sight (it might be an idea to explore the fallow field to the east, with plenty of trees and bushes, accessible from a track next to the reserve entrance gate). Also spotted (impossible to say if these were absolute numbers or repeated sightings!): 3 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 5 Holly Blue, 10+ Brimstone, 5 Green-veined White, 1 Speckled Wood. (Also about a dozen delightful Green Longhorn moths with their delicate and spectacular long antennae) Andrew Neild 30 Apr Aldbury Nowers. As Rick Vickers and I got out of the car in the first two butterflies seen were an Orange-tip followed by a Brimstone. At the southern end we took a look over the right hand side gate. We saw 6 Brimstone, 1 Small Heath, 1 Dingy Skipper and Rick spotted 1 Grizzled Skipper and a couple of Peacocks that I missed. Heading towards the northern end a further 2 Small Heath were seen 6 Orange-tip, 17 Brimstone, 5 Peacock, 6 Grizzled Skipper, 1 Brown Argus, 3 Dingy Skipper, 1 Green-Veined White along with several other white butterflies spotted. Rick also spotted 2 Holly Blue of which I also missed Peter Fewell 30 Apr 1 Small White, 2 Brimstone, 2 Speckled Wood, 2 Comma, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Orange-tip - open space north of Sainsburys, Poplars,Stevenage (TL2623) David Inward 28 Apr Hounslow. Very little sun but little effect on Speckled Wood: Speckled Wood: 18, Green Hairstreak: 2, Holly Blue: 1, Small White: 1, Peacock: 2 Peter Gore 27 Apr Did a roost count for Grizzled Skippers at Waterford Heath north and south this morning. The result was 4 found on the south and one on the north Andrew Wood 26 Apr Went to Rickneys quarry around 12, had 7 Grizzled Skippers. Watch the roses they are savage. Also many Green-veined Whites, Orange-tips and Small Whites. Went to Waterford Heath South, no Grizzleds at all but plenty of whites and Peacocks and Commas Steve Kiln 26 Apr Hounslow. A similar day to Sunday, ten species again with numbers slightly reduced: Holly Blue: 16, Brimstone: 3, Orange-tip: 3, Speckled Wood: 13, Peacock: 17, Green-veined White: 1, Green Hairstreak: 2, Small White: 2, Comma: 1, Small Tortoiseshell: 2 Peter Gore 26 Apr St Albans - An interesting contrast in the butterflies I saw at two different locations at lunchtime. In the garden all species were newly emerged including Small White (shown nectaring on Bowles Mauve), Orange-tip, Holly Blue and Mint Moth. Out in Verulamium Park, most species were hibernators Peacock (12), Small Tortoiseshell (4), Brimstone (1) and Orange-tip (1) All hibernators were looking tatty - Peacock numbers are holding up well, but STs were well down since my last visit Malcolm Hull 24 Apr 1 Orange-tip - by pond, Walsworth Common, Hitchin; 1 Brimstone - by railway, Walsworth Common, Hitchin David Inward 24 Apr Hounslow. Intermittent sunshine meant intermittent butterflies so fewer seen overall: Holly Blue: 15, Speckled Wood: 22, Green-veined White: 5, Peacock: 21, Brimstone: 5, Orange-tip: 4, Comma: 3, Small Tortoiseshell: 1. Two Holly Blues in my garden yesterday Peter Gore 23 Apr Despite a stiff breeze there were a fair number flying at Alexandra Park for my walk at lunchtime. I saw my first Green-veined White in the anthill meadow. Also a few Small Tortoiseshells near the sports club car park. Two were displaying courtship behaviour. Pleased to see a good number of Holly Blues again this week Dee Cullen 21 Apr Waterford Heath (TL316150). Grizzled Skipper x3, Peacock x3, Speckled Wood x1, Comma x2 Richard Best 21 Apr Hounslow. A delightful sunny spring day with a drop in numbers of the shade-loving Speckled Wood perhaps caused by too much sun rather than too little. Green Hairstreak sightings increased with one on hawthorn on the Marshalling Yards and one each on Broom and Gorse in the usual site on the heath. All ten current species seen. A possible eleventh was a Large White that flew strongly past me in the woodland area of the Pevensey Road. A little while later as I completed the loop where this butterfly had headed I again saw a large white butterfly and it was with a feeling of minor triumph that I raised my binoculars to look at this individual nectaring on a dandelion only to find myself looking at an impressively large immaculate female Brimstone. It could have been a different butterfly of course but for what it's worth my current belief is that none of the three migrants is with us here at the moment. Today's list: Holly Blue: 27, Speckled Wood: 29, Green-veined White: 4, Small White: 2, Peacock: 22, Green Hairstreak: 3, Brimstone: 10, Orange-tip: 4, Comma: 2, Small Tortoiseshell: 3 Peter Gore 21 Apr 1 Speckled Wood - wood east of Great Offley (TL147272); 1 Orange-tip - Luton Road, Great Offley (TL141270) David Inward 21 Apr A walk from Lilley to Lilley via Telegraph Hill (well de-scrubbed), Hoo Bit and Hexton Chalk Pit revealed plenty of Peacocks, Brimstones and Small Tortoiseshells with rather fewer Orange-tips and Green-veined Whites. However there was one Dingy Skipper at Telegraph Hill and 3 at Hexton Chalk Pit plus a Green Hairstreak at Hoo Bit Andrew Wood 20 Apr At Vicarage Farm, Enfield (TQ3097) - 1 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell & 1 Speckled Wood. At Parkside Farm, Enfield (TQ3098) - 2 male Orange-tip together & 1 Comma. At Parkside Farm/Res., Enfield (TQ2998) - 1 Peacock. At Park Farm, Enfield (TQ2998) - 3 Speckled Wood & 1 Green-veined White. Along Jubilee Path/London Loop near Little Beechill Wood, Enfield Chase (TQ291988) - 1 Peacock. At Holly Hill Farm, Enfield (TL297002) - 1 Small White, 1 Speckled Wood & 1 Peacock Robert Callf 20 Apr Late morning walk at Waterford Heath, 5 Grizzled Skipper, 3 on the south pit and 2 on the north pit, also 12 Peacock, 3 Orange-tip Laurence Drummond 20 Apr Hounslow. Over two thirds of those recorded from just two species. Whites are slightly more numerous than shown but only by a dozen or so: Holly Blue: 26, Speckled Wood: 49, Peacock: 18, Brimstone: 8, Comma: 5, Orange-tip: 3, Small Tortoiseshell: 1, Small White: 1. Yesterday one Holly Blue in my garden, three on 18 April Peter Gore 20 Apr 1 Holly Blue, 1 Brimstone - St Faiths Close, Hitchin; 1 Brimstone - Wilshire Crescent, Hitchin (TL206296); 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Walsworth Common, Hitchin (TL193303); 1 Orange-tip - Walsworth Common, Hitchin (TL195301) David Inward 20 Apr A Green-veined White, an Orange-tip and a Peacock sunning itself on the path in my South Mymms garden Terry Wood 19 Apr At Vicarage Farm, Enfield (TQ3097) - 1 Speckled Wood & 1 Peacock. At Holly Hill Farm, Enfield (TL297002) - 1 Speckled Wood Robert Callf 19 Apr 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Fairlands Valley Park, Stevenage (TL247230) David Inward 19 Apr 2 Green-veined Whites as well as an Orange-tip and a Red Admiral in my South Mymms garden Terry Wood 18 Apr It was a joy to welcome our first Holly Blue of the year to our St Albans garden, and then to discover that it was a female, as she proceeded over the course of the next 50 minutes to lay single eggs on most of the flower buds on our blackcurrant. Now that did raise my eyebrows, as I had no idea that this was a known food plant, but apparently it is recognised as a minor pest of this plant species Andrew Neild 18 Apr At Vicarage Farm, Enfield (TQ3097) - 3 male Orange-tip, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Small Tortoiseshell at Hog Hill & 1 Peacock. At Parkside Farm/Res., Enfield (TQ2998) - 1 female Orange-tip (my first female of the year) & 2 Peacock. At Park Farm, Enfield (TQ2998) - 3 Speckled Wood & 1 Peacock. At Hadley Rd near Camlet Moat - 1 Speckled Wood along grass verge. At Trent Park - 1 male Orange-tip near Obelisk. At Lakeside, EN2 - 1 male Large White (my first of the year) & 1 male Small White. 1 Orange Underwing seen in flight & settled on branch of tree at Parkside Farm/Res., Enfield (TQ299982) - seen well through bins, so positive about id. 1 Angle Shades at Oakwood Station & 1 Red-green Carpet at ASDA Southgate Robert Callf 18 Apr Millhoppers Reserve - Seven different species seen, Speckled Wood, Orange-tip, Comma, Peacock, Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell and Holly Blue. Plus finally a male Emperor moth to the lure after five unsuccessful attempts! Chris Hilling 18 Apr Aldbury Nowers - 3 Green Hairstreaks, 2 Burnet Companion, 12 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 11 Brimstone, 2 Large White, 1 Comma, 9 Common Carpet, 12 Orange-tip, 6 Green-veined White. Back in St Albans I added Holly Blue, Speckled Wood and Mint Moth in my garden Malcolm Hull 18 Apr 1 Orange-tip - St Faiths Close, Hitchin; 1 Large White - Walsworth Common, Hitchin (TL196302) David Inward 17 Apr 1 male Orange-tip at Grovebury Crt, N14 (TQ296949) at 1302 BST. At Town Park, Enfield (1330-1410 BST) - 1 Peacock at TQ323961, 1 Speckled Wood & 1 female Green-veined White at TQ324964. At Parsonage Grdns, Enfield (TQ324970) - 1 Comma along New River. At Parsonage Lne, Enfield (TQ330970) - 1 Holly Blue. At Church St/Great Cambridge Road (TQ331941) - 1 Holly Blue Robert Callf 17 Apr 1 Orange-tip - St Faiths churchyard, Hitchin (TL198301) David Inward 17 Apr Hounslow. A steady build-up for Speckled Wood and Holly Blue whilst Orange-tip continues to lag badly: Holly Blue: 12, Speckled Wood: 30, Small White: 4, Green-veined White: 2, Comma: 4, Peacock: 34, Brimstone: 4, Orange-tip: 2, Small Tortoiseshell: 1 Peter Gore 16 Apr Cassiobury Park. Peacock 15, Small Tortoiseshell 1 at the far end of the rugby fields, Comma 1, Brimstone 6, Orange-tip 1, Holly Blue 2, Speckled Wood 2 and a couple of unidentified whites Whippendell Woods. Peacock 22, Brimstone 2, Green-Veined White 1, Holly Blue 2, Orange-tip 10, Comma 5, Large White 1 and several unidentified whites Peter Fewell 16 Apr At Vicarage Farm, Enfield (TQ3097) - 4 Peacock, 3 Small Tortoiseshell including two clashing at Hog Hill, 1 Speckled Wood along Leeging Beech Gutter & 1 Comma. At Hadley Road near Parkside Farm, Enfield (TQ3098) - 1 male Orange-tip. At Parkside Farm, Enfield (TQ3098 & TQ2998) - 4+ Peacock (with roughly equal numbers in each tetrad). 1 Brimstone Moth at ASDA Southgate this evening - my first of the year! Robert Callf 16 Apr Hounslow. A slightly unsatisfying first Green Hairstreak of the year seen flying to a Maple and landing several feet above my head, quickly lost amongst the fresh green leaves and flowers. Possibly a male establishing territory and I waited around hoping for a skirmish or two but without any further sighting. Numbers were a little down generally, however a first female Orange-tip and another sighting of female Brimstone added to the variety: Holly Blue: 10, Speckled Wood: 22, Small Tortoiseshell: 3, Peacock: 41, Orange-tip: 3, Brimstone: 9, Comma: 2, Green-veined White: 2, Small White: 2, Green Hairstreak: 1 Peter Gore 16 Apr 1 Grizzled Skipper at Waterford Heath HMWT. South pit (silt bed clearing) Chris Benton 15 Apr At Vicarage Farm, Enfield (TQ3097) - male Brimstone, 1 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell & male Orange-tip. At Parkside Farm, Enfield (TQ3098) - male Brimstone. At Parkside Farm/Res., Enfield (TQ2998) - 1 Green-veined White & 1 Peacock. At Park Farm, Enfield (TQ2998) - 3 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Green-veined White, 1 male Orange-tip & 3 Speckled Wood Robert Callf 15 Apr Transect at Alexandra Park gave a bumper range of species, and most of what you'd hope for. Saw 8 Brimstone, 7 Small White, 3 Speckled Wood, 3 Holly Blue, 2 Orange-tip, 1 Comma, 2 Peacocks, 1 Small Tortoiseshell. Particularly happy to see Holly Blue and Small Tortoiseshell as they were few and far between last season, so hope this continues. My other transects in the cemetery later on were less exciting, though it had clouded over by then. Though also saw an Orange-tip there Dee Cullen 15 Apr 1 Brimstone - St Faiths Close north, Hitchin (TL198303); 1 Brimstone, 1 Speckled Wood - Purwell Meadows East, Hitchin (TL2029); 1 Orange-tip - path south of Purwell Paddocks, Hitchin (TL202294); 1 Brimstone - Chaucer Way, Hitchin (TL201296); 4 Peacock, 6 Brimstone, 2 Comma, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Orange-tip - Walsworth Common, Hitchin (TL1930) David Inward 15 Apr Peacocks were the butterfly of the afternoon in and around St Albans with over 30 spotted. Much smaller numbers of Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Orange-tip, Holly Blue, Brimstone and Green-veined White. 13 Small Whites all in a field of oil seed rape Malcolm Hull 15 Apr A Holly Blue and Small White (both year firsts) in my South Mymms garden as well as Peacock and Orange-tip Terry Wood 15 Apr Hounslow. More of the same, lots more, with the total recorded passing 100 for the first time this year: Holly Blue: 9, Brimstone: 15, Speckled Wood: 24, Green-veined White: 1, Peacock: 48, Orange-tip: 5, Small White: 2, Small Tortoiseshell: 2, Comma: 4. The Brimstones included two in a courtship flying ritual, close together and less rapidly moving than usual so I was able to detect the green colouring of both sexes as they flew above me. Thus the female becomes the first recorded as such here this year although clearly a number of unidentified early whites would almost certainly have been female Brimstones. Generally there are only a few whites that are not making themselves known to me at the moment Peter Gore 15 Apr Surprised to see Grizzled Skipper at Rickney also there many Peacocks and Brimstones and a Green-veined White. Afterwards I went to Waterford Heath and saw a Grizzled Skipper at the bottom of main bank. 13 Peacocks, and also Orange-tips, Commas, Small White and Brimstones. Also a slow worm near the wood Steve Kiln 14 Apr At Vicarage Farm, Enfield (TQ3097) - 2 Speckled Wood clashing at 0945 BST, 1 Small White, 2 Peacock & 1 male Brimstone . At Parkside Farm, Enfield (TQ3098) - 1 Comma. At Parkside Farm/Res., Enfield (TQ2998) - 1 male Brimstone. At Park Farm, Enfield (TQ2998) - 1 Speckled Wood & 1 Peacock near Duncan's Wd. At Trent Park - 1 Peacock along Leeging Beech Gutter near Water Grdn, 1 male Brimstone, 1 Speckled Wood & 1 Green-veined White at Williams Wd. At Boxer's Lake, Enfield - 1 Comma, 1 Small Tortoiseshell & 1 Small White Robert Callf 14 Apr 1 Orange-tip - Woolgrove Road, Hitchin (TL197302); 1 Peacock - NE corner, Peartree Park, Stevenage (TL256237); 1 Brimstone - eastern edge, Peartree Park, Stevenage (TL256233) David Inward 14 Apr Hounslow. Most of the walk in sunshine and all nine expected species seen with some new highs for the year: Holly Blue: 6, Speckled Wood: 14, Brimstone: 8, Green-veined White: 1, Peacock: 30, Comma: 5, Small White: 1, Small Tortoiseshell : 3, Orange-tip: 1. Three Holly Blues, one Speckled Wood and a Small White in my garden on 12th, one Holly Blue there yesterday Peter Gore 14 Apr A pristine Orange-tip in my South Mymms garden this afternoon, the first of the year for me Terry Wood 14 Apr This morning on the Anthill Meadow of Alexandra Palace Park, I encountered our first Painted Lady of the year. When an orange butterfly flew past me, my initial thought was of Comma, but the jizz wasn't right. I saw where it had settled and eased closer with my binoculars at the ready to be surprised by good views of a Painted Lady. Unfortunately it flew off before I could get even a record shot. Also Brimstone in good numbers, Peacock, Small White, Green-veined White and our first Holly Blue of the year, but no Orange-tip as yet. Gerry Rawcliffe 13 Apr At Vicarage Farm, Enfield (TQ3097) - 1 Peacock & 1 Small White. At Parkside Farm, Enfield (TQ3098) - 1 Peacock. At Holly Hill Farm, Enfield - 1 Peacock at TL296002 & 1 Green-veined White at TL294001. Robert Callf 13 Apr Hampstead Heath between No.1 and No.2 Ponds: Holly Blue (my first of the year), Brimstone, Small White, Peacocks (several) Nicholas Barnett 13 Apr 1 Small White, 1 Orange-tip - Hitchin Garden Centre, Hitchin (TL2030) David Inward 13 Apr Stevenage Old Town Holly Blue along Gunnels Wd Rd just before midday Stefan Hunt 12 Apr At Vicarage Farm, Enfield (TQ3097) - 2 Peacock & 1 White sp. At Parkside Farm/Res., Enfield (TQ2998) - 3 Peacock. At Park Farm, Enfield (TQ292987) - 1 Green-veined White settled briefly at 1453 BST (my first of the year). At Holly Hill Farm, Enfield (TQ293998) - 1 Peacock Robert Callf 12 Apr Large White seen by the entrance to Balls Wood, Hertford Heath at lunchtime Liz Goodyear 11 Apr Whilst looking at the amazing spectacle of thousands of Pasqueflowers at Therfield Heath we had a Green-veined White Roger & Sylvia Morton 11 Apr 1 male Brimstone at Trent Park Equestrian Centre at 1308 BST. At Vicarage Farm, Enfield (TQ3097) - 1 Small Tortoiseshell at Hog Hill at 1325 BST. At Parkside Farm, Enfield (TQ302980) - 1 male Orange-tip & 1 Peacock at 1342 BST. At Parkside Farm/Res., Enfield (TQ2998) - 1 Peacock & 1 Small Tortoiseshell. At Park Farm, Enfield (TQ2998) - 1 Small Tortoiseshell at 1410 BST & 2 Peacock Robert Callf 11 Apr Hounslow. The walk started very well but we lost the sun roughly half way through and with that, the butterflies : Speckled Wood: 7, Comma: 5, Peacock: 24, Green-veined White: 1, Orange-tip: 1, Brimstone: 1 Peter Gore 11 Apr Verulamium Park, St Albans - 8 Small Tortoiseshells and 6 Peacocks on my lunchtime walk. I'm relieved to see that they have survived through the frosts and snow of the last two weeks Malcolm Hull 10 Apr Green-veined White in St Albans garden at 12 noon John Pritchard 10 Apr 1 male Brimstone near Oakwood entrance, Trent Park at 1301 BST. At Vicarage Farm, Enfield (TQ3097) - 1 Small Tortoiseshell nectaring on dandelion near Allotments at 1307 BST & 1 Comma at 1332 BST. At Park Farm, Enfield (TQ2998) - 1 male Orange-tip at 1407 BST (my first of the year), 1 male Brimstone near Duncan's Wd at 1425 BST & 1 Peacock at 1427 BST. At Trent Park - 1 Comma edge of Moat Wd at 1438 BST & 1 Peacock edge of Williams Wd & 1 Comma edge of Williams Wd Robert Callf 10 Apr Hounslow. The day began promisingly in my garden as I inspected a plant pot and found myself looking at two Holly Blues seemingly sunbathing on bare soil, wings firmly closed. They were just an inch apart and seemed to show no interest in one another during the several minutes observed. A third Holly Blue flew over the fence as I watched them and a Speckled Wood was another garden first this year, fluttering nearby. After this start I saw no more Holly Blues on my walk but was happy to spot two Green-veined Whites taking the year's total to ten species flying now if one counts the single Red Admiral seen only in February. Holly Blue: 3, Speckled Wood: 5, Comma: 3, Brimstone: 1, Peacock: 14, Green-veined White : 2 and Small Tortoiseshell: 1. One unidentified moth flying high in the trees, Aspen on one side, Birch on the other side of the path I was on at the time Peter Gore 10 Apr 1 Brimstone - Highover Way, Hitchin (TL196304) David Inward 10 Apr My first Orange-tip of 2022. At Waterford Heath HMWT. North pit. Chris Benton 10 Apr St Albans - doing my bit for butterflies and moths by converting more of my lawn to wildflower meadow. The resident blackbird spotted I'd disturbed a hibernating caterpillar and swooped in for a tasty snack - guess you can't win them all! Malcolm Hull 9 Apr 1 Speckled Wood at Park Farm, Enfield (TQ294982) at 1200 BST. 1 Comma & 1 White sp (probably Small) at Allotments/Vicarage Farm, Enfield (TQ309970) at 1315 BST. At Boxer's Lake, Enfield (TQ305962) - 1 Peacock at 1426 BST & 1 male Brimstone at 1428 BST. . 1 Tawny Pinion at Oakwood Station - my first record Robert Callf 9 Apr I walked my two Highgate Cemetery transects. I was pleased to see a couple of Commas in the East Cemetery, not a species I saw last season on this side. They were jousting and one of them landed on me a couple of times, maybe I was in their way! Other than that I saw two Brimstones, two Small White, a Peacock and a Speckled Wood Dee Cullen 8 Apr A male Orange-tip, lunch time along the Slough, Allen's Green TL458165 Laurence Drummond 8 Apr Walked my second transect this year at lunchtime at Alexandra Park. I saw two male Brimstones along the Old Racetrack and two Small Tortoiseshells in the scrub area behind the sports pavilion car park Dee Cullen 8 Apr Folly Lane St Albans - Just a single Peacock, despite glorious sun all afternoon. That's a massive decline in butterfly numbers from two weeks ago. In my hibernation shed - no change from two weeks ago, Just a single Small Tortoiseshell still in residence Malcolm Hull 8 Apr 1 male Brimstone at Oakwood Park (TQ299950) at 1246 BST Robert Callf 6 Apr 1 female Small White seen in flight & settled at Holly Hill Farm, Enfield (TQ289997) at 1425 BST Robert Callf 3 Apr Although only 9° in the shade, a Small Tortoiseshell was feeding on dandelion in Fairlands Valley Park near the football ground Peter Clarke March Date Description Recorder 28 Mar Hounslow. After reports of Green Hairstreak sightings elsewhere in the country I thought I'd better get out and make a special effort to see if they're around here : not the slightest evidence seen so if the weather turns unfavourable this week as forecast I suspect we'll be waiting until April is well under way at the earliest. Otherwise I could have no grounds for complaint today with 8 species seen: Comma: 7, Speckled Wood: 2, Orange-tip: 2, Peacock: 11, Brimstone: 4, Holly Blue: 1, Small Tortoiseshell: 4, Small White: 2 Peter Gore 26 Mar Some butterflies from Wareside, a bright and sunny day. 1 Orange-tip (first of the year), 5 Brimstone, 2 Red Admiral - we are now convinced these overwinter in the dense ivy which grows over the fence as we have seen them emerge from here, 3 Comma, 4 Peacock, 2 Small White, 1 Speckled Wood (first for the year), 3 Small Tortoiseshell Phil and Oliver MacMurdie 26 Mar At Grovelands Park, Southgate (1510 to 1815 GMT) - 2 Comma & 2 Speckled Wood (1 slightly worn & 1 very fresh) - my first Speckled Wood in March for many years & possibly my earliest ever Robert Callf 26 Mar Hounslow. An Orange-tip was conspicuous nectaring on a dandelion as I exited the Cavalry Tunnel on the way back home.Slightly more white butterflies were flying than any other day so far this year but all the remainder were likely Small Whites : Comma: 9, Speckled Wood: 3, Brimstone: 6, Peacock: 21, Small White: 6, Small Tortoiseshell: 2, Orange-tip : 1. Like yesterday's Holly Blue this is not the earliest sighting of Orange-tip here but slightly earlier than average. If forecasts are correct this may be the last of warm sunny days for a little while so perhaps a reasonably extended spring season will develop Peter Gore 25 Mar A male Orange-tip in flight and at rest (photographed) on rough ground by the Grand Union Canal near Berkhamsted (TL 004 074); briefly intercepted by a white sp. The four resident adult hibernators have all been widespread in suitable habitat across south and west Herts over the past week Colin Everett 25 Mar 1 Peacock at Vicarage Farm, Enfield (TQ3097) at 1508 GMT. 1 Light Orange/Orange Underwing at Park Farm, Enfield (TQ2998) this afternoon at 1610 GMT Robert Callf 25 Mar 3 Small White, 3 Brimstone, 3 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Comma - Great Offley David Inward 25 Mar Hounslow. A Holly Blue started another species' year, not quite an earliest ever. There's been several around this date in previous years so perhaps best seen as average. This one rose from ground level and I didn't see it settle but the time of year, the location where it was seen and my perception of its colouring in flight make any other identification impossible. Numbers generally were down a little, perhaps a result of an earlier start to the walk and a little cloud but conditions overall were very favourable to butterfly activity: Peacock: 20, Comma: 13, Brimstone: 2, Small White: 2, Holly Blue: 1 Peter Gore 25 Mar A male Holly Blue in our Cowley, Uxbridge garden this afternoon Roger Morton 25 Mar St Albans Shed - this week all but one of the remaining hibernators have flown. 100% of Peacocks have left, up from 50% last week. And 80% of Small Tortoiseshells have also flown, up from 20% one week ago. Not surprising given the extended run of sunny days with temperatures in the high teens. I'm just hoping the weather stays good enough for breeding to be successful Malcolm Hull 24 Mar Hounslow. On Tuesday I managed to walk the Richmond side of the river without the obligatory post-Eunice scramble through the middle of a large tree but once again with nothing to show for my efforts. Today that changed. There had already been the always pleasing sight of an impossibly blue Kingfisher flying straight down the middle of the river as I crossed the bridge but despite the relative lack of competing colour I was even more pleased to see my first Speckled Wood of the year, five days earlier than the previous record in 2019 (all other years from 2012 firsts were in April).A little further on I was puzzled to spot a quantity of apparent wood shavings on the ground and even more surprised when another followed down from above. The culprit turned out to be a Parakeet stripping sticky buds off Horse Chestnut .My earliest sighting of the day was another Orange Underwing moth, unusually on the heath, but there is plenty of Birch there and the moth basked on the ground in the sun giving me time to appreciate it. The butterfly count passed 50 with only a surprising absence of whites - just one seen - to disappoint. A Red Kite circled above me, a Muntjac hurried away into the undergrowth and there were far too many rabbits to count including the melanistic form.All felt well with the world for a few sunny hours: Peacock: 29, Brimstone: 4, Comma: 14, Small Tortoiseshell: 5, Speckled Wood: 1, Small White: 1 and one Orange Underwing moth. On Wednesday one Peacock and one Comma in my garden Peter Gore 24 Mar 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Willian Road by Allwoods Place, Hitchin (TL199300) David Inward 24 Mar Male Orange-tip in our Cowley, Uxbridge garden this afternoon. Earliest garden record ever. Tweet: https://twitter.com/RogerMorton11 Roger Morton 23 Mar 5 Peacock (1 near Triangular Wd/Trent Park, 1 edge of Church Wd/Trent Park, 1 settled on Sallow by Lower Lake/Trent Park, 1 Park Farm, Enfield - TQ2998, 1 at Parkside Farm/Res., Enfield - TQ2998), 2 Comma (1 edge of Church Wd/Trent Park, 1 by Lower Lake, Trent Park), 1 Small White edge of Church Wd/Trent Park, 1 Small Tortoiseshell at Parkside Farm, Enfield (TQ3098) Robert Callf 23 Mar 1 Brimstone - hedgeline, Purwell Meadows north, Hitchin (TL199300); 1 Brimstone - Library roundabout, Hitchin (TL181290) David Inward 23 Mar Folly Lane Allotments, St Albans - the numbers of emerging hibernators continue to grow. This lunchtime I saw 9 Peacocks and 8 Small Tortoisehells, last week there were only 2 at this site. Also 2 Brimstones and 5 freshly hatched Small Whites, including a courting couple Malcolm Hull 22 Mar I saw a male Brimstone in our South Mymms garden, also a Peacock Terry Wood 22 Mar Sylvia and I had a Speckled Wood in Cranford Park, Hayes in the LB of Hillingdon. Our earliest record ever Roger Morton 22 Mar 1 Small Tortoiseshell at Vicarage Farm, Enfield (TQ3097) at 1524 GMT. Settled on pony field near Hadley Rd Robert Callf 22 Mar 1 Brimstone - The White Way, opposite Downlands, Stevenage (TL267251); 1 Brimstone - Sainsburys, Poplars, Stevenage (TL268234); 2 Brimstone - west of Aston End Road, Aston (TL272228); 1 Brimstone, 1 Peacock - Aston Cricket Ground (TL273226) David Inward 22 Mar Hounslow. Higher temperatures and continuous sunshine meant more butterflies seen,including the first Small Whites of the year: Brimstone: 5, Peacock: 22, Comma: 14, Small Tortoiseshell: 4, Small White: 2 Peter Gore 22 Mar Broxbourne woods NNR. Comma x6, Peacock x6, male Brimstone x1, Light Orange Underwing moth x1 Chris Benton 22 Mar In Bengeo garden: Brimstone, Comma, Peacock & Speckled Wood (earliest site record) Simon Knott 22 Mar St Albans - butterfly numbers continue to grow, 19 degrees here at lunchtime. At New England St Rec, I saw 4 Small Tortoiseshells and 2 Peacocks congregating on the nettlebeds. At Westminster Lodge I saw 7 Small Tortoiseshells, 6 Peacocks and 1 Comma, all in and around the nettles. Also saw my first Brimstone of the year in London Rd Malcolm Hull 22 Mar Brimstone and 2 Comma in Harpenden garden plus a Holly Blue flying weakly through Robin Pearson 22 Mar Male Brimstone in St Albans (TL154063) at 11.30 this morning David Barker 21 Mar 1 Comma at 'Three-bridges' Trent Park this afternoon at 1532 GMT Robert Callf 21 Mar Balls Wood HMWT. Comma x24, Peacock x5, Brimstone (male) x3, Small Tortoiseshell x1. Hertford Heath HMWT. Comma x2, Peacock x1 Chris Benton 21 Mar 1 Comma, 1 Peacock and 1 male Brimstone in our Harpenden garden in today's sunshine Alan Jackson 21 Mar A walk along the north bank of the River Stort at Harlow, TL455120, on the Herts side, 7 Peacock, 3 Brimstone, 1 Comma and 1 Small White Laurence Drummond 19 Mar My first Small White of the year on Camden Square (TQ296844) Nicholas Barnett 19 Mar 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Woolgrove Road, Hitchin (TL192304) David Inward 19 Mar I saw Small White and a Small Tortoiseshell at the RSPB Rye Meads Shailesh Patel 19 Mar Breezier and cooler but still mostly sunny: Small Tortoiseshell: 7, Peacock: 6, Comma: 6 Peter Gore 18 Mar At Trent Park - 4 Comma (1 along bridle path near Merryhills Brook at 1415 GMT, 3 together, clashing, edge of Williams Wd at 1437 GMT), 2 Peacock (1 along bridle path near Shaws Wd at 1417 GMT, 1 edge of Williams Wd at 1440 GMT), 1 Small Tortoiseshell at Park Farm, Enfield (TQ2998) at 1542 GMT. 1 Light Orange/Orange Underwing at 'Old Golf Course' Trent Park at 1506 GMT Robert Callf 18 Mar 1 Brimstone - Meadowbank/Cambridge Road junction, Hitchin (TL19592992); 5 Brimstone - Jackmans Estate east, Lrtchworth (TL2331); 4 Brimstone - Jackmans Estate northeast, Letchworth (TL2332) David Inward 18 Mar Hounslow. I must have been close to stepping on my first two Small Tortoiseshells of the year although I think they were in the preliminaries of mating rather than actually having begun. They moved only a few feet away close to ground level; the larger, presumed female, in front, limiting herself to an occasional flick of her wings whilst the presumed male, smaller, faced her an inch or so behind, constantly shaking his own wings in an agitated fashion. They repeated this in two other close spots at which point I concluded I might be restricting their activity in this rather small area and left them to it. Two other Small Tortoiseshells later were also seen simultaneously but this was clearly a more usual battle for territory. A good sunny afternoon with all four hibernating species seen: Brimstone: 2, Peacock: 9, Comma: 11, Small Tortoishell: 4 Peter Gore 18 Mar Verulamium Park, St Albans - And they're off! 4 Small Tortoiseshells, 3 Peacocks and 2 Comma all on nettlebeds during todays lunchtime stroll, 14 degrees and sunny. A pair of STs in a courtship flight were joined by a Peacock and Comma, keen for some action. All four were swirling around in mid air above my head. Back in the hibernation shed, a different picture. Just one Peacock has left in the last week. 3 out of 6 (50%) have left hibernation so far, whereas just 1 of the 5 Small Tortoiseshells (20%) has gone. I'm expecting more butterflies over the weekend Malcolm Hull 17 Mar New England St., St Albans - My first flying Small Tortoiseshell this year Malcolm Hull 17 Mar I've just seen the first Comma butterfly in our Gadebridge garden this year enjoying the heather. He's having a good feed has been on the plant for at least 30 minutes Chris Ridley 15 Mar We undertook our last Brown Hairstreak egg hunt of the season, starting at Yeading Brook Meadows where for the first time we found two Brown Hairstreak eggs. Further searches south east along the Yeading Brook and along the Hillingdon Trail were unsuccessful although at times were hampered by the blackthorn starting to flower (hence why this was our last trip!). However, throughout the day we encountered several butterflies which made up for the lack of eggs. First sighting was a Red Admiral, followed by male Brimstones, Peacock and several Commas. No Small Tortoiseshells were seen Liz Goodyear Andrew Middleton 15 Mar First two sightings of the year in Wareside garden: 1 Brimstone and 1 Small Tortoiseshell Lorraine MacMurdie 15 Mar My first butterfly sightings of the year this afternoon & 4 species recorded. 3 Comma edge of Church Wood/Trent Park including two together at 1254 GMT. 2 Peacock (1 edge of Church Wood & 1 near Sport's Field/Trent Park). 1 male Brimstone edge of Church Wood/Trent Park - seen twice in two different places, but possibly the same insect. 1 Small Tortoiseshell at Park Farm, Enfield (TQ2998) at 1416 GMT. 1 Light Orange/Orange Underwing disturbed from ground at Camlet Moat/Trent Park (TQ288982) at 1408 GMT - probably the latter species, as Birch trees nearby Robert Callf 15 Mar Hounslow. A mostly sunny afternoon with good numbers of butterflies. Two Peacocks vied for possession of a nettle patch within the Pevensey loop and three Commas disputed an always contentious strip alongside one of the meadows. Otherwise all were singletons generally dispersed across the area. Several sightings of white butterflies, probably Brimstones, have not been counted; those listed were all males: Comma: 13, Brimstone: 3, Peacock: 3. A smaller Lepidoptera first attracted my attention flying in the open above me. It subsequently rose higher and headed off over adjoining Silver Birch trees. Almost certainly an Orange Underwing moth but no colours discernible Peter Gore 15 Mar Seen out of the office (dining room) window in my St Albans garden: A male Brimstone, up and down the borders for a hour or so. Should have been here yesterday, there was a female that made a brief appearance. Also a Small Tortoiseshell, sitting on a pansy. Various other fleeting flybys which I couldn't be certain of, but a proper Spring day. Also, a female Brimstone seen on the CEMEX site car park, Oaklands Lane, Smallford Robert Bull 14 Mar Peacock in Stevenage, by Popple Way shops Stefan Hunt 12 Mar Hounslow. Not as consistently sunny as Wednesday nor as warm. Just one butterfly identified, a Comma on the Marshalling Yards, third species of the year and first there Peter Gore 10 Mar 6 Brimstone in the Graveley area David Inward 10 Mar Hounslow. A full walk and the first butterflies of the year seen on the walk, both male Brimstones on the Pevensey Road loop. Last year I felt that I saw none of the summer brood of Brimstones and was concerned that the species might prove difficult this year from the outset - Not so! Reliable reports from another walker of sightings which sounded most like Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell so I expect the hibernating species have all been flying here in today's sunny weather at least in small numbers Peter Gore 10 Mar Looking for other butterflies but surprised to find an early Small White feeding on catkins near the Wood Green Reservoir in Alexandra Palace Park this afternoon Anthony Jakeman 10 Mar Five male Brimstones in North Harpenden Alan Jackson 10 Mar My first Ware garden butterfly of the year was a surprise - a female Brimstone but it wasn't long before a male found her - so 2 Brimstones! Also later in the afternoon, a Peacock was seen basking in the sunshine Liz Goodyear 10 Mar Stevenage - Brimstone, narrowly avoided being a Blue Tit's breakfast in Fishers Grn Rd. A fleeting probable Red Admiral in Primett Rd. Peacock, Gunnels Wood Rd. Another Brimstone south end of High St. Stefan Hunt 10 Mar A Brimstone and a Comma in my Harpenden garden this morning Rob Pearson 9 Mar Stanwell Moor: One Brimstone and two Peacocks Dave Miller 8 Mar Astonished and delighted to see a Hummingbird Hawk-moth nectaring on the patio primulas in our north Harpenden garden in bright sunlight early this afternoon! Only 9 degrees C at the moment Alan Jackson February Date Description Recorder 28 Feb Comma in Bengeo garden Simon Knott 27 Feb Brown Hairstreak egg searching found 3 eggs at Charville Lane recreation ground in Hillingdon (previous searching had been negative). A fourth egg was found along the wood edge of grassland just east of Yeading Brook on the south side of the road. 1 Comma was also seen at Charville Lane recreation ground Liz Goodyear Andrew MIddleton 27 Feb 1 male Brimstone and 2 Commas in Great Mole Wood, Bengeo, (TL318144) this afternoon Chris Benton 26 Feb We had a single Comma in our St Albans garden Peter Ewer 26 Feb Enjoying a walk in the Amwell area this morning, we saw one Red Admiral (TL 384132) and one Brimstone (TL 376128) in the sunshine Roger Newbold 25 Feb Red Admiral outside the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square. London Chris Benton 22 Feb Hounslow. First butterfly of the year here, a Red Admiral seen in a little sunshine in my garden this morning. Nothing at all seen on my full usual walk which followed. Trees down across both the riverside paths on the Pevensey loop and one other path revived the little boy in me but meant that 'walk' wasn't always an accurate term:tiring but without mishap Peter Gore 21 Feb St Albans - first adult clothes moth of the season, found hiding underneath a picture rail above my stair carpet this evening Malcolm Hull 11 Feb Red Admiral spotted in the sunshine flying across Wormwood Scrubs at 1300 hours Jed Corbett 9 Feb Stevenage, Red Admiral flying in garden of Mulberry Tree pub, High St. Stefan Hunt 9 Feb At lunchtime I spotted a Peacock fluttering beneath a perspex outdoor awning at Alexandra Palace Garden Centre. It then flew off over the roof. This was my first sighting of 2022 Dee Cullen 8 Feb Red Admiral in garden in Bengeo Steve Kiln 3 Feb St Albans shed - 2 of my hibernating Peacocks have flown this week. That leaves 3 Peacocks and 4 Small Tortoiseshells still in hibernation Malcolm Hull 2 Feb One Red Admiral seen this morning in Woodhall Park between Hertford and Watton at Stone Andrew Wood 2 Feb Bow churchyard EC4 - Red Admiral Malcolm Hull 1 Feb I saw my first butterfly of the year - a lovely male Peacock came to greet me before settling on brambles in a sunny nook at the western edge of Batchwood Hall golf course (TL134086) Andrew Neild 1 Feb My first butterfly sighting of the year was a Comma, seen in Copse Wood, Ruislip TQ082901 Dick Middleton 1 Feb One male Brimstone fighting the breeze over the River Beane at Waterford Marsh (TL315146) Chris Benton 1 Feb A fresh Red Admiral basking in the sun in Millennium Wood, Stevenage at 1:25 pm Peter Clarke January Date Description Recorder 31 Jan 1 x Red Admiral seen Welwyn Garden City garden David Wheatcroft 30 Jan A second visit to Fryent Country Park produced 5 Brown Hairstreak eggs all in the same area on the east side of the road and not that far from where an adult was observed last summer - we spent 6 hours searching again and we didn't find these eggs until about 5 hours after we started looking Liz Goodyear Andrew Middleton 30 Jan A Peacock in our Harpenden garden at 13:30 Tim Hill 29 Jan Panshanger Park, a Red Admiral at the Rifle Butts at noon Tim Hill 29 Jan Around the middle of the day, with sunshine and a temperature of around 13 degrees, I had a walk on my local patch near Heathrow. I soon encountered a surprisingly fresh-looking Red Admiral enjoying the sun as well Dave Miller 28 Jan Male Spring Usher fluttered down into leaf-litter at Monken Hadley Common (TQ268971) at 1358 GMT, 'played dead' & allowed me to pick it up on a leaf for close inspection [FOY] Robert Callf 27 Jan My first butterfly of the year, male Brimstone flying along southern edge of Watery Grove at 1:30 pm Peter Clarke 23 Jan 9 Brown Hairstreak eggs were found at Fryent Country Park after a 6 hour search - all on the west side of the road Liz Goodyear Andrew Middleton 19 Jan A sad sighting to share: I spotted this Peacock in my Hitchin garden and realised its early emergence was short lived as it got caught in a spider web. On a happier note there are still two Peacocks over-wintering in my outhouse Lucy Claxton 17 Jan St Albans - took this photo of a Red Admiral outside office window this morning. There's still ice on the pond and the air temperature is just 6 degrees, though the sun is shining Duncan Gibbons 14 Jan A Red Admiral basking on the house wall Miswell Lane, Tring at about 12.30 Nick Bowles 14 Jan First butterfly of year in Bengeo garden, Red Admiral sunning on back wall Simon Knott 12 Jan Red Admiral (my first bufferfly of the year) seen at East Acton tube station after a day birding on wonderful Wormwood Scrubs! Nicholas Barnett 3 Jan Peacock hibernating on the outside of a garage door at Garston near Watford (TL1100) in a very sheltered location Colin Everett 1 Jan I saw an adult Brimstone at Old Hall Green TL3697 2201 flying along the hedgerow at 11:00 Andrew Bradford 1 Jan St Albans - First butterflies of the New Year - 5 Peacocks and 4 Small Tortoiseshells hibernating in my shed. Numbers in the shed are unchanged since October, so good news there has been no further Spider predation and none have been tempted out by todays warm sunny weather - it reached 15 degrees here Malcolm Hull 1 Jan Small Tortoiseshell seen at 11.15, Stevenage, junction of Fairview Road and Julians Road Stefan Hunt 1 Jan In the old ex gravel pit and waste dump near Southend farm, near Stony hills, now a nature reserve. My first Red Admiral of the year 11am Steve Kiln