Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Tracks around Danemead HMWT. The very welcome cool rainy weather these last few days has meant that butterflies were more or less grounded for a while, so when I went walking in the woods yesterday morning I decided to instead casually look for a White Admiral pupa. No easy endeavour for sure but after some effort checking many Honeysuckles, I got very lucky and actually found one, easy to access and at perfect eye level - a great treasure for sure. I took photos of the pupa and could see it was nearly ready to emerge. I checked in on it every few hours and after lunchtime today it decided that the time was right. I didn't want to use any bright flash photography and because my aging DSLR camera is currently out of action, I stood alone in the woods (rain, wind and shine) with my trusty camera phone whilst also holding up a shaving mirror - to generate some soft reflected sunlight. The entire spectacle lasted just under two hours, all the while Song Thrushes and Wrens performed the soundtrack. Finally after the box fresh White Admiral had built up enough warmth in the dappled sunlight they took their first flight, promptly landing on my shorts; pausing briefly then effortlessly disappearing off into the woods. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Painted Lady at Trent Park. 1 Painted Lady settled, edge of Moat Wd/Trent Park this morning. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings at Oakwood. At Bramley Rd, N14 'bus-stop shelter' - 3 Riband Wave & 1 Treble Brown Spot. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings at Edmonton. 1 Meal Moth in subway/underpass near North Middx Hospital & 2 Small White & 1 Treble Brown Spot at Pymmes Park, Edmonton this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings at Forty Hall CP, North Enfield, Gordon Hill Station & Southgate. At Forty Hall CP, Enfield - female Large Skipper. At Archery Wood, Enfield - 1 Comma - my first of the 'summer brood'. At Guy Lodge Farm, Enfield - 1 Painted Lady & 1 Cinnabar. At private sites in North Enfield - 2 Brown Argus, male Large Skipper, 27+ Painted Lady, 8 Small Heath, 2 Orange Beauty [Commophila aeneana] - one 'faded' & one 'fresh', several Cinnabar & 1 Silver Y. At Whitewebbs Park - 2 Green-veined White. At Gordon Hill Station - 2 Riband Wave & 1 Treble Brown Spot. At ASDA Southgate - 1 Common Marbled Carpet & 1 Riband Wave. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Rivers Orchard and fields Sawbridgeworth TL473145. Mid-Afternoon, cloudy but just about enough brightness to cast a shadow, 1 Small Copper, 3 Common Blue (inc a "Blue form" female), 2 Holly Blue, 4 Painted Lady, 2 Speckled Wood, 1 Marbled White (ffy), 1 Meadow Brown (ffy), 8 Small Heath. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. Much more comfortably cool today near Heathrow, but good amounts of hazy sunshine and plenty of butterflies. The highlight of the day was that the new brood of Commas (f. hutchinsoni) had chosen today to appear. Meadow Browns outnumbered Painted Ladies now as numbers of the latter appear to be gradually declining as they move north. A few new Red Admirals appeared to be mixed in with them, frequenting the same bramble bushes. One other point of interest was a Brown Argus with anomalous spotting on the underside. Today's count included 12 species: Meadow Brown (61), Painted Lady (36), Small Heath (29), Common Blue (13), Holly Blue (11), Brown Argus (10), Red Admiral (8), Comma (5), Large Skipper (4), Small White (4), Speckled Wood (3), Large White (1). [Posted by Dave Miller]
Tracks around Danemead HMWT. Many early dates are now recorded for many BC branches after this very warm dry Spring and after seeing the post from yesterday I thought I would check my local patch for an early White Admiral. I had two brief encounters, the same individual I think. Challenging with just a camera phone but great fun trying to predict which Bramble blossom will go to and waiting for them. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Henry Foundation Lake, Widford. First Marbled White this year [Posted by Mike Harris]
Mad Bess Wood, Ruislip. Butterflies seen were 3 White Admiral; 7 Meadow Brown and 1 each of Comma and Painted Lady. [Posted by Dick Middleton]
Sightings at Southgate, Oakwood Park & Boxer's Lake, Enfield. 1 Common Emerald at Dalrymple Close, N14 this morning - my second record this month, indicating that this species has emerged early this year. At Oakwood Park [0740 to 0830 BST] - 1 Common Blue & 9 Painted Lady. 1 Speckled Wood at Boxer's Lake, Enfield. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Meadows around Brickendon. After a couple of short walks today around the meadows in the now cooler weather. Painted Lady (25), Comma (1), Holly Blue (4), Large Skipper (6), Common Blue (4m/2f), Speckled Wood (2), Meadow Brown (10), Small Heath (15) and the highlight - Small Tortoiseshell (1). Moths: Cinnabar (2), Silver Y nectaring on Bramble blossom (1). [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Large White caterpillar on Garlic Mustard. Last instar caterpillar of Large White feeding on Garlic Mustard (= Hedge Garlic) in Harpenden. Also seen, 1 Holly Blue and 1 Speckled Wood. [Posted by David Hunt]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. Today was forecast to be the last of the May heatwave weather, and temperatures peaked locally at 30 degrees. I decided to attempt an accurate count of the butterflies along my usual route in the morning (before things became too hot). I ended up with a total of 212 butterflies from 13 species - the highest count so far this year: Painted Lady (64), Meadow Brown (48), Small Heath (39), Brown Argus (22), Common Blue (19), Large Skipper (5), Holly Blue (5), Large White (3), Speckled Wood (2), Red Admiral (2), Small White (1), Brimstone (1), Small Copper (1). The Painted Ladies really were a sight to see, taking advantage of the knapweed that is just coming into flower, plus the ox-eye daisies and the large areas of brambles. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Branch walk at Stafford Road Open Space. The following butterflies were observed: 1 Brown Argus; 10+ each of Common Blue; Meadow Brown and Small Heath; 4-5 each of Painted Lady; Speckled Wood and Holly Blue; 3 each of Small Copper and Large Skipper and 1 Small Skipper. The moths seen were Cinnabar; Garden Grass-moth; Meadow Grass-moth; Burnet Companion; Straw Dot and Six-spotted Burnet [Posted by Dick Middleton]
Branch Butterfly Walk in Heartwood Forwst. Around 50 Small Blues and similar number of Common Blues on today’s branch walk. 25 of us set off in two parties led by Andrew Steele and myself. Most of the Small Blues were in valley Field, focussed on the patches of Kidney Vetch seeded by the branch ten years ago. But both foodplant and Small Blue can now be found across the field. Small Blues were also found near the Scout Hut and at the Airfield. Other species included Brown Argus, Small Heath, Holly Blue, Burnett Companion, Silver Y, Brimstone, Cinnabar, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Large Skipper, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Yellow Shell plus caterpillars of Peacock and Spindle Ermine moth. Best ever total of Small Blues from a branch butterfly walk at this (and probably any other) site [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Small Blue. Brief visit to Bourne End services and on slip road saw a male Small Blue, three Painted Lady, at least four Common Blue and a Burnet Companion moth [Posted by Paul Busby]
Therfield Heath. Bob Clift and I paid a late morning visit to Therfield Heath on the eastern side, yielding several butterflies in the warm sunshine but only occasionally settled long enough for decent photos. Even when they settled the wings were often closed to avoid the heat of the sun. The Small Heath and the Adonis Blue were the most common. Several Painted Lady were seen on the bramble bushes but the most thrilling sighting for both of us was one of the now 'rare' Small Tortoiseshell. Overall totals: Small Heath (50+), Adonis Blue (30+), Painted Lady (20+), Red Admiral (3), Small White (3), Brimstone (3), Holly Blue (3), Common Blue (3), Brown Argus (2), Orange-tip & Small Tortoiseshell. [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Cheshunt Park. Late morning, fairly brief but 100% sighting of my first for year and earliest ever White-letter Hairstreak over the park Elms, also 2 Holly Blue and 3 Painted Lady. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Sightings at Trent Park, Oakwood & Enfield. At Bramley Rd, N14 - 1 Treble Brown Spot at bus-stop shelter. At Trent Park - male Large Skipper edge of Rough Lot, 10 Painted Lady & 1 Small Copper by lower lake. At private sites near Trent Park - male Common Blue, male Large Skipper, 4 Painted Lady & 1 Brown Silver-line - my first of the year [FOY]. Also, 1 Four-spotted Chaser - my first of the year [FOY]. I did not count Meadow Brown or Small Heath today. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]