Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Oak Beauty at Southgate. 1 Oak Beauty at ASDA Southgate this afternoon [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. There was some decent sunshine for an hour or two in the middle of the day today, and a local walk revealed a handful of butterflies: three Peacocks, two Commas and a surprisingly fresh Red Admiral. I wondered if the Red Admiral might be an early migrant rather than a local overwinterer. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Comma at Trent Park. 1 Comma along Leeging Beech Gutter near 'Three Bridges', Trent Park this afternoon at 1314 GMT. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Peacock emerging from hibernation. Cold and overcast all day in St Albans and just 10 degrees when I stepped out at lunchtime. Surprisingly one of my Peacocks had chosen today to emerge from hibernation. It was sitting with wings closed in the middle of the doormat outside my back door. To arrive in this position it must have dropped to the floor of the shed and then walked out, squeezing itself through the gap underneath the door, rather than taking the more obvious route of flying out of the unglazed window. I’ve seen both exit routes from the shed used before. Not sure why they’d use the walking/squeezing exit route, which must be more risky? Maybe it’s just too hard to warm up sufficiently to fly on a cold day? Or is it a sign their bodily reserves are low after an unusually long hibernation (2025 saw the earliest recorded hibernation) [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Garden sightings. Two Brimstones and a Comma in my Harpenden garden. [Posted by Robin Pearson]
Brimstone. 1.40. Brimstone in my garden Acton W3 6DR. [Posted by Trevor Porter]
Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstones. Walking the dog this morning in North Mymms I saw my first butterflies of the year, 1 Small Tortoiseshell at TL226031 and 1 Brimstone at 217031. Then in early afternoon I saw a further Brimstone in my South Mymms front garden (TL221008). [Posted by Terence Wood]
Sightings at Enfield, Cockfosters & Trent Park. At a private site near Trent Park - male Brimstone, 1 Comma & 1 Peacock late morning. Near Enfield Rd, EN2 - male Brimstone & 1 Peacock. At Westpole Ave, Cockfosters - male Brimstone. At Trent Park 'New Fields' [1300 to 1400 GMT] - male Brimstone, 2 Comma & 1 Peacock. At Bramley Rd, N14 - male Brimstone. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Alexandra Park Sightings. Saw 5 Brimstones and 1 Peacock this morning. The Brimstones were patrolling the edge of the anthill meadow. The Peacock was puddling at the bottom of the eastern slope below the BBC tower. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
Therfield Heath and Royston. Saw my first Peacocks today, along with Brimstone. Saw Comma a couple of days ago. I also saw a Pieris, which I think was a Large White, flying strongly on Heath. [Posted by Nick Keep]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. The sun finally appeared in hazy fashion around half one today, too late for Brimstones it would seem, and there was just the one Peacock. However, on my usual walk I still managed to see six Commas and three Red Admirals, two of which were conducting an aerial battle high above my head at one point. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. Today's sunny intervals were not really ever long enough to tempt the butterflies out, but on my local patch I managed to find just one each of Comma, Brimstone and Peacock. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Brimstone at Wareside. Finally the rain has stopped, and in the fine summer sun one male Brimstone seen in our Wareside garden this lunchtime. [Posted by Philip MacMurdie]
Butterflies on Harpenden Common. One Comma and One Peacock enjoying the sunshine on Harpenden Common on the St John's Wood area [Posted by David Hunt]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. A glorious sunny day, and though not as warm as 25th February had been, I found more butterflies today during a lengthy walk around my local patch near Heathrow. The highlight was a newly-emerged female Small White, the first non-hibernator of the season. The totals today: Peacock (12), Comma (9), Brimstone (5), Small White (1). [Posted by Dave Miller]
Brimstone & Red Admiral at Oakwood. Male Brimstone & 1 Red Admiral - my first of the year [FOY] at Lakeside, EN2 at 1256 GMT. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings at Enfield & Trent Park. 1 Peacock at a private site near Trent Park at 1012 GMT. At Trent Park - 2 male Brimstone [1 at Rough Lot & 1 at Williams Wd], 2 Peacock [1 at Rough Lot & 1 near 'Three Bridges'] & 1 Orange/Light Orange Underwing seen in flight at 'Old Golf Course' - my first of the year [FOY]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
early walk of transects plenty of butterflies. waterford heath south 2 Brimstones, 4 Commas , and 5 Peacocks. [Posted by steve kiln]
Brimstones. Lovely to see two Brimstones enjoying the sun this morning whilst walking in the Amwell - Stansted Abbots area.(TL386134 and TL374123) [Posted by Roger Newbold]
Dull day in St Albans. Just 5mins of sunshine and no butterflies in action. So a perfect day to carry out my shed transect and check on hibernating butterflies. Of the Five hibernating Peacocks, one has flown and four are still present. Weather for the coming week looks warm and sunny, so keep your eyes peeled for more butterflies in flight [Posted by Malcolm Hull]