Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
We the Lea. Zain Henry and I joined this innovative event involving walks, talks and spotting nature al multiple sites along the river which forms a green corridor along the eastern border of Hackney. We learnt about the local biodiversity action plan, a plan to convert old filter beds into a wildlife haven and much more. Starting at Horseshoe Bridge with talks including one from me on the fortunes of butterflies and moths in the area. We crossed Hackney Marshes and saw several of the sites which form the Hackney Buzzline, featured at our Members Day. It was a quiet day for butterflies, with Small Whites being the most common species. Red Admirals, Comma, Large White, Holly Blue and Speckled Woods also seen Others in the group saw and photographed a mating pair of Lime Hawkmoths. An apple orchard of several dozen trees, contained hundreds of ghostly shrouds of the Apple Ermine moth, with caterpillars visible inside. The six mile walk finished with nature films in a bar at Cody Dock - quite an event and many thanks to Gerry Tissier who organised it [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Marbled White butterfly on Therfield Heath. A single male Marbled White was flying over the south side of Church Hill this morning - the first time I've seen one in May. Also present: Meadow Brown (4), Small Heath (6), Common Blue (4), a few unidentified, worn 'brown' blues and a Burnet Companion moth. I couldn't find any Adonis Blues. [Posted by Martin Johnson]
Sightings at Enfield & Trent Park. At Trent Park - 10 Yellow-banded Longhorn Moth [Nemophora degeerella], including males & females, along bridle-path near Merryhills Brook [TQ297967], male Large Skipper at Rough Lot. Male Large Skipper near Duncan's Wd/Enfield Chase at Park Farm. 3 Common Blue, 1 Large Skipper & 1 Hedge Beauty [Alabonia geoffrella] at a private site near Trent Park this morning. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. A similar selection of butterflies on my local patch today - minus the Large Skippers, but including a rather faded Peacock and a brand new 2nd brood Comma, form hutchinsoni - another first for the year for me. There was also a very new Red Admiral showing off its magnificent underside in the late afternoon sunshine. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Sightings at Enfield. At a private site near Trent Park this morning - 1 Red Admiral, 2 Large Skipper - my first of the year [FOY], several Meadow Brown, male Common Blue, 1 Green-veined White & 1 Mother Shipton. Also, an immature Black-tailed Skimmer - my first of the year [FOY]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. Welcome Small Tortoiseshell sightings continued on my local patch near Heathrow today. They included one which was very heavily marked, and another where the two black forewing spots were reduced to almost nothing - verging on the listed aberration ab. ichnusoides. 12 species were seen in all, and despite only occasional sunshine I counted around 120 butterflies altogether: Common Blue(29), Small Heath(25), Meadow Brown(24), Brown Argus(14), Small Tortoiseshell(6), Red Admiral(5), Small White(5), Holly Blue(5), Speckled Wood(3), Large Skipper(2), Brimstone(2), Small Copper(1). [Posted by Dave Miller]
Branch visit to Hillbrow, Letchworth Garden City. Six people joined us for our visit to this notable Small Blue site this morning plus we later joined by two staff from the Garden City Heritage Trust. After 15 minutes of dullness the sun broke through and we recorded: Butterflies: Brimstone 5, Common Blue 3, Holly Blue 2, Large White 2, Peacock 1, Small Blue 27, Small Heath 2, Small Tortoiseshell 1, Speckled Wood 1. Moths: Burnet Companion 5, Cinnabar 2, Cochylimorpha straminea 5, Mother Shipton 2, Scoparia pyralella 1, Small Yellow Underwing 1, Yellow Shell 1. [Posted by Andrew Wood]
Sightings at North Enfield & Southgate. At Gough Park, Forty Hill - 1 Speckled Wood. At Forty Hall CP, Enfield - 1 Red Admiral, 2 Speckled Wood together, 2 Chimney Sweeper, 1 Yellow-banded Longhorn Moth. At a private site at North Enfield - 1 Orange Beauty [Commophila aeneana] - my first of the year [FOY], 1 Yellow Shell - my first of the year [FOY], 2 Cinnabar, male Common Blue, 1 Small Heath & 2 male Meadow Brown. 1 Treble Brown Spot at Dalrymple Close, N14 - my first of the year [FOY]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Meadow walk near Brickendon. Very unsettled weather today around the farm and the blustery wind made getting any photos amongst the long grass a challenge but at least I stayed dry...mostly. Common Blue (lots), Small Heath (8), Peacock (1), Speckled Wood (3), Small Copper (4), Small White (1), Large Skipper (4) highlights were FOY Meadow Brown and a fresh Small Tortoiseshell. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
SSL Certificate renewal. The SSL certificate renewal process did not run this morning making the website insecure. I just contacted the server/database administrator to resolve. Apologies for the inconvenience [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. A very mixed day weatherwise on my local patch - aside from the strong breeze as a common factor. However, the main highlights were six different Small Tortoiseshells seen in three quite well-separated spots. It was very good to see what has become a relatively uncommon species these days. Perhaps surprisingly, over 100 butterflies were seen altogether, including ten other species. Common Blues, Small Heaths and Meadow Browns made up most of these to be fair. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Sightings at Enfield. At private sites near Trent Park this morning - 3 male Meadow Brown - my first of the year [FOY], 1 Small White [worn & tatty], 2 Alabonia geoffrella & male Yellow-barred Longhorn Moth [Nemphora degeerella] - my first of the year [FOY]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Large Skipper near Brickendon. Finally spotted my FOY Large Skipper on the farm. Cloudy day so not much flying around the meadows at the moment but the flowers are nearly at full might. Plenty of Ox-eye daisies, buttercups, vetch, red clover and the bramble blossom has started around the perimeter. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Sightings from Staines Moor. It was very breezy when I returned this afternoon to Staines Moor. I found just the one Large Skipper today, but was very pleased to see a fresh Small Tortoiseshell, likely a survivor from the nest of caterpillars found here a month ago. On the caterpillar theme, there were still plenty of Peacocks among the nettles, but I also came across an Orange Tip on a sprig of cuckoo flower. On my return walk, a very faded Comma appeared - and then just round a corner on the path I spotted a Comma caterpillar suspended from a nettle stalk waiting to pupate. Other butterflies seen during the afternoon included Common Blue, Brown Argus, Small Heath, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood and Small White. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Large Skippers At Alexandra Park. Today I was pleased to see my first of year Large Skippers on my transect at Alexandra Park despite blustery conditions. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
Sightings at Enfield. 1 Painted Lady nectaring on Bramble blossom at a private site near Trent Park at 1455 BST & female Green-veined White at another private site near Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Small Blue. Hillbrow, Letchworth Garden City - Early afternoon visit, Small Blue x11, Common Blue x2, Small Heath x5 and Brimstone x6. [Posted by Roger Millard]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. Today's local walk began with a Painted Lady, but otherwise included everything seen the day before - plus a few Brimstones, a Peacock and another Small Copper I'd not seen before. I also managed to get close enough to a Mother Shipton moth to snatch a photo before it whizzed away. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Sightings from Staines Moor. I visited Staines Moor again today to see if any more Large Skippers had appeared. I found three in all (including the one seen on 21st), plus a few Small Heath, a Peacock, a faded Orange Tip, a GVW and a single Common Blue. I also came across yet another nest of Peacock caterpillars. [Posted by Dave Miller]
A walk north of Hertford & Ware. A pleasant walk today seeing Holly and Common Blue, Brown Argus, Small Copper, Small Heath, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Peacock and most pleasing Small Tortoiseshell. Also several Peacock nests and Orange Tip larvae. On the moth front a Brimstone Moth and Mullein moth larvae and webs of Yponomeuta padella on Hawthorn and Blackthorn and Yponomeuta cagnella on Spindle. [Posted by Andrew Wood]
