Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Plashes Wood. TL3820, Hot... 2 Male Purple Emperors chasing, somewhat lethargically at the lower territory, the main high point territory here has lost so many trees it may not be possible to view from the footpath anymore. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Sightings at Southgate. 1 Green-veined White at Southgate Chase Allotments. At ASDA Southgate - 1 Box-tree Moth, 1 Least Carpet & 1 Grey/Dark Dagger [remaining]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Woodland butterflies at Bricket Wood Common. Silver-washed Fritillary was the star species - I saw 41 in total, my highest ever daily tally from a single site in Herts. This included four mating pairs. I saw 4 White Admiral, indicating this species is having an average year. In Mutchetts Wood canopy gap, Purple Emperor was more active than usual. For a majority of the 50 mins I was there, a dominant male spent much of the time flying in circles, around the master tree and canopy gap. It perched briefly in the oak and adjoining conifer. It spent much time chasing, first of all a bird, five times a rival male PE, a large dragonfly and a Purple Hairstreak! Chris. Reman and I are leading a walk round this site on Saturday 12th July. Details on the events page if you’d like to join us [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Hertford Heath / Haileybury (TL354 107). I went the oak grove outside of Haileybury at 9am to look for Purple Hairstreaks before the heat got up. I checked the oaks one by one and I eventually found a colony of between 20-30, around the centre of the grove. Unfortunately this tree doesn't have any low branches so I didn't attempt any pictures. Also seen in the oaks at eye level was a Purple Emperor but half a good look was all I was allowed as it disappeared. Some bramble blossom in sunny areas is starting to go over, so at this time in the morning the creeping thistle in front of the woods is the latest hotspot for many different butterflies. Highlight was this very fresh Painted Lady which I saw taking salts next the road, pleased to find one so vivid and stationary! You can clearly see the iridescent luster (better before uploading) at the base of the wings and hopefully can imagine the shimmering effect seen in person. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Mother of Pearl at Boxer's Lake, Enfield. 1 Mother of Pearl at Boxer's Lake, Enfield [TQ304961] this evening. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Whippendell Woods Butterfly Walk 29th June 2025. Due to the heat many dropped out for this afternoons butterfly walk. The start wasn't easy due to roadworks and a lack of parking space. I had to drop Rick off to make it for 2pm I eventually arrived 10mins late! It was just as well as there were a few late arrivals that did make the walk. We eventually set off with 6 attendees around 2.30 . Although the heat was a bit intense in places the shadier spots in Whippendell Woods kept us going. We started our journey along the Lime Avenue where we saw 2 Purple Emperor high in the Lime Trees, also a few passing Purple Hairstreaks and some of the other butterflies included in the walk list. At the end of the Lime Avenue we turned left along the path to connect with the path Rick named the the Fritillary Free-way. After a relatively couple of poor years for Silver-Washed Fritillary along this ride it is once again a great path to see them. Another mating pair seen today along this stretch and overall we must of seen 15+ Silver-Washed Fritillary. The first White Admiral was spotted further along the ride by one of the attendees which did perform some of their characteristic flight pattens. I just about got away with going as far as “Camilla Oak” today with the heat but it was worthwhile as we saw a second White Admiral at this location which also performed the gliding flight. It was the first we had seen this year at this location. It was great to be able to see these 3 species again on our summer walk as well as a few Purple Hairstreaks. On our list of butterflies sighted today other than the above during the walk were. Red Admiral, many whites a mixture of Large,Small and Green-Veined, Comma and Peacock were out in good numbers, Meadow Brown and Ringlets were numerous along with Gatekeeper just picking up. A Speckled Wood was also seen, 3+ Brimstone, Large Skipper 5+ Park butterflies seen As I was forced to park at some length from the meeting point 1 Marbled White was spotted on my hast to start the walk. After the walk I did get to see and confirm my first Essex Skipper of the year and getting back to Ricks got to see a fresh Comma egg laid on hops! Although we didn't get to see any Purple Emperor close up this weekend it has been an enjoyable one. Happy Butterflying all! [Posted by Peter Fewell]
TL4314. Along the south side of Maplecroft and Battles woods, Hunsdon, 17 Peacock, 4 Comma, 3 Marbled White , plenty of Meadow Browns and a handful of Ringlet, 8 Small Skipper and my first Gatekeeper of the year, inexplicably a 30 min watch in seemingly perfect conditions failed to turn up any Purple Emperors at the Queens wood territory. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Batford. 1 Purple Emperor in elm at North Western corner of weedy/scrubby field by the B653 and KW school from 14.00 onward. Stuck around for an hour and 15 mins. Took some video footage. [Posted by Darin Stanley]
Sightings at Oakwood Park & Southgate Chase Allotments. At Oakwood Park [0920 to 1000 BST] - 3 male Gatekeeper [2 W of 10 km line & 1 E of 10 km line], 1 Large White W of 10 km line, male Small Copper E of 10 km line. At Southgate Chase Allotments - 1 Comma & 1 Peacock nectaring on buddleia. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
New hope for Berrygrove Woods. This afternoon I visited this woodland complex near Aldenham. Like many Herts woods it has become quite dark and overgrown. Volunteers care for a few small clearings along the ride, where Silver-washed Fritillary has a toehold (4 seen today)and I also recorded Small and Large Skippers. White Admiral disappeared around 20 years ago and Purple Emperor has yet to be detected (this was my second attempt). But all this is set to change as Herts CC are proposing a major woodland regeneration scheme. There plans are currently out for consultation and I will be responding on behalf of the Branch to ask for the interests of butterflies and moths to be taken into account Two interesting observations - Purple Hairstreaks, a Comma and a Peacock were all on the mud by the pond taking moisture/salts. This behaviour isn’t unusual in hot weather, but I have personally never seen such behaviour from any of the se three species in the UK. Secondly the wood was full of Green-veined Whites - far more than usual. There have been reports of a large migration of this species arriving on the east coast this week, which may be boosting our local populations [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Finchley Pollinators N3, N12. Long Lane Pasture, Finchley - led a walk for the Finchley Pollinators group around this former field, now a wildlife haven. 13 species in total with Purple Hairstreak perched at eye level being the highlight. Donald Evelyn, who has tended the site for many years advised it was the first record from this site. A good range of grassland species with Small Skipper being the most common. Several early gatekeepers and the first of the summer Peacocks. Also a good array of dragonflies around the pond. You wouldn’t know the North Circular is just a few yards away! [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Purple Emperor. Flying at top of master tree Totteridge Green at 14.03 [Posted by Tony Clancy]
Northaw and GNorthaw Woods. Purple Emperor again along the path out from the visitor area, male coming to the ground but too briefly to photo and again bombing up and down the path. Lots of people so not settling for long. Other than that just hundreds of ringlet and then the odd comma, not so many Meadow Browns but still plenty. Garden at home in the village has plenty of marbled whites, a couple of WL Hairstreak in the clover on the lawn and then a couple of SW Fritillary. Plus lots of the usual suspects. Most butterflies I have ever seen about home and the village. [Posted by Sam Fuller]
Purple Emperor Feast Lime Avenue and Whippendell Woods. Rick and myself arrived to set up the table for the Emperor feast about 10am in very light drizzle which soon cleared. Although warm it remained stubbornly cloudy for the first couple of hours and a bit breezy throughout. The Emperors were a bit stubborn too with brief glimpses, blink and you would miss it. The sun started to break through but also became a bit more breezy with it the Emperors were not in a rush to be seen. We did see 3 in total along the Lime Avenue, but unfortunately we didn't tempt a Purple Emperor to the table. We did however get a visit from a Red Admiral to the table feeding on moisture and fox poo! Other species seen along the Lime Avenue. S. Wood, L. White , Green-Veined and Small, Comma, M Brown, 1 Silver-Washed Fritillary, Purple Hairstreak and 2 Holly Blue. Thanks to all that joined us for your patience for the event. As all had left us by 2.30pm we decided to pack down and go into Whippendell Woods. As we were doing so we met Nick Furtec who joined us for for the rest of the afternoon. Butterflies seen White Admiral 3 maybe 4 with Ricks sighting I missed . 2 were seen after we departed from Nick 6.30pm- 6.48pm on the way back. Silver-Washed Fritillary sightings have gone from a relatively poor year last year to a bumper year this season. Both Nick and ourselves had seen 30+ I saw 2 mating pairs the second pair got away before I could get a photo, but Nick also witnessed the pair in the photo posted. Other butterflies seen Whites in good numbers Large,Small Green-Veined, 3 Brimstone, a new emergence of Peacock 10+,Good numbers of comma, Gatekeeper several seen and first of season,Purple Hairstreak, S. Wood, M Brown and Ringlets, Large and Small Skipper. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Marbled whites. A very windy day at Therfield Heath today. Despite there not being much sun. Lots of marbled whites even caught a pair mating and there was one dark green fritillary and I saw my first chalk hill blue . [Posted by James Somerville]
Grey/Dark Dagger at Southgate. 1 Grey or Dark Dagger at ASDA Southgate this afternoon - my first of the year [FOY]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Hummingbird Hawk-moth & Cinnabar larvae Stevenage. My first Hummingbird Hawk-moth of the year in the garden attracted to the red valerian flowers. Also in the garden Cinnabar larvae on ragwort - did not see any last year [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Batford. 1 Purple Emperor flying south along hedgerow, seen in North West corner on the weedy/scrubby field by KW school by the B653. Seen briefly flying south!! 1 White-letter Hairstreak seen further on the footpath at 13.45 [Posted by Darin Stanley]
Heartwood Forest Purple Emperor update. After yesterday's dreary morning I determined to reach Heartwood today in good time, arriving on station at the previously reported crossroads on the NE edge of Pudler's Wood ( TL161116 ) at around 9.30. Over the course of the next couple of hours a lovely group of excited aficionados formed in this area, around 10 of us or so. Despite great weather there was only a fleeting glimpse of a single Purple Emperor at height, and butterfly numbers were inexplicably much lower than on recent visits. Commas in particular, which had been so prominent in this area a couple of days ago, were seen infrequently and as singletons. I determined to try my luck in The Magical Wood (unsuccessfully), where there are numerous sallows, and then around the crossroads at the northern apex of Langley Wood ( TL161110 ), given that the Pudler's wood area and ride west to the dog pond at Well Wood were being effectively screened by so many others. Upon arrival at Langley Wood I decided to try my luck down the path (SE) to the main car park, and within 50 yards a magnificent male descended almost at my feet, and began eagerly probing the earth and ground-level leaves and grass. Initially skittish, this male became progressively more relaxed in my presence and despite flying onwards down the path various times, allowed me to get closer and closer, providing several opportunities for some of my best shots ever in Heartwood (including a rather intimate "trousering"!). Upon later reviewing my photos I realised that its forewings were slightly malformed, the veins in particular rather irregularly wavy, perhaps the result of some problem during emergence? Nonetheless it flew fine, and did not seem to suffer any ill effects. After this wonderful encounter I headed back to the crossroads at the north tip of Langley Wood and eventually met up with several of the butterfly group members, and offered to show them the nearby empty (hatched) Purple Emperor pupae I had found and reported here previously. This was fun, but then we were treated to a spectacular visit by another male, who swooped down and then circled and approached several of us for about a minute or so, almost landing on us, but unfortunately (fortunately?) none of us were smelly enough for his taste(!), and he flew off into The Magical Wood. Once again Heartwood has delivered entertainment and excitement. Bring it on! [Posted by Andrew Neild]
White clouds at Heartwood. A morning visit to Heartwood was most productive with mostly Green-veined and fewer numbers of Small White in clouds of 20-30+ puddling around the Dog Pond and on various clumps of horse droppings. Additional species seen across the forest were Peacock, Red Admiral, Comma, Meadow Brown, Marbled White, Ringlet, Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Large White and Gatekeeper. Unfortunately, the target of the visit, the Purple Emperor, was not recorded. [Posted by David Hunt]
