Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Please Support a National Ban on Urban Pesticides. A new campaign has been launched to tackle pesticide use, one of the main causes of declines in butterflies and moths. Their first step is to launch a petition calling on the new government to ban unnecessary pesticide use in towns and cities. Click this link to support the petition and learn more about the campaign https://pesticidecollaboration.org/go-pesticide-free/ [Posted by Malcolm HULL]
Trip to Bushey. Long-tailed Blue at Bushey Open Space. This former golf course site is reverting to nature and the Branch are working with the site advisers to share ideas on habitat creation. On the adjoining Woodland Trust Merry Hill site I had 15 Purple Hairstreaks, 3 Brown Hairstreaks (all in Ash trees) and 17 Six-spot Burnets(a rare sight so far this year) including this mating pair [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Yellow-tail at Oakwood Station. 1 Yellow-tail at Oakwood Station this afternoon [FOY]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
New broods at Waterford Heath. I had my first Brown Argus and Common Blue at Waterford Heath (south) for a while. Also had 5 newly hatched Brimstones. [Posted by Steve Kiln]
Three species of Hairstreak in Hayes. A visit to Minet Country Park, Hayes looking at the extensive Elm and Blackthorn hedges. First a Purple Hairstreak in a small Oak, then onto looking at the Elm Hedge which has been a WLH hotspot, just the one in the canopy today. I have looked at the Blackthorn here over a number of years and today right at the end of the walk saw a fresh Brown Hairstreak in small row of Blackthorn in the cycle track. Lots of other butterflies despite an early cut of the meadow including Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Speckled Wood, Brown Argus, Small Skipper, Peacock, Red Admiral, Holly Blue as well as a couple of Jersey Tigers. [Posted by Paul Busby]
Brown Hairstreak Merry Hill Bushey. It was a delight to see our first Brown Hairstreaks in Hertfordshire with 2 males seen. First spotted by Rick Vickers both at TQ 13132 93944. To our good fortune the first stayed still long enough for a photo. Other butterflies seen good numbers of Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood 1, Common Blue 4+, Purple Hairstreak 5+, Brimstone 1, Marbled White 6, Small Skipper 15+. Large White and other Whites were also on the wing. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Brimstone, Comma, Peacock & Red Admiral. 1 Comma at Trent Park Equestrian Centre at 0942 BST, 1 Peacock at Prince George Ave, N14 at 0957 BST, 1 Red Admiral near bus-stop opposite Oakwood Station & male Brimstone nectaring on purple-loosestrife at wetland area in Town Park, Enfield at 1246 BST. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Jersey Tigers in Stevenage. 5 Jersey Tigers turned up in and on moth trap in my Stevenage garden last night [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Peacocks out in St Albans. Peacocks on buddleia in my garden and along the street. Ten spotted in the local park. 15 in total this morning compared to none yesterday. Glad for some good butterfly news at last! [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Silver Washed Fritillary form valezina. After just leaving Sherrardspark Wood, I noticed what appeared to be a valezina form of a Silver Washed Fritillary in a flowered garden. First SWF I have ever seen at, or near, this generally butterfly devoid site. [Posted by John Yates]
Sawbridgeworth. First walk from the house to the Rivers orchard site since mid June, looking very different with all the Knapweed out and a big display of Red Clover, 15 "Small" Skipper, none of which stopped long enough to be identified but I suspect the very tatty ones were small and the fresh looking ones Essex..., 4 Brimstone (3 f 1m), 1 Common Blue (m), 2 Red Admiral , 9 Peacock, 1 Speckled Wood, 2 Marbled White (nearly over here), Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown both well in the 60 + range. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Branch Event. Millhoppers Reserve. During the butterfly walk at Millhoppers reserve today when 2 visitors and 2 wardens took part, we saw: 2 Speckled Wood, 3 Brimstone, 35 Gatekeeper, 15 Meadow Brown, 3 Ringlet, 4 Small Skipper, 2 Large White, 4 Peacock, and 1 Red Admiral. [Posted by Christine Ridley]
Finchley N3, N12 Pollinator Group at Long Lane Pasture. 25 people arrived for a butterfly walk at this 2 acre site on the North Circular Rd. Rescued from development 20 years ago, it is now an emerging woodland with sunny pockets of scrub and grassland. We recorded 14 species altogether, 11 butterflies and 3 moths. Gatekeepers were dominant with over 50 seen. The highlight for me was two Large Skippers - more than I have seen on any site this year. Finchley Pollinators is an enthusiastic local group promoting planting for insects in the local area. [Posted by Malcolm HULL]
Purple Emperor at Alexandra Park. This morning about 10.20 I was walking along the east side by the sallows and where the path floods when I saw a Purple Emperor flying low and then landing on the ground, perhaps looking for minerals. [Posted by Helen Bantock]
White Letter Hairstreak Parkland Walk South. I led a walk this morning for The Friends of PW. Among the usual expected sightings which included fresh Peacocks, we saw two White Letter Hairstreaks close up. One took a liking to the shirt of one of the group! This as far as I know is an unrecorded species for that patch. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
Branch Event Therfield Heath. A nice sized group peaking at slightly less people than the 16 species of butterflies recorded met at the main carpark today. Chalkhill Blue males were seen almost as soon as we stepped on to the mown grass by the cafe, many more than I would expect in this area. Maybe the very long uncut grass, due to the wet weather this year is driving them down to the mown non-SSSI area. Small, Essex and Large Skippers identified to species were seen near the scrub going up Lankaster hill along with a single faded Ringlet. Small/Essex skippers were seen throughout the walk in good numbers as were Gatekeepers, Chalkhill Blues and Meadow Browns. Enough Marbled Whites were still on the wing for everyone to get a good view, We then moved on to the bowl of the Rifle Range where 2 faded male Common Blues, male and female Brimstones and 3 Dark Green Fritillaries were added to the sightings. Two somewhat out of season Small Heaths were seen in the valley area. Flyby Red Admiral, Peacock, Large and Small White completed the list. Moths consisted of several Burnets and a Silver-Y We failed to find Small Copper where I saw one on Wednesday when checking the route. There have been more reports than usual of Small Copper this year but it remains a relatively rare spot on the Heath. [Posted by Nick Keep]
Trent Park & Enfield Road, EN2. 3 Peacock at Trent Park [1 nectaring on buddleia near Shaws Wd & 2 at North Lawn by lower lake], female Common Blue on thistle head at 'Old Golf Course' Trent Park, 4 Peacock together, nectaring on buddleia at Enfield Road, EN2. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Brown Hairstreak. I was amazed to see a Brown Hairstreak (female I suspect as the underside was a golden orange colour) in our garden in Pinner. It was the first I have ever seen in sixty years [Posted by Paul Luckham]
Trent Park. 6 Peacock together, nectaring on buddleia near Shaws Wd Cottages at 0955 BST, male Common Blue near Shaws Wd/Trent Park & 1 Six-spot Burnet at 'Old Golf Course' Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
NEW: Summer Butterfly Walk - Sunday 28th July in St Albans. The Green House St Albans has organised a walk as part of Big Butterfly Count
Meet at St. Albans Verulamium Museum 10.45 on Sunday 28th July.
Public · No charge.
Join Malcolm Hull from Butterfly Conservation for a leisurely one-hour walk around Verulamium Park and hopefully spot some butterflies and moths along the way. All are welcome at The Green House afterwards for refreshments and conversation about our wonderful butterflies and moths.
Meet at the Roman museum for 10.45am. We will have some spotter sheets on hand but you can also download your own guide and digital app by logging onto https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/. Share the details with your friends and let’s make this count matter https://www.facebook.com/events/s/butterfly-walk/1007574000556864/. [Posted by Malcolm HULL]