Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Sightings at Oakwood Park & Southgate. 2 Brimstone [male at Dalrymple Close, N14 & female at Oakwood Park], male Common Blue seen settled at Oakwood Park - my first of the year [FOY], 3 Holly Blue [2 at Dalrymple Close, N14 & 1 at Oakwood Park], 1 Small Heath at Oakwood Park, 1 Mother Shipton at Oakwood Park - my first of the year [FOY] & fem/imm Broad-bodied Chaser seen in flight & settled in tree at Oakwood Park [TQ303953] at 1305 BST - my first of the year [FOY]. All sightings in Oakwood Park were E of the 10 km line. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings at Enfield. Male Brimstone, 1 Green-veined White, male Large White, 2 male Orange-tip, 2 Peacock, 1 Small Copper & 10 Small Heath at private sites near Trent Park. 1 Blood-vein along Salmons Brook at Parkside Farm/Res, Enfield [TQ300983] - my first of the year [FOY]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. A early start for a local walk today ahead of the forecast hot afternoon. 14 species seen today, including another new one for the year (making 17 for my local patch so far in 2025). No.17 was the Green Hairstreak. One popped up out of nowhere in a new location, but the second (the pic attached) turned up precisely where I saw one last year. The behaviour was the same as well - chasing Holly Blues. Overall, numbers were subdued in the heat, with only Orange Tips and Holly Blues making it to double figures. One other highlight of the morning was a very new female Brown Argus nectaring on the caterpillar foodplant. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Trip to Aldbury Nowers. Hot & sunny this afternoon with butterflies flying at top speed and moths hiding in the shade. Pleased to see 2 Green Hairstreaks. Others I managed to ID included 7 Dingy Skippers, 2 Grizzled Skippers, 3 Brown Argus, 1 Common Blue, 1 Holly Blue, 17 Small Heaths, 1 Yellow Underwing moth. Brimstones were by far the most common species. We are still looking for help walking the transect at this brilliant site, please contact Andrew Wood if you are interested [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Sightings at Trent Park. A few sightings at Trent Park 'New Fields' or 'Butterfly Meadows' from 1210 to 1300 BST this afternoon - Male Brimstone near Triangular Wd, 1 Comma near Church Wd, 1 Green-veined White at Church Wd, 2 male Orange-tip, 2 Peacock, 1 Small Copper near Triangular Wd & 1 Speckled Wood. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Trip to Berkhamsted Common. On Cox’s Field, I clocked up 35 Burnet Companion, 11 Dingy Skipper, 1 Common Blue, 1 Small Copper, 1 Small Heath, 1 pyrausta aurata and 1 Green Hairstreak. This meadow is rich in Birds foot Trefoil The Dingy Skippers were mostly male, perching and jousting, sometimes in a group of 3 or 4. The Green Hairstreak flew past at head height and perched obligingly in an oak about 20 feet above ground, providing clear view through binoculars.Elsewhere on the Common I added Mother Shipton, Brown Silver line (4), and more Small Heath (4). Despite beating many more gorse bushes, no further Green Hairstreak were spotted. [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Sightings at Enfield & Southgate. 5 Brimstone [3, male & 2 females, at private sites near Trent Park, male at Bay Farm & male at Rectory Farm], 1 Green-veined White at Flash Lane, EN2, 3 Holly Blue [1 at Chase Rd/Charter Way, N14, 1 at Flash Lane, EN2 & 1 at Gordon Hill Station], 5 Orange-tip [2 males at a private site near Trent Park, male at Bay Farm, male at Flash Lane, EN2 & male at Gordon Hill Station], 2 Peacock at private sites near Trent Park, 1 Small Copper at a private site near Trent Park & 5 Speckled Wood [3 at a private site near Trent Park, 1 at Strayfield Road, EN2 & 1 at Cedar Road, Enfield]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. Fourteen species seen today on my local patch, with the new butterfly today being a Large Skipper. Aside from the early date (I don't think I've ever found one in April before), I was surprised that it was a female - the males usually appear first. One other highlight of the day was a dusky new female Common Blue. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Small Copper at Nomansland Common. 9 Small Copper, 3 Small Heath,Mother Shipton, Cinnabar, Speckled Wood, Holly Blue (all singles), 3 Large White, 8 Brimstone, 9 Orange Tip, 9 Peacock. Tapped a few gorse bushes with a stick to see if I could dislodge a Green Hairstreak. No luck with that, I only succeeded in annoying hundreds of Long horned moths [Posted by Malcolm Hulll]
Sightings at Enfield & Trent Park. 4 Brimstone [2, male & female, at Trent Park, male at Plumridge Farm & male at a private site near Trent Park], 1 Comma at a private site near Trent Park, 1 Holly Blue near Shaws Wd Cottages/Trent Park, 3 Orange-tip at private sites near Trent Park [2 males & 1 female], 7 Peacock [2 at Trent Park, 1 at Plumridge Farm & 4 at private sites near Trent Park], 15 Speckled Wood [9 at Trent Park, 3 at Ash Wd/Enfield Chase, 1 at Park Farm & 2 at a private site near Trent Park]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. Increasingly warm sunshine today, and I counted 13 species on my local patch again. However, Brown Argus didn't appear this time, but the gap was filled by my first Common Blues of 2025. The other 12 species were the same selection, and included these two mating pairs - GVW and Large White. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Common Blue at Alexandra Park. My first of year. A lone male Common Blue this afternoon at Alexandra Park in the lower butterfly meadow. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
Sightings at Enfield & Trent Park. 2 male Brimstone [1 near Nature Trail/Trent Park & 1 at a private site near Trent Park], 1 Green-veined White at a private site near Trent Park, 3 male Orange-tip at Trent Park [2 near Snakes Lane & 1 edge of Moat Wd], 5 Peacock [2 at Trent Park & 3 at a private sites near Trent Park], 1 Red Admiral by lower lake/Trent Park, 2 female Small Copper at Trent Park [1 near Triangular Wd & 1 by lower lake], 1 Small Heath near Church Wd/Trent Park - my first of the year [FOY], 3 Speckled Wood at private sites near Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Green Hairstreak on Hounslow Heath & Marshalling Yards. News from Pete Gore "On yesterday's walk in the sun I saw 5 Green Hairstreaks on the part of the marshalling yards where we saw them last year, the first I've seen there despite frequent walks in ideal conditions earlier. One more was seen above the culvert and one in the strongest area of the heath where I didn't get as lucky with the sun particularly on the afternoon return journey. This grand total of 7 would in some past years have been a whole season's worth so I'm assuming that we have a thriving butterfly species with probably emerging and active females, and that it should be well worth a visit to both sites on May 11th - weather currently looking good." Join Pete and I on Sunday May 11th to see Green Hairstreaks at their best site in the Branch area - details on Events page [Posted by Peter Gore & Malcolm Hull]
Sightings at Southgate & Oakwood Park. 1 Holly Blue & 1 Speckled Wood at Dalrymple Close, N14 this morning. At Oakwood Park [1035 to 1110 BST] - 2 male Brimstone, male Orange-tip, 1 Peacock & 1 Speckled Wood. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
UKBMS Summary of Changes 2024. As most people know, 2024 was a poor year for butterflies in the UK. To find out how each species fared in 2024 since 1976 and the recent past look at the UKBMS Summary of changes 2024 report [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. Thirteen species seen during a lengthy local walk today (Sunday). These included the first Small Heath of the year here. The overall tally: GVW 21, Peacock 20, Orange Tip 17, Speckled Wood 11, Large White 9, Small White 9, Small Copper 7, Red Admiral 4, Holly Blue 4, Comma 4, Brimstone 3, Brown Argus 2, Small Heath 1. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Sightings at Enfield Town & Town Park, Enfield. 1 Speckled Wood at Chase Green Gardens, Enfield Town. 1 Comma & 1 Speckled Wood at Town Park, Enfield this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Bentley Priory nature reserve. A warm but mostly overcast afternoon kept the butterfly sightings down. With 3 Peacock, 2 Orange-tip, 1 Green-veined White and 6+ unidentified flying whites. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Sightings from Staines Moor. I popped down to Staines Moor this afternoon to see if any Small Coppers had emerged there, following my sightings of the species earlier in the day near Stanwell Moor a couple of km to the north. I drew a blank with this, but I did find a nest of around 100 Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars - a heartening sight considering the scarcity of the species these days. There was also a single Red Admiral caterpillar tucked into a nettle leaf in amongst the Tortoiseshells. On the adult butterfly front, there were a few Peacocks, GVW and Orange Tips, plus a Red Admiral. [Posted by Dave Miller]
