Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Rooftop butterflies. I saw a Peacock and Brimstone 8 floors up at my office in Embankment.The Peacock came back later on. There’s a nectar rich garden there that was buzzing with bees. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
Abundance of butterflies at Therfield Heath. If your butterfly batteries need recharging in this tricky year, I recommend a trip to Therfield Heath. In the space of four hours I spotted 15 species of butterfly plus lots of Six-Spot Burnet moths and Cinnabar caterpillars. The meadow at the foot of Church Hill had the most variety with dozens of Gatekeepers, the usual meadowland species, plus a couple of Brimstones and Dark Green Fritillaries, Peacocks and a Red Admiral. Oddly no Chalkhill Blues at all on Church Hill, but hundreds over on the heath (Lankester Hill and towards the Icknield Way), and a bonus trio of Small Coppers on the path between the burial mounds on the way back to the car park. [Posted by Annie Sutcliffe]
SW Fritillary in Northaw. Hot on the heels of my bedroom window Purple Emperor was this Silver-washed Fritillary on a kitchen picture frame. If only it were always this easy. On its last legs sadly. [Edited by Peter Clarke] [Posted by Sam Fuller]
Trent Park. 1 Ringlet at Icehouse Wd/Trent Park, 2 Peacock at North Lawn near Icehouse Wd/Trent Park, 2 Comma [1 edge of Water Grdn & 1 near Water Grdn/Trent Park], 1 Small Copper nectaring on ragwort near Water Grdn/Trent Park [First of the summer brood], 1 male Common Blue at 'Old Golf Course' Trent Park [First of the summer brood], 1 Silver-washed Fritillary & 1 Red Admiral along 'vista' near Moat Wd/Trent Park & 10 Six-spot Burnet at Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Purple Emperor Egg update. Following on from the post I made here on the 10th July at Balls Wood, regarding the witnessing a female Purple Emperor laying an egg, now 13 mostly cool days later the egg finally hatched (23rd July PM). My young daughter named her "Violet" and is fascinated to see the process in action, plus it's good exercise.[Edited by Peter Clarke] [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Gatekeeper. 10 Gatekeepers on a small garden patch, Abbots Road, Abbots Langley. This species which had record numbers here last year is bucking the trend of many other species by having another prolific year. [Posted by Clive Burrows]
Brown Hairstreak. Pristine Brown Hairstreak at Northwick Park this evening. [Posted by Rohan Harris]
Silver-washed Fritillaries in Symonshyde Great Wood. Five SWF today, all males. Four of them very docile and nectaring on bramble, just one patrolling on territory. Fresh flush of Speckled Wood enjoying the cool cloudy conditions [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Least Carpet & Riband Wave at Southgate. 2 Least Carpet & 1 Riband Wave at ASDA Southgate this morning. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Silver Washed Fritillary f. Valezina. Spotted this absolute beauty outside of Danemead HMWT after initially dismissing her up in a tree as a very large Speckled Wood, thank goodness I listened to that little inner voice of doubt and investigated into the brambles. Still photographs (especially mine) don't do this butterfly any justice whatsoever because as she moves about in the late sunlight she ripples with rich iridescent colours, absolutely stunning to witness. After enchanting me for several minutes the spectacle ended abruptly, seems I wasn't her only admirer and soon I had two other regular SWFs on the same patch bramble blossom, which of course only resulted in butterfly chaos. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Chalk Hill Blues at Hexton Chalk Pit. 20 plus Chalk Hill Blues in warm but cloudy conditions. Lots of Gatekeepers too 50 plus, Ringlets 10 plus as well as a few Marbled Whites. [Posted by Sam Fuller]
Immature lepidoptera on hop in Stevenage garden. On checking the hop, I discovered a Comma egg (photo taken on 15 July but egg still unhatched), a Comma larva and a Vapourer moth larva within inches of each other about 4 feet above ground. The hop is supported by a 'wigwam' structure of bamboo canes and the leaves are tightly packed. Also, an adult Vapourer (a first) turned up in my moth trap on Thursday night. [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Friends of Alexandra Park Walk. I led a local walk after a lunchtime shower; 14 people came along, we spent most of the time in the anthill meadow. We saw many Six-Spot Burnet Moths, some mating pairs among them. Otherwise there were still a couple of Marbled Whites around, Many Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns and a Purple Hairstreak fluttering about an oak on the edge of the meadow. There were a few flypasts from Whites one of which was a Green Veined. A few Small Skippers were also flitting about. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
Silver-washed Fritillaries in Berrygrove Wood. 3 male SWFs on territory in the tiny sunny pockets within the wood. Two were hotly contesting rights to the best location, duelling ferociously Seeing me enter their space, one flew close over my head and the other straight at my eyes, veering away at the last moment - a clear case of intimidation! Elsewhere in the wood new broods of Large White (20) and Green-veined White (around50) were dominant. Just one Purple Hairstreak, they seem to be having a poor year. 12 species in all [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Batford. 19.07.24 - Batford - 1 PURPLE EMPEROR seen for about 1 second in flight before disappearing behind hedgerow along public footpath beside KW school, Batford just north of the weedy/scrubby field. Spent another hour and a half but found nothing. [Posted by Darin Stanley]
Purple Hairstreak & Six-spot Burnet at Trent Park. 2 Purple Hairstreak settled on ash at Icehouse Wd/Trent Park this morning & 7 Six-spot Burnet at 'Old Golf Course' Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Ware garden. Having spent the last six weeks of the 'summer' on the other side of the world, I came back to a garden of butterflies with 2 Commas chasing, 1 female Brimstone nectaring on Everlasting pea, 1 Large and 1 Green-veined White, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Peacock, 1 Gatekeeper, 1 Meadow Brown and a fly past by a Marbled White - 9 species during the day! [Posted by Liz Goodyear]
Purple Emperor at Bedmond. Female Purple Emperor flitting around and perching on a young Ash within a small woodland on Bell Lane, east of Bedmond. She stayed in sight for around 30 seconds ten meters above ground level, providing excellent views. Delighted at this as I first searched this area for PE 12 years ago and several times since with no luck previously. Earlier in Potters Crouch Plantation I added Silver-washed Fritillary to last weeks haul. At lunchtime at Serge Hill I saw my first Large Skipper of the year in Herts and my first new brood Brown Argus and Peacock. 16 species in all (including 6 spot Burnet), browns are dominant, but overall numbers of butterflies now seem to be increasing [Posted by Malcolm HULL]
Comma, Peacock, Red Admiral & Speckled Wood at Trent Park. 1 Comma, 1 Peacock, 1 Red Admiral & 2 Speckled Wood along bridle-path near Merryhills Brook at Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Hertford Heath and Balls Wood. There were many butterflies out today in the hot and sunny conditions. Many Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Ringlet and Large Skipper were on the wing with Small Skipper, Peacock, Marbled White, Small Heath, Brimstone, Large White and Small White also seen on the walk. The highlights though were two Silver Washed Fritillary and one tatty White Admiral. [Posted by John Yates]