Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Tracks around Danemead HMWT. I missed out on the Purple Emperor frenzy last weekend as I was away for a wedding, so went out this morning better late than never. It wasn't very long before I found my first grounded Male and in total had three encounters with possibly two individuals. Due to ongoing forestry work there is a big shortage of fresh dog poo and restrictions on where you can go, so maybe a good opportunity to experiment with some homemade baits to see if anything bites. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Purple Emperor at Tring Park. News from the 21st June 2025. Very pleased to report a male Purple Emperor gliding into the natural play area at the top of the escarpment in Tring Park at about 11.30am before flying out again and settling on the main path for a few minutes -( King Charles Ride). This is the earliest I have seen a Purple Emperor here since June 30th 2018, a remarkable 9 days and the first time I've seen one here since July 2021. [Posted by Philip Woodward]
Gatekeeper at Horsenden Hill. My transect walk included the first happy little solitary Gatekeeper I have seen this year at Horsenden Hill (East side). [Posted by Claire Easter]
Silver Studded Blue at Hampton. This butterfly was reported on iNaturalist by Arthur Gelling and it is here reproduced with his permission. The Silver studded Blue is not on the Middlesex or Herts list and the nearest colonies are on heathland sites in Surrey. They are not known to be mobile. We have no idea if this is an introduction, an accidental transportation or what? This was seen near a footpath across Hampton Golf Course. If you are in the Fulwell, Feltham, Hampton areas or a little further afield in the south west of our area, look closely at any blues you may think are common blues and see if they have a dark border around the upper wings on the males and blue studs on the underwing. They have a very close relationship with black Lasius species ants and this restricts their distribution so to suddenly appear somewhere is a surprise. [Posted by Andrew Wood on behalf of Arthur Gelling]
Sightings at Enfield. At private sites near Trent Park - 1 Common Blue, 1 Red Admiral & male Small Copper ['pristine' - summer-brood]. At Bay Farm, Enfield, along 'London Loop' path - 7 Small Skipper, 4 Ringlet & numerous Marbled White. At Gordon Hill Station - 1 Box-tree Moth - my first of the year [FOY]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Branch Walk Alexandra Park. 10 attended of the 15 booked. We had good weather in the end, the morning had been blustery and cool. We visited a few main areas. The Anthill Meadow followed by a walk along the cricket pitch edge and scrub, the old racetrack and the bramble and meadow by the conservation pond. Species seen: Comma, Small White, Green Veined White, Brimstone, Small Large and Essex Skipper, Marbled White, 6 Spot Burnet, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Purple Hairstreak, Red Admiral, possible Common Blue. Plus Cinnabar Caterpillars, Thick Thighed Flower Beetle, and Broad Bodied Chaser. The photo of the Purple Hairstreak I took after the walk finished, as a couple of the group spotted it. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
Balls Wood and Hertford Heath. Spent the morning in a very breezy and at times cloudy Balls Wood, hoping to find a Purple Emperor - failed. However, it was nice to see 3 White Admiral and numerous other butterfly species, even the Ringlet were subdued at times windy and dull conditions prevailed! Just before 1pm I returned to the Hertford Heath near the College Arms and waited for a Purple Emperor to appear around the oaks. At 12.56 one made several flights around the oaks, had a rest and then started again being joined by second individual at 1.26 as well as several Purple Hairstreak also high up in the oaks. [Posted by Liz Goodyear]
Heartwood Forest Purple Emperor update. Encouraged by yesterday's success I returned with high hopes this morning, arriving on site at the north-east corner of Pudler's Wood at 9.25, and was treated within a couple of minutes to a tantalising fly-past by an energetic and impatient male Purple Emperor which touched down momentarily several times but never stopped, flying on powerfully. I then met up with Jason Reynolds and Ken Brown, friends from last year's Purple Emperor hunt. At 10.45 Jason spotted a male on dog offerings which I had earlier garnished with bait of fermented Thai shrimp paste. I have no idea if the aromatic topping contributed to the gourmet attraction but perhaps we shall gather evidence in the coming days. This male took off before we closed in, but remained for a good 15 minutes only about 2 metres up in a nearby bush, allowing for decent photo opportunities. Unfortunately it never returned to its feast, eventually flying off. Meantime, however, a female flew past us and we followed in hot pursuit, managing to get only some distant record shots as it landed on a few leaves at low level. Later, around midday, Jason and Ken enjoyed a further sighting in the Magical Wood, but were unable to get shots. And so, when the clouds rolled in and stopped play, we had confirmed sightings of at least two individuals, one of each sex, and possibly two others. Comparing wing pattern elements in today's shots with yesterday's, I can confirm a minimum of two males and two females. Elsewhere in the country there are reports of a very good season, and large numbers being spotted, so hopefully the next few days will bring more excitement. Turning to other butterflies seen here and in the nearby woods and meadows between the West End Barns car park and Cheapside Farm rail bridge, dozens of large and small whites were present, about 15 commas, 5 red admirals, dozens of small skippers, 6 large skippers, 4 small heaths, 3 speckled woods, 2 ringlets, and very large numbers of meadow browns and marbled whites. I also spotted one holly blue, one purple hairstreak, and one humming-bird hawk moth. [Posted by Andrew Neild]
Prestwick Road Meadows and Oxhey Wood. Prestwick Road Meadows was a delight this afternoon with Meadow Brown and Ringlets out in their hundreds. Other butterflies seen Marbled White 6+, L Skipper 8+, S Skipper 2+Six-spot Burnet moth 4, Red Admiral 1, Comma 3 and numerous Whites Large, Small and Green-veined present. We then took a look at Oxhey Wood to see what we could find there. It was overcast and windy so not ideal conditions. We didn't get to see many butterflies there but the highlight was a freshly emerged Purple Hairstreak. Other butterflies seen Red Admiral 5, Whites 7, Comma 1, Ringlet 1, Meadow Brown 9. The connecting field between the 2 sites also had many Meadow Brown on the wing. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Sightings at Oakwood Park & Southgate. At Oakwood Park [0815 to 0915 BST] - 1 Comma, 2 Large Skipper, 6 Ringlet, 1 Purple Hairstreak settled on Wych Elm from 0843 BST onwards - my first of the year [FOY] & 2 White-letter Hairstreak. At Grovebury Crt, N14 - 1 Comma. At Southgate Chase Allotments - 1 Comma. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Purple Emperor and White Admiral In Northaw Great Wood. Male Purple Emperor tacking aggressively up and down the main track east of the Car Park. Also a solitary White Admiral at the gates to the north west - again flying a lot more slowly up a path. Plus half a dozen Silver Washed Fritillary along the stream. Absolutely stacks of Meadow Brown, Comma, Large Skipper and Ringlet. Most Butterflies I have seen at NGW. [Posted by Sam fuller]
White Admiral & Purple Hairstreak in the Knebworth Woods. In the mid-morning sunshine, a White Admiral flitting close to the ground by the north-south public footpath west of Newton Wood (TL22392253) - a hot-spot for this species. Also a Purple Hairstreak flying over the top of a tall oak by the track at Norton Green. One more species to go! [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Purple Emperor, Silver-washed Fritillary and White Admiral all flying at Bricket Wood Common. I arrived at the canopy gap in Murchetts Wood at 1pm, the sky cloudy and overcast. A brief glimpse of sun at 1.40 pm activated 3 Purple Hairstreaks and then a Purple Emperor, cruising along the edge of the canopy, then gliding across the gap. No further sun, but a White Admiral was Nectaring on bramble along gas pipe ride. Chris Newman reports 4 White Admirals and 4 Silver-washed Fritillaries from this weeks transect. Note if you visit this site, the best part of gas pipe ride is currently closed due to pipeline maintenance works [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Scales Park. Purple emperor female feasting on salts on my leg. 3-4 silver-washed fritillaries. Speckled wood and ringlet probably the abundant species. Large skipper quite common. Lots of pierids and a few meadow browns. [Posted by Hugo Rainey]
Purple Emperors at Heartwood Forest. After visiting daily for a week I can finally report sightings of adult Purple Emperors. But as you can see, my first of the year was a freshly hatched female - now that was unexpected!! (The sex was confirmed by none other than the great PE guru Matthew Oates). I was about to head home at midday after 2 hours of fruitless searching in near 30 degree heat, when I decided to check up on the one remaining pupa of the two I reported on the 15th (the other hatched some time on Thursday). Imagine my surprise when I couldn't see the pupa, and thought it was hidden by a leaf, only to realise that the leaf itself was the butterfly drying its wings! My oh my, that was exciting! And then the icing on the cake - ten minutes later I finally spotted my first male. It was touching down repeatedly but irregularly along the ride along the north-west edge of Langley Wood, and then landed practically at my feet. Sadly I only got a fleeting few seconds to fire off some souvenir shots before it flew off, but hey, beggars and choosers etc, and Heartwood is now definitely tinged with purple! [Posted by Andrew Neild]
Lime Avenue, Whippendell Woods, Newland Springs and Dell Wood. We did set up a table for the Purple Emperor today along the Lime Avenue Cassiobury. However after 2 and a half hours we got our first sighting of probably a lone early one here so far as we did check other high points but no further sightings so far. Rick did at least get a bit of video footage although a bad angle. This Emperor decided to get a bit more active probably briefly about 1pm as we were packing down as it was clouding over and possible rain expected. Other butterfly species seen along the Lime Avenue. Red Admiral, Comma, Meadow Brown, Whites, Large and probably GV White, also 1 Hairstreak spotted, my bet would be White-Letter with this as I should have seen a bit more silver looking underwing if it was a Purple. After packing down the table we ventured into Whippendell Woods first and saw 2 White Admiral, Comma, GV White and Large, Ringlet and Meadow Brown to start with before moving on towards Dell Wood. To get there we had to go through Newlands Springs Wood by the Rousebarn Lane car park. Butterfly sightings at Newland Springs Wood. Ringlets, Meadow Brown, whites, Comma 2, Speckled Wood 1. including return journey. We did reach Dell Wood although cloudy and spots of rain until 4pm. Butterflies seen. Whites galore, Large and Green-Veined identified, Meadow Brown, Large Skipper, Comma. Also I'm about 90% certain a White Admiral was seen in Dell Wood. It was on the path outside Dell Wood which turned out to be the highlight of the day for me. I narrowly missed treading on this emerging Purple Hairstreak on the Summer Solstice! Fortunately Rick spotted on the path behind my steps an insect that turned out to be this emerging Purple Hairstreak. This one didn't get squashed along the path and thanks Rick for another rescue! We really didn't get to see many Silver-Washed action today until about 6.30pm. 2 sighted in Whippendell Woods, about 4 White Admiral sightings today in Whippendell Woods along with at least 12 Comma, Ringlets, Meadow Brown, Large Skipper, Speckled Wood. And lots of Whites. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Purple Emperors at Heartwood Forest. After visiting daily for a week I can finally report sightings of adult Purple Emperors. But as you can see, my first of the year was a freshly hatched female - now that was unexpected!! (The sex was confirmed by none other than the great PE guru Matthew Oates). I was about to head home at midday after 2 hours of fruitless searching in near 30 degree heat, when I decided to check up on the one remaining pupa of the two I reported on the 15th (the other hatched some time on Thursday). Imagine my surprise when I couldn't see the pupa, and thought it was hidden by a leaf, only to realise that the leaf itself was the butterfly drying its wings! My oh my, that was exciting! And then the icing on the cake - ten minutes later I finally spotted my first male. It was touching down repeatedly but irregularly along the ride along the north-west edge of Langley Wood, and then landed practically at my feet. Sadly I only got a fleeting few seconds to fire off some souvenir shots before it flew off, but hey, beggars and choosers etc, and Heartwood is now definitely tinged with purple! [Posted by Andrew Neild]
Sightings at Trent Park & Oakwood. At Trent Park - 10 Comma [7 at 'New Fields' & 3 near Water Grdn], 4 Ringlet, 1 Brimstone Moth edge of Church Wd. At Bramley Road, N14 - 1 Riband Wave. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Hertford Heath. Male Purple Emperor holding territory around Oaks in the Roundings, 13.30 to 13,50. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Sightings at Town Park, Enfield. At Town Park, Enfield [1445 to 1510 BST] - 1 Red Admiral & 1 Holly Blue. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]