Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Comma at Trent Park. 1 Comma settled on bramble near Ride Wd/Trent Park this morning. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Photographers. If you are among a group of people at a branch event, for example, taking photos and you want your photo to appear on our news webpage please submit using the news form. In other words, one photographer per news item. [Posted by Peter Clarke]
White-letter Hairstreak and Small Tortoiseshell in St Albans. WLH spotted in the tall Elm alongside King Harry Lane in Verulam Park (lay by entrance). Meadow Brown and Ringlets doing well, but numbers of Marbled White and Golden Skippers are low. New broods of Gatekeeper, Comma, Large, Small and Green-veined White all spotted. Best of all, my first flying Small Tortoiseshell of the year in Herts [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Sightings. 5 Silver- washed Fritillary, 2 White Admiral and singletons of Comma and Green-veined White amongst butterflies seen in morning walk around Bricket Wood [Posted by Clive Burrows]
Chalkhill Blues are Flying on Therfield Heath. At least seven male Chalkhill Blues were flying on the east side of Therfield Heath (Old Rifle Range area) this morning. Hopefully there will be lots more to see here if summer ever arrives. I was also lucky to see mating Dark Green Fritillaries - a second male tried to join in the fun, but was eventually sent on his way. Sightings: Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Brimstone, Small Heath, Ringlet, Meadow Brown (lots), Gatekeeper (lots), Marbled White (100+), Dark Green Fritillary (12-15 est.), Red Admiral (1), Comma (1), Chalkhill Blue (7+). [Posted by Martin Johnson]
Trent Park. 1 Red Admiral at Icehouse Wd/Trent Park. 2 Comma [1 near Ride Wd & 1 North Lawn/Trent Park], 3 Green-veined White on wet mud near Rough Lot/Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Bricket Wood Branch Event. Despite the dire weather forecast, 12 of us gathered on Sunday morning to search for butterflies on the Common. Ringlets were the first species spotted. They enjoy cool damp conditions and one was seen flying in quite heavy rain! We then added Meadow Brown, Scorpion Fly and male and female Banded Demoiselles to our list of sightings. After a heavy shower we reached the scallop in Gas Pipe Ride and were rewarded with excellent views of White Admiral and Comma. After that the heavens opened and we swam back to the car park! [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Whippendell Woods Watford. Saturday's weather was a bit on the bad side for this time of year. The daytime temperature struggled to reach 15 degrees. Hence most butterflies stayed in bed, but on the brief sunny spells Ringlets became more active along with Meadow Brown. About 20+ Ringlets seen plus a good scattering of Meadow Brown but only about 5+ for the Meadow Brown recognised sightings. One Skipper was sighted but in the passing glimpse was either Small or Large. The first Gatekeeper of the year in Whippendell Woods was at least photographed with 1 seen, 2 Comma sighted. But otherwise no sightings of White Admiral, Silver-Washed nor the Emperor. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Silver Washed Fritillary and Purple Emperor on Broxbourne Wood. After the rain break and in high humidity (best time in my view) I saw plenty of Silver Washed Fritillaries, enough chances to get some close ups. Also saw a Purple Emperor busy exploring a willow tree at eye level, only problem was the bramble thicket between us. I believe this was a female as no purple seen, definitely a PE as I was close enough to see the orange eyes clearly. Haven't got super close to White Admirals here yet but they are about, got a bad picture yesterday in all that wind. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Purple Emperor in Heartwood Forest. The sunny weather this morning drew out at least 6 of us in search of Purple Emperor in Heartwood Forest, most of us drawn by earlier reports here on BC. I arrived a little later than planned at 9.20 and immediately met Ken Brown, who told me he'd taken photos of a male only a couple of minutes before I arrived (!). This individual settled in a bush at TL 16004 11723. I then sprayed bait of diluted Belacan Shrimp Paste (highly recommended by Purple Emperor experts) around lots of bushes and fence and marker posts in that area and around the crossroads at TL 16117 11620 (eastern corner of Pudler's wood), and at various points on the path to the dog pond at TL 15744 11332. At 10.15 a male came down at the Pudler's Wood crossroads and investigated various shrimp bait sites, before landing at the base of one of the marker posts. After being spooked by some dogs it returned twenty minutes later and again investigated the sprayed leaves before landing on another post, providing wonderful photo opportunities over at least ten minutes until 10.50. After that we had no further sightings, despite many sunny spells and 6 pairs of eyes(!), and we all left before midday. (Note: The north-westerly wind meant that the dog pond area was much too exposed and gusty for Purple Emperor today, while the crossroads to the south-east of the two extensive woods, and the ride northwards from that point were very much protected, and were clearly favoured by the two males we saw; as the experts say, Purple Emperors hate wind - always search for them on the leeward side of a forest). Also seen in the area were 1 Holly Blue, 2 Purple Hairstreaks, 1 Large Skipper, 2 Large Whites, 6 Commas, 1 Red Admiral, 7 Marbled Whites, 14 Meadow Browns, 8 Ringlets, and 3 Speckled Woods. [Posted by Andrew Neild]
Very windy day at Therfield Heath. A very windy but warm day at Therfield Heath lots of Meadow Browns and lots of Marbled Whites a few showing their age . [Posted by James Somerville]
Small Skipper and White Admiral in Broxbourne Woods. A visit to Broxbourne Woods found a pair of Small Skipper, 1 Large Skipper, 1 White Admiral, 1 Red Admiral,1 Gatekeeper, 7 Marbled White and numerous Meadow Brown and Ringlet. [Posted by Paul Gymer]
White-letter Hairstreak at Trent Park. Female White-letter Hairstreak [pristine condition] nectaring on thistle head near Shaws Wd Cottages/Trent Park [TQ294971] from 1023 to 1024 BST, observed through 8x's binocular at 1.9 metres, also male Large Skipper here & Mother of Pearl on edge of Icehouse Wd/Trent Park [TQ293974]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Trip to Batchwood St Albans. Rather cloudy this afternoon and no butterflies seen at all during the first mile of my walk. On reaching a small strip of meadow next to Batchwood, the sun peeled out and butterflies lifted off in numbers. The area was seeded with wildflowers a couple of years ago by St Albans Council and it is left unmown until the end of the summer. In 20 mins I counted over 350 Meadow Browns, also picking out 8 Ringlets, 2 Small Heath, 2 newly emerged Commas, 1 Marbled White and 2 tatty Red Admirals. By way of comparison, 20 minutes on mown grass nearby yielded just 5 butterflies, all Meadow Browns. Waking back through the Batchwood Estate, I added another 40 Marbled Whites plus Large and Small Skippers and Speckled Wood. That shows what a difference wildflowers make and why BCs Wild Spaces campaign is so important. Find out more here https://wild-spaces.co.uk/ [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
A manifesto for butterflies, moths and the environment. Butterfly Conservation have identified five urgent asks for our new government 1) More budget for butterflies We need the government to double the budget for species recovery. 2) Take action for our landscapes We need to improve the most important places for butterflies and moths through landscape-scale action. 3) Access to nature for all The wellbeing benefits of nature need recognising – everyone should have a wild space within 15 minutes’ walk. 4) Ban pollinator-killing pesticides for good Environmentally damaging neonicotinoids need banning immediately, with no exception. 5) Take light pollution seriously Recognise light pollution, a huge threat to moths, as an environmental pollutant and set legally binding targets for its reduction. [Posted by Malcolm HULL]
Work Party 31st July Waterford Heath Volunteers needed. Herts & Middx Wildlife Trust are running a work party at 10am at Vicarage Lane car park Waterford Heath. The main aim for us is the improve the North Heath for Grizzled Skippers. Members are welcome but they need to register as volunteers with Herts and Middx Wildlife Trust on their web site. Please contact Steve Kiln at 07920-482111 or stevewkiln@gmail.com to help you through process. Once registered you can volunteer at other Hertfordshire butterfly sites they manage. We have 2 volunteers so far. [Posted by Steve Kiln]
Purple Emperor at Heartwood Forest. Despite the pessimistic forecast it dawned lovely and sunny, and so I headed off early to Heartwood Forest in search of Purple Emperor. I wasn't expecting to have any luck so early in the day but imagine my surprise when, just after 9, I spotted a male Emperor circling low at the eastern corner of Pudler's Wood (TL 16112 11621). It was trying to settle but kept being disturbed by a couple of dogs. It grounded soon after they left, but quickly lost interest in the sun-baked earth and miraculously landed at head-height only a few feet from me, allowing wonderful views in direct sunlight, firstly of its under side, and then of its glorious upper surface, providing a full 4-wing purple spectacle. (After returning home I can confirm from wing markings that this is a different male from the one reported 2 days ago on iNaturalist at almost the exact same location.) I didn't see any other specimens, despite scouring the treeline and the usual haunts. Also seen in the same area before it clouded over miserably around 10 am were 3 Commas, several dozen Marbled Whites, about 10 Meadow Browns, and a few Ringlets. [Posted by Andrew Neild]
Essex Skipper First of Year. I saw my first of year Essex Skippers today at Alexandra Park. All three skippers Large, Small and Essex were mingling by the edge of the cricket pitch. I checked my photos to confirm later and happy with ID [Posted by Dee Cullen]
First of Year Gatekeeper. On my transect at Alexandra Park at lunchtime looked very fresh. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
Gatekeeper and Purple Hairstreak at Broxbourne Wood. Cool, calm and cloudy during quick lunchtime walk. Sun was out for about 10 seconds and this Gatekeeper caught my eye and I rescued this Purple Hairstreak from the path shortly after. I did see a Silver Washed Fritillary but he was in no mood for stopping, they seem to go from too fast to too tatty with little inbetween. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
