Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Silver Washed Fritillary and Purple Hairstreak. One Silver-washed Fritillary (surprisingly tatty) on my Balls Wood Transect today, no White Admiral or Purple Emperor. Yesterday three Purple Hairstreaks at Mount Pleasant on Hertford Heath. [Posted by Andrew Wood]
SWF at Hertford Heath NR. Spent a few hours this morning at Balls Wood NR, no White Admirals seen. On the way home, I saw my FOY Silver Washed Fritillary zooming up and down the main ride at Hertford Heath NR (Hailibury college side). [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
White Admiral search Whippendell Woods. A visit to Whippendell Woods this Sunday to look for White Admiral worked out well with 4 seen. Hopefully their numbers will increase for next weeks butterfly walk. Other butterflies seen Red Admiral 1, Speckled Wood 2, Comma 2, Large Skipper 1, Meadow Brown 10+, Ringlet 20+ . Also unconfirmed a possible sighting of a Brimstone by Rick, we both clocked a glimpse of what looked like a Silver-washed Fritillary. No Whites seen on this occasion. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Bramfield Park wood. No sign of any White Admirals today , 3 Marbled White in the meadow next to the Bramfield village hall car park, no White Admiral at Balls wood either Wed/Thur or Friday. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Walkern Road Bennington. Two Dark Green Fritillaries along Walkern Road adjacent to High Wood Bennington. Circa 30 Marbled White, 8 Ringlet also present. [Posted by Phil Bishop]
White-letter Hairstreak at Six Hills Common. At least 5 White-letter Hairstreaks, including 2 pairs of males clashing, over the elm canopy at Six Hills Common Stevenage at 0950 hours [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Garden Carpet & White Ermine at Southgate. 1 Garden Carpet & 1 White Ermine near outside lights at ASDA Southgate this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
21.06.24 - Batford. 2 WHITE LETTER HAIRSTREAKS in small oak tree by large bramble bush SW in the Weedy/ scrubby field by KW school. Thanks. Darin. [Posted by Darin Stanley]
White Admiral on the wing in Whippendell Woods. On a fairly brief visit to Whippendell Woods 2 White Admiral seen one at “Camilla Oak” the other by the fork in the path by Strawberry Fields. 2 Comma also seen with a growing mixture of Meadow Brown and Ringlets. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Small Blues still flying at Hillbrow (Letchworth). I found seven Small Blues whilst looking round the fields behind Hillbrow (Letchworth) today. Also seen: Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Brimstone, Small Heath, Common Blue and a Cinnabar Moth. [Posted by Martin Johnson]
Dark Green Fritillary on Therfield Heath. A Dark Green Fritillary (my FOTY) was on Church Hill this morning, together with hordes (conservative estimate - 80) of Marbled Whites. Also seen were Small Heath (lots), Meadow Brown (lots), a few Speckled Woods (in Fox Covert) and a single, faded Brown Argus - the last(?) of a very poor spring showing here. A Scarlet Tiger Moth was an interesting find: the first I've seen on the heath. [Posted by Martin Johnson]
Trent Park. 4 Marbled White [FOY], 2 Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet [FOY] & 3 Small Skipper at 'New Fields' Trent Park. 1 Ringlet near Ride Wd/Trent Park & 1 Straw Dot [FOY] at 'Old Golf Course' Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
BRANCH EVENT THERFIELD HEATH CANCELLED 21st June 2024. Unfortunately I will not be able to lead tomorrow's branch walk on Therfield Heath due to illness. There are two more walks planned for the Heath in July and August. You are of course welcome to do a self guided walk on the Heath at any time. Apologies Nick Keep [Posted by Nick Keep]
Marbled White at Therfield Heath. There were over 20 Marbled White on the wing at Church Hill this afternoon along with many Meadow Brown and Small Heath. [Posted by John Yates]
Whitewebbs Park. 1 Comma & 1 Red Admiral at Whitewebbs Park [TQ318977] late morning/early afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Species accounts updated. For records submitted in 2023 as described in the branch annual report [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Ickenham Marsh / Ruislip Gardens Stafford Open Space area.. A 1.5 hour / 3 mile stroll yielded:- 5 Marbled White, 9 Common Blue, 1 Holly Blue, 19 Small Heath (TQ 0904 8605 the best area), 6 Large Skipper, 1 Brimstone, 1 Speckled Wood. 5 Ringlet. 100+ Meadow Brown. 2 White Letter Hairstreak hovering along the elms in Austins Lane. [Posted by NICHOLAS FURTEK]
Trent Park. 1 Large Skipper edge of Williams Wd,1 Red Admiral nectaring on bramble blossom E edge of Icehouse Wd, 1 Small Heath 'Old Golf Course', 2 Small Skipper near Shaws Wd, Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Rivers Orchard Sawbridgeworth. Lunchtime visit, 6 Large Skipper, 2 Brimstone (m), 2 Common Blue (m) , 2 Holly Blue, 3 Marbled White (at last!), 30+ Meadow Brown, 25 Small Heath, 2 Ringlet. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
White Admiral. First sighting of a White Admiral in Bishops Wood Country Park near Rickmansworth. [Posted by Carole Holton]