Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Butterfly Conservation National AGM and Members Morning. This years event was held online. Simon Savile was elected as the new Chair and Steve Almond is the new Treasurer. Speakers included Richard Fox, who spoke about Some fascinating research projects; Rachel Jones on conserving the Lulworth Skipper (she predicts the climate in Herts will be suitable for this species by 2050); and Craig Bennett who leads the Wildlife Trusts and their 3,800 staff nationally spoke about some of the political and policy challenges the UK conservation movement faces For those who didn't make it there is a recording available on YouTube. Worth dipping into if you have a quiet moment over Christmas! National Members Morning [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. After yesterday's rain and sporadically windy day to kick off meteorological winter, today dawned sunny and mild in my part of the world. The sunshine continued for much of the day, and temperatures must have been nudging 12 degrees at lunchtime. In these benign kind of conditions, it would perhaps have been more surprising not to have seen a Red Admiral, and I ended up seeing at least four. Two were chasing each other high up, and I managed to catch up with what I assumed was one of these when it came down again in the same spot later. Another one was basking elsewhere, and I disturbed a fourth with my shadow (annoyingly long at this time of year!). [Posted by Dave Miller]
Hedgerow Heroes kicks off!. Woodhall Estate, Watton-at-Stone - volunteers from CPRE Herts and Butterfly Conservation had a successful hedge planting session on Sunday. Over 600 saplings were planted, the start of new hedges, to be planted on the lines of old hedgerows which were removed in the 1960's at Burrs Green Farm. The carefully selected mix of 15 species suitable for butterflies and moths included Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Buckthorn, Holly and Dog Rose. As these mature they will provide excellent habitat, alongside a fallow field which is planted with Bird seed mix Further planting sessions are planned on Weds 10th and Sunday 14th December. All branch members welcome. If you'd like to join in or find out more details contact James Lunn James@cpreherts.org.uk Thanks to Kevin Russ and Katherine for the photos [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. After another cold (but not frosty) night, chilly sunshine followed. On my usual local walk, I managed to find three Red Admirals. The first took off for the treetops, the second one was looking for nectar (and eventually found a white dead-nettle) and the last one seemed to be simply enjoying the winter sunshine in a very sheltered spot by the River Colne. I recognised it from previous encounters by its wing damage. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Red Admiral. A Red Admiral was enjoying the warmth of the sunshine in our Harpenden garden at 12:45. [Posted by Tim Hill]
Whitings Hill & Whitings Hill Wood, Barnet. I spent 3 hours searching Whitings Hill and the Woodland Trust Whitings Hill Wood today for Brown Hairstreak - it was very cold! 4 eggs were found in February 2024 so I was hopeful that the numbers would be higher; however it was over an hour before the first eggs were found! In total 25 eggs were found, 6 on Whitings Hill and 19 on the Woodland Trust site so an improvement on 2024. There is plenty of blackthorn to search! (note for visitors, parking is limited parking permit restrictions are now in force) [Posted by Liz Goodyear]
Sighting from Stanwell Moor. No frost overnight locally, but a high of just 7 degrees in the sunshine before it clouded over this afternoon. One Red Admiral braved the conditions to bask for a while. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. Lots of sunshine today locally after the rain cleared at 10 o'clock. Around the middle of the day it felt warm in spots sheltered from the breeze, and I found three different Red Admirals (all of which I'd encountered before recently). However, the surprise sighting today was a male Holly Blue on one of the last remaining bramble flowers. It wasn't fresh, so must likely have emerged before the recent frosty spell. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Prestwick Road Meadows. I conducted a relatively casual search of the blackthorn today in far too sunny conditions - over a two hour period I found 42 eggs scattered across the site from the roadside to the top end - several found in areas benefitting from last winter's work. (It was a lovely sunny albut cold day but bright sunshine makes egg searching much harder!) [Posted by Liz Goodyear]
Sightings at Stanwell Moor. After several frosty nights and some wet snow flurries a couple of mornings ago, the sun shone today round my way and the temperature climbed from minus one just before dawn to plus seven by lunchtime. This was enough to tempt a couple of Red Admirals out into the sunshine. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Grand Union Canal - BH Egg. Visited Willow Tree Open Space by canal and searched a few Blackthorn clumps in wild meadow area. Only had an hour but rewarded with a Brown Hairstreak egg. Plenty more Blackthorn here to be searched, majority of which had not been flailed. [Posted by Paul Busby]
Painting Butterflies in Watercolour. Gillian Elsom from the Surrey and SW London branch gave a Zoom talk on YouTube on 18 November. Click here to view. [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Rewilding in Verulamium Park, St Albans. Two years ago the Abbey View Golf Course was closed, providing a great opportunity to enhance the space for wildlife. Working with St Albans DC and Friends of Verulamium Park, we have helped plan a planting scheme for wildflowers, shrubs and trees. This will support and enhance the habitat for butterflies and moths. Listen to my recent interview on local radio station MiX 92.6 to find out more click here [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
New butterfly mound in St Albans. Last winter St Albans District Council carried out alterations to Batchwood golf course. This revealed chalk bedrock, some of which was set aside to form a butterfly mound. Today I seeded it with Kidney Vetch and Birds-foot Trefoil. These plants should encourage both Common Blue and Small Blue. Both butterfly species are already present in the landscape. This site should provide a valuable stepping stone to help connect their existing sites [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Unexpected Sighting in St Albans. 2 degrees when I woke up this morning and I’ve seen no butterflies here for a month. So it was a surprise to find a Red Admiral out sunbathing before 10 am [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. A very sunny morning locally, but much colder (only 8 degrees at noon). However, on the sheltered brambles next to Hithermoor Lake I found firstly a fresh-looking Red Admiral, and then more surprisingly a rather worn male Small Copper. I don't find many of the latter species in this spot, so I'm pretty sure this is the one I saw here on 28th October (but curiously not since then...). Regardless of that, this is my latest ever Small Copper sighting. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Brown Hairstreak at Croxley Common Moor. 27 Brown Hairstreak eggs found at Croxley Common Moor. [Posted by Rohan Harris]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. Even warmer and sunnier than 12th, a slightly different set of butterflies were seen on my local walk today: Five Red Admirals, a Brimstone, the same Speckled Wood as yesterday (but on the other side of the A3113 dual carriageway!), and a female Holly Blue. The last of these was being pestered by a Red Admiral, so only poor photos. Likewise the Brimstone was only caught as it flew past. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Female Brimstone in garden. A female Brimstone was in my Harpenden garden around noon, on the wing and investigating ivy flowers. Couldn't get a photo as I was talking to someone at the time. [Posted by Robin Pearson]
Brimstone, Red Admiral & Small White at Enfield. 1 Red Admiral seen in flight at a private site near Trent Park at 0930 GMT, male Small White 'fresh' settled along 'London Loop' near Brooke Wd [TQ304984] at 1003 GMT - possibly my latest record for this species & male Brimstone at Gordon Hill Station at 1218 GMT - my latest record for this species. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]