Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Small Blue & Cinnabar Moth. I was delighted to find Small Blue (2 sightings, possibly 1 individual) & Cinnabar moth at a site near Clothall Common today. Also Common Blue, Orange Tip, Brimstone and a Burnet Companion moth. [Posted by Ian Small]
Meadows around Brickendon village. At lunchtime I have walking the meadows around Monks Green Farm, keeping an eye out for any Painted Lady that stopped off for refuelling. Today was the day that I spotted one in the small cover crop which is field mustard I think, very popular with insects. Sunshine is lovely but hoping for some decent rain soon. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
10 Green Hairstreak in Hounslow. Todays Branch walk covered Hounslow Heath and Feltham Marshalling Yards. The best Green Hairstreak site in our branch area didn’t disappoint with ten individuals seen. The first, a female was ovipositing on broom. Several more were seen on the ground amongst birds foot-trefoil and broom. But the biggest concentration were nectaring on Green Alkanet, something we have not witnessed before and may be linked to the very dry conditions - some areas of grass were already brown and wild flowers desiccated. Other sightings included Common Blues, Small Coppers, Brown Argus, Mother Shipton, Burnet Companion and Cinnabars. Also of note, two Painted Ladies. Adjoining the car park four large bushes had been stripped of all leaves and were shrouded in larval webs. There were many caterpillars still alive, but with no further leaves left to eat - Spindle Ermine moths. [Posted by Malcolm Hull and Pete Gore]
Sightings at Oakwood Park & Town Park, Enfield. At Oakwood Park [0935 to 1005 BST] - 1 Green Hairstreak seen in flight w/ Holly Blue & settled from 0949 to 0950 BST [TQ300951] - my first record for the Enfield area, after several reported by others in recent years, 4 Holly Blue & 1 Small Heath. At Town Park, Enfield [1220 to 1250 BST] - 2 Holly Blue & 1 Speckled Wood. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Small Dusty Wave at Southgate. 1 Small Dusty Wave at ASDA Southgate this evening - my first of the year [FOY]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
How many Small Heath?. Amazed to see a spectacle at Norton Green during my transect - several males fighting for attention of a female Small Heath. Other species seen: Orange-tip, Green-veined White, Comma, Peacock and Speckled Wood [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Dingy Skipper in Hatfield. Visited a restored pit at Hatfield Quarry - this is a private site and access was with permission from the landowner Common Blues are doing well with 116 recorded. 5 Dingy Skipper, 12 Brown Argus, 9 Small Heath as well as Burnet Companion, Mother Shipton, Latticed Heath and Purple Mint moth. This attractive site is beginning to suffer from excess scrub and the Branch are engaging with the landowner on future management plans [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Sightings at Trent Park. At Trent Park 'New Fields' [1515 to 1620 BST] - 1 Comma, 2 Holly Blue, male Orange-tip, 1 Peacock, 1 Small Heath, 2 Speckled Wood, 1 Mother Shipton & female Broad-bodied Chaser settled near Oakwood entrance. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings at Oakwood Park & Oakwood. At Oakwood Park [1330 to 1410 BST] - 4 male Common Blue all E of 10 km line, 2 Holly Blue [1 W of 10 km line & 1 E of 10 km line], 1 Large White W of 10 km line, 4 Small Heath all E of 10 km line, 1 Speckled Wood E of 10 km line. 1 Holly Blue at Prince George Ave, N14. 1 Brimstone Moth at Bramley Road, N14 - my first of the year [FOY]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Early morning ex gravel pits.. decided to go early in this hot dry weather worth it. In Rickneys Quarry. a Comma, 4 Grizzled Skippers, 5 Brown Argus 3 Common Blue. In North pit Waterford heath. No Grizzleds but 5 Brown Argus, 2 Common Blue, a Small Tortoiseshell and a Cinnabar Moth. On South Heath disappointing but highlights, 2 Holly Blues, a Common Blue, a Small Heath and a Treble bar moth. [Posted by steve kiln]
Sightings at Enfield & Enfield Town. 12 Small Heath, 1 male Orange-tip & 1 Speckled Wood at a private site near Trent Park. 4 Holly Blue & 1 Red Admiral at St. Andrew's Church, Enfield Town this afternoon after 1600 BST. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. I returned to my local patch today after a couple of days out elsewhere. To be honest, it rarely disappoints and today was no exception. I counted over 100 butterflies, and for the first time this year saw 15 species. Both Holly and Common Blues had their best showing so far, but the highlight was the appearance of another Green Hairstreak, in a spot nowhere near either of the other two I've seen here this year. Today's tally: Holly Blue 19, Common Blue 16, Peacock 15, Brown Argus 11, Small Heath 10, GVW 7, Orange Tip 4, Speckled Wood 4, Red Admiral 3, Small Copper 3, Large White 3, Brimstone 3, Small White 2, Comma 1, Green Hairstreak 1. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Orange Tip Egg in my garden. Muswell Hill.. I was pleasantly surprised to find a single Orange Tip Egg on one of the few flowering Garlic Mustard plants in my garden. I will watch progress with interest. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
Sightings at Oakwood Park, Enfield & Trent Park. 3 Speckled Wood including two together at Oakwood Park this morning. At Trent Park - 1 Small Copper, 2 male Brimstone, 2 Comma together, edge of Church Wd, 1 Common Carpet near Nature Trail, 1 Speckled Wood by lower lake, 2 Peacock at 'Old Golf Course', 1 Green-veined White edge of Rough Lot. 1 Peacock near Duncan's Wd/Enfield Chase, 1 Mother Shipton at a private site near Trent Park, 1 Speckled Wood at a private site near Trent Park, 4 Small Heath at private sites near Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Let it Grow. For the last few years HMBC have been working with St Albans District Council to record butterfly numbers on Low Mow Plots and areas of Wildflower seeding on highway verges, parks and green spaces. This article in St Albans Times describes some the local initiatives Let it Grow [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Sightings at Enfield & Trent Park. Male Brimstone at a private site near Trent Park, 2 Green-veined White [1 at a private site near Trent Park & 1 by lower lake/Trent Park], 2 male Orange-tip [1 at a private site near Trent Park & 1 edge of Rough Lot/Trent Park], 1 Peacock at a private site near Trent Park, 13 Small Heath at a private site near Trent Park, 3 Speckled Wood at private sites near Trent Park, 2 Mother Shipton at private sites near Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
White Letter Hairstreak larva. White Letter Hairstreak larva seen under UV light on Hampstead Heath. [Posted by Rohan Harris]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. On a grey day with a chilly northeasterly wind blowing, I didn't really expect to see much in the way of butterflies today. However, some sporadic sunshine appeared late in the afternoon, and a brisk local walk was rewarded by three Speckled Woods (3m), three Brown Argus (1f, 1m), two Common Blues (2m), two Orange Tips (1f, 1m) and a very tatty female Large White. [Posted by Dave Miller]
Small Heath at Enfield. 1 Small Heath at a private site near Trent Park this morning. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
A short journey along the River Colne and the Whippendell Woods Butterfly walk. I was in need of having my car cleaned so dropped the car off at the Tesco's car park cleaning services which gave me an hour to wander along the River Colne, 2 Green- Veined Whites, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Brimstone and another unidentified flying White. (Only photo I can post of a butterfly today is a Green-veined White from the River Colne.) As for the Spring branch Butterfly Walk in Whippendell Woods the butterfly count was disappointing, with a count of 1 White and although Rick and myself think it was a GV White it was not confirmed! However it was the best turn out for one of our walks ever! A real mixed age group as well. Rick followed up at the rear to make sure none of the attendees got lost and I was kept busy with questions at the front by the 3 youngest sisters who were amazing for their age at asking such questions about butterflies. Real young stars who made my day for what turned out to be a bad role of the dice with the weather after the recent warm spell. Although it was bad for butterflies this time all who came seemed to enjoy the walk. The bluebells were still in flower we stopped at all the butterfly hotspots to point out what is likely to be seen there and when and hopefully we will get to see more butterflies on the Summer Walk. All attendees seemed to enjoy the walk despite the lack of butterflies and those 3 young girls in the photo were keen to come along on our next walk and it would be a delight to have them there with their family too. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
