Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Butterfly Numbers Booming. Strolling round local meadows in St Albans this afternoon, I was struck by the sheer numbers of butterflies. Gatekeeper, Peacock, Common Blue, Purple Hairstreak and Small Copper all seem to be doing particularly well. For example at William Bird Open Space, my Wilder St Albans patch, I counted 290 butterflies of 15 species in just 20 minutes. Nothing unusual today, tho I did see my first Small Heath for a few weeks, probably the start of a new brood. One other point of note - within the last week 2 Peacocks have gone into hibernation in my shed, the first of the summer. In the 12 years I've been monitoring hibernators, this beats the earliest entry date for this species by 9 days [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Sightings at Enfield, Oakwood & Trent Park. At Bramley Rd, N14 at bus-stop shelter - 1 Least Carpet & 1 Riband Wave. At Trent Park - 10 Comma, 2 male Common Blue, 1 Purple Emperor gliding around edge of Rough Lot, near Obelisk [TQ285979] at 1354 BST, 1 Purple Hairstreak edge of Moat Wd, 3 Red Admiral & 4 Six-spot Burnet by lower lake. At private sites near Trent Park - 1 Comma, 2 Peacock, 1 Purple Hairstreak, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Brown Argus, 2 Mother of Pearl & 1 Dusky Sallow - my first of the year [FOY]. Eugene Dillon-Hooper found a Elephant Hawkmoth on the wall just outside the entrance to Cockfosters station [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
One Bramble Two Hairstreaks near Brickendon. This morning was sunny and calm so I checked the brambles - specifically the ones where I recently saw a WLH. I immediately saw two Purple Hairstreaks resting on the bramble. Whilst taking the record shot on my phone I spotted a White-letter Hairstreak necturing close by. At one point they were on the same sprig of bramble but unfortunately edge on and too far away so no double Hairstreak photo opportunity but very close. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Sightings at Enfield & Southgate. 1 Small Copper at a private site near Trent Park. At Bay Farm, along 'London Loop' - female Common Blue nectaring on thistle head & 1 Painted Lady. 1 Red Admiral at Rectory Farm near 'The Red House'. 1 Comma at Hilly Fields Park. 3 Least Carpet [1 at bus-stop shelter at Charter Way/Chase Rd, N14 & 2 at Gordon Hill Station]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Purple Emperor at Tring Park. I saw a male Purple Emperor gliding around a sallow in the natural play area of Tring Park at about 2.15 pm. It settled for a short time at just above head height amongst the leaves before flying off. [Posted by Philip Woodward]
SW Fritillaries in Northaw Great Wood. 5 in various locations on bramble, mainly down by stream. Purple Hairstreak in Oak by visitor centre [Posted by Sam fuller]
Branch Event - Gladstone Park, Dollis Hill, Brent. Despite the predicted heavy rain, an enjoyable walk with the Friends Group and Brent transect walkers. Clouds of Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper around Thistle and Knapweed patches, also a few Common Blue, which are a bit of rarity in this park. Small Skippers and Small White amongst these. In a slightly damper patch Ringlet, Gatekeeper were predominate along with more Meadow Brown, Green-veined and Small White and a Speckled Wood. Then to an area with a great mixture of fine grasses where more Common Blue were seen and some Marbled Whites made an appearance. Finally to the lovely well maintained Walled Garden where Comma, Large White and Holly Blue added to the list alongside more Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown and Small White seen. Ten minutes after walk finished the heavy rain storm arrived. [Posted by Paul Busby]
Sightings at Oakwood Park & Southgate. Male Common Blue at Oakwood Park this morning at 0910 BST. 1 Black Arches at ASDA Southgate this afternoon - my first of the year [FOY]. 1 Green-veined White & female Large White at Southgate Chase Allotments this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Christine Bessant's photos from Saturday's walk at Bishops Wood. Photos from Saturday [Posted by Christina Bessant]
Branch Event - Bishop's Wood. Photograph of the Alder Moth caterpillar found by Paul Busby. [Posted by Richard Middleton]
Purple Emperor and Small Blue. Saturdays branch butterfly walk to Heartwood got off to a poor start with no sign of sun, cool temperatures and prolonged drizzle on my way to the meeting point. Over 30 people turned up and we split into two groups. Butterflies were thin on the ground, but as the morning progressed both groups saw a good range of species including Small Skippers, Marbled Whites and Commas. Andrews group also saw Jersey Tiger. Both groups met by the dog pond and spent sometime examining the oak tree with sap runs. Purple Hairstreaks and a Red Admiral were much in evidence.At 1pm half of the party left for home. Immediately afterwards the sun came out for just two minutes, but that was enough to spark some action from Purple Emperors, with several flights noted around the canopy. Although we located the sap run which had been so attractive earlier in the week, there were no Emperors on it today. Suddenly an Emperor appeared on the ground and stayed for several minutes, walking around and getting buffeted by the wind, giving everyone a good chance to see it. On the way back Andrews group found a Small Blue at the roost by the Scout Hut, the first time we’ve found both of this sites special species on a single walk [Posted by Malcolm Hull and Andrew Steele]
Mother of Pearl at Enfield. 7 Mother of Pearl at two private sites near Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Branch Event - Bishop's Wood. Lovely walk through Bishop's Wood and despite the cloudy conditions, at least 11 Species were seen including Speckled Wood, Green-veined and Small White, probably Large White, plenty of Ringlet, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown. Target woodland species were a bit elusive in the cloudy conditions but a Silver Washed Fritillary was seen around a bramble patch at end of ride the record daily total at this site has been 26 this year. Some probable Purple Hairstreaks around Oak. A highlight was seeing a White Admiral glide past on a newly cleared area and finally a bright yellow and black Alder Moth caterpillar. [Posted by Paul Busby]
Sightings at Oakwood. 1 Large White, 3 Peacock & 1 Red Admiral on buddleia at Oakwood Station at 1815 BST [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Heartwood Forest Purple Emperor Update. Another fun day at Heartwood Forest, but with almost all Purple Emperor activity taking place above us. Emperors were seen flying on multiple occasions above all the usual rides along Pudler's, Well, and Langley Woods, by various members of the Emperor appreciation group that were in attendance - Ashley Cox (see report below) in particular had walked all the rides earlier before I arrived, reporting several overhead sightings, and a grounded female at around 10am some 200 m northwest of the NE corner of Pudler's Wood, at TL 15972 11756; unfortunately Ashley didn't have time to back off and get a shot (it landed too close, at his feet!). I personally spotted purple emperors twice on the ride along the east side of Well and Pudler's Wood, and twice on the ride along the NE edge of Langley Wood. Back at the dog pond (TL 15751 11346) at Well Wood, Peter, Angela and David had been waiting patiently for an Emperor to visit the sap runs in the large oak. They were rewarded for their perseverance at 12.30 by a fresh female which visited repeatedly. She was attacked within a short time on every occasion she landed by an aggressive hornet. Not great for the Empress but this gave us a lot of flight activity to admire. One further Emperor was spotted while the female was on sap, but it never landed. It seems that today they were focused more on patroling and sallow-searching than sapping. Finally at 1 pm Ken and Billy left, but returned shortly after, having taken photos of a very worn grounded male which then joined us all at the dog pond, where it landed on the ground and then the mud at the pond's edge (TL 15765 11328), allowing close approaches (in close proximity to a second generation Small Blue). I have checked today's male, and also Peter's photos of today's female, and his fabulous photos from the sap run taken on the 3rd (see post below), and compared them to photos taken of previous individuals. The first thing to point out, and a very pleasant surprise, is that Peter's sap run photos are of 4 different individuals(!), comprising a fresh intact male, a male with a large chunk out of its hindwing and damaged forewing apices, an old male with chunks missing from its rear hindwing, and a fresh female. This is by far the greatest concentration of individuals I have seen in one place at Heartwood. In summary, the running tally for this year is 12 males and 4 females, which is exceptional. I am also totally convinced that several of the other individuals seen flying today are likely also to be previously unrecorded. I'll be back on Monday or Tuesday, when the forecast is better, in the hope of spotting some more! It is also worth reporting, as it's a rare occurrence, that in addition to the male Silver Washed Fritillary spotted by Ashley (see report below), Peter and Billy saw 2 others near the West End Barns entrance, at about TL162121, I think at around 9.30 (it was relatively early). According to Malcom Hull, he thinks it's been a few years since the last sightings of this butterfly at Heartwood, and encourages us all to publish any future sightings. [Posted by Andrew Neild]
Batford. 1 Purple Emperor flying south and north of hedgerow containing footpath between KW school and grass field at 13.10 onward then at 15.00 decided to remain around its favourite oak in NW corner of weedy/scrubby field where I left it at 16.00. 4+ Purple Hairstreaks in usual single oak tree between KW school and grass field at grid ref: TL153151. [Posted by Darin Stanley]
Heartwood Forest. 1 Silver Washed Fritillary at Langley wood. Multiple Purple Emperor sightings all over the place including this battered old warhorse puddling at dog pond, Huge thanks to Andrew and all the guys who were so generous with their local knowledge of these amazing creatures. Healthy numbers of all species on the wing at the mo. 1 second brood Small Blue puddling alongside the PE worthy of mention and huge numbers of Purple Hairstreak, wonderful day. [Posted by Ashley Cox]
Aldbury Golf course. I saw a Purple Emperor gliding high up in the trees for about 30 seconds about Midday on the edge of Aldbury Golf course near Tring. I thought it was a bird at first but on closer scrutiny an unmistakable swooping flight which I'm familiar with told me it was definitely an Emperor!!! [Posted by Philip Woodward]
Ruislip Woods. Summary of todays sunny but breezy 6 mile walk through Copse and Mad Bess Woods. 1 male Purple Emperor seen a few times on Poors field on the edge of copse wood by the Hillingdon trail which then made a dash across open space where it shrugged off a dramatic almost successful grab from a Brown Darter. Later another almost certain PE sighting whilst scanning many tree tops on the high point close to Ducks Hill Road. Purple Hairstreaks seem to be doing well this year with about 50 sightings which were generally at a lower height than usual with a good number flitting about in unusual locations like sallow and bramble with 3 making brief touch downs. 1 White Admiral seen in Mad Bess but sadly none in Copse but no surprise due to the continuing closing up of the older wide rides. Many whites, Commas, Meadow Brown, quite a few Ringlet, Speckled Wood and Small Skipper, 3 Peacock, 2 Holly blue, 2 Red Admiral and last but least 2 Marbled White on Poors field. Disappointed no Silver Washed showed but so pleased to have seen at least 1 PE in Copse Wood where they are more illusive than over the pond (Lido) in Park Wood at St. Vincents. [Posted by NICK FURTEK]
Sightings at Trent Park & Enfield. At Trent Park - 6 Peacock [5 on buddleia at Shaws Wd & 1 by lower lake], male Common Blue by lower lake, 4 Comma [1 by lower lake, 2 together at Water Grdn & 1 at 'Old Golf Course'], 1 Red Admiral at Water Grdn, 1 Purple Hairstreak edge of Moat Wd. At private sites near Trent Park - 7 Purple Hairstreak, 1 Comma, 1 Red Admiral, male Oak Eggar - my first of the year [FOY]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]