Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
UK Butterfly Emergency Declared. Big Butterfly Count results reveal lowest numbers on record - Butterfly Conservation calls on Government to declare a ‘Nature Emergency’ and act now by banning toxic neonicotinoid pesticides, before it’s too late - People encouraged to sign open letter to Steve Reed here: https://butterfly-conservation.org/emergency - Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count 2024 saw the lowest number of butterflies spotted per Count in its 14-year history - A third of species had their worst year on record ever - More than 9,000 Big Butterfly Counts reported not seeing a single butterfly. Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation has today declared a national ‘Butterfly Emergency’, with results of this summer’s Big Butterfly Count showing a marked and hugely concerning decline in numbers. Overall, participants spotted just seven butterflies on average per 15-minute Count, a reduction of almost 50% on last year’s average of 12, and the lowest in the 14-year history of the Big Butterfly Count. It was the worst summer in the Count’s history for Common Blue, Holly Blue, Green-veined White, Small White, Small Tortoiseshell, Painted Lady and Scotch Argus. And the majority of species (81%) showed declines in the number seen this year compared with 2023. In total, just over 935,000 butterflies and day-flying moths were recorded across the UK from 12 July - 4 August, down almost 600,000, equivalent to more than a third of 2023's total, and 9,000 Counts were logged as seeing zero butterflies, the highest in the citizen science programme’s history. These figures have alarmed scientists and resulted in the charity declaring a nationwide ‘Butterfly Emergency’. Dr Richard Fox, Head of Science at Butterfly Conservation, said: “The previous lowest average number of butterflies per Count was nine in 2022, this latest figure is 22% lower than that, which is very disturbing. Not just that, but a third of the species recorded in the Big Butterfly Count have had their worst year on record, and no species had their best. The results are in line with wider evidence that the summer of 2024 has been very poor for butterflies. “Butterflies are a key indicator species; when they are in trouble we know that the wider environment is in trouble too. Nature is sounding the alarm call. We must act now if we are to turn the tide on these rapid declines and protect species for future generations. Butterfly Conservation is writing an open letter to Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs calling for the Government to act now for nature by declaring a ‘Nature Emergency’ and banning butterfly-killing neonicotinoid pesticides once and for all, with no exceptions, before it’s too late. Dr Fox explains: “When used on farmland, these chemicals make their way into the wild plants growing at field edges, resulting in adult butterflies and moths drinking contaminated nectar and caterpillars feeding on contaminated plants. Many European countries have already banned these chemicals, it’s time for the UK to follow suit and put the natural world first. If we don’t act now to finally address the long-term drivers of butterfly decline, we will face extinction events never before seen in our lifetime.” More than 85,000 citizen scientists took part in Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count this year, submitting 143,241 Counts. This is equivalent to 35,810 hours, or four years worth of time spent counting, in gardens, parks, school grounds and the countryside. Dr Richard Fox concluded: “If every single person who helped with the Count this summer signs our letter to the Government, we could prevent the very real and pressing threat of species becoming extinct in our lifetime.” [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Enfield & Trent Park. 2 Comma [1 at 'Old Golf Course' Trent Park & 1 at a private site near Trent Park], 3 Green-veined White including a pair mating at a private site near Trent Park, 4 Meadow Brown at a private site near Trent Park, 3 Small Heath at a private site near Trent Park & 4 Small White at private sites near Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Brown Hairstreak egg. Brown Hairstreak egg at Stanmore Country Park. [Posted by Rohan Harris]
Green-veined White at Trent Park. Female Green-veined White along Leeging Beech Gutter near 'Three Bridges' Trent Park this morning. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
More Small Coppers. Today I visited Gustardwood Common north of Wheathampstead. This has always been a secondary site, but subject to significant habitat improvements in recent years. Heather and acid grassland was plentiful, but only 2 Small Coppers recorded plus 1 Silver Y, 4 Small Heath and 2 Commas. Slightly disappointed, I stopped at Nomansland Common on the way home and recorded 55 Small Coppers - more than double last weeks total. This species really does seem to be having a strong finish to the season this year. Half were nectaring and the other half engaged in courtship activities. No sign yet of egg laying [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Green-veined White & Small Heath at Enfield. Female Green-veined White flew into a spider's web & was caught by a spider & 1 Small Heath at a private site near Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
More Small Coppers. At lunchtime I visited Patmore Heath near Albury, a HMWT reserve. Small Copper was the dominant species with 31 recorded. Most were nectaring, Devils-bit Scabious being the most popular flower at this site, with others on Ragwort and garden flowers from the surrounding houses. Only one courtship today, but plenty of aggression between competing males. Also on the wing Small Heath, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Speckled Wood, Comma, Red Admiral, Large, Small and Green-veined Whites [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Merry Hill Bushey. Another visit to Merry Hill Saturday saw a drop in numbers of butterflies, not entirely surprising with the temperatures dropping to near freezing during the week. Whites were the most common sighting with a mixture of Large and Small about 20 seen. Meadow Brown sightings down to 2, Small Heath 1, Red Admiral 1, Comma 3 and first spotted by Rick Small Copper 1. We had two glimpses of butterflies unidentified but no further sightings of a Brown Hairstreak. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Return to Croxley Common Moor. After a disappointing year, pleased to have a much better day! 62 Small Coppers, my best total for this species for several years. Most nectaring on Ragwort and just one on Watermint and 7 courting couples. 11 Small Heath, 17 Small White plus Red Admiral, Comma, Meadow Brown and Speckled Wood [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Comma at Trent Park. 1 Comma along Leeging Beech Gutter near 'Three Bridges' Trent Park & 2 female Meadow Brown at a private site near Trent Park this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Brown Hairstreak egg. Brown Hairstreak egg at Fryent Country Park. [Posted by Rohan Harris]
Therfield Heath. Bob and I visited Therfield Heath this afternoon mainly searching for our target species, Adonis Blue. In the end, we counted at least 10 males plus at least one female, all in the area between Two Hills and the cafe, eastern side of the path (TL346401). Also seen were 2+ female Chalk Hill Blue, 2 Common Blue, 20+ Meadow Brown, 1 Brown Argus, 1 Gatekeeper, 5+ Small White [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Trent Park. 2 Comma [1 edge of Moat Wd & 1 'Old Golf Course'], male Green-veined White at 'Old Golf Course', female Meadow Brown nectaring on Bramble blossom, edge of Moat Wd, 2 Painted Lady [1 nectaring on Bramble blossom, edge of Moat Wd & 1 nectaring on Ragwort, by lower lake], 2 Red Admiral edge of Moat Wd, female Small White edge of Moat Wd & 1 Speckled Wood at Water Grdn/Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Hummingbird Hawk-moth. Just seen my first Hummingbird Hawk-moth of the year in my garden in South Harrow. Also, 1 Painted Lady, 3 Red Admiral, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Green-veined White, 1 Large White and 1 Small White. [Posted by Michael Robinson]
Butterflies in northwest Hertfordshire. Liz Goodyear and I visited a woodland in northwest Hertfordshire where there were over 20 Commas feeding on softening blackberries. Also present were Speckled Woods, Large, Small and Green-veined Whites, Meadow Brown, Common Blue and Small Heath. [Posted by Andrew Wood]
Red Admiral at Enfield. 1 Red Admiral at a private site near Trent Park & 6 nectaring on ivy blossom along Flash Lane, EN2 this morning. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Clouded Yellow. Male Clouded Yellow seen on my local patch close to Heathrow T5 and the River Colne. [Posted by DAVID MILLER]
Trip to Nomansland. 23 Small Coppers at Nomansland this afternoon. Most were nectaring on heather, with one couple mating. Numbers likely to build on this site over the next few weeks. Join me for a butterfly walk an end of season extravaganza on Sun 29th Sept, details on Events page. Also at this site today 4 Small Heath, 1 Burnished Brass, 28 Meadow Brown, 3 Comma and 2 Red Admiral [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Trent Park. 5 Red Admiral [1 at a private site near Trent Park & 4 together along 'vista' between Rough Lot & Moat Wd/Trent Park], 1 Meadow Brown settled near Ride Wd/Trent Park - quite late, 1 Comma basking on ivy, edge of Water Grdn/Trent Park - caught & carried off by a European Hornet, male Green-veined White, edge of Icehouse Wd/Trent Park, 2 Speckled Wood [1 edge of Williams Wd & 1 edge of Shaws Wd/Trent Park]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Double-striped Pug at Southgate. 1 Double-striped Pug at bus-stop shelter at Chase Road/Charter Way, N14 this morning. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]