Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Branch Butterfly Walk to Ickenham. Nick Furtek led our annual search for Brown Hairstreak around the fields at Ickenham. I arrived early and searched the ash trees along the hedgerow from 8:30. In 2 hours I had 12 confirmed Brown Hairstreak, including 3 low down along the hedge. 4 Purple Hairstreaks were also identified. Joining the walk, Nick led us through the maze of paths and clearings in the Blackthorn, searching for photo opportunities of Brown Hairstreaks on flowers. Unfortunately most of the thistle patches which proved so productive last year had disappeared. The sun went in making our task more difficult. By the time I left at 1pm there were no further confirmed Brown Hairstreak, just a few brief glimpses of possibles. We did see 17 other species, including Small Coppers, Small Heaths, Common Blues, Brown Argus, a Large Skipper and Purple Hairstreaks. Moths included Straw Dot, Vapourer, Yellow Shell, Shaded Broad-bar and Cinnabar caterpillars. Many thanks to Nick for his expert commentary and guidance around the site. [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Holly Blue, Purple Hairstreak, Small Copper & Jersey Tiger at Trent Park. 2 Holly Blue [1 by lower lake & another E edge of Icehouse Wd/Trent Park], 1 Small Copper nectaring on ragwort at 'Old Golf Course' Trent Park, 1 Purple Hairstreak settled on bramble near Water Grdn/Trent Park & 2 Jersey Tiger [1 near Moat Wd & 1 near Shaws Wd/Trent Park]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Common Blue, Red Admiral & Jersey Tiger at Trent Park. Male Common Blue at 'Old Golf Course' Trent Park, 1 Red Admiral at North Lawn near Icehouse Wd/Trent Park & 2 Jersey Tiger [1 at Moat Wd & 1 near Dew Pond/Trent Park]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Painted Lady at Enfield. 1 Painted Lady at a private site near Trent Park at Enfield. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Millhoppers Chalk Bank. Whereas the new pond at Millhoppers has been a great success attracting a range of species including many Damsel and Dragonflies and Small China Mark moths, the chalk bank has slightly under performed. This year it was decided to cover the bank with a fresh deeper layer of pure chalk obtained from Pitstone Quarry. During the August work party our wardens and volunteers undertook the daunting task of transferring two and half tonnes of chalk from the roadside delivery point up through the reserve to the chalk bank location. Five volunteers put in an amazing shift with their wheelbarrows and the new improved chalk bank is now complete. The Bird's-foot Trefoil plants planted on the original chalk are flowering extremely well, so they have been kept, and we have now added some Common Rock Rose plug plants and seeded the rest of the bank with Kidney Vetch and Horseshoe Vetch. We are hoping for some Small Blue butterflies in 2025. [Posted by Chris Hilling]
Ickenham.. London Wildlife Trust event to Ickenham Marsh Reserve and beyond. I jumped at the chance to accept LWT Pete Salter's request to plan a route, where 17 of us, mostly complete butterfly novices, set of from Austins Lane, Ickenhan for a 3 mile 'butterfly walk' to spot as many species as possible. The route initially took us through the only uncut meadow in the area then through the reserve along the Yeading Brook to Stafford Road Open Space then returning across the cut meadows providing a variety of habitats for all the target species. The groups enthusiasm was way beyond my expectation as we encountered new species with many photographs being taken which slowed the pace extending the walk by quite a margin, although the Brown Hairstreak also proved a little elusive not helped by the occasional disappearing sun. The final tally? 17 including the 1x Jersey Tiger Moth or 19 with the 1x Small Skipper and 1x Small White seen only by myself and fellow H&M members Pete F and Rick V on our after hours extended walk. My numbers. 4x Purple Hairstreak, 3x Brown Argus, 5x Common Blue, 4x Small Heath, 3x Small Copper, 1x Ringlet, 3x Large White, 5x Speckled Wood, 4x Green Veined White, 2x Comma, 1x Red Admiral, 1x Holly Blue 50+ Gatekeeper, 50+ Meadow Brown and last but not least 1x Brown Hairstreak (a fresh female). Well done Pete F for spotting this and his photo (much better than mine!). We did not scan the ash tree tops for BHs (not good for the photos) but did encounter a few further possible lower level sightings. Thank you to all the attendees for making this a pleasant event. [Posted by Nick Furtek]
Speckled Wood at Town Park, Enfield & Holly Blue at Edmonton. 1 Speckled Wood at Town Park, Enfield & female Holly Blue at Stark's Field Primary School, Lower Edmonton this afternoon [my first of the summer brood]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Stafford Road Open Space. I released what I thought at first glance to be a Gatekeeper from the clutches of a spiders web on a head of Ragwort soon to discover it was a female Brown Hairstreak. Regaining its composure on the tip of my finger if flew and settled on a nearby bush, spread her wings as if to say thank you before flying off ! 3 Small Coppers, 3 Common Blues, 3 Speckled Woods, 1 Magpie, I Small Heath, 4 Brown Hairstreaks. [Posted by Jed Corbett]
Chalkhill Blue abberation. Seen on 2 Aug at Therfield Heath. I believe this is the female form with partially blue hindwings called semi-syngrapha [Posted by Andrew Wood]
Sawbridgeworth. Walk from the house down to the Rivers Orchard site, 4 "Small Skipper" two identified ,1 Small and 1 Essex, 9 Common Blue (8 male 1 female), 4 Peacock, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown in the 50+ region and first of the new brood Small Heath (1). [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Common Blue at Trent Park. Male Common Blue settled at North Lawn/Trent Park this morning at about 0845 BST. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Toadflax Brocade larvae. Toadflax Brocade larvae....On Purple Toadflax but none on the extensive area of Yellow Toadflax? Shire Golf Course Barnet ....+ 10 x Peacock...2 Red Admiral ..2 Comma...Many Gatekeepers. An area in centre of Course is planted out with most popular nectar and food plants for pollinators ..kj [Posted by Kitt Jones]
Purple Hairstreak. One of several Purple Hairstreaks seen during branch walk at Claybury park [Posted by Paula Moore]
Jersey Tiger at Trent Park & Brimstone Moth at Southgate. 1 Jersey Tiger edge of Moat Wd/Trent Park & 1 Brimstone Moth at ASDA Southgate this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
White Admiral in Knebworth Woods. White Admiral on edge of Newton Wood during transect (first ever) about 20 yards from spot of previous sighting in 2021. Also a Small Copper, only my second of the year anywhere, in Knebworth Park. Ringlets and Marbled Whites are just about hanging on. [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Brown Hairstreak in LB Barnet. Brown Hairstreak in Ash at Darlands Nature Reserve in Totteridge. It flew along the edge of the canopy about 50 feet off the ground and perched obligingly allowing good views through binoculars. Also 5 Purple Hairstreaks, mostly low down. Other butterflies few in number with just 8 other species seen. Moths included Mother of Pearl, Shaded Broad Bar and Silver-Y [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Croxley Moor. An escape to Croxley Moor after work provided the perfect fix to a lack of Small Copper this season. We hadn't long got through the gate before our first sighting of the year! 21 + seen which we were glad to see. 7 Common Blue including 1 female, 4 Small Skipper, 2 Peacock, 1 Speckled Wood, 12+ Small Heath, Gatekeeper in good numbers well over 30 seen, Meadow Brown also in similar numbers. 5+ Large White with other Whites seen. Rick may have spotted a Brimstone but alas that one got away. No Brown Hairstreak seen yet but has potential when the females get going. Unfortunately due to continued problems with the website I am unable to post photographs. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Grovelands Park & Southgate. 1 Red Admiral at Dalrymple Close, N14 & 1 Comma & 5 Speckled Wood at Grovelands Park, Southgate this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Trip to Croxley Common Moor. No luck today searching for Brown Hairstreak at this site where eggs were found last winter. But the habitat quality is quite good and I’d expect BH to become established there. 15 butterfly species and 3 moths, the stand outs for me being Small Copper(21), Small Heath (14), Common Blue (9), Purple Hairstreak (5) and my first Holly Blue of the summer (1) [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Gordon Hill Station, Enfield. 4 Least Carpet, 4 Riband Wave & 1 Mother of Pearl at Gordon Hill Station near lights this morning. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]