Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Branch event. Whippendell Woods Butterfly Walk for White Admiral 2024. Branch Event. Not a great turnout with 3 attendees for this years annual butterfly walk to look for White Admiral. It was also a bit of an anti-climax after our observations on Saturday. Whilst having a bite to eat at the hub the weather looked promising apart from the wind the sun started to shine. However at 2pm the start of the walk it clouded up. We had a look at an oak tree just inside the golf course for Purple Hairstreak as we have seen them there before on our walks. None seen so we went to see if there was any movement of the Purple Emperors along the Lime Avenue that we saw Saturday. With the cloud and wind we didn't get a peep today so we moved on into Whippendell Woods to look for White Admiral. Although we tried all the usual spots we were disappointed with White Admiral sightings until the end of the walk. By this time unfortunately the two lovely Irish ladies that joined us had already departed. Janet the local RSPB lady stayed with us and we did see 2. Unfortunately we didn't see any Silver-washed Fritillary today either but they are out there in Whippendell Woods! We did get to see plenty of Ringlets and Meadow Brown which seen to be dominating in good numbers so far. We did also get to see Large Skipper, Red Admiral, Comma, 1 Large White and a couple of other whites. We can't win them all but good luck with all butterfly walks planned elsewhere in Herts and Middlesex over the rest of the season. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Purple Hairstreak in Sherrardspark Wood. We found this butterfly resting on a post this afternoon. [Posted by John Yates]
Purple Emperor Northaw. Spent the afternoon looking for them at Fir & Ponds woods. No joy. Came home and wife said there was a butterfly trapped in our bedroom. Window had only been open an inch….. [Posted by Sam fuller]
Popped down to Danemead HMWT. I went for a look around Danemead HMWT after the morning rain with hopes of a close up of a Silver Washed Fritillary or White Admiral. I didn't see any SWF or WA but halfway there I saw a Purple Emperor on some dried up poo at around 1.30pm during a sunny spell. He spooked before I could get a close up picture. Ten minutes later further down the track I saw another Purple Emperor on a fresh (and smelly) dog poo. Possibly the same butterfly but his temperament seemed to be very different, who can say for sure. I will try harder but these Purple Emperors are starting to becoming a real trip hazard for me :) [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Lime Avenue and Whippendell Woods. After a tip off from our friend Jarek of 2 sightings of Purple Emperor along the Lime Avenue on Wednesday Rick and myself went to investigate. We definitely saw 3, a fourth is debatable . We then ventured into Whippendell Woods to look for White Admiral 7 seen although 2 were only glimpsed. We only managed to see 1 Silver-washed Fritillary today but hopefully we will have more luck on the walk tomorrow. Other butterflies seen Ringlets and Meadow Browns both increasing in numbers both species somewhere between 50-100 seen overall. Large White 4, Red Admiral 4+, Comma 7+, Large Skipper 6+ Rick saw 1 Small Skipper and unidentified smaller whites 3. Hopefully we shall see some of those species tomorrow on the walk. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Hertford Heath. One male Purple Emperor at the territory in the Roundings, 4pm. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Warm afternoon at Broxbourne Wood. A nice warm afternoon at Broxbourne Wood, Ringlets were out in very good numbers same with Meadow Browns. A few Marbled Whites and a Purple Hairstreak with one deformed wing. [Edited by Peter Clarke] [Posted by James Somerville]
White Admiral. 4 at Broxbourne woods from Bencroft west car park. Mostly in flight but one on ground. [Posted by sam fuller]
Trent Park. 3 Red Admiral [1 along bridle-path near Shaws Wd, 1 at Water Garden & 1 along Leeging Beech Gutter near 'Three Bridges'/Trent Park], 1 Comma at Water Garden/Trent Park & 7 Marbled White near Shaws Wd/Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Comma & Large Skipper at Trent Park. 1 Comma & female Large Skipper at North Lawn by lower lake, Trent Park this morning before 0900 BST. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Cool and cloudy morning at Broxbourne wood.. Plenty of "small game" seen at Broxbourne Wood particularly around the central NNR pathway. In addition to countless Meadow Browns, Ringlets and Large Skippers, 20+ Marbled Whites, 6 Comma, 2 Red Admiral, 2 Small Heath, 3 Speckled Wood and 1 Purple Hairstreak. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Batford. 4 WHITE LETTER HAIRSTREAKS in around 6 small oaks amongst elms in SW corner of the weedy/ scrubby field by KW School. [Posted by Darin Stanley]
white admiral and silver washed. At Broxbourne Woods in West Car Park ride and meadow. 2 Silver Washed Fritillary and one White Admiral. Plenty of Ringlets and Large Skippers too. [Posted by steve kiln]
Whippendell Woods Watford. A further visit to Whippendell Woods this afternoon in hot weather did produce 2 confirmed sightings of Silver-Washed Fritillary. White Admiral were playing hard to get. I saw 2 chasing each other before having a lovely chat with a bloke with a dog. It didn't help with the White Admiral search though. In all 3 confirmed sightings with a possible 4th. Other butterflies seen Comma 5, L Skipper 5, Holly Blue 1, Ringlets 20+ Meadow Brown 20+ and one unidentified White at Rousebarn Lane. A probable sighting of a Brimstone Moth, I can't think of another similar sized moth in that colour. [Posted by Petr Fewell]
Trent Park Equestrian Centre & Trent Park. 1 White-letter Hairstreak settled in grass at Trent Park Equestrian Centre this afternoon at 1240 BST [FOY]. 1 Red Admiral at North Lawn/Trent Park & 2 Comma [1 near Ride Wd & 1 edge of Moat Wd/Trent Park]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
White Admiral at Balls Wood. One very fresh and mobile White Admiral at the usual area in Balls Wood. Seen on the wing at 10.30am and on the muddy path leading to the wooden walkway at around noon. [Posted by Annie Sutcliffe]
The more you look.... These last couple of days I had a few possible high speed tree sightings after walking along the forest between Monks Green and Danemead HMWT in the hot sun but it finally paid off. A hundred yards from home and I found this pristine male Purple Emperor searching the track for salty licks. Usually you get a couple of photos and they fly away but this guy was there for 30 mins and completely unfazed by me. Here are some (cropped) pictures from my trusty old camera phone once my hands stopped shaking! [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
A quick look at Merry Hill Bushey. A brief visit this afternoon in rather hot conditions to Merry Hill to see how the Marbled White was doing there was lovely. I didn't pack a pen in my rush from work so these numbers are approximate. Marbled White 20+ Meadow Brown 50+ Ringlet 50+, Small Heath 8+, Large White 1, Large Skipper 8-9. Several flying Burnet moths also caught my attention. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Purple Hairstreak at Trent Park. 1 Purple Hairstreak settled on the ground in Shaws Wd/Trent Park this afternoon [FOY]. 1 Large White along bridle-path near Merryhills Brook/Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Oakwood Park, Trent Park & Southgate. 1 Holly Blue, 32 Marbled White & 1 Cinnabar at Oakwood Park this morning. Female Common Blue & 1 Comma by lower lake, Trent Park this afternoon. 1 Common Emerald at ASDA Southgate this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Silver Washed Fritillary and Purple Hairstreak. One Silver-washed Fritillary (surprisingly tatty) on my Balls Wood Transect today, no White Admiral or Purple Emperor. Yesterday three Purple Hairstreaks at Mount Pleasant on Hertford Heath. [Posted by Andrew Wood]
SWF at Hertford Heath NR. Spent a few hours this morning at Balls Wood NR, no White Admirals seen. On the way home, I saw my FOY Silver Washed Fritillary zooming up and down the main ride at Hertford Heath NR (Hailibury college side). [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
White Admiral search Whippendell Woods. A visit to Whippendell Woods this Sunday to look for White Admiral worked out well with 4 seen. Hopefully their numbers will increase for next weeks butterfly walk. Other butterflies seen Red Admiral 1, Speckled Wood 2, Comma 2, Large Skipper 1, Meadow Brown 10+, Ringlet 20+ . Also unconfirmed a possible sighting of a Brimstone by Rick, we both clocked a glimpse of what looked like a Silver-washed Fritillary. No Whites seen on this occasion. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Bramfield Park wood. No sign of any White Admirals today , 3 Marbled White in the meadow next to the Bramfield village hall car park, no White Admiral at Balls wood either Wed/Thur or Friday. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Walkern Road Bennington. Two Dark Green Fritillaries along Walkern Road adjacent to High Wood Bennington. Circa 30 Marbled White, 8 Ringlet also present. [Posted by Phil Bishop]
White-letter Hairstreak at Six Hills Common. At least 5 White-letter Hairstreaks, including 2 pairs of males clashing, over the elm canopy at Six Hills Common Stevenage at 0950 hours [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Garden Carpet & White Ermine at Southgate. 1 Garden Carpet & 1 White Ermine near outside lights at ASDA Southgate this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
21.06.24 - Batford. 2 WHITE LETTER HAIRSTREAKS in small oak tree by large bramble bush SW in the Weedy/ scrubby field by KW school. Thanks. Darin. [Posted by Darin Stanley]
White Admiral on the wing in Whippendell Woods. On a fairly brief visit to Whippendell Woods 2 White Admiral seen one at “Camilla Oak” the other by the fork in the path by Strawberry Fields. 2 Comma also seen with a growing mixture of Meadow Brown and Ringlets. [Posted by Peter Fewell]
Small Blues still flying at Hillbrow (Letchworth). I found seven Small Blues whilst looking round the fields behind Hillbrow (Letchworth) today. Also seen: Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Brimstone, Small Heath, Common Blue and a Cinnabar Moth. [Posted by Martin Johnson]
Dark Green Fritillary on Therfield Heath. A Dark Green Fritillary (my FOTY) was on Church Hill this morning, together with hordes (conservative estimate - 80) of Marbled Whites. Also seen were Small Heath (lots), Meadow Brown (lots), a few Speckled Woods (in Fox Covert) and a single, faded Brown Argus - the last(?) of a very poor spring showing here. A Scarlet Tiger Moth was an interesting find: the first I've seen on the heath. [Posted by Martin Johnson]
Trent Park. 4 Marbled White [FOY], 2 Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet [FOY] & 3 Small Skipper at 'New Fields' Trent Park. 1 Ringlet near Ride Wd/Trent Park & 1 Straw Dot [FOY] at 'Old Golf Course' Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
BRANCH EVENT THERFIELD HEATH CANCELLED 21st June 2024. Unfortunately I will not be able to lead tomorrow's branch walk on Therfield Heath due to illness. There are two more walks planned for the Heath in July and August. You are of course welcome to do a self guided walk on the Heath at any time. Apologies Nick Keep [Posted by Nick Keep]
Marbled White at Therfield Heath. There were over 20 Marbled White on the wing at Church Hill this afternoon along with many Meadow Brown and Small Heath. [Posted by John Yates]
Whitewebbs Park. 1 Comma & 1 Red Admiral at Whitewebbs Park [TQ318977] late morning/early afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Species accounts updated. For records submitted in 2023 as described in the branch annual report [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Ickenham Marsh / Ruislip Gardens Stafford Open Space area.. A 1.5 hour / 3 mile stroll yielded:- 5 Marbled White, 9 Common Blue, 1 Holly Blue, 19 Small Heath (TQ 0904 8605 the best area), 6 Large Skipper, 1 Brimstone, 1 Speckled Wood. 5 Ringlet. 100+ Meadow Brown. 2 White Letter Hairstreak hovering along the elms in Austins Lane. [Posted by NICHOLAS FURTEK]
Trent Park. 1 Large Skipper edge of Williams Wd,1 Red Admiral nectaring on bramble blossom E edge of Icehouse Wd, 1 Small Heath 'Old Golf Course', 2 Small Skipper near Shaws Wd, Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Rivers Orchard Sawbridgeworth. Lunchtime visit, 6 Large Skipper, 2 Brimstone (m), 2 Common Blue (m) , 2 Holly Blue, 3 Marbled White (at last!), 30+ Meadow Brown, 25 Small Heath, 2 Ringlet. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
White Admiral. First sighting of a White Admiral in Bishops Wood Country Park near Rickmansworth. [Posted by Carole Holton]
Trent Park. 1 Holly Blue, 1 Large Skipper, 9 Small Heath & 1 Ringlet [FOY] at Trent Park this morning near Triangular Wd & Church Wd. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Six Spot Burnet. Some shots of Six Spot Burnet moth larvae getting ready to pupate and pupating in a field near Watton at Stone yesterday. [Posted by Andrew Wood]
Trip to Croxley Common Moor. 97 Small Heath, 10 Meadow Brown and 2 Brimstone. No luck in my search for leaf mines of the rare(possibly extinct) micro moth Aproaerema albipalpella or it’s host plant, Petty Whin [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Ringlet at Norton Green. First Ringlet of the year in field south of Norton Green Common - earliest since transect started in 2017 [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Rivers Orchard Sawbridgeworth. More sun than cloud today first time since the 2nd of the month, still no Marbled White, 9 Large Skipper, 4 Brimstone (2 male 2 female), 2 Holly Blue, 3 Speckled Wood, 36 Meadow Brown, 16 Small Heath. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Rivers Orchard Sawbridgeworth. The weather broke early afternoon and a quick walk down the fields from the house, very windy and only the "Browns" on the wing none of the hoped for Marbled White but my ffy 2 Ringlet along with 12 Meadow Brown. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Common Blue at Grovelands Park, Southgate. Male Common Blue at Grovelands Park late morning/early afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Large Skipper & Small Heath at Trent Park. Male Large Skipper edge of Icehouse Wd/Trent Park & 1 Small Heath near Shaws Wd/Trent Park. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Quiet day at Therfield Heath. Despite the cold dull weather at Therfield Heath today, there were 5 Adonis Blue keeping low to the grass, 5 Small Heath quite active and 4 Meadow Brown [Edited by Peter Clarke] [Posted by James Somerville]
2023 Annual Report. The branch 2023 Annual Report is now available online on the website [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Marbled Whites at Therfield. A quick visit to Church Hill to see the Bee Orchids also resulted in half a dozen each of Marbled Whites (ffy) and Meadow Browns, a couple of Small Heaths and a Common Blue (although no sign of any Adonis), despite the cool weather. [Posted by Annie Sutcliffe]
First Marbled White. One Marbled White disturbed in grassland near Stapleford this morning in cloudy cool conditions. [Posted by Andrew Wood]
Larval hostplants. How much do you know about larval foodplants? Which butterfly caterpillars feed on them? Find out more here [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Transect Walker need for 2025 at Aldbury Nowers. Aldbury Nowers near Tring in the west of Hertfordshire is one of the best sites for butterflies in our area and has a long running regular transect walk recording and monitoring them. Our current recorder can only cover the route until the end of the 2024 season and we would love to hear from you if you would be interested in helping there. It is a regular weekly commitment for up to a couple of hours from April to September and some parts of the site are a steep walk so you need to be reasonably fit and also able to identify what you see Please contact Andrew Wood (details on the contacts page) if you would like to learn more or to have a visit to the site to see what the recording entails. [Posted by Andrew Wood]
Ffy White Letter Hairstreaks. Minimum 5 at Cheshunt Park this morning around the Elms at the sheltered east end this morning before the cloud, also one nectaring on Hogweed. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Chimney Sweeper at Trent Park. I counted 10 Chimney Sweeper in the usual field at Trent Park [TQ287965] this afternoon [FOY]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Rivers Orchard Sawbridgeworth. Usual walk from the house lunchtime, 3 Large Skipper, 6 Brimstone (4 male 2 female), 4 Common Blue (3 male 1 female, the female was in a courtship chase with one of the males), 2 Holly Blue, 6 Meadow Brown and 22 Small Heath. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Butterflies near Royston. From a private site visited with permission near Royston a Small Blue (first for that 2Km square) and a Brown Argus [Posted by Andrew Wood]
Moth larvae in the Royston area. About 10 Brown-tail larvae on sallow on Therfield Heath, 8 Mullein larvae in central Royston and the larval case of Coleophora conspicuella at a private site near the town. [Posted by Andrew Wood]
Hillbrow, Letchwoth. I spotted a minimum of 4 Small Blues today, 2 Brimstone and a Small Heath [Posted by Phil Barron]
Local patch. A walk down the fields mid-afternoon to the Rivers orchard site Sawbridgeworth, 5 Large Skipper, 1 Brimstone (m), 2 Common Blue (m), 2 Holly Blue, 1 Peacock (faded but intact), 1 Meadow Brown (first of the year here), 14 Small Heath. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Adonis Blue at Therfield Heath. Visit to Therfield Heath with Bob Clift in cloudy, breezy weather but warm 17c did not deter some butterfly activity in the sheltered areas between 1100 and 1300 hours. We did not see our first butterfly until about 1130 - a Holly Blue. Towards the southern end where the path bears to the right (TL3492 3996) we saw our first Adonis Blue. In all, we counted 6 Adonis Blue, 3 Meadow Brown, 3 Small Heath, 2 Brown Argus, 1 Common Blue and several Yellow Shell moths. [Posted by Peter Clarke]
Road Along Therfield Heath closed East Bound. For people wanting to come to Therfield Heath the road along the bottom of the Heath is one way until at least the 19th June. This may still be in place for the branch walk on 21st June. Will try and update the day before on this page. You can go from Royston to the McDonalds roundabout but not the other way so to get to the Heath from the West you need to go round the bypass and through town. Both the Cafe and Therfield Road car parks are still open but you have to go west when returning to the Baldock Road from the Therfield Road car park. Adonis Blue and Brown Argus about when it is not raining. [Posted by Nick Keep]
Two Caterpillars at Heartwood. During Saturdays branch walk two caterpillars were located. ID has proved tricky, as can sometimes be the case with moth larvae. Having consulted with Andrew Wood, his view is that they are Scalloped Hooktip and Hebrew Character [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Green Hairstreaks at Horsenden Hill. 2 different Green Hairstreaks this morning at the same part of Horsenden Hill West about 50 minutes apart. [Posted by John Eborall]
Green Hairstreak at Oakwood Park. 1 Green Hairstreak photographed in NE corner of Oakwood Park [TQ30509530] this afternoon by Eugene Dillon-Hooper. The first record for the site, as far as we know. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Heartwood Forest. Tried for Small Blue today but just had 2 brief sightings, 1 in the carpark that flew around my feet for 2-3 seconds and an egg laying female along the entrance road that just melted away also 10 Brimstone their great summer goes on (4 male and 6 female). 2 Common Blue (males) 2 Holly Blue, 1 Red Admiral, my first 3 Meadow Brown of the year and 20+ Small Heath. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Small Blues at Heartwood. I returned to Heartwood in better weather to see if I could improve on the meagre Small Blue Counts from my last two visits. In total 10 were recorded, 5 in the Airfield, 3 in Valley Field and 1 at the Ham Wood entrance on Coleman Green Lane. All these were on Kidney Vetch. The tenth was in young woodland near to the Airfield where it was taking water/salts from mud on the path. The only other species today which I’ve not reported from this site recently were Small Yellow Underwing and Green-veined White [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Holly Blues and Bee Orchids at Waterford Heath. 11 Holly Blues feeding on Goat's Rue, and over 300 Bee Orchids on site. 50 by car park and over 200 in central square. the most I have ever seen here. Also first Meadow Browns of the year. [Edited by Peter Clarke] [Posted by Steve Kiln]
Branch Event: Small Blue at Heartwood Forest. Conditions were overcast for the Branch Butterfly Walk, but that did not deter 20 of us from setting off on Saturday morning. On the way to the Airfield, a Meadow Brown was spotted hunkered down in long grass and a roosting cinnabar moth. The Kidney Vetch at the Airfield was in good condition, but no Small Blues were identified (Andrew had seen seven there last week). Moving on to Valley Field we saw Burnet Companion, Small Heath and two Grass Rivulet moths. Finally in an area sheltered from the cold northerly breeze, Andrew found a roosting Small Blue, which posed obligingly for photos. Several children joined the walk and their enthusiasm lifted the mood on a grey day. [Posted by Malcolm HULL and Andrew Steele]
Common Blue & Small Heath at Grovelands Park, Southgate. 2 male Common Blue & 3 Small Heath near tennis court at Grovelands Park this afternoon [TQ307946]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]