Hertfordshire & Middlesex Branch
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Willow Beauty at Southgate. 1 Willow Beauty at bus-stop shelter at Chase Rd/Charter Way, N14 this afternoon - my first of the year [FOY]. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Peacock caterpillars doing well on my allotment. Folly Lane St Albans - the first batch of Peacock caterpillars are now close to full grown and have dispersed from the nest. This makes them easier to count, I got to 120, though may have missed a few. A second nest has appeared with all caterpillars still in the nest at second instant stage, presumably containing the same number again. Elsewhere on the allotment, caterpillars of Brown Tail, Brimstone and Orange-tip. Adults of Painted Lady (very tatty), Comma (very fresh), Cinnabar, Small White and Speckled Wood [Posted by Malcolm Hull]
Red Admirals on Parkland Walk. It brightened my day today on my Parkland Walk Transect to see 4 Red Admirals mainly engaged in territorial aerial combat. They were all in the same area near Northwood Road bridge. Other than that a nil result for Highgate Cemetery, and one Speckled Wood near the Highgate Bat tunnels. [Posted by Dee Cullen]
TfL Road verge monitoring. Plenty of various insects noted during two twenty minute surveys of A40 road verges in Hillingdon including 30+ Meadow Browns, 9 Large Skippers infusing a pair, couple of Marbled Whites, Yellow Shell moths and Small Heaths. [Posted by Paul Busby]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. After a few days away looking at the indigenous subspecies only found in NW Wales, I returned to my local patch near Heathrow today. It was cloudy and coolish, but bright enough for 12 species to be flying, including my first Marbled Whites and Small Skippers of the season. Totals today (some are approximations): Meadow Brown (75), Small Heath (20), Common Blue (20), Brown Argus (10), Painted Lady (8), Red Admiral (6), Marbled White (5), Comma (5), Small Skipper (3), Large Skipper (3), Holly Blue (2), Small White (2). [Posted by Dave Miller]
White Admirals. White Admirals feeding on bramble flowers and enjoying some sunshine in amongst the clouds this afternoon at Bricket Wood Common. Saw at least 3. Meadow Browns and Holly Blues seen too. [Posted by Carl Slater]
White-letter Hairstreak in Harpenden. A single White-letter Hairstreak nectaring on Ground Elder umbels - rather surprising as I know of no elms nearby [Posted by David Hunt]
Purple Hairstreak - Northaw Great Wood. Saw one butterfly all walk but it was a male Purple Hairstreak at a puddle on main double track away from visitor centre. Flew up and settled low in trees [Posted by Sam Fuller]
Sightings at Grovelands Park & Southgate. At Grovelands Park [1200 to 1420 BST] - 1 Holly Blue, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Speckled Wood & 1 Nemophora degeerella. 2 Treble Brown Spot at ASDA Southgate. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Damp transect at Alexandra Park. I set off in breezy sunshine with ominous clouds. Sure enough it rained. Despite showery conditions it felt mild. Luckily I managed to complete my walk and pleasingly clocked up three first of years: a Marbled White, several Meadow Browns and a Small Skipper. In addition I saw a Holly Blue, a Common Blue and a Painted Lady. I have 3 more transects to do this week, I hope I’m lucky again with the weather! [Posted by Dee Cullen]
Tracks around Danemead HMWT. The very welcome cool rainy weather these last few days has meant that butterflies were more or less grounded for a while, so when I went walking in the woods yesterday morning I decided to instead casually look for a White Admiral pupa. No easy endeavour for sure but after some effort checking many Honeysuckles, I got very lucky and actually found one, easy to access and at perfect eye level - a great treasure for sure. I took photos of the pupa and could see it was nearly ready to emerge. I checked in on it every few hours and after lunchtime today it decided that the time was right. I didn't want to use any bright flash photography and because my aging DSLR camera is currently out of action, I stood alone in the woods (rain, wind and shine) with my trusty camera phone whilst also holding up a shaving mirror - to generate some soft reflected sunlight. The entire spectacle lasted just under two hours, all the while Song Thrushes and Wrens performed the soundtrack. Finally after the box fresh White Admiral had built up enough warmth in the dappled sunlight they took their first flight, promptly landing on my shorts; pausing briefly then effortlessly disappearing off into the woods. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
Painted Lady at Trent Park. 1 Painted Lady settled, edge of Moat Wd/Trent Park this morning. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings at Oakwood. At Bramley Rd, N14 'bus-stop shelter' - 3 Riband Wave & 1 Treble Brown Spot. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings at Edmonton. 1 Meal Moth in subway/underpass near North Middx Hospital & 2 Small White & 1 Treble Brown Spot at Pymmes Park, Edmonton this afternoon. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Sightings at Forty Hall CP, North Enfield, Gordon Hill Station & Southgate. At Forty Hall CP, Enfield - female Large Skipper. At Archery Wood, Enfield - 1 Comma - my first of the 'summer brood'. At Guy Lodge Farm, Enfield - 1 Painted Lady & 1 Cinnabar. At private sites in North Enfield - 2 Brown Argus, male Large Skipper, 27+ Painted Lady, 8 Small Heath, 2 Orange Beauty [Commophila aeneana] - one 'faded' & one 'fresh', several Cinnabar & 1 Silver Y. At Whitewebbs Park - 2 Green-veined White. At Gordon Hill Station - 2 Riband Wave & 1 Treble Brown Spot. At ASDA Southgate - 1 Common Marbled Carpet & 1 Riband Wave. [Posted by Robert Mark Callf]
Rivers Orchard and fields Sawbridgeworth TL473145. Mid-Afternoon, cloudy but just about enough brightness to cast a shadow, 1 Small Copper, 3 Common Blue (inc a "Blue form" female), 2 Holly Blue, 4 Painted Lady, 2 Speckled Wood, 1 Marbled White (ffy), 1 Meadow Brown (ffy), 8 Small Heath. [Posted by Laurence Drummond]
Sightings from Stanwell Moor. Much more comfortably cool today near Heathrow, but good amounts of hazy sunshine and plenty of butterflies. The highlight of the day was that the new brood of Commas (f. hutchinsoni) had chosen today to appear. Meadow Browns outnumbered Painted Ladies now as numbers of the latter appear to be gradually declining as they move north. A few new Red Admirals appeared to be mixed in with them, frequenting the same bramble bushes. One other point of interest was a Brown Argus with anomalous spotting on the underside. Today's count included 12 species: Meadow Brown (61), Painted Lady (36), Small Heath (29), Common Blue (13), Holly Blue (11), Brown Argus (10), Red Admiral (8), Comma (5), Large Skipper (4), Small White (4), Speckled Wood (3), Large White (1). [Posted by Dave Miller]
Tracks around Danemead HMWT. Many early dates are now recorded for many BC branches after this very warm dry Spring and after seeing the post from yesterday I thought I would check my local patch for an early White Admiral. I had two brief encounters, the same individual I think. Challenging with just a camera phone but great fun trying to predict which Bramble blossom will go to and waiting for them. [Posted by Nathan Ellis]
