Thank goodness for a warm and sunny Saturday the 30th of April 2022 as May has started with April showers that were missing last month! Many volunteers managed to get out and about on the last day of April and get their Week 5 of the transect season done as there have been very few productive days in May since then. The maximum counts for Week 5 were achieved at Pleasley Pit on the 30th of April 2022 when Willy Lane noted 109 butterflies in 8 species including 21 Brimstones, 20 Peacocks, 10 Speckled Woods, 3 Dingy Skippers and a pristine Common Blue (first sighting of the species this year in Derbyshire). This was then followed by 80 butterflies noted in Lathkill Dale NNR on the 30th of April 2022 (Aline & John Roberts) in 9 species including 14 no Brimstones, 24 Green Veined Whites, 44 Orange Tips 10 Peacocks and 3 Dingy Skippers. The third highest count came from Manor Farm, Long Eaton where 68 butterflies were noted on the 30th of April 2022 by Mick & Brenda Meakin including 25 Orange Tips, 23 Holly Blues and 19 Speckled Woods, with Tansley Dale a close fourth on 66 butterflies seen on the 5th of May 2022 in 9 species by Gordon & Alison Rooke including 5 Dingy Skippers, 11 Green Hairstreaks and 2 Small Coppers. On the other hand volunteers walked transects at 10 other sites which failed to record a single butterfly and for late April/early May, it is very disappointing indeed.
Pleasingly the Dingy Skipper has now appeared at 12 other sites in the County this last week including 13 no noted at Longstone Edge on the 30th of April 2022 (Frank Gallagher), 10 seen at Markham Pit Seymour site on the 5th of May 2022 (Colin Morris), 9 seen on the 30th of April 2022 at the Forge site in Ironville (Mark Longdon and Sally Fisher), 7 seen in Chee Dale on the 5th of May 2022 (Ian & Joy White) and 6 seen at Shipley View Lagoons on the 29th of April 2022 (Jim Steele). It is also great to note that the small colony of Dingy Skippers around the industrial site of BASF in Alfreton appears to be surviving as 3 were see there on the 5th of May 2022 (Diane Rodger & Jason Richardson). The Green Hairstreak has also been noted at 12 sites in Derbyshire this last week including 22 on Whaley Moor (Angie Seymour), 10 in Milldale (Derek Brownlee) together with a colony noted high up on the moors near the Cat & Fiddle pub on the border with Cheshire (Derek Whiteley), plus a singleton in Chee Dale on the 5th of May 2022 (Ian & Joy White).
Undoubtedly the highlight of Spring 2022 so far has been the number of sightings of the Holly Blue butterfly in the County with this busy fast moving butterfly being noted in gardens and along hedgerows in the countryside from another 50 locations including 25 individuals seen in Toton Washlands on the 30th of April 2022 (Mick & Brenda Meakin), 21 noted along the Erewash Canal between Long Eaton and Sandiacre on the same day (Melanie Penson), and 14 seen in Willington Village again on the 30th of April 2022 (Chris Burnett)
Other recent sightings of note include 2 Common Blues seen on the 30th of April 2022 at Brook Park Shirebrook (Tom Adams) and only 3 additional records of the Small Copper which came from Staunton Harold Reservoir (John Scholey), Monsal Dale (Ian & Joy White) and 4 seen around the perimeter of Dene Quarry, Cromford (Gary Atkins). Further sightings of the iconic Wall Brown butterfly have been delayed due to the recent poor weather but a singleton was noted in Horseshoe Quarry, Eyam on the 30th of April 2022 by Joanna & Peter Mackey – it is worth noting that the first appearance of this butterfly at the hot spot of Hoe Grange Quarry NR last year did not take place until the 7th of May 2021 so hopefully the butterfly will be seen there again very soon.
