Another week of mixed fortunes with the weather has finally prompted the arrival of the ‘June Gap’ whereby most of the Spring species have now declined dramatically and the new Summer species have yet to get established – this is certainly true of the butterfly numbers in Week 9 of the transect season (have we really got to the third point of the season already?) whereby many sites remained in single figures (similar to Weeks 1 & 2 in April 2022). The exceptions being about 40 sites out of 130 sites (ie only 30%) having numbers seen in double figures with the highest count coming from Tansley Dale on the 2nd of June 2022 (133 no in 15 species – Gordon & Alison Rooke), Pleasley Pit NR on the 2nd of June 2022 (102 no in 11 species – Willy Lane) followed by Markham Vale South on the same day (93 no in 9 species – Sid Morris)
The butterfly species that has topped the charts numerically in recent years on transects is the Meadow Brown and strangely this species is having a peculiar emergence in 2022 – just 15 individuals seen from 8 sites including Cunningdale in the Peak District (Rachel & Dave Purchase), Waterswallows, Buxton (Simon Fussell), Grangemill (Jim Alder), Ogston Hall (Caroline Wakefield), Blackwell Trail (John Parlby), Doe Lea (Willy Lane), Godkin, Heanor (Lucy Benniston) and at Stanton Lagoons, Ilkeston (Melanie Penson). Meanwhile, the early summer skipper species, the Large Skipper, has had a slightly more encouraging start to its 2022 flight period with some 45 individuals noted at 20 sites recently, in mainly ones and twos, but 10 were seen at Forbes Hole, Long Eaton on the 1st of June 2022 (Charlotte Hyman) and 8 were seen on the 2nd of June 2022 at Godkin, Heanor (Lucy Benniston)
Other recent sightings of note include :-
Dingy Skipper :- this spring species has done well in May 2022 and it continues to be seen in early June 2022 including 25 seen in Deep Dale, Sheldon on the 3rd of June 2022 (Simon Roddis).
Green Hairstreak :- The flight period of this Spring species is virtually over but 21 in Tansley Dale on the 2nd of June 2022 (Gordon & Alison Rooke) is the exception to the rule.
Common Blue :- still slow on the increase at many sites but 84 were seen at Markham Pit on the 2nd of June 2022 (Sid Morris)
Holly Blue :- One of the success stories of 2022 to date and recent sightings include 5 individuals noted at Pleasley Pit NR on the 2nd of June 2022 (Willy Lane)
Small Copper :- Still scarce but this species usually does better later in the season, so 5 seen at both Doe Lea (Willy Lane) and in Tansley Dale (Gordon & Alison Rooke) were exceptions to the rule.
Wall Brown :- As the weather deteriorates so the flight period of this iconic species draws to a close in the first brood but sightings of 30 individuals carried on till the 2nd of June 2022 so it will be interesting to see if there any more first brood individuals seen later in this month. Highest recent counts of 6 have come from Grin Low, Buxton (Ian & Joy White) and near Grangemill (Jim Alder)
Speckled Wood :- Another species that does better later in the season but 12 were seen in Ogston Village on the 3rd of June 2022
(Peter Kidd).
Small Heath :- Numbers on the increase at most sites with the recent highest count coming from Intake Quarry, High Peak Trail on the 2nd of June 2022 when Dave & Sue Evans saw 54 individuals.
The migrant Painted Lady butterfly is still gracing our County with another 18 individuals noted up to and including the 3rd of June 2022 with the highest count of 3 coming from Alport Heights above the Ecclesbourne Valley on the 1st of June 2022 (Peter Kidd). Just one additional sighting of the migrant Humming Bird Hawk moth recently at Mickleover Railway (Steve Plant) but the highlight of the moth scene was the sighting of an Argent & Sable moth on the 2nd of June 2022 at Alderwasley ( David Kershaw Wright) – this is a rare day flying moth that was thought to be extinct in the County and can easily be confused with another day flying moth, the Clouded Border which is relatively common (see the attached photos for comparison) Other day flying moths that can now be seen in Derbyshire include Mother Shipton, Speckled Yellow and the Wood Tiger, these last 2 species being limited to the Peak District in the County. where the Burnet Companion has now turned up in Hoe Grange Quarry (Alan Walker).
