As we start Week 13 of the transect season we are at the half way point this year of this important work in monitoring our local lepidoptera and it looks like the East Midlands Region will be covering about 200 sites for the first time ever which involves over 500 volunteers, so as you set off carrying out your own survey, rest assured that you are not alone in completing this very rewarding work. So far this year it has been very frustrating with numbers yet to really increase until about week 12 but at least both the Dingy Skipper and the Holly Blue both had a decent Spring in the Region. What has been noticeable is the spasmodic first appearance of some species with the Meadow Brown being a typical recent example and just the odd Ringlet appearing in the Peak District so far as north as Glossop this week. No confirmation of the arrival of the Gatekeeper yet nor the expected Silver Washed Fritillary but the Dark Green Fritillary is now relatively common at its usual sites in the Peak District with a massive 56 individuals seen on the 23rd of June 2022 on the hillside in Cressbrookdale (Andrew Woodhouse).
Many observers have commented on the new golden summer brood of the Comma butterfly – the so called hutchinsoni version named after Emma Hutchinson a famous Victorian lepidopterist. Several factors affect the development of the spring caterpillars including temperature and day length so when they are exposed to long periods of sunlight the emergent butterflies in late June are likely to be of the golden summer brood which will mate to produce the dark form in August or September. After the 21st of June each year, any other emergent butterflies are likely to be of the dark form rather than the golden form as the daylight starts to diminish. See the attached photos of the undersides to see the differences. Recent sightings of the hutchinsoni form have come from 9 sites across the County including Carr Vale (Mark Beevers), Markham North Pit (Colin Morris), Barrow Hill, Staveley (Sid Morris), Godkin site in Heanor (Lucy Benniston), Linton (Chris Leverington) , Sand Hills, Midway (Tom Cockburn), Drakelow NR (Michael Williams), Ticknall Village (Alison Thornhill) with 4 seen at Manor Farm, Long Eaton on the 21st June 2022 (Marion Bryce).
Other species that have caught the eye this week include the Marbled White which is making a determined effort to colonise the County naturally with recent sightings from Drakelow NR (Michael Williams), Godkin site in Heanor (Lucy Benniston), the Derbyshire side of Toton Sidings (Roger Martin) and in the gardens of Hardwick Hall (Ian Hunt). Without doubt the highlight for many recorders this last week was the appearance of the migrant Humming Bird Hawk Moth on their patch with cat mint, honeysuckle, blue salvia and of course red valerian being the main attraction for this distinct moth. Records have come from across the County including Glossop (Jean Ashcroft and Dave Mallon), Bakewell (Angela Bird), Alsop Moor (Viv Evans & Michael Glendenning), Ryder Point, Hopton (Ray Badger Walker), Middleton by Wirksworth (Dave & Sue Evans), Dene Quarry, Cromford Hill (Jonathan Page), Hall Wood, Carsington ( Ian Scrimshaw), Mapleton (Wendy Astill), Etwall (Martin Hubbard), Ticknall (Alison Thoirnhill), Repton (David & Margaret Gibbons) and at Drakelow NR (Michael Williams). A similar number of Painted Lady butterflies have also been seen recently at 16 sites across the County so there is quite a lot of migrant activity in our County which is furthest from the coast in any direction (Ordnance Survey)
Let’s hope that the next 13 weeks of transect surveys are more productive than the first 13 weeks of this year but at least the number of species seen to date in 2022 at Hoe Grange Quarry has risen to 22 with hopefully more to be seen on the Open Day there on the 3rd of July 2022, when the floral display will be approaching its best for the visitors to enjoy – Pat and I hope to see you there.
