What a difference a week makes with the weather here in the UK – 39c on the 19th of July 2022 and a mere 20c on the 26th of July 2022. No wonder our local butterflies are wondering as to what is going on and this is reflected in the numbers seen on transects this last week (Week 17 of the transect season). There were still some interesting sightings though – the Holly Blue was seen acting strangely at a couple of sites – one inspecting some blue polythene on the ground in Ripley (Richard Lowe) together with another seen in our Allestree garden (Pat & Ken Orpe) which was a female inspecting wisteria flowers on the archway. I did check to see if she was ovipositing but I didn’t see her lay any eggs – she seemed to be looking for moisture trapped in the flower heads. (see the attached photos). The species is still being seen in good numbers at a few sites within the County including 7 noted at Toton Washlands on the 24th of July 2022 (Gill Martin & Mike Barrett). Slightly better numbers of Small Coppers about with 40 noted at 35 sites across Derbyshire including 8 seen at Clover Close Meadows, Elvaston (Robin Bryce) on the 28th of July 2022 . The second brood of the Common Blue is appearing in Lowland Derbyshire now with a massive 76 seen in Salter Wood, Denby on the 27th of July 2022 (Jane Rogers) and 66 noted along the Blackwell Trail on the 29th of July 2022 (Nikki Mahadevan). Not so good news regarding the Migrating Brown Argus with just 3 sightings, at Aston Brickyards on the 27th of July 2022 (Ken Orpe), also at Staunton Harold Reservoir Meadows (Lesley & Phil Gretton) and at Pleasley Pit (Willy Lane). – see the attached photo which shows a full set of orange lunules, unlike the Peak Version and those of the Northern Brown Argus which do not have a full set of lunules (see the attached photo of a Northern Brown Argus taken by Derek Martin).
The summer hairstreaks are still breaking new ground with records of the Purple Hairstreak coming from new sites at Northwood
(Chris & Sheila Ragg), Erewash Meadows, Ironville (Maggie Campbell), Hope Woodlands (Janet & John Rochester) as well as near the River Derwent in Curbar (Andrew Woodhouse) as well as established colonies in Kedleston Park (Nick Brown) and in Allestree Park (John Pollock). There was a nice surprise for Phil & Brenda Shore when they saw a White Letter Hairstreak in their Little Eaton garden recently – other recent sightings have come from Bonsall (Sue Quick) in the Northwood garden of Chris & Sheila Ragg, also in Hopton Quarry (Tony Pioli & Jonathan Page), Tansley Dale (Gordon Rooke), Grin Low, Buxton (Liz Speed), Lathkill Dale (Peter Faulkner),Litton (Richard Archer),Coombs Dale (Andrew Woodhouse) and near Cromford Railway Station (Jan Hall).
The big news is the increase in range yet again of the Silver Washed Fritillary in the County with individuals seen in Eyam (John Hall), Hope Woodlands (Janet & John Rochester), Thornhill Carrs (Angela Brooks), Langley Common (Nick Brown & Kath Patrick) as well as Holloway (Alison Pritchard), the Godfreyhole garden of Jean Hurdle, Tansley Dale (Gordon Rooke), Lathkill Dale (Peter Faulkner), Coombs Dale (Andrew Woodhouse), Rose End Meadows (Jan Hall & Andy Wilkes), on the Tissington Trail at Alsop Moor (Viv Evans & Michael Glendenning), and in Hopton Quarry (Tony Pioli & Jonathan Page) where a Valezina form was also seen.
Also the natural progression of the Marbled White continues with an individual seen by Tony Bates at Foremarke Reservoir on the 27th of July 2022.
With buddleias coming into bloom, there are some good takers of the nectar on offer in gardens especially from the nymphalidae family but some ‘brownfield’ sites have an excellent number of shrubs available as well and the restored part of Ryder Point Quarry was no exception on the 27th of July 2022 when Ray Badger Walker and Jean Hurdle noted 43 Small Tortoiseshells, 26 Red Admirals, 17 Peacocks and 7 Commas and 7 Painted Lady butterflies on buddleias whilst doing the transect there. There have also been a further 26 sightings of new brood Painted Lady butterflies at 20 sites across the County this last week together with sightings of 7 migrant Humming Bird Hawk moths as well.
Some of our intrepid Derbyshire volunteers have visited some coastal areas recently and pleasingly they were rewarded with sightings of the Wall Brown butterfly – the coasts at Northumberland (Derek Martin),Pembrokeshire (Christine Gregory) and along the south coast at Charmouth (Claudia Rogers) have colonies of this Endangered Species on site whilst back home in land locked Derbyshire (further from the coast in any direction – O S) the Peak/Peak Fringe areas have produced some more second brood individuals this last week with sightings from Ashover Rock (Steve Plant), Longstone Edge (Stuart Davies), Lathkill Dale (Peter Faulkner), Clough Wood (Rod Dunn et al), Northwood (Chris & Sheila Ragg), Ryder Point Quarry (Badger Walker & Jean Hurdle), and interestingly at Ogton Hall (Caroline Wakefield), Ashbourne Airfield (Dave Evans), Hardwick Wood near Tupton (John & Sandra Kidd), alongside the River Derwent in Belper (Rod Smith) and just over the border in South Yorkshire at Greenhills, Sheffield (per Dennis Dell).
Finally, a Clouded Yellow was seen by Allan Bernau feeding on knapweed yesterday (31st July 2022) at Bamford – only the third sighting in the County this year of this rare migrant butterfly – keep those eyes peeled!
