Just as we thought that the flight period of the third brood Wall Brown was over in Derbyshire, a fresh male was seen yesterday (10th) in the Methodists Churchyard in Belper by Adrian & Rebecca Rochford, who are also currently preparing a wildflower meadow in the church grounds there. The species is still flying on the coast in Essex where a fresh male was seen on the 9th of October 2022 at Walton on the Naze (per David Chandler of B C Essex – see the attached photo) and Paul Townsend saw an individual at a NR near Scunthorpe, N E Lincs on the 10th of October 2022.
So the message to all you keen Derbyshire recorders is, why not get out there in the autumn sunshine and check out some of the well-known sites for this Endangered butterfly species – the High Peak Trail, quarry NR along the Trail including Hoe Grange Quarry and also the hot spot of Longstone Edge spring to mind – you might be pleasantly surprised in what you might see!
Meanwhile, further south in the County, Marion Bryce saw a mint female Holly Blue at Trent Lock, near Long Eaton on the 8th of October 2022 – evidence of a partial third brood of this species (see attached photo) and David & Margaret Gibbons had a very late Painted Lady in their Mickleover garden yesterday so there is still some butterfly interest during this month.
