According to the Met Office, we are now approaching the start of Spring 2023, although I prefer to use the Equinox as the start of Spring as the fickle month of March can remain cold until at least mid month, which is when we usually start to see reasonable numbers of butterflies on the wing. Despite February 2023 being very dry in this part of the UK, Severn Trent Water are reporting that overall their reservoirs in the Region are 90% full with the Derwent Valley Reservoirs being 93% full and Carsington Water 85% full as at the 20th of February 2023.Did anyone manage to see the Northern Lights in Derbyshire during the last couple of nights?
So how have our butterflies responded to the dry month of February 2023 – just 17 individuals noted outside on the wing including 4 Peacocks, 4 Small Tortoiseshells, 7 Red Admirals and only 2 Brimstones – the Comma has yet to make an appearance which suggests that more cold weather is on the way! These figures are very similar to records for February 2022 although there were a couple of Comma sightings during that month last year. Recent sightings this month include a single Peacock seen on the 21st of February 2023 at the Peter Fidler NR, Carr Vale (Taylor Beddard) together with a single Red Admiral on the 19th of February 2023 at West Hallam (Martin Hall) followed by 2 Red Admirals seen on tree blossom in Darley Park on the 24th of February 2023 (Martin Roome). To help with this year’s recording, I have attached a blank 2023 Transect Recording Form together with an example of a completed Casual Sighting excel sheet which I would prefer you to use in the same format as shown.
In order to illustrate the number of sites that were covered by both transects and WCBS surveys in the County last year, I have attached a map showing the134 tetrads that had surveys undertaken under these schemes together with some maps of the more interesting and spreading species here in Derbyshire, including the Wall Brown, the Essex Skipper, Dingy Skipper and the Silver Washed Fritillary – as mentioned these maps only illustrate the survey results for the species and do not include casual sightings or the Big Butterfly Count at all.
If you would like to know additional information about the distribution across the UK during 2022, then why not come to the Annual Recorders Meeting that is being held at the at the Birmingham & Midland Institute in Birmingham on Saturday 25th March 2023 – this is a free event organised by Butterfly Conservation and UKBMS but you need to book in advance on the following link:-
https://butterfly-conservation.org/butterflies/uk-butterfly-recorders-meeting) I will be attending and also doing a Presentation on the Creation and Management of a Butterfly Nature Reserve which is a commentary about Hoe Grange Quarry NR here in Derbyshire.
Pleasingly I have had many offers of help for inputting transect data on to the UKBMS web site this year for which I am very grateful as around 100 sites will be put direct on line leaving me with around only 30 sites to enter manually – if you feel that you would like to help then send me an email and I will let you know whether your transect site is being covered, or not!
Finally Butterfly Conservation East Midlands have published a list of outdoor events which any wildlife enthusiasts are welcome to attend free of charge – have a look at the attached list and then contact the relevant leader to ensure your place at the event of your choice.
