Whilst it might not have been wall to wall sunshine last week, at least there have been some sunny periods and this has encouraged 37 butterflies to emerge in the County which is very favourable when compared to the first 2 months of the year which produced only 19 butterflies sightings during that period. The first day of an improving situation for our butterflies was Friday the 17th of March 2023 when all 5 of our hibernating butterflies were seen including :-
Brimstone :- 15 individuals were noted on the 17th of March 2023 including sightings from Darley Dale (Rod Dunn), Duffield (Emma Bungay), Heanor (Gary Wain), Foxlow Ponds, Staveley & Carr Vale NR (per Mark Radford), Chellaston (Lesley Gretton), Bonsall (Sue Quick), Chaddesden (Lindsey Bance), Hartshorne (John Schofield), Matlock (Alan Kitchen), Chesterfield Canal, Brimington (Tony Hudson), New Whittington (Peter Walker) and also 3 individuals seen Manor Farm LNR, Long Eaton (Marion Bryce). Then on the 18th of March 2023, John Hall saw both a male and female of the species near Eyam, followed by individuals seen on the 21st of March 2023 at Hilton GP NR (Wayne Cooper) and also at Birdholme (Brian Cuttell).
Red Admiral :- Just 1 rather tatty individual was seen on the 17th of March 2023 on heather outside Allestree Hall (Felicity Jackson)
Peacock :- Just 2 individuals seen recently with one on the 17th of March 2023 at Carr Vale NR (per Mark Radford) together with another one at Netherthorpe on the 21st of March 2023 (Mark Radford).
Comma :- At last 4 sightings of this species for the first time this year with individuals seen this last week at Ripley (Mark Longdon), 2 at Foxlow Barrow Hill (Sid Morris & Mark Radford) and another in the Long Eaton garden of Karen Gauntley on the 22nd of March
Small Tortoiseshell :- 10 individuals of this species have been seen since the last Update across the County with 2 seen in a garden at Barlborough (Neil & Lorraine Jones) and another 2 seen on the 19th of March 2023 in the Two Dales area (Peter Faulkner). Perhaps the most interesting recent sighting of this species came from Farley near Matlock on the 10th of March 2023 after the Peak District had a heavy snowfall and James Evans photographed one of this species sunning itself on fresh snow (see attached photo sent by Clive Wheeldon)
Speckled Wood :- Marion Bryce was surprised and delighted to see one of this species near the Nottingham Canal at Awsworth on the Notts/Derbyshire border on the 18th of March 2023, this being 6 days earlier than the first Derbyshire sighting in 2022.
Meanwhile on the moth scene, Derek Brownlee came across 3 Herald moths in the church tower at Fenny Bentley recently and surprisingly there have been 3 sightings of the Humming Bird Hawk moths in the County already this year – first Ian & Joy White saw an individual flying in their Buxton garden on the 17th of March 2023 (just 1 week after a heavy snowfall) and then Pam Phillipson saw another of the species feeding on mahonia in her Chellaston garden on the 19th of March 2023. And then Colin Bowler informed me of a third sighting in Etwall on the 21st of March 2023. Yet more evidence of this species being able to over-winter in our County these days!
In a bid to see even more butterfly activity then John & Anne Coupland visited La Palma in the Canary Isles during the last couple of weeks and they were treated to sightings of Monarchs, Brimstones (Cleopatra), Clouded Yellows, Bath Whites, Painted Lady, Indian Red Admirals, Canary Blue and Canary Islands Large White with the most common species being the Canary Speckled Wood ( see the attached photo together with one of the UK version for comparison)
After yet another successful transect training and butterfly I D session on the 19th of March 2023, pleasingly there is no let-up in the interest in carrying out this important survey work in the Region – hopefully we will maintain our lead at the top of the UK list of B C Branches for yet another year in 2023. If you haven’t heard from your local co-ordinator then please send me an email so that we are able to sort all the rotas out before the commencement of the new transect season which commences on Saturday the 1st of April 2023 (no fooling – honest!)
