Hello Everyone, A decent sunny and warm day on Sunday the 7th of May 2023 allowed many volunteers to get out and about and complete their walks for Week 6 of the transect season, but since then the weather has become very changeable but at least it is relatively mild and with a southerly air flow this has allowed a few migrant butterflies and moths to arrive in our County this week.
First to appear was the Painted Lady in somewhat worn conditions which suggested a difficult journey from Africa with sightings on the 7th of May 2023 at both Willington Village (Chris Burnett) and also at Thorpe Pastures (Barbara Wager), together with another seen at Birch Vale on the 10th of May 2023 (Jane Hewitt). This was followed by the sighting of a migrant Silver Y moth along the Derby Canal at Little Eaton on the same day (Alan Gascoyne).Then on the 9th of May 2023 whilst Sally Fisher was carrying out her transect at the Forge site in Ironville, she saw a Clouded Yellow flying very fast on a mission in typical migration mode – there were thunderstorms gathering in the area so the butterfly must have decided to get a move on! This situation probably explains why there were sightings of 22 Red Admirals across the County since last weekend as some were quite worn (probably migrants) whilst a few were in mint condition (possibly home grown!). To complete the latest migrants recorded in Derbyshire recently, a couple of Humming Bird Hawk moths were seen at Chaddesden (Mick Sharp) and at Midway Sandhills (Tom Cockburn) on the 7th of May 2023.
Meanwhile on Derbyshire terra firma the first sighting of the Small Heath took place on the 9th of May 2023 on the grassland at the Markham Vale complex (Sid Morris) who eventually managed to see 3 individuals there. Similarly the Dingy Skipper has yet to make a name for itself this year with only a few further sightings recently on the 7th of May 2023 at both Coton Park LNR, South Derbyshire (Dale Collins) and in Tansley Dale (Gordon & Alison Rooke). This ‘hit and miss’ situation is typical of this Spring with just one extra sighting of the Common Blue since the last Update, at Pleasley Pit on the 7th of May 2023 (Anita Aked) and just two extra sightings of the Small Copper on the same day at both Midway Sandhills (Tom Cockburn) and at Markham Pit South (Mark Radford).
Other recent records of butterfly species include :-
Orange Tip :- Really widespread across the County at the moment with the maximum counts of about 2 dozen coming from Chee Dale (John & Anne Coupland), Thornhill Carr NR (Angela Brooks), Drakelow NR (Andy Large), Wyver Lane NR, (Dave Evans) with the highest count of 35 coming from Cunningdale on the 7th of May 2023 (Sheila Stubbs).
Green Hairstreak :- Becoming more common at its usual sites in the Peak District although counts are in mainly single figures with the highest count of 40 coming from Deep Dale, Sheldon on the 7th of May 2023 (Peter Kidd et al) – this latter site also had the highest count for the species on transects in 2022. Pleasingly a singleton was seen on the Derbyshire side of Toton Sidings on the 3rd of May 2023 (Melanie Penson).
Holly Blue :- This species is having a good Spring especially in Lowland Derbyshire with recent sightings from a further 85 sites including a few in the Peak District at Tansley Dale (Gordon & Alison Rooke), Tideswell Dale (Esther Weir), Chee Dale (John & Anne Coupland), Rose End Meadows (Jan Hall) and nearby Dene Quarry (Martin Cobham) with the highest count of 28 coming from Creswell Crags on the 10th of May 2023 (Jason Lowe) together with13 from Willington Village (Chris Burnett) and 10 seen in nearby Swarkestone Village ( Roger Martin).
Brimstone :- Still being seen regularly on transects and also in the general countryside with the recent highest counts of 14 coming from Chee Dale (John & Anne Coupland) and 12 from Pleasley Pit (Anita Aked) both on the 7th of May 2023
Speckled Wood :- Another species that has come good recently with sightings received from another 77 sites across the County with the highest count of 25 coming from Pleasley Pit on the 7th of May 2023 ( Anita Aked).
Pleasingly despite the poor weather this last week, recorders have managed to get yet more great photo of butterflies in the field and I have attached some more for your pleasure and interest – notice that the Speckled Wood seen by John Hall in Sheffield has pale markings and because it has 3 white dots in the spot centres on the hindwings, it is a female – the male has just 2 white spots.