A combination of the jet stream to the north of the UK and the Azores High Pressure system extending from the Atlantic to cover most of the UK has meant a week of sunshine and higher temperatures with 21c finally being recorded in Derby on the 22nd of May 2023 – this being about 1 month later than it first occurred in April 2022.
Most volunteers took advantage of this pleasant weather to get their transects completed and the amount of records received has been the best so far this year bearing in mind that up to last weekend numbers on transects have been between 33% and 50% lower than last year during the same period.
It was therefore a pleasant surprise to get an early record of the Dark Green Fritillary from Chee Dale on the 21st of May 2023 when Cate Beck & Sue Mitchell were completing their transect at this Peak District site. About on the same day, fresh specimens of the Small Tortoiseshell butterfly began to appear at a few sites in the County – let’s hope that this species recovers from its very poor performance in the latter part of 2022.
A brief summary of other species seen during the last week includes:-
Dingy Skipper :- It’s main emergence has coincided with the current warm spell of weather and around 440 individuals have been seen from 49 sites, mainly in the Peak District but also on ‘brownfield’ sites in Lowland Derbyshire with the highest counts coming from Intake Quarry, High Peak Trail (85 no – Dave & Sue Evans), the Forge Ironville (41 no – Sally Fisher & Deb Bliss) and from Creswell Colliery ( 25 no – Brian Cuttell). Interestingly, Pete Feetham had an individual in his Bamford garden this week which was a pleasant surprise addition to his site list!
Orange Tip :- Still quite widespread with counts over 30 coming from the Peak District sites of Lathkill Dale (34 no – Peter Faulkner),
Intake Quarry, High Peak Trail (33 no – Dave & Sue Evans) and Chee Dale (32 no – Cate Beck & Sue Mitchell).
Green Hairstreak :- As expected numbers are declining now but there were sightings of this Peak District speciality species from 24 sites including 9 seen in Chee Dale on the 21st of May 2023 (Ian & Joy White), 12 seen in Coombs Dale (Paul Townsend) on the same day, and surprisingly individuals noted at Ashover Rock (Steve Plant) and at Toton Sidings (Dave Gilbert)
Small Copper :- Still quite elusive with sightings of ones and twos coming from just 16 sites in the County including the rare sighting of a Schmidtii white aberration at Holloway on the 24th of May 2023 (Alison Pritchard) – see the attached photo.
Brown Argus Migrating :- Still scarce with sightings from just 4 sites in Lowland Derbyshire with a maximum of 11 seen on the 21st of May 2023 at Whitwell Tip (Paul Townsend).
Brown Argus Peak District Race :- This species has been recorded at 9 sites in the Peak District recently with the highest count of 16 coming from Longstone Edge on the 24th of May 2023 (Andrew Woodhouse) – the main difference visually between this species and the latter species is the loss of the orange lunules along the edges of the wings in the Peak District Race (see photo)
Common Blue :- This not so common butterfly species has only been recorded at 21 sites recently but pleasingly 16 no were seen at Drakelow NR on the 22nd of May 2023 (Andy Large & Nigel Cowl) and 48 no were noted on the 21st of May 2023 at Whitwell Tip
(Paul Townsend).
Holly Blue :- This species is still having a very good Spring especially in Lowland Derbyshire although it can be seen at some sites in the Peak District as well, with over 100 individuals noted at 42 sites this last week. Highest counts were 21 no seen on the 21st of May 2023 at Pleasley Pit (Willy Lane) and13 no seen on the next day at Kings Newton Village (Roger Martin).
Red Admiral :- Numbers increasing slowly with records received from 22 sites across Derbyshire with the highest count of 4 coming from Lathkill Dale NNR on the 22nd of My 2023 (Peter Faulkner).
Speckled Wood :- Still reasonably common with sightings of 80 no individuals from 34 sites in the County.
Wall Brown :- Thankfully there have been sightings of 50 individuals from 22 sites mainly in the Peak District (compared to 85 no from 24 sites in late May 2022) with records from the Goyt Valley in the north of its main area (Les Gradwell) together with sightings from the Peak Fringe areas of Ravensnest, Milltown (Jim Alder), Ashover Rock (Steve Plant) and Two Dales (Peter Faulkner) and a singleton at Marsh Lane on the 25th of May 2023 (Peter Walker), with the highest count of 12 coming from Longstone Edge on the 24th of May 2023 (Andrew Woodhouse).
Small Heath :- Still scarce in the County with sightings from just 16 locations in mainly ones and twos but 5 were noted at Intake Quarry High Peak Trail on the 24th of May 2023 (Dave & Sue Evans) and 5 on Longstone Edge the same day (Andrew Woodhouse) followed by 5 on the Rowland transect on the 25th of May 2023 (Karen Mort)
On the migrant scene there have been 4 recent sightings of the Painted Lady with one noted on the summit of Chrome Hill near Earl Sterndale (Teresa & Damian Hughes), a singleton on the Goyt Way, New Mills (Jane Woodhead), a singleton on the WCBS survey at Brailsford (Gary Atkins) together with another seen on the transect at Bradbury’s Bank, Dovedale (Peter Ogan) – see the attached photo of the very steep habitat there. Meanwhile in Hoe Grange Quarry, John & Sylvia Green were pleasantly surprised to see a Humming Bird Hawk moth whilst they were carrying out their transect on site on the 22nd of May 2023.
Finally, species which could emerge before the end of May 2023 include the Meadow Brown and/or the Large Skipper – only your records will prove this situation – good luck!