Hello Everyone, May 2023 was such a contrast weather wise with the first 2 weeks of the month very wet and the last 2 weeks remaining dry and sunny at times, with only 2 days when the temperature reached 21c in Derby all month, although this last week sun was at a premium most days – it even meant that a few sites in the County were still devoid of butterflies which is a terrible situation to be in at the end of May.
But it is not all bad news – both the Dingy Skipper and the Wall Brown have now shown themselves at a good number of sites in Derbyshire recently although individual numbers are down on what they should be for late May, but the first 10 days of June 2023 are forecast to be relatively sunny with the temperature here in Derby likely to be around 20c with no cold nights!
Migrant wise, there have been 4 records of 6 individual Painted Lady butterflies seen recently with sightings of singletons at Calver Quarry (Christine Gregory), Longstone Edge ( Andy Gilbert) and Thorpe (Barbara Wager), together with 3 worn individuals seen ‘hill topping’ at a rocky outcrop near Longcliffe on the 29th of May 2023 (Jim Alder). Sightings of the Red Admiral have been limited to 19 individuals seen across the County this last week, most of which were probably home grown specimens – however 3 were noted on the 29th of May 2023 in Tansley Dale (Gordon & Alison Rooke).
Additional interesting records from last week include :-
Dingy Skipper :- Approximately 350 individuals have been noted at 50 sites across Derbyshire recently with the highest counts of 24 coming from Tansley Dale (Gordon & Alison Rooke) on the 29th of May 2023 and 20 coming from White Rake (Aline & John Roberts) on the same day.
Orange Tip :- Still fairly common in the Peak District with the highest counts coming from Coombs Dale (22 on the 27th of May 2023 -Aline & John Roberts) and Cunningdale (41 on the 30th of May 2023 – Debbie Fox & Carole Garner)
Green Hairstreak :- Records were received up to and including the 30th of May 2023 from just 8 sites in the County this week including 2 in the very far N W of Derbyshire at Roundhill Moss (Tom Aspinall) and 8 on the Longdendale Trail (Dave Mallon). Also the species was noted at a new site on the 27th of May 2023 when 2 appeared at Scratta Wood, Monsal Dale (Chris Thirtle)
Small Copper :- Still scarce in the County with sightings of just 39 individuals noted at 23 locations in mainly ones and twos but 5 were seen at Doe Lea on the 27th of May 2023 (Willy Lane) and 6 were noted in Cunningdale on the 30th of May 2023 ( Debbie Fox & Carole Garner)
Brown Argus Migrating :- Only slightly improved from last week with just 18 individuals noted at 7 locations with the highest count of 9 coming from Staveley Works West on the 30th of May 2023 (Andrew Woodhouse). An interesting sighting was made on the 27th of May 2023 at Holloway where an individual was seen by Alison Pritchard at this Peak Fringe location indicating that the species is likely to meet up again with the Peak District Race at yet another part of the County (Cromford Hill being an existing rendezvous!)
Brown Argus Peak District Race :- Sightings from just 6 locations in the Peak District during the last week with the highest count of 15 coming from Tansley Dale on the 29th of May 2023 (Gordon & Alison Rooke)
Common Blue :- At last some improvement in the status of this butterfly with sightings of around 230 individuals at 37 sites in the County recently with the highest counts of 52 from Staveley Works on the 30th of May 2023 (Andrew Woodhouse) and 30 noted at Doe Lea on the 27th of May 2023 (Willy Lane)
Holly Blue :- One of the success stories of Spring 2023 with another 92 individuals noted from 47 sites across Derbyshire recently with the highest counts of 6 coming from both Manor Farm, Long Eaton (Joan Breakwell & Jen Smith) and at Foxley Wood, Linton
(Chris Leverington)
Dark Green Fritillary :- There had been no further sightings of this species in the Peak District until the 30th of May 2023 when 2 no individuals were noted in Cunningdale ( Debbie Fox & Carole Garner)
Speckled Wood :- A slight increase in numbers recently with records of 120 individuals noted from 44 sites in the County with the highest count of 13 coming from Goseley Cutting, Woodville on the 27th of May 2023 (Kate Allies).
Wall Brown :- Pleasingly this species is being seen at its main Peak District sites with records of 51 individuals noted at 23 locations including sightings from the far N W of the County at Shining Tor, Goyt Valley (Les Gradwell), Moss Rake and Matley Moor (both Dave Mallon) and in the Whaley Bridge garden of Alan & Angie Seymour. Sightings in the Peak Fringe areas have come from Alport Heights ( Chris Perry) and Crich Chase Meadows (Tim Brooks) with the highest counts of 6 coming from Longstone Edge (Aline &
John Roberts) and at a rocky outcrop at Longcliffe (Jim Alder) both on the 29th of May 2023.
Meadow Brown :- An early specimen of this species was noted on the 25th of May 2023 at Whitwell Wood (Dot Alderton) but the next sighting was of 8 individuals on the 30th of May 2023 in Cunningdale (Debbie Fox & Carole Garner)
Small Heath :- Again this species has finally increased its distribution in the County with 94 individuals seen at 20 locations in the County recently with 12 seen in Cressbrook Dale on the 27th of May 2023 (Paul Townsend) and 11 noted in Cunningdale on the 30th of May 2023 (Debbie fox & Carole Garner). Pleasingly an individual butterfly of the species was seen on the 29th of May 2023 at a new site in South Derbyshire at Hilton Valley Park (Wayne Cooper) where St Modwen’s have created a number of great habitats for wildlife at this new Nature Reserve, which the expanding local population can enjoy.
Species that are likely to appear in the County during the next week include the Ringlet and the Large Skipper – good luck.