The changeable weather of the last week has sent most Peacocks in Lowland Derbyshire into hibernation although the species is still relatively common in the Peak District. It was only at the beginning of August 2023 that the species appeared in any numbers in the County so after a couple of weeks of voraciously taking nectar to build up their reserves, most Peacocks in that part of Derbyshire have decided that enough is enough – not surprising really given the unpredictability of the weather this summer and the fact that they do not mate until next Spring! Highest counts for the species have come from Hoe Grange Quarry (27 no on the 15th of August 2023 – Ray Walker) and Thornhill NR (26 no on the 15th of August 2023 – Peter Mackey).
Other sightings of interest last week include :-
Red Admiral :- Highest count of 26 seen on the 15th of August 2023 at Hoe Grange Quarry (Ray Walker)
Comma :- Highest count of 8 seen on the 17th of August 2023 in Chee Dale (John & Anne Coupland)
Small Tortoiseshell :- Highest count of 12 seen on the 15th of August 2023 at Hoe Grange Quarry ( Ray Walker)
Dark Green Fritillary :- Seen at 8 locations in the Peak District with the highest count of 5 coming from Coombs Dale on the 16th of August 2023 (Jay Amin).
Silver Washed Fritillary :- Seen at 4 locations in the County including Loscoe (Lucy Benniston), near Eyam (John Hall), in Lathkill Dale NNR (Ian & Julia Ferrie) with the highest count of 4 coming from Thornhill NR on the 15th of August 2023 (Peter Mackey)
Brimstone :- Seen at 22 locations recently across Derbyshire with the highest count of 11 coming from Tansley Dale on the 16th of August 2023 (Gordon & Alison Rooke)
Holly Blue :- Still going strong across the County with sightings received this week from 40 locations including 14 no seen on the 16th of August 2023 in The Dale, Wirksworth (Graham Durbin) and 14 no seen on the same day along the Cromford Canal near to Whatstandwell (Patricia Sharp)
Common Blue :- Despite being recorded at 42 locations recently, numbers are well down on what they should be for the second brood of this ‘not so common’ species – however a few locations have still got a decent population on show with a massive 66 noted at Salter Wood, Street Lane on the 16th of August 2023 (Jane Rogers), 40 seen along the Blackwell Trail on the same day (Nikki Mahadevan) and 28 noted at Drakelow NR on yet again the same day (Andy Large).
Brown Argus Migrating :- Noted at just 5 locations in Lowland Derbyshire this last week with the highest count of 21 coming from Drakelow NR on the 16th of August 2023 (Andy Large)
Brown Argus Peak District Race Noted from only 8 locations in the dales recently with no count into double figures
Small Copper :- Recorded from 33 locations recently with the highest counts of 14 coming from Magpie Mine, Sheldon on the 15th of August 2023 ( Chris & Angela Bird) and 10 coming from Tansley Dale on the 16th of August 2023 (Gordon & Alison Rooke)
White Letter Hairstreak :- Just 1 confirmed sighting this week in Lathkill Dale NNR on the 16th of August 2023 ( Ian & Julia Ferrie)
Purple Hairstreak :- This species is still being recorded at sites with oak present with sightings from 10 locations in the County up to the 17th of August 2023 when Steve Plant noted an individual at Firestone Hill above Hazelwood (a new location for the species). The highest count of 19 no came from the N E part of Chatsworth Park on the 15th of August 2023 (Derek Whiteley) whilst at 6.30pm the next day Ray Walker noted 2 on the oaks adjacent to Hoe Grange Quarry NR – this brings the site total to 32 butterfly species!!
Speckled Wood :- Numbers beginning to increase at some sites with the recent highest counts coming from Drakelow NR on the 16th of August 2023 (28 no – Andy Large) and on the same day at Manor Farm, Long Eaton (27 no – Brenda & Mick Meakin)
Only 1 sighting of the Painted Lady this last week when an individual was seen on the 15th of August in Foxley Wood, Linton (Chris Leverington) but there were 3 sightings of the Humming Bird Hawk moth on the same day with records received from the Pavilion Gardens, Buxton (Lin Orridge), at North Wingfield (Robin Elliott) and in Loscoe (Lucy Benniston) – with the wind set to come from the south next week we could be in for an increase in numbers of these migrants, plus possibly yet more Clouded Yellows?
Pleasingly the Wall Brown is having a decent second brood in the County with recent sightings of 70 individuals from 24 locations of which 8 were from either Peak Fringe or Lowland Derbyshire including Wigley near Chesterfield, (Andrew Woodhouse), Barlow Common (Alan Hobson), New Whittington (Peter Walker), Alderwasley and Holloway (both Alison Pritchard), above Matlock ( Irene Smith), at and near Alport Heights (Dave Evans) and at Hundall, near Dronfield (Judy Heap), with the highest count of 18 coming on the 17th of August 2023 along the eastern cliff edge of Cressbrookdale towards St Peter’s Stone (Andrew Woodhouse).
With a partial second brood of the Dingy Skipper being recorded in 7 of the last 8 years in Derbyshire (only 2021 was a nil count), it comes as no surprise that a fresh individual was seen and photographed on the transect in Deep Dale, Sheldon on the 16th of August 2023 (Steve Orridge) – so don’t be too surprised if you see this species on your transect which has had this BAP species present in the recent past – as is usual, only your sightings will prove yet again the success, or not, of this butterfly’s season.