Hello Everyone, According to the Met Office, we have now entered Autumn and despite claims that it has been yet another warm Summer, in this part of the UK the weather figures suggest otherwise. Whilst we don’t want the extreme Summer temperatures which Southern Europe experienced this year, some extra sunshine with temperatures around 23c would have been beneficial to both our local lepidoptera as well as our local team of volunteers who diligently have carried out their transects for the last 22 weeks. The local definition of a heatwave is 3 days of sun and heat with temperatures of 26c and above – this was achieved on 6 occasions in 2022 (2 in June, July and August) whereas so far in 2023 this was achieved just once ( in June) and during the last decade the average has been 4 heatwaves per year.. Both July and August 2023 were much cloudier and cooler than in the last 10 years since I have kept weather notes for Derby, hence the situation is likely that most sites will probably have fewer butterfly transect totals overall by the end of September 2023 – there are exceptions of course but even our first Butterfly NR at Hoe Grange Quarry is now running at about 1,000 fewer records in 2023 when compared to 2022.So overall I would describe this Summer as disappointing to say the least but again there are exceptions as species such as Holly Blue and the Orange Tip did good and eventually the Dingy Skipper did okay (all Spring species, although the Summer brood of the Holly Blue has also done well), and our local Endangered Species, the Wall Brown, had a reasonable year which is very gratifying! The remainder of our species were not so lucky with their broods but at least both the Speckled Wood and the Small Copper have increased in numbers recently, which was to be expected.
The other ‘brown’ species, Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Gatekeeper have had reasonable years but the Summer Skippers have done poorly, but at least the Marbled White is making progress by moving north into the County by its own efforts without any human interference!
Whilst there has not been much evidence of new broods for both the Comma and Small Tortoiseshell recently, there have been a couple of interesting aberrations seen in the County – these usually occur after a period of hot weather but this year it looks like they have arrived after a period of cool weather! Have a look at the attached photos of a Small Copper (var Radiata) taken by Christine Maughan in Hoe Grange Quarry together with an amazing variation of a Wall Brown that was taken in Woo Dale by Ian & Joy White – in 40 years of studying this iconic Derbyshire butterfly species I have never seen one like this and at the moment many experts are understandably just as confused as myself – you are never too old to learn a new trick!
Meanwhile, other recent interesting records include :-
Brimstone :- Seen at 8 locations in the County this last week with the highest count of 10 coming from both Coombs Dale (Aline & John Roberts) and Tansley/Cressbrookdale (Gordon & Alison Rooke) – both on the 30th of August 2023
Small Copper :- Still doing well at the moment with records received from 26 locations including double figure counts at both the following sites – Tansley/Cressbrookdale (10 no on the 30th of August 2023 – Gordon & Alison Rooke) and at Mercaston (16 no on the 28th of August 2023 – Kevin Morris)
Common Blue :- Records have been received from 32 sites this week with counts in double figures coming from Doe Lea (11 no – Martin Smith & John Clarke), the Forge, Ironville (12 no – Mel Wright) and on the Blackwell Trail (20 no – Helen Naylor).
Holly Blue :- Still getting records from across the County with sightings from 22 locations up to and including the 30th of August 2023 including 5 seen in the Darley Dale garden of Rod & Brenda Dunn on the 27th of August 2023.
Brown Argus Migrating :- Recent sightings of this species were mainly on the 28th of August 2023 at 4 locations in Derbyshire with the highest count of just 3 at West Hallam Ash Tip (Ken & Pat Orpe) and an individual seen at Hilton G P N R on the 30th of August 2023 (Sue Stubbs).
Brown Argus Peak District Race :- Recent sightings of this species came from 7 locations in the Peak District including some fresh individuals with the highest count of 5 coming from Chee Dale on the 28th of August 2023 (Ian & Joy White).
Red Admiral :- Probably the most common butterfly seen on the remaining fronds of buddleia bushes at the moment with 6 sites having counts in double figures and the highest count of 22 no coming on the 31st of August 2023 in the Bradwell garden of Joanna Mackey)
Peacock ;- This species has been noted in low numbers at a total of 25 sites in Derbyshire this last week with just Hoe Grange Quarry NR reaching double figures with a count of 10 on the 30th of August 2023 (Ray Badger Walker)
Comma :- Still no positive sightings of a new brood yet and the highest count of 5 was on the 30th of August 2023 in the Peak District at Tansley/Cressbrookdale (Gordon & Alison Rooke)
Dark Green Fritillary :- Just 2 sites in the County showing this species during the last week with sightings up to and including the 30th of August 2023 from Coombs Dale (Aline & John Roberts and Andrew Woodhouse) and Deepdale, Sheldon (Simon Roddis)
Speckled Wood :- This species is really coming good at the moment in the County with 7 sites having counts into the 20’s and a massive 79 no were seen on the transect at Pleasley Pit on the 30th of August 2023 (Willy Lane et al)
Small Heath :- Still hanging on at the moment in the Peak District and the occasional Brownfield sites in Lowland Derbyshire with the highest count of 11 no coming from Doe Lea (Martin Smith & John Clarke on the 28th of August 2023) and also 11 no seen at Tansley/Cressbrookdale on the 30th of August 2023 (Gordon & Alison Rooke)
Pleasingly a similar number of Wall Browns to last week have been seen during this week (65 no at 24 sites) including gardens at Bradwell (Sally Pereira & Joanna Mackey), Hope (Helen Perkins), Godfreyhole (Jean Hurdle), Whaley Bridge (Alan and Angie Seymour) and Belper (Nigel Davidson) with the highest count of 7 no coming from Hoe Grange Quarry NR (Ray Badger Walker)
Given the recent weather it is hardly surprising that sightings of migrant butterflies and moths have been at a premium but there have been a three records of Painted Lady butterflies recently from the Buxton garden of Ian & Joy White on the 26th of August 2023, with one in the Hope garden of Helen Perkins on the 30th of August 2023 and a further one in the Middleton by Wirksworth garden of Dave & Sue Evans on the 31st of August 2023. Just one sighting of the Humming Bird Hawk moth seen this week on red valerian in the Parwich garden of Saskia Tallis on the 28th of August 2023 – but with the promise of sun and heat coming up from the Iberian Peninsula next week, will this situation change? Only your sightings will confirm that!
