Well we weren’t expecting a prolonged heat wave at the beginning of September 2023, were we? but it looks like a week of continuous sunshine with temperatures in the high 20’s Centigrade means that we are likely to have the hottest period of the year – there have been only 2 years (1954 & 2016) when September was the hottest month of any year before!
This has allowed many butterfly species to extend their flight period and to date there have been 23 species recorded in the County in the first week of September 2023 including sightings of the new brood Comma at some sites with the recent highest count of 6 no noted at Drakelow NR on the 4th of this month by Andy Large together with 6 no on the same day in Tansley/Cressbrookdale area (Gordon & Alison Rooke) – let’s hope that this is the start of a good Autumn brood for this hibernating species – unfortunately this is not yet the case with the Small Tortoiseshell which has still got to recover from a disastrous year in 2022, but at least a few new brood individuals are starting to appear in the County. However the Red Admiral is having a decent late Summer/early Autumn with counts in double figures coming from 15 locations across the County with the highest counts of 27 no coming on the 3rd of September at Dene Quarry, Cromford ( Jonathan Page) together with 38 no seen on the 4th of September 2023 at Grin Low, Buxton (Ian & Joy White) – this bodes well for a butterfly species that now over winters in this part of the UK with crevices in trees being a favourite habitat to escape any cold snap that we usually get but less frequently now of course. Whilst the Peacock had a very short appearance in its new brood in August 2023, it is still being seen at 33 locations in mainly ones and twos on late flowering buddleias and other plants with the highest counts of 13 no coming from Fint Clough, Buxton on the 3rd of September 2023 ( Steve & Lin Orridge) together with 23 no seen on the 4th of September 2023 at Grin Low, Buxton by Ian & Joy White. Also Brimstones have been taking advantage of the recent warm and sunny weather with about 80 individuals noted at 35 locations in the County in mainly ones and twos before they finally decide to enter hibernation, although a massive 15 no were seen in Tansley/Cressbrookdale on the 4th of September 2023 (Gordon & Alison Rooke).
Even the summer Fritillaries are still hanging on with sightings of singletons of the Dark Green Fritillary coming from Coombs Dale (Angela Brooks), Lathkill Dale NNR ( Chris & Sheila Ragg) with the latest sighting coming on the 6th of September 2023 at Deep Dale, Sheldon (Steve Tompkins). A similar number of Silver Washed Fritillaries have been noted up to and including the 5th of September 2023 from Monsal Dale (Ian & Joy White), Lathkill Dale NNR (Chris & Sheila Ragg), Thornhill NR (Angela Brooks) and Coombs Dale (Angela Brooks & Al & John Roberts).
Just 2 sightings of the Purple Hairstreak this week when a singleton was seen on the 2nd of September 2023 at the Meade site in Shipley Country Park (Mark Longdon) and 3 individuals were seen on the oaks at Toyota UK Meadows (Keith Martin) on the same day but yet again no further sightings of the White Letter Hairstreak have been received at all.
Pleasingly the Common Blue is still on the wing in good numbers with sightings coming from 44 locations of which 9 sites were in double figures – the highest counts coming on the 4th of September 2023 from the Blackwell Trail (25 no – John Parlby), Woodside NR Shipley (27 no – Brian & Margaret Hobby) and Salter Wood, Street Lane (59 no – Jane Rogers).
Holly Blue :- The success story of 2023 with yet more sightings this week from 25 sites across the County with the highest counts of 8 no coming from Ticknall village on the 2nd of September 2023 (Roger Martin) and 4 no along the banks of the Cromford Canal near Whatstandwell on the 6th of September 2023 (Patricia Sharp).
Brown Argus Migrating :- Still on the wing with records in mainly ones and twos from 10 locations in the County up to and including the 6th of September 2023 at Barrow Hill (Sid Morris) and the 7th of September 2023 at Coton Park, Linton (Peter Brewster)
Brown Argus Peak District Race :- Again still on the wing at 10 locations in the Peak District with sightings up to and including the 5th of September 2023 in Tansley/Cressbrookdale (Jenny Emerson)
Small Copper :- As is usual with this species, numbers have come good now with sightings from 32 locations in the County this week with the maximum counts coming from Cunningdale (10 no on the 2nd of September 2023 – Steve Orridge) and 21 no on the 5th of September 2023 at Tideslow Rake (Andrew Woodhouse)
Speckled Wood :- An excellent new brood has been noted at most sites in the County this last week with sightings in double figures coming from 30 locations with the highest counts coming from Pleasley Pit (83 no on the 6th of September 2023 – Willy Lane) and at Foxley Wood, Linton ( 75 no on the 3rd of September 2023 – Chris Leverington)
Wall Brown :- This Endangered butterfly species is certainly taking advantage of the current spell of hot weather with sightings of 148 individuals at 34 locations with the highest counts coming from Chrome Hill (20 no – Nick Hatton), Moss Rake, Bradwell (15 no -Andrew Woodhouse), Higger Tor (12 no – Jon Hudson), Hoe Grange Quarry NR ( 10 no – Ray Walker), Hay Dale and Grin Low, Buxton ( 10 no at both sites – Ian & Joy White)
Small Heath ;- It looks like a new brood has appeared in both Lowland Derbyshire as well as the Peak District with sightings from 24 locations in the County including a massive 28 no seen on the 4th of September 2023 at Tansley/Cressbrookdale (Gordon & Alison Rooke)
Just a few Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns hanging on at the moment with sightings of the former species up to the 6th of September 2023 and the latter species up to the 7th of September 2023
One of the surprises this week was a lack of migrant butterflies and moths in Derbyshire with just 3 sightings of the Painted Lady at West Hallam Village (Gordon Shaw) and at Codnor Park (Pete Clark) on the 2nd of September 2023 and at Glapwell on the 7th of September 2023 (David Elliott) – similarly just 2 sightings of the Humming Bird Hawk moth this week in the Mickleover garden of Malcolm Neal and in the Buxton garden of Ian & Joy White (both on the 4th of September 2023).
If you own or manage a plot of land in the Region then you might be interested in this initiative from Butterfly Conservation who have announced that their new Wild Spaces website is now live:- https://butterfly-conservation.org/wild-spaces
The new site contains lots of bitesize information about Wild Spaces, the ability to create your own dedicated ‘My Wild Space’ page and an interactive map to see Wild Spaces near you! There is also a handy species ID guide, a library of case studies and blogs and lots of ideas of try in your Wild Space to help butterflies and moths thrive.
