After the near catastrophic floods that followed the heavy rain of last weekend, it was with some trepidation that I looked in my Inbox each day afterwards to see if I was going to get many emails from Recorders who have managed to see any butterflies that had actually survived the tempest – well I shouldn’t have doubted both the recorders and insects alike because as soon as the sun appeared during this last week so did the butterflies in order to take advantage of the heat before the really shorter days of winter finally arrive. Amazingly 5 butterfly species have been seen during the last 7 days with yet again the Red Admiral being in ‘top spot’ with 71 individuals noted at 31 locations in the County with sightings up to and including the 26th of October 2023, with the highest count of 7 no coming on the 22nd of October 2023 along an ivy hedge in Ashover (Paul Townsend).
Other species noted this last week include :-
Brimstone :- A couple of late individuals were seen flying this week before entering hibernation with one at Creswell on the 22nd of October 2023 (Jim Russell) and another in the Sawley Garden of Bryan & Jennifer Sewell on the 26th of October 2023.
Small Tortoiseshell ;- Still being seen on late flowering buddleias and also on ivy plants with 7 individuals noted at 6 locations in Derbyshire with 2 no noted on the 25th of October 2023 sunning themselves on the stone wall of her cottage in Parwich (Saskia Tallis) – were they waiting the right moment to enter the building and settle down into hibernation?
Comma :- Still evident on late sources of nectar before they enter thickets of ivy for hibernation over the winter, their black ivy shaped closed wings on the underside giving almost perfect camouflage! Sightings of 7 individuals have come from Serpentine Community Gardens in Buxton (Carole Garner), Barlborough garden of Neil & Lorraine Jones, 3 no along the High Peak Trail near Wirksworth (Dave & Sue Evans) with 2 no noted on the 25th of October 2023 in Holloway (Alison Pritchard)
Speckled Wood :- A couple of this species were still hanging on this week before their life cycle is ended by rain and cold – one individual noted on the 22nd of October 2023 in Sunnydale Park, Littleover (Andy Shervill) and another noted along the edge of Allestree Park on the 25th of October 2023 (Felicity Jackson)
Pleasingly there have been no more partial third brood Wall Brown sightings in the County this week and it looks like the Painted Lady has finally left our shores for warmer climes as well…but a Humming Bird Hawk moth was seen and photographed by Jason Lowe on the 18th of October 2023 at Creswell Crags – let’s hope it survived the rain and manages to find a sheltered spot for its hibernation as this species is now capable of surviving our winters here in Derbyshire
