Hello Everyone,
Yet another poor week of weather for our local butterflies with a zero count coming from at least 6 locations in Week 14 – almost unbelievable for the time of the year. So what is going on? I have received notes from a number of experts who agree that too much rain appears to be the cause which in turn creates fungi/ mould growth on overwintering larvae which will obviously have a very much detrimental impact on butterflies. Both Dave Wainwright of B C (Head of Conservation England) and Professor Tim Sexton, who is Species Officer at Rutland Water, have come up with the same possible explanation – this reminds me of the vast change in the distribution of the Wall Brown since the year 2000 whereby it has disappeared from Central Southern England and escaped to either the high ground of Northern England or else it has become a coastal butterfly elsewhere. Let’s hope that the other UK species manage to overcome these conditions but I’m afraid that climate change means more moisture in the atmosphere.
Despite all this, a few sites, mainly in the Peak District, have produced some good counts this week with Tansley/Cressbrookdale recording 159 butterflies in 12 species on the 4th of July 2024 (Gordon & Alison Rooke), Lathkill Dale recording 92 butterflies in 12 species on the 2nd of July 2024 (Chris & Sheila Ragg) and Chee Dale NR recording 82 butterflies in 9 species (John & Anne Coupland) – these being very much isolated recent successful counts. In fact a comparison between the first 13 weeks of the transect season in the Region indicates that butterfly numbers are running at 42% of the numbers seen during the same period in 2023 (i.e. a 58% decline) – this is borne out by Dave & Sue Evans who completed a 16 mile hike from Hassop to Tideswell on the 30th of June 2024 and during a 6 hour period they saw just 1 Speckled Wood, about 10 minutes after they started!
However, there has been some positive news regarding species emerging though with the Gatekeeper first seen on the 29th of June 2024 at Bennerley Lodge on the border with Notts (Dave Jones) with other sightings of the species on the 4th of July 2024 at Drakelow NR (Andy Large) and in the Peak District at Tansley/Cressbrookdale (Gordon Rooke) whilst further up the Erewash Valley a Silver Washed Fritillary was noted on the 2nd of July 2024 at Erewash Meadows NR near Ironville ( Stephen Bacon) – also on the 2nd of July 2024 another Silver Washed Fritillary was seen in the wooded part of Lathkill Dale NNR (Chris & Sheila Ragg). Finally an Essex Skipper was noted on the transect at The Forge site, Ironville on the 2nd of July 2024 (Sally Fisher).
Following the planting of Disease Resistant Elms at Aston Brickyards in 2012, I was pleased to see a White Letter Hairstreak flying around the tops of the trees this week for the very first time – once again this species appear to be using these trees for their lifestyle. Also noted there feeding on bramble flowers was a fresh Comma Hutchinsoni – this species has also been seen recently at Darley Tip (Alan Jones), Swarkestone (Lesley & Phil Gretton), Eyes Meadow, Duffield (Claire Bungay), Elvaston Country Park (Sally and Dennis Wardle), Drakelow NR (Andy Large) and at Sunnydale Park, Littleover (Andy Shervill and Maurice Ireland). Meanwhile in the Peak District the Dark Green Fritillary has been recorded in the Goyt Valley (Angie Seymour), Chee Dale (John & Anne Coupland), Tansley/Cressbrookdale (Gordon Rooke), Long Dale/Grattan Dale (John Coupland) and in Lathkill Dale NNR (Chris & Sheila Ragg).
Other recent sightings of interest include :-
Small Skipper :- Still not common across Derbyshire, with no counts in double figures yet, but at least it is starting to appear in the Peak District with low numbers in both Chee Dale NR (Chris & Sheila Ragg) and Lathkill Dale NNR (John & Anne Coupland)
Dingy Skipper :- A late sighting of an individual on the 28th of June 2024 at The Forge site in Ironville (Sally Fisher et al) together with another seen in Dene Quarry on the 2nd of July 2024 (Gary Atkins)
Orange Tip :- A late individual male was seen flying on the 29th of June 2024 at Allestree Hall (John Barker).
Common Blue :- Recent maximum count of 23 seen on the 26th of June 2024 at Markham Pit South (Sid Morris).
Brown Argus Peak District Race :- Only sightings this week have come from Lathkill Dale NNR (Chris & Sheila Ragg) on the 2nd of July 2024 and in Tansley/Cressbrookdale (Gordon Rooke) on the 4th of July 2024.
Wall Brown :- A couple of late first brood sightings with individuals noted at Bottom Leys, Bonsall on the 25th of June 2024 (Sue Quick) and another seen in Lady Canning’s Plantation, Burbage Moor on the border with South Yorkshire on the 26th of June 2024 (Paul Moody)
Marbled White :- Sightings this week have come from the Derbyshire side of Toton Sidings (Roger Martin) and also Clough Wood in the Peak Fringe area (Dan Martin) and at Pleasley Pit (Willy Lane).
Ringlet :- Becoming established across the County now (it might even take over from the Meadow Brown as the most common butterfly on transects in 2024?) with a massive count of 262 on the 28th of June 2024 on the transect at The Forge, Ironville (Sally Fisher et al).
Iain McGowan has kindly sent me a link to a tree planting project titled ‘Derbyshire’s Heartwood Community Forest’ whereby Derbyshire County Council are hoping to plant 300,000 trees on pockets of publicly accessible land by March 2025 – the areas stretch from Chesterfield to South Derbyshire – see details on the link below:-
Looking at the areas involved I cannot help noticing that they are roughly the same as the proposed line of pylons suggested by National Grid – let’s hope that the 2 Organisations speak to each other so as to avoid new trees being dug up for pylons!
Don’t forget that this Sunday (7th of July 2024) is the Annual Open Day at Hoe Grange Quarry – I’m told by Badger that you will not be disappointed by the fantastic floral display on offer and of course pond dipping by the DWT, guided walks by members of Butterfly Conservation together with free ice creams – what’s not to like! Pat and I hope to see many of you there – Longcliffe Quarries will push the boat out as usual with their staff producing snacks and drinks to combat the heat – we live in hope!
