Hello Everyone, Yet another disappointing week of weather for mid July – it doesn’t look any better until the end of the month when hopefully the ‘Jet Stream’ will move well to the north of the UK so as to allow warm air to arrive here from southern climes – we can only live in hope!
Despite a wet start to the 6th Open Day at Hoe Grange Quarry on Sunday the 7th of July 2024, it didn’t take long for spirits to rise with the appearance of blue skies and sunshine in the afternoon – so much so that many of the 200 visitors on the day were treated to sightings of 10 species of butterflies including Red Admiral, Common Blue, Small Copper, Small Heath and even a late well-worn Dingy Skipper. Thanks to good growing conditions in June 2024, the floral display was absolutely amazing in sharp contrast to the very first day in April 2011 when Pat and I first saw the site (see the attached photos) – we could see the potential in the site and after recording just 12 species in the first year we are now up to 32 butterfly species, which is fantastic So a big thank you to everyone involved in making the Open Day a success including Longcliffe Quarries, Butterfly Conservation East Midlands together with both Kyle and Emily of the DWT who did sterling work with pond dipping!
Pleasingly the Purple Hairstreak appeared on oaks on the evening of the 8th of July 2024 at the farm in Wessington of Eric & Fiona Easom who saw 20 individuals flitting around the tops of their oak trees – the best time to see these butterflies is early evening just as the sun (whatever that is?) starts to lose its power for the day.
Other recent interesting sightings include :-
Small Skipper :- The species finally reached double figures on the 7th of July 2024 when 14 were noted on the transect at Doe Lea by Willy Lane – photo attached of a male showing the long curved sex brand lines on the upper wings without any other markings.
Green Hairstreak :- A late individual was seen on the 5th of July 2024 in Tideswell Dale (Adam & Laura Saunders)
White Letter Hairstreak :- Only 2 noted on the 8th of July 2024 at the National Stone Centre, Wirksworth (Sue Quick)
Holly Blue :- Just 3 recent second brood sightings at Oakwood (Derek & Maggie Golson), Manor Farm, Long Eaton ( Brenda & Mick Meakin) and at Northwood, Darley Dale on the 8th of July 2024 (Christine Gregory).
Dark Green Fritillary :- Recent sightings at Tideswell Dale (Adam & Laura Saunders) plus 3 locations on the 8th of July 2024 including Lathkill Dale NNR (Debbie Worland), Chee Dale (Robert & Margaret Davies) and Millers Dale Quarry (Jonathan Bawden)
Silver Washed Fritillary :- Just 1 sighting this last week when an individual was noted at the Weleda site in Shipley on the 10th of July 2024 (Evelyn Liddell).
Comma :- New brood Hutchinsoni form has been noted at 12 locations recently with 4 individuals seen on the 7th of July 2024 at Forbes Hole, Long Eaton (Charlotte Hyman)
Marbled White :- 9 individuals were noted at Clough Wood on the 8th of July 2024 ( Rod Dunn)
Ringlet :- It looks like this species could well be the most common on transects in Derbyshire this year with recent sightings well in excess of 100 coming from The Forge, Ironville (135 no – Sally Fisher & Deb Bliss), Salter Wood, Street Lane ( 106 – Jane Rogers) and at the Haddon Hall Estate (110 no – Steve & Lyn Orridge)
Meadow Brown :- Highest count this week came from the Haddon Hall Estate on the 5th of July 2024 (124 no – Steve & Lyn Orridge)
Gatekeeper :- Still not widespread across the County with records from just 7 locations, with the highest count of 26 coming from Ticknall Limeyards on the 9th of July 2024 (Les & Jayne Saunders)
With the wind in a predominately westerly direction, it is of little surprise that migrant butterflies and moths have been few and far between with just 1 sighting of a Painted Lady in Chatsworth Gardens on the 5th of July 2024 (Esther Weir) together with just 1 sighting of a Humming Bird Hawk moth on the 7th of July 2024 in the Hope garden of Helen Perkins, on red valerian of course!
Interestingly the Purple Emperor has now appeared at a few of its usual sites in both Notts and Leicestershire with Cloud Wood being only a couple of km from the Derbyshire boundary – who will be the first person to go into the record book for the very first sighting in the County of this iconic butterfly species? It looks like the nearby Calke Estate should be the ideal location with South Wood having some ideal habitats to sustain a small population – ideally photographic evidence would be really good!
Finally today see the start of the Annual Big Butterfly Count which lasts until the 4th of August 2024 – all you need to do is spend 15 minutes in a sunny spot, if that is possible? For details of the project please have a look at the following link:-
https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/
