Hello Everyone,
At last some sun and heat meant that it finally felt more like Summer recently now that we have reached the third week of July 2024. Still some sites are deserted when it comes to butterfly numbers and species although at a few of the favoured sites in the County, there has been an increase in numbers with the maximum count being just over 300! Alison & Gordon Rooke recorded 321 number of butterflies in 16 species on the 17th of July 2024 on the transect in Tansley/Cressbrookdale which included 4 no White Letter Hairstreaks seen feeding on Common Valerian together with both Dark Green and Silver Washed Fritillaries – it must have been one of the best sightings in the County so far this year!
Pleasingly the second brood of the Wall Brown has just emerged with 3 individuals noted at Bradbury’s Bank in Dovedale on the 20th of July 2024 ( Mike Goold)
Other recent sightings of interest include :-
Brimstone :- New brood individuals started to appear on the 13th of July 2024 and they have now been recorded at a further 12 no sites in the County including 4 no noted in Tansley/Cressbrookdale on the 17th of July 2024 ( Alison & Gordon Rooke)
Dingy Skipper :- A late individual was seen on the 15th of July 2024 at Thornhill NR (Angela Brooks)
Holly Blue :- Rather surprising as compared to the first brood in the Spring, this species is doing poor so far in the Summer brood with recent sightings of individuals from just Toton Washlands on the 17th of July 2024 (Marion Farrell) and in the Allestree garden of John & Jessica Barker on the 18th of July 2024.
White Letter Hairstreak :- In addition to the species being seen in Tansley/Cressbrookdale as above, the only other recent record for this rare resident butterfly came from Wyver Lane, Belper on the 17th of July 2024 when Dave Evans saw an individual there.
Purple Hairstreak :- Still slow to show itself although recent records have come from Kedleston Park (Kevin Morris), Catton Estate (Michael Williams), Holmebrook Valley Park ( Andrew Woodhouse) and on the 19th of July 2024 at Radbourne (Colin Bowler) but none in double figures. Surprisingly a singleton was seen on Stanton Moor on the 20th of July 2024 (John & Gill Boardman)
Peacock :- Although buddleias have been deserted for most of July 2024, there is hope on the horizon with the appearance of the new brood of this species on the 17th of July 2024 at both Wyver lane, Belper (Dave Evans) and at the pond site at Toyota UK in Burnaston (Kelvin Lawrence) and these were followed by sightings in the North East of the County at Doe Lea (Willy Lane) and at Creswell Crags on the 19th of July 2024 (Peter Ham)
Dark Green Fritillary :- Becoming more common in the Peak District with sightings from 8 usual sites in the Dales together with sightings from the Dark Peak at East Moor (Andrew Woodhouse), Abney (John & Anne Coupland), Lawrence Field (Keith Saunders) Gnat Hole, Glossop (Rhian Law) and in the far North West of the County at Roundhill Moss (Tom Aspinall)
Silver Washed Fritillary :- Like most species at the moment this butterfly is struggling to get going with recent sightings coming from Lathkill Dale NNR (Aline & John Roberts), Deep Dale Sheldon and nearby Monsal Dale on the 19th of July 2024 (both Phil Gilbert) and also a singleton in Whitwell Wood on the 21st of July 2024 (Jess Bailey)
Gatekeeper :- This is one species that is definitely on the increase with sightings in double figures now coming from 14 locations in the County, mostly in Lowland areas with 46 seen on the 17th of July 2024 at Drakelow NR (Andy Large & Nigel Cowl) and further north at Crich Chase Meadows where 61 were noted on the 18th of July 2024 (Pauline Hodson & Alison Pritchard)
Surprisingly despite the recent mini heatwave, there have been no sightings of the migrant Painted Lady butterfly but a single Humming Bird Hawk moth was noted on the 15th of July 2024 at Sunnydale Park, Littleover ( Maurice Ireland) together with another sighting on the 20th of July 2024 in Clay Cross (Peter Kidd). No further sightings of the Purple Emperor have been received but with the larval foodplant (Sallow) now in place at a further 45 sites in Lowland Derbyshire it is really just a matter of time before His Imperial Majesty becomes established at some of our woodlands – I can’t wait for that to happen!
Now that the Essex Skipper is starting to appear in Lowland Derbyshire, I thought it would be a good idea to explain the differences with the Small Skipper to help recorders decide what they had seen in the field. First of all it is the underside of the tips of the antennae which gives the game away – the Essex Skipper has jet black glossy tips whereas the Small Skipper has orange tips to their antennae. Also on the males the sex brand line on the Essex is short and straight whereas on the Small the sex brand line is long and curved. Do not think that black at the top of the antennae means that it must be Essex as both species can exhibit this colouration. When it comes to distribution in the County, since the first sighting of the Essex Skipper at Drakelow NR at the beginning of the New Millennium, the species has spread through Lowland Derbyshire into South Yorkshire but it has been a slow process moving into the Peak District (there aren’t many hills in Essex!) with the species yet to appear in the Buxton area – the most furthest point north west to date being Bradwell high above the Hope Valley. (see attached photos and map to explain the above)
Another couple of species which can be difficult to distinguish in the field are the Gatekeeper and the Small Heath – the latter species always settles with its wings together and is usually found on short cropped grass – hence it is more common in the Peak District and ‘Brownfield’ sites in Lowland Derbyshire. The Gatekeeper is far more common, away from the High Peak, and the male tends to perch on the leaves of plants whilst looking for a female to pass – they often open their wings to show the orange colours with the smaller male having a dark sex brand line on each wing – they can be seen taking nectar from plants such as knapweed or marjoram when the sun is out.(see the attached photos and distribution maps for comparison)
Don’t forget that the Big Butterfly Count is still up and running until the 4th of August 2024 – all you need to do is spend 15 minutes in a sunny spot. For details of the project please have a look at the following link:-
https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/
