Hello Everyone,
It is that time of the year when the butterfly transect season finishes – with much regret from many of the 350 committed volunteers that we have here in Derbyshire. It certainly has been another challenging year to get as many transects done as possible so a big thank you to all of you who stuck diligently to your task – I really hope that you enjoyed it and got as much pleasure from it as what Pat and I do on our 3 transects in South Derbyshire. With a total of around 200 sites being monitored in the Region we hope to keep our position as the premier leaders within the Branches of Butterfly Conservation in the whole of the UK for yet another year. The next step for me is to download the data on UKBMS that has been inputted by around 100 volunteers – could I ask therefore that you email any late record sheets to your local inputter (and copied to me) so as to enable them to complete their task for this year. However don’t be too surprised if butterfly totals for 2024 on your transect are in the region of 50% down on those of 2023. Pleasingly it is not all doom and gloom this year with the arrival of the first ever Purple Emperor being sighted in Derbyshire during July 2024 at Bretby followed by another one in Aston on Trent, and further north the Essex Skipper has finally reached Buxton!
It looks like Saturday the 21st of September 2024 was the last day of decent warm weather here in Derbyshire for this year with a temperature of 22c here in Derby which was followed later in the same day with electrical thunderstorms which lasted for an amazing and unprecedented 6 hours, following which we have had 3 times the usual monthly rainfall in just a couple of days – this situation really summaries the weather during most of 2024 – nearly all local weather records have been broken this year.
Nevertheless 64 transects were walked in Week 26 and some of the 15 butterfly species seen during the last week include :-
Brimstone :- Noted at 2 locations including Biggin (Ray Walker) and in Chee Dale on the 28th of September 2024 (Jay Amin)
Large White :- Still flying in the County up to and including the 28th of September 2024
Small White :- This species was noted flying up to and including the 28th September 2024
Green Veined White :- Again this species has been seen up to and including the 28th of September 2024
Small Copper :- Noted at 6 locations recently including sightings on the 28th of September 2024 at Whaley Bridge (Angie Seymour) the Blackwell Trail (Nikki Mahadevan) and around Dene Quarry, Cromford (Gary Atkins)
Brown Argus Peak District Race :- A couple of mint specimens of this sub species were seen recently with individuals noted at both Hoe Grange Quarry (Ray Walker) and at Deep Dale, Sheldon (Steve & Lin Orridge) on the 25th of September 2024
Common Blue :- Surprisingly still a few of this scarce species around recently with 3 noted in Hoe Grange Quarry (Ray Walker), 1 seen at Greenfields, Buxworth (Vicki Leng) and an individual noted on the 28th of September 2024 along the Blackwell Trail ( Nikki Mahadevan)
Holly Blue :- Since the last Update there have been 3 individuals noted in the County with records from Rosliston Forestry Centre on the 19th of September 2024 (Kate Allies), from Broomfield College on the 20th of September 2024 (Paul Foskett) and in the Allestree garden of Steve Plant on the 25th of September 2024.
Red Admiral :- Still very evident taking nectar from flowering ivy and ripe fruit with sightings of 4 individuals noted at Darley Park on the 27th of September 2024 (Ken Orpe) followed by individuals noted on the 28th of September 2024 in gardens at both Grassmoor (Brian Cuttell) and in Mickleover (Colin Bowler) and on the 29th of September 2024 in the Whaley Bridge garden of Angie Seymour. See the notes below regarding the migration of some of this species.
Small Tortoiseshell :- It has been one of the worst years for this former common butterfly and only 3 recent records for the species in the County confirms its scarcity during 2024 with the latest sightings on the 21st of September 2024 coming from both Broomfield College (Paul Foskett) and in the Grassmoor garden of Brian Cuttell.
Peacock :- There were sightings of 2 individuals on the 28th of September 2024 at both Dene Quarry (Gary Atkins) and along the Blackwell Trail (Nikki Mahadevan)
Comma :- Still a reasonable number of sightings with at least 30 individuals noted at 15 locations in the County with 4 no noted on the 28th of September 2024 at Coombs Dale (Andrew Woodhouse), Little Bolehill (Dave & Sue Evans) and at Doe Lea (Willy Lane)
Speckled Wood :- Most transects recorded this species in week 26 with the highest counts of 19 coming from Pleasley Pit on the 21st of September 2024 (Willy Lane) and 14 noted on the 28th of September 2024 in Coombs Dale (Andrew Woodhouse)
Wall Brown :- Just a couple of third brood specimens noted during the last week with records received from Litton village (Gordon Rooke) on the 24th of September 2024 and one noted in Horseshoe Quarry on the 28th of September 2024 (Andrew Woodhouse)
Meadow Brown :- A late individual was noted on the 21st of September 2024 at Poolsbrook Country Park (Abby Bruce)
Finally, despite the end of the transect season, the butterfly flying season will still carry on so please email me your sightings – last year for instance some butterflies were noted whilst there was snow on the ground so they are more sturdy than what you might think! Interestingly this time last year there were many Red Admirals about following on with their migration from Scandinavia – for those of you who prefer to climb the hills of Derbyshire, please look out for migrating Red Admirals together with Painted Lady butterflies that are moving south towards warmer climes – whilst some Red Admirals can over – winter here, the Painted Lady can’t survive in these parts and hence will migrate to Central Africa where they probably join up with most of our summer migrant birds!
