Hello Everyone,
After a week of sunny and warm conditions through the County, some of our local butterfly species have responded with an increase in their numbers whilst others have remained at a low ebb – so in reality it has been a hit and miss situation with volunteers at some transects remarking pleasingly how well they have done but other volunteers struggling to get any sightings at all.
Nevertheless the warm air flow of last week allowed a migration of Painted Lady butterflies into Southern England and indeed at least 3 were seen in Derbyshire with sightings at Jim Mart NR, Alton on the 30th of April 2025 (Paul Beard), at Holloway on the 1st of May 2025 ( Alison Pritchard) and at Tideswell Dale on the 2nd of May 2025 (Jane Allan).
The real success stories recently have included the number of Green Hairstreaks seen in the County with records from over 30 sites including Loscoe Fields (Lucy Benniston), Highoredish (Peter Kidd), Ashover Rock (Steve Plant), Hoe Grange Quarry ( Max & Christine Maughan) – the first there since 2019, Stoney Wood, Wirksworth (Jane Flint) – the first there since 2018, the National Stone Centre, Wirksworth (Jan Hall) with the maximum counts coming from Coombs Dale (50 no on the 2nd of May 2025 – Sid Morris) plus Padley Gorge (54 no on the 30th of April 2025 – Sid Morris) and 59 no on White Edge Moor on the 28th of April 2025 (Al & John Roberts). Also the Dingy Skipper has come good with sightings from over 40 locations including maximum counts of 43 from Whitwell Tip on the 29th of April 2025 (Ian Hurst) and 42 noted along White Rake on the 1st of May 2025 (Al & John Roberts).
Pleasingly the Holly Blue appears to have had a resurgence recently with sightings from 40 locations in the County, mainly parks and gardens, including 13 seen around Draycott village on the 29th of April 2025 (Roger Martin) and 11 seen in Mickleover on the 27th of April 2025 (Peter Roberts) Meanwhile the Common Blue which is mainly restricted to grassland containing birds foot trefoil has only been noted at 8 sites in the County recently and only just reached double figures at Whitwell Tip on the 28th of April 2025
( Paul Townsend) when 12 were seen. Small Coppers remain scarce with low counts coming from just 18 sites recently with the highest count coming of 11 at Tideslow Rake ( Andrew Woodhouse) on the 2nd of May 2025. The Brown Argus Peak District version was noted at just Longstone Edge (Brian & Jean Hallam et al) and in Lathkill Dale NNR (Andrew Woodhouse) – all in single figures. Even worse is the fact that the Migrating Brown Argus has yet to be recorded in Lowland Derbyshire – is this as a result of the flooded fields in Spring 2024 which must have killed off many caterpillars at the time?
Finally the ‘brown’ butterflies have had a mixed fortune so far this year with the Speckled Wood showing well including a massive count of 44 no on the 1st of May 2025 at Goseley Cutting, Woodville (Kate Allies & Ruth Woods) whereas just 21 individuals of the Endangered Wall Brown have been noted at only 8 locations in the Peak District recently including 8 on Longstone Edge on the 2nd of May 2025 (Pauline Harrison & Sue Walker). Meanwhile the Small Heath is another species only making slow progress with sightings from just 12 locations recently with 1 count in double figures (10 no) at Chee Dale on the 30th of April 2025 (Ian & Joy White) – similarly just 1 additional Large Skipper seen this week at Whitwell Wood (Jess Bailey) but at least the Orange Tip is still doing well and quite widespread with many sites having counts in double figures with a massive 62 seen on the 29th of April 2025 in Lathkill Dale NNR ( Chris & Sheila Ragg)
One of the dire consequences of a hot dry spell of weather is the risk of moorland fires in the Peak District and unfortunately last week this did happen in the Goyt Valley on the Derbyshire/ Cheshire border resulting in fire appliances from both Counties struggling to contain the flames over a number of days – Ian White emailed me a photo taken from his garden in Buxton which shows the smoke covering the sun in a dramatic fashion (see the attached)
With the possibility of a late frost again tonight, it will no doubt come as a shock to the first 5 Swifts that Ray Badger Walker saw in Parwich on the 5th of May 2025 – let’s hope that they find his swift box a comfortable place in which to snuggle up!
