Hello Everyone, After a week of mixed weather which was followed by a period of welcome rain, it was pleasing to note that butterfly numbers in some parts of the County remained relatively high just in time for the Big Butterfly Count which runs from the 18th of July 2025 to the 10th of August 2025. With buddleias in full bloom there is the hope that records under this scheme will top at least 100,000 in the Region this year after only 40,000 in the awful Summer of 2024 and 80,000 in the Summer of 2023.
Pleasingly the expansion of the Purple Emperor into Derbyshire is now taking place with a 2 pronged advancement – to date there have been sightings at 5 locations in both South Derbyshire (from N W Leicestershire) and North East Derbyshire (from Notts) – see the attached provisional distribution map for 2025. Recent sightings have come from Pleasley Pit on the 14th of July 2025 (Nigel Downes) and from a bridleway way just north of Ticknall on the 18th of July 2025 (Margaret Whyte & Steve Potter) Dennis Dell informs me that a rotting banana with some sugar coating and some red wine in a container left for 5 days should provide a sufficient aroma to attract Purple Emperors down to ground level for a feast! Try it and let me know if it works at your site!
Meanwhile second brood Wall Browns have started to emerge at mainly gardens in the Peak District with sightings from Oker near Matlock (Martin Seddon), Northwood, Darley Dale (Chris & Sheila Ragg) with 4 seen on the 13th of July 2025 at Thorpe (Barbara Wager) with further sightings in the general countryside at Summerley on the 18th of July 2025 (Paul Townsend), Hundall (Judy Heap), Clough Wood (Janet Millichan), Eckington (Chris Jones), New Mills (Lucy Pink), Bradfield Ponds ( Andrew Darby), and in Bradwell (Sally Pereira). Additional second brood Dingy Skippers also appeared, this time on the transect at Doe Lea on the 18th of July 2025 (Willy Lane), at Deep Dale, Sheldon (Steve Orridge), and at Longstone Edge (Andrew Wilson), so don’t be too surprised if the species shows up at your site as well.
Despite numbers falling off at some sites this last week there have been some additional interesting sightings including:-
Large White :- A massive 143 counted on the 16th of July 2025 at Creswell Crags (Jason Lowe) together with 92 seen on the transect at Doe Lea on the 18th of July 2025 (Willy Lane) – both sites being relatively closest in Derbyshire to the recent migration point for the species in East Yorkshire.
Small Copper :- A count of 11 no was made at Summerley on the 18th of July 2025 (Paul Townsend) in addition to the sightings at 60 other sites across the remainder of the County.
Common Blue :- Largest recent counts have come from Lowland Derbyshire with 36 seen at the Forge site in Ironville on the 16th of July 2025 (Sally Fisher et al) and 33 noted at Witches Oak Water NR on the same day (Rob Shaw) – these being in addition to the 54 other sites across Derbyshire
Holly Blue :- This small but busy pale blue butterfly has been noted at 46 locations in the County with 4 seen on the 16th of July 2025 at Wyver Lane NR, Belper (Dave Evans)
Purple Hairstreak :- Sightings this last week from 20 sites across Derbyshire with 56 individuals being noted on oaks in Chatsworth Park on the 16th of July 2025 (Derek Whiteley)
White Letter Hairstreak :- Dwindling sightings of this rare butterfly species with 10 records up to the 18th of July 2025 including a worn individual noted on hemp agrimony alongside the Cromford Canal near Whatstandwell (Gill & Fred Dyson) whilst on the 16th of July 2025 Christina Kennedy saw another individual near to Cromford Wharf, again on hemp agrimony.
Silver Washed Fritillary :- A noticeable drop off in sightings in Lowland Derbyshire for this species as it is now recorded regularly in the Peak District with 15 seen in Thornhill NR near Bamford on the 18th of July 2025 (Joanna & Peter Mackey)
Peacock :- Numbers starting to dwindle at some Lowland sites now but 48 were counted mainly on buddleias and on rudbeckias in the gardens at Chatsworth House on the 18th of July 2025 (Gill & Fred Dyson) together with 50 seen on the Haddon Hall Estate (Steve Orridge) and up to 80 noted in Grattan Dale (Richard Lindop) all on the same date.
Gatekeepers :- Whilst the Meadow Browns and Ringlets have probably peaked now, the Gatekeeper is going from strength to strength in Lowland Derbyshire, 88 no at Summerley on the 18th of July 2025 – Paul Townsend and 103 noted at Belper on the 11th of July 2025 (Nigel Davidson) but the species has yet to appear at some sites in the Peak District – let’s hope is does well at the higher locations in the County very soon.
Naturally it is has rather quiet on the migrant scene this last week, with just 20 sightings of the Painted Lady in the County including 3 noted on the 18th of July 2025 at Haddon Hall Estate (Steve Orridge) and only 7 sightings of the Humming Bird Hawk moth with red valerian being the preferred nectar plant as usual.
Finally if you have yet to see the Purple Emperor in the County then have a look at this fantastic video taken by Michael Williams earlier this month in a wood in the National Forest in South Derbyshire, the species certainly uses its size and strength to move on both Red Admirals and Commas – enjoy!
