Hello Everyone,
It certainly feels like Autumn has arrived now with frequent showers and longer periods of rain interspersed with sunny intervals but the Met Office has confirmed that 2025 was the warmest Summer on record followed by 2018, 2006, 2003, 2022 and 1976.
So despite the lower numbers of butterflies seen last week due to the change in weather, some species are doing fairly well with the Small Copper being the highlight as it has been seen at 90 locations in the County with counts in double figures coming from 3 sites – Blackwell Trail (10 no – Nikki Mahadevan on the 30th of August 2025); Belper Private NR (25 no – Nigel Davidson on the 26th of August 2025): and a massive 42 seen on thistles and hawkweed in fields near Hundall on the 30th of August 2025 (Judy Heap)
Also appearing, mainly in the Peak District, are new brood specimens of the Small Tortoiseshell with 9 seen in Hoe Grange Quarry on the 24th of August 2025 (Ray Badger Walker), 9 seen at Thornhill NR, Bamford on the 26th of August 2005 (Joanna and Peter Mackey) and 10 seen at Bradwell on the 25th of August 2025 (Joanna Mackey)
Other late sightings of interest include :-
Purple Hairstreak :- A late specimen seen on the 26th of August 2025 at Wyver Lane, Belper by Dave Evans who also saw a late Holly Blue there on the same day.
Common Blue :- Numbers starting to decline but 19 were noted at Witches Oak Water NR, Shardlow on the 27th of August 2025 (Rob Shaw) and 20 were seen along the Blackwell Trail on the 30th of August 2025 (Nikki Mahadevan)
Brown Argus :- Both the Migrating and the Peak Race have managed to hang on until the 31st of August 2025 but will they still be on the wing during September 2025?
Silver Washed Fritillary :- A late individual was noted on the 25th of August 2025 at Hollinhill NR (Paul Townsend)
Meadow Brown :- Another late individual was noted on the 31st of August 2025 at Drakelow NR (Andy Large)
Speckled Wood :- This species can still be seen at most sites with the maximum recent counts coming from Sunart Fields (24 no – Angela Walker), Drakelow NR ( 28 no – Andy Large), and at Whitwell Wood (43 no – Paul Townsend)
Small Heath :- Highest recent counts have come from Northwood, Darley Dale (25 no – Christine Gregory) and along the Blackwell Trail (35 no – Nikki Mahadevan)
Wall Brown :- The recent change in the weather has affected the number of records received for this Endangered species with just 30 individuals noted at 22 sites in the County up to and including the 31st of August 2025 when Steve Orridge saw an individual in Lightwood, Buxton, with the highest count of 4 coming on the 26th of August 2025 from Smalldale ( Larry Harfoot)
On the migrant scene, there have been a couple more sightings of the Clouded Yellow recently – one at Thornhill NR, Bamford on the 26th of August 2025 (Joanna & Peter Mackey) together with another in Millers Dale on the 28th of August 2025 (Kyle Winney).
At least 20 individuals of the Painted Lady have been noted in the County recently, mainly in the Peak District in ones and twos up to and including the 31st of August 2025 when singletons were seen at Yorkshire Bridge ( Pete Feetham) and in the Matlock garden of Alan Kitchen. Slightly more Humming Bird Hawk moths were seen this last week compared to the week before with 12 no moths noted in Derbyshire with 2 seen on the 31st of August 2025 on red valerian in the Fenny Bentley garden of Derek Brownlee.
Finally, a check on the numbers of butterflies recorded on transects in the Region, as at the end of Week 20, reveals the following :-
2023 – 118,000 butterflies; 2024 – 73,000 butterflies; 2025 – 140,000 butterflies. As expected 2025 was a complete turnaround for butterfly numbers with an increase of 90% on transects when compared to 2024.(also an 18% increase compared to 2023).
Another great performance by the many committed volunteers across the East Midlands who carry out this vital survey work – will we maintain top spot in the league table of B C Branches across the UK? Only time will tell but let’s hope so!
