Hello Everyone, A succession of Low Pressure systems spiralling across the Atlantic Ocean has left us all in no doubt that Autumn has finally arrived but at least the Reservoirs are beginning to fill up again after the warmest Summer ever. What was a surprise was to receive a sighting of a pristine male Wall Brown from Phil Gilbert in his Chesterfield garden on the 15th of September 2025 which was a particularly stormy day with showers and high winds. This third brood individual was 1 day later than the first in September 2024 when the flight period lasted until the 28th of September 2024 here in Derbyshire. Steve Lonsdale had earlier informed me of many fresh Wall Browns seen on the east coast at Wells next Sea in Norfolk so it looks like a third brood has appeared generally in the UK, which is either on the coast or in hilly areas of the Country these days, a far cry when I first started carrying out transects in 1981 when the species was a common butterfly seen just about everywhere! Now it is an Endangered Butterfly species.
The recent bonanza of Small Coppers seen in the Region begs the question as to why they have done so well in the Area this year- well Nick Bowles of Butterfly Conservation advised me of a possible explanation – ‘Small Copper larvae feed on tiny sorrel leaves and mature quickly if they are just above a patch of sun-warmed, bare soil. If the leaf isn’t in a warm enough position the larvae die. This is my opinion but I think that this year there have been far more small leaves just above warm bare soil at above the critical temperature, and the butterfly has been able to take advantage. I can’t tell you with any certainty that all the UK has more Small Coppers but we are seeing more than usual here (Upper Thames) as well – perhaps twice the usual number for the time of year’.
Another interesting fact is that further south in England, for a number of years, the Peacock has been producing a second brood in response to climate change and this year Dennis Dell informs me that second brood individuals have been noted as far north as Warwickshire. In this Region the butterfly has only 1 brood (usually in early July) and once these have fed voraciously on buddleias and other plants, they quickly go into hibernation – any late gathering of this species seen in the County would be most welcome!
Naturally butterfly sightings have been at a premium this last week but nevertheless the 3 White species have been seen widely in the County together with the Speckled Wood and the Small Copper maintaining their status, albeit at lower numbers:-
Small Copper :- Seen at 30 locations up to the 12th of September 2025 when Sally Pereira saw 7 individuals in her Bradwell garden.
Speckled Wood :- Slightly more common than the previous species recently with sightings from 42 locations up to the 15th of September 2025 with the highest counts coming from Tideswell Dale (20 seen on the 11th of September 2025 – Al & John Roberts) and the Stockley Trail ( 28 seen on the 9th of September 2025 – Tony Hudson)
Common Blue :- Only recorded from 12 locations in the County, all in single figures up to and including the 13th of September 2025.
Holly Blue :- Just a couple of recent sightings :- one in the Butterfly Garden in Darley Park, Derby on the 12th of September 2025 (Fran Vause) together with another in the Allestree garden of Ken & Pat Orpe on the 13th of September 2025
Brown Argus Migrating :- A few late sightings of this species in Lowland Derbyshire with records up to the 13th of September 2025 coming from Witches Oak Water NR, Shardlow (Rob Shaw), Willington G P ( Richard Winspear), Markham Vale South (Sid Morris) and Seale Wood, Overseal (Peter Brewster) with a surprising sighting on the hillside above Wirkswoirth at Maple Field on the 12th of September 2025 (Jane Flint) – yet more evidence that this species is about the link up with the Peak District version such as at the other calcareous grasslands where this has already occurred in the past ( Cromford Hill and at the National Stone Centre).
Brown Argus Peak District Race :- No further sightings of this speciality species from the calcareous sites in the Peak District
Comma :- A large gathering of 12 individuals on ripe blackberries was seen on the 12th of September 2025 in Hoe Grange Quarry by Badger Walker on the transect there – this being the highest number seen on site since transects began at the site in 2015.
Purple Hairstreak :- A late sighting on the 8th of September 2025 at Belper Parks (Adrian & Rebecca Rochford)
Meadow Brown :- A late sighting of this species was made on the 13th of September 2025 at Poolsbrook C P (Sid Morris)
Small Heath :- A late sighting of 3 individuals was made on the 12th of September 2025 at Markham Vale South (Sid Morris)
On the migrant scene, the Painted Lady has been seen at 6 sites up to and including the 13th of September 2025 whilst the Humming Bird Hawk moth was noted at just 2 sites up to the 13th of September 2025 – the former species is a definite for the long journey south to Africa whilst the former species could actually survive our Winters here in Derbyshire!
Finally now that we are in Week 25 of the transect season, could I ask that all the data inputters into UKBMS for the Region arrange to get all the records entered as the East Midlands Branch of Butterfly Conservation is the leading B C Branch when it comes to the number of transects walked so I would like to ensure that this situation is maintained for 2025 – thanks to everyone involved again!
