Hello Everyone, With the days now getting shorter, any sunny spells are at a premium but it didn’t prevent a third brood Holly Blue from emerging in the Churchyard at Mickleover on the 27th of October 2025 as seen and photographed by Peter Walley – not the latest ever sighting of the species, which is still the 31st of October (2014).
Other species to appear outside during the last week include :-
Red Admiral :- A total of 12 individuals were noted at 11 locations in the County up to and including the 30th of October 2025 when Andy Large saw an individual near Linton and Colin Bowler saw 2 no in Mickleover on a flowering strawberry tree – often flowering mahonia also attracts this butterfly species.
Small Tortoiseshell :- Just 1 individual has been tempted out of hibernation recently when a singleton was seen in the Rowland garden of Karen Mort on the 22nd of October 2025.
Peacock :- Slightly more of this species seen recently with 3 individuals noted outside in the County with the last sighting on the sunny morning of the 30th of October 2025 near Cromford ( Ruth Greaves)
Comma :- Just a couple of sightings of this species from the Buxton garden of Ian & Joy White on both the 22nd and 28th of October 2025.
Large White :- Not the latest County record for the species (which is the 1st of November (2015)), but a late individual was seen on the 28th of October 2025 flying in Chapel – en – le Frith (Sue Murdoch)
Small Copper :- Records received from a couple of sites recently at Alton (Sandra Kidd) and at Lightwood, above Buxton on the 27th of October 2025 (Steve & Lin Orridge)
Speckled Wood :- Records from 2 sites in the County recently with 6 seen at Forbes Hole, Long Eaton on the 27th of October 2025 (Marion Bryce) together with an individual noted on the 29th of October 2025 in Elvaston Country Park (Mike Tong)
Wall Brown :- A late third brood individual was noted on the 25th of October 2025 at Longstone Edge ( Paul Gubbins) – not quite the latest ever seen in Derbyshire which is the 31st of October (1997)
So overall quite an interesting last week in October 2025 with 9 butterfly species seen in the County – will some latest ever sighting records be broken in November 2025? Only your sightings will prove that so please keep them coming in….!!
Many thanks to all the transect data inputters who have diligently entered all the butterfly records for 2025 on to UKBMS – this weekend is the last date for the completion of all the information so please finish off any late inputting. Looking at the overall butterfly numbers recorded on transects in the Region, there were approximately 203,000 seen in 2025 against approximately 92,000 in 2024 – this is an increase of 120% which is far more than was expected at the beginning of the transect season!
Finally, the Annual Members Day and AGM of Butterfly Conservation East Midlands will take place on Sunday the 23rd of November 2025 at the Allestree Club, 39 Cornhill, Allestree, Derby DE22 2FS all as shown on the attached flier – this event will cover both butterfly and moth recording in the Region and is open to non-members of B C although in this case a small donation towards the cost of the buffet would be appreciated. There will be a Sales Table as well as a Tombola so why not come along and bring a memory stick with you showing a maximum of 20 slides of your favourite photos for others to enjoy. We hope to see you there!
