|
Menu |
| Derbyshire Dragonflies |
| Butterflies Home |
| Derbyshire List |
| Records |
| Links |
| Message Board |
| Species Info |
Welcome to The Butterfly Net
This is the hunting ground for Butterflies throughout Derbyshire. It is our aim to network with enthusiasts in the County and to report the information as we receive it. The Butterfly Net is a sub-domain of Derbyshire Dragonflies ( www.derbyshire-dragonflies.org.uk ) a site dedicated to Damselflies and Dragonflies.
Records shown below have been reported within the last 14 days.
|
Latest Sightings
|
|
|
28/07/2008 |
| 28th July Roy Frost news |
| Thanks to Roy Frost for the following butterfly update:-
With one exception, all the expected second [in some cases, first and only] broods of local butterflies are now flying. In order, the most recent examples are Holly Blue [Staveley, 21st July], Common Blue [20+ at Aston on 25th], Small Copper [Aston, 25th], Peacock [Sawley, 25th], Brimstone [Stony Houghton, 28th], and Wall Brown [Pleasley Vale, 28th]. The exception is Brown Argus [excepting the univoltine Peakland populations]: it is often well into August before I re-connect with this species, which is now widespread but rarely numerous. White-letter Hairstreaks seem to be at a particularly low ebb. I checked two sites today where I have had double-figure counts in recent years, scoring just two and one, though elm disease is still rampant at one of the places. A friend had a small colony in elms in his North Wingfield garden in 2007, but has seen none this time. They seem, as with so many butterflies, to be suffering as a consequence of last summer's weather and in truth we could hardly expect much else. A reliable observer had excellent views of an Essex Skipper near Baslow today. I believe this is a first sighting for the national park, though there was one not so far away at Crich last August. Both these records are rather surprising since they are by no means numerous in E/NE Derbyshire, and still heavily outnumbered by Small Skipper. This was not the case in the Sawley-Aston area last Friday, when I saw more ES than SS. This included a male ES actively pursuing a female SS in rank grassland by Lock Lane golf course. I wonder how the two very similar species identify one another; and how often they get it wrong? Also today I called in at the former Shirebrook Colliery site to see an excellent show of Maiden Pink, found by Vic and Neville Jackson. These flowers are on the Nottinghamshire side of the county boundary, unlike Grass Vetchling, of which I found 14 plants here in June. The very helpful Flora of Derbyshire web-site suggests this is a local rarity, previously recorded in only two tetrads in our county. |
|
26/07/2008 |
| Ken's update number 12 |
| Hi Everyone,
Following a spell of warm and relatively sunny weather it appears that the Essex Skipper is now well established in the S E part of Derbyshire with records so far this year coming from West Hallam, Breadsall, Friargate, Aston, Stanton Gate, Forbes Hole NR and Darley Abbey Tip. At the moment the Essex appears quite fresh compared with the similar Small Skipper, as they usually emerge about 2 weeks later. They best way to positively I D the species is to check the tips of the antennae – the Essex appear jet black as if they have been dipped in Printers Ink whereas the Small Skipper are brown or ginger. This weekend could be a good opportunity to check whether the Essex is on your patch. At the moment there are no records to the West and North West of Derby ( other than Kedleston ). If in doubt email me a photo and I will hopefully be able to confirm. Still no new brood records yet of either Common Blue or Brown Argus ( away from the Peak ), but on a glorious summer evening last Wednesday ( 23rd July ) at around 8 pm in Allestree Park I noted a couple of fresh Holly Blue butterflies flying along the hedgerows, whilst above them at the top of the oaks a number of Purple Hairstreaks were seen with their characteristic ‘zig zag’ late evening flying display. Very few records have been received so far this year for White Letter Hairstreaks so it may well be that their flight period is late, but a couple were noted by Pat and Ken Orpe flying around elms in the middle of the day on the 19th July at Cumberhills near Duffield, so hopefully this species may well be still about, albeit in small numbers. Finally, fresh new brood Peacock butterflies were noted today ( 25th July ) in our garden in Allestree – they have lots of empty buddleia bushes waiting for them to nectar on before Autumn comes!!! Regards, Ken Orpe |
|
02/08/2008 |
| Essex Skipper News from Ken update no 13 |
| Hi Everyone,
Many thanks to those recorders who responded to my appeal for information on the status of the Essex Skipper in Derbyshire. Additional records have been received from Mickleover and Hilton to the west of Derby, and Allestree Park and Shipley Park to the north of Derby. Phil Gilbert emailed me a photo of an Essex Skipper seen at Walton to the west of Chesterfield so it appears that this species is now poised to spread to even more parts of the County. This weekend could well be the last chance to note additional sites this year so any further observations would be appreciated. The situation with the spreading Brown Argus is not so good as there have been very few records received so far this year but it was pleasing to know that a couple of second brood individuals were seen at Drakelow Power Station NR yesterday (30th July). Second brood Common Blue butterflies have been seen since the last update together with a few Small Copper butterflies. The summer hairstreak populations are well down on recent years with the White Letter Hairstreak having a particularly bad time, and with numerous elms appearing to be suffering from a new bout of Dutch Elm Disease, the future for this species does not bode well. A few Purple Hairstreaks were noted last weekend at Grange Wood in the South of the County but to date there have been no records from the High Peak. It will be interesting to see how many second brood Wall Brown butterflies are noted during August as this is another species that is declining at an alarming rate. Let’s hope that the new month brings in some migrants to raise spirits as to date only a few Painted Lady butterflies have been seen and only a single Clouded Yellow at Friargate in the centre of Derby. Regards, Ken Orpe |