Butterflies in the Stevenage area

News 2022

Archive: 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017

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29 Oct - Clouded Yellow. Seen flying west in field south of Watery Grove at 2 pm (first of the year). Also female Brimstone fluttering over brambles on edge of wood minutes later

14 Oct - Transects. 2022 transect data added and species accounts updated accordingly

25 Sep - Knebworth week 26. 12 butterflies on the 2 transects including female Common Blue aberration apicata in Knebworth Park. Also 2 Small Copper here and several Speckled Wood in wooded areas. Worst year on both transects in terms of numbers since I started in 2017

24 Sep - Stevenage week 26. 2 Speckled Wood seen on the transect walked 1050-1155 in almost unbroken sunshine. Total butterfly count for the year amounted to 1033, the worst since 2012 when only 888 recorded. Probably mostly due to long drought in the summer

17 Sep - Knebworth week 25. 14 butterflies in 100% sunshine on the 2 transects including 6 Small Copper in NW Knebworth Park - at least one egg-laying. 6 Speckled Wood also (5 in the Pigeonswick area). Norton Green Common undergone annual conservation cut in last few days

16 Sep - Stevenage week 25. Stiff northerly breeze during transect yielded just one butterfly - Speckled Wood on eastern edge of Monk's Wood

14 Sep - Knebworth Park week 24. Transect walked 1055-1230 hrs produced just 4 butterflies - all Small Copper. First time that this week yielded less than 20 butterflies since 2017 when transect begun. Again, appears to be 2 weeks earlier than normal

12 Sep - Knebworth woods week 24. Transect walked 1030-1130 yielded 7 butterflies (Speckled Wood 3, Small Heath 2, Green-veined White, Comma). Worst result for this week since transect started in 2017 - appears to be 2 weeks earlier than usual

9 Sep - Stevenage week 24. Transect walked 1240-1355 yielding 3 butterflies (Speckled Wood 2, Small White) in about 40% sunshine. Shackledell Grassland and some other areas of Fairlands Valley Park undergone conservation cut in last week

5 Sep - Comma Knebworth. A few Comma about now in Knebworth (eastern side) feeding on blackberries

3 Sep - Knebworth week 23. Mostly sunny in morning but more clouds by midday. 34 butterflies recorded (Speckled Wood 10, Small Heath 10, Common Blue 6). 3 Small Copper including one at Norton Green Common

2 Sep - Stevenage week 23. Transect 1255-1425 hrs 36% sunshine 23c but only 4 butterflies (Speckled Wood 3, Common Blue)

27 Aug - Knebworth week 22. 40 butterflies recorded for the 2 transects (Speckled Wood 24, Small White 5, Common Blue 5). 14 Speckled Wood between the Firs and Newton Wood. Only 2 butterflies (both Common Blue) seen in Knebworth Park

26 Aug - Stevenage week 22. Only 2 butterflies seen on transect 1025-1155 hrs (39% sun, 19c, W1) - Common Blue and Speckled Wood

20 Aug - Knebworth week 21. 41 butterflies over the 2 transects - better than last week in spite of cloudier weather (Speckled Wood 10, Small Heath 9, Meadow Brown 5) plus first of the year Brown Argus in field between Burleigh Farm and Wintergreen Wood

19 Aug - Stevenage week 21. 18 butterflies (Speckled Wood 10, Small White 2, Meadow Brown 2, Small Heath 2) on transect 1015-1140 hrs 22c 98% sunshine. Good year for Speckled Wood and Common Blue

15 Aug - Knebworth week 20. Morning transects yielded 35 butterflies (Green-veined White 7, Meadow Brown 7, Common Blue 5, Speckled Wood 5) - worst week 20 count since I started in 2017 but season is early and compares well with last year's week 22 transects e.g. Green-veined White and Speckled Wood only seen in shaded areas

14 Aug - Essex Skipper. Late specimen in field south of Watery Grove

12 Aug - Stevenage week 20. Transect 0955-1135 hrs, 100% sun, 24c 24 butterflies (Meadow Brown 9, Gatekeeper 7, Common Blue 2, Speckled Wood 2) plus firsts of the year here for Small Copper and Small Heath both near or at Shackledell.

9 Aug - WCBS August. Very disappointing result on the Aston WCBS with only 5 butterflies (Small White 3, Gatekeeper & Speckled Wood). Very dry and little in the way of nectar

8 Aug - Brown Hairstreaks Ruislip. Bob Clift and I visited the Stafford Road Open Space to find Brown Hairstreaks. We counted 9 including 4 feeding on thistles, bramble flowers and balckberries.

6 Aug - Knebworth week 19. Transect (unbroken sunshine, 19c) - 102 butterflies (Meadow Brown 38, Gatekeeper 32, Small White 7, Common Blue 7, Small Heath 7). One Small Heath ab. nolkeniana (white band hindwing underside more developed) south of Watery Grove. Female Silver-washed Fritillary at Norton Green Common before start

5 Aug - Stevenage week 19. Transect 1005-1145 hours (91% sun, 18c) - 53 butterflies (Gatekeeper 27, Speckled Wood 10, Meadow Brown 9) and only 5 species in all. The park (FVP) looking very parched - knapweed appears to be the most abundant nectar source. Nice fresh Painted Lady in garden at 0850 hrs

30 Jul - Knebworth week 18. Cloudy conditions for the Knebworth transects - 114 butterflies (Gatekeeper 60, Meadow Brown 26, Small White) plus Purple Hairstreak on gravelly track at Burleigh Farm, Small Copper in Knebworth Park & Large Skipper in field south of Norton Green Common

29 Jul - Stevenage week 18. Transect 1005-1145 hrs 98% sun 21c - 85 butterflies (Gatekeeper 33, Meadow Brown 32, Speckled Wood 7). Meadow Brown more than doubled last week following decline. Silver-washed Fritillary seen at Shackledell Grassland (first ever). Fresh Painted Lady seen in garden later

27 Jul - Big Butterfly Count. Fairlands Valley Park west of the Environment Lake 1040-1055 hrs - 18 butterflies (Gatekeeper 6, Common Blue 6, Meadow Brown 3, Small White 3)

23 Jul - Knebworth week 17. Mixed bag on transects. Plenty of warm sunshine but numbers depressed in the park. Norton Green better with Gatekeeper boosting numbers. 176 butterflies (Gatekeeper 67, Meadow Brown 50, Small White 12, Ringlet 12)

22 Jul - Stevenage week 17. Transect 1055-1230 hrs 77% sun 22c - 84 butterflies (Gatekeeper 30, Speckled Wood 17, Meadow Brown 13) plus only 1 Ringlet and no Marbled White. Speckled Wood best weekly count since 2016. 2 Silver-washed Fritillary including 1 outside transect in Monk's Wood

16 Jul - Stevenage week 16. Transect walked earlier than usual 0945-1130 (20c, 100% sun) yielding 145 butterflies (Meadow Brown 38, Gatekeeper 29, Small & Essex Skippers 28) plus first new generation Common Blue at Shackledell

15 Jul - Knebworth week 16. Transects walked late morning/lunch-time almost ideal weather - 247 butterflies (Meadow Brown 73, Ringlet 57, Gatekeeper 38) plus Small Copper 2. Numbers disappointingly low - season has probably already peaked

14 Jul - Small Copper. First Copper of the year seen in field south of Watery Grove feeding on thistle. Also first 6-spot Burnet moths (2) on ragwort at Norton Green on grassy bank by the A1 underpass

10 Jul - Knebworth week 15. Warm unbroken sunshine 1005-1150 hrs transects yielded 342 butterflies (Meadow Brown 124, Ringlet 97, Marbled White 39) plus 1st new brood Peacock (2), Gatekeeper (17). Only 2 Silver-washed Fritillary and no Comma - too hot for them to be flying?

8 Jul - Stevenage week 15. Transect 1005-1155 hrs 21c 98% sunshine yielded 179 butterflies (Meadow Brown 50, Ringlet 31, Marbled White 22) plus 1st Silver-washed Fritillary (3) of the year. Overall, 29 skippers with 4 each of Small and Essex identified

7 Jul - Gatekeeper. The Gatekeeper made its first appearance of the year in the garden

6 Jul - Essex Skipper. First garden Essex Skipper of the year

5 Jul - Silver-washed Fritillary pair. Mating pair about 8 feet up a hornbeam tree southern edge of Watery Grove. First Gatekeepers of the year at Norton Green

4 Jul - Another Purple Emperor. Purple Emperor northern edge of Whomerley Wood (TL247238) over oak canopy at 1:05pm. In garden, new generation Common Blue and Brimstone x2

3 Jul - Dark Green Fritillary near Langley. Knebworth transects in good weather yielded 373 butterflies (Ringlet 150, Meadow Brown 91, Marbled White 61) plus first ever transect Dark Green Fritillary by path south of Burleighcroft Wood. Numbers of Marbled White and Meadow Brown about the same as last week

2 Jul - Purple Emperors. 2 grounded male Purple Emperors on the track at Norton Green between 1040 and 1055 hours

1 Jul - Stevenage week 14. Transect walked 1005-1150 - 116 butterflies (Ringlet 36, Marbled White 27, Meadow Brown 26) plus 1st Red Admiral and Purple Hairstreak of year here and 1st confirmed Essex Skipper

28 Jun - Comma aberration. Comma ab. reichstettensis seen near Pigeonswick Cottage Knebworth at 1045 during brief sunny spell when a male Silver-washed Fritillary alighted on same bramble patch

26 Jun - Silver-washed Fritillary. First Silver-washed Fritillary seen in Graffidge Wood during the Knebworth Park transect. For the two transects walked, I counted 247 butterflies (Meadow Brown 108, Marbled White 51, Ringlet 38). A few 'skippers' about

24 Jun - Stevenage week 13. Transect walked 1000-1135 yielding 131 butterflies (Marbled White 42, Meadow Brown 40, Ringlet 22) plus first Comma (2) since before start of transect season. First Comma and Ringlet of year in garden

22 Jun - Dark Green Fritillary. 50+ Dark Green Fritillary plus 100+ Meadow Brown and 100+ Marbled White in field west of High Wood near Aston

20 Jun - Knebworth woods week 12. Walked the transect 1040-1135 resulting in 55 butterflies (Meadow Brown 36, Comma 5, Ringlet 4) - second best count since I started in 2017 (60 in 2020). First Small Skipper (3) and Marbled White of the year.

19 Jun - First Ringlet. Knebworth Park transect walked 1045-1220 producing 113 butterflies (Meadow Brown 97, Marbled White 8, Small Skipper 3, Small Heath 3). Ringlet by the path between The Firs and Newton Wood. Red Admiral basking on ground west of Burleigh Grove

18 Jun - First White-letter Hairstreaks. At Six Hills Common at 0915 hrs 4 White-letters over the elm tops. Also Small Heath and Marbled White. In garden, fully grown Orange-tip larva on Garlic Mustard but apparently no more Brimstone larvae on buckthorn (at least 10 2 days ago)

17 Jun - Stevenage week 12. Transect walked 1010 and 1135 hours 24-25c SW force 4 yielding 62 butterflies (Meadow Brown 34, Marbled White 15 - first of the year, Speckled Wood 7). Compared to recent past, about average total

16 Jun - Dark Green Fritillary. Andrew Wood found dozens of Dark Green Fritillary along a field edge off the Walkern Road between Aston and Benington

12 Jun - Knebworth week 11. Started off with very little sunshine but brightened up later along with a stiff breeze resulting in 52 butterflies (Meadow Brown 37, Speckled Wood 8) plus 4 Chimney Sweeper moths in the western section of the park. Still no Marbled White yet. First hutchinsoni Comma of the year - outside Pigeonswick Cottage

10 Jun - Stevenage week 11. Transect walked late morning in good sunshine but breezy. 28 butterflies (Meadow Brown 16, Speckled Wood 8, Large Skipper 2) plus first Painted Lady here since 2019, feeding on bramble flowers which I don't see often.

7 Jun - Knebworth week 10. Reasonable amounts of sunshine especially early on resulting in 20 butterflies on the 2 transects (Meadow Brown 8, Speckled Wood 6, Common Blue 3). Numbers of Small Heath the lowest for some years at this time of year - only 1 seen today

3 Jun - Stevenage week 10. Transect walked 1020-1145 hrs about 50% sunshine 7 butterflies (Speckled Wood 4, Large Skipper 2 - first of the year - at Sheckledell Grassland). Other butterfly Meadow Brown

2 Jun - Knebworth week 9. Very limited sunshine during Knebworth transects 1030-1310 yielding 7 butterflies (Speckled Wood 3) and first Chimney Sweeper moth of the year in Knebworth Park

1 Jun - First Meadow Brown of the year. Meadow Brown seen at the southern end of Six Hills Common

28 May - Stevenage week 9. Relatively cool conditions (16c) and 25% sunshine produced 7 butterflies (Speckled Wood 6, Holly Blue). Some nice clumps of Bird's-foot Trefoil at Shackledell but no Common Blues

27 May - Chequered Skippers. Visited Fineshade Wood near Corby. Saw at least 7 Chequered Skipper plus Dingy and Grizzled Skippers. Several Common Blue also present.

22 May - Knebworth week 8. Almost unbroken warm sunshine yielded 19 butterflies (Small White 6, Speckled Wood 4) and 1st Common Blue of the year here. Painted Lady seen north of Burleigh Farm

21 May - Stevenage week 8. Transect walked 1300-1420 hours in about 50% sunshine produced only 3 butterflies (Common Blue 2, Speckled Wood) plus a Burnet Companion. Common Blues & Burnet Companion at Sheckledell

18 May - First Common Blue. Walk in northern section of Fairlands Valley Park yielded my first Common Blue of the year by the Environment Lake. Also a fresh Red Admiral a few minutes later

16 May - Stevenage week 7. Early afternoon transect (21c, SW 4, 72% sun) - 7 butterflies (Small White 4, Holly Blue 2, Green-veined White 1). In late May gap? Waiting for Common Blue, Small Copper & Small Heath to appear

14 May - Knebworth week 7. Unbroken sunshine 1050-1330 hrs, warm and light winds - 22 butterflies (Small White 5, Orange-tip 5, Green-veined White 3) and first Painted Lady of the year in Graffidge Wood. Also 3 Latticed Heath in Knebworth Park

8 May - Knebworth week 6. 30 butterflies recorded for both transects (Small White 11, Green-veined White 6, Orange-tip 6) plus 2 Small Heath (first of the year) - one near Langley and the other at Norton Green Common

6 May - Stevenage week 6. Glorious weather (100% sun) for transect but only 11 butterflies (Orange-tip 4, Green-veined White 2, Holly Blue 2) but no Speckled Wood (a surprise!) Plenty of dogwood at all heights at Shackledell but female Holly Blues seem to prefer young shoots for egg-laying

5 May - Knebworth woods week 5. Transect walked 1035-1120 hrs - 66% sun, 14c yielding 14 butterflies (Green-veined White 5, Small White 3, Orange-tip 3) plus Holly Blue near Pigeonswick Cottage. Speckled Wood first garden sighting of the year

2 May - Knebworth week 5. Walked the Knebworth transect 1045-1200 hrs (46% sun, 14c, variable force 1) - 4 butterflies (Orange-tip 3, Peacock 1)

30 Apr - Stevenage week 5. Transect walked 1225-1345 hrs 100% sun, 13c W 1: 21 butterflies (Speckled Wood 6, Small White 5, Orange-tip 5). In garden, more eggs laid by Brimstone on buckthorn - all heights. Some eggs laid on 24 April still pale green

26 Apr - Knebworth woods week 4. Walked 1240-1320 hrs (62% sun, 13c, NE 3) yielding 3 butterflies (Peacock, Small White, Orange-tip) so disappointing!

24 Apr - Stevenage week 4. 99% sunshine, 14c (1040-1200 hrs) yielded 24 butterflies (Speckled Wood 7, Orange-tip 7, Small White 5) - 2nd best week 4 count for over 10 years (best in 2020 with 32). Female Brimstone laid eggs on buckthorn in garden at 1pm on lowest leaves (1m high) including 5 on one leaf

17 Apr - Knebworth week 3. Both transects yielded 31 butterflies in total (25 in the woods transect) - Peacock 11, Orange-tip 5, Speckled Wood 5, Brimstone 4, Green-veined White 4)

16 Apr - Norton Green & Knebworth Park (E). Quite a few Green-veined White on the wing along the woodland edges. Also Peacocks & Orange-tips

15 Apr - Stevenage week 3. Transect walked 1030-1140 hrs - unbroken sunshine 17c S force 1 -10 butterflies (Peacock 6, Orange-tip 2, Small Tortoiseshell and 1st Large White of the year)

14 Apr - First Holly Blue. 1st Holly Blue of the year in St Nicholas churchyard, Stevenage. In fields north of the church were 4 Peacocks and 4 Small Tortoiseshells

13 Apr - Knebworth Park week 2. Transect walked 1140-1250 hours 19% sun 17c SW 4 yielding only 2 Small Tortoiseshell and 1 Peacock

12 Apr - First Speckled Wood. Of the year at Fairlands Valley Park north of Six Hills Way near ST Vincent School

11 Apr - Knebworth woods week 2. Saw 8 butterflies (5 Peacock, 3 Brimstone) between 1320 and 1355 hours (82% sun, 14c, SE 4). One Brimstone fluttering over some blue plastic for several minutes offering open-winged photos

10 Apr - Stevenage week 2. Between 1305 and 1410 hours in unbroken sunshine 12c S force 3 found 3 Peacock, 2 Brimstone and my first Orange-tip of the year

6 Apr - Species accounts updated. For UKBMS abundance data for 2021

3 Apr - Small Tortoiseshell. Cool 9c in the shade but saw a Small Tortoiseshell on dandelion in Fairlands Valley Park near the football ground at 1:15 pm

25 Mar - Stevenage week 0. Transect walked 1230-1340 hrs in unbroken sunshine 14-15c E breeze yielding 5 Peacock, 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Comma & 1 Brimstone

24 Mar - First Small White. Visit to Roebuck Woodland yielded 4 Peacock, 4 Brimstone and 4 Comma plus a Small White (first of the year) near the Broadhall Way/Monkswood Way roundabout

23 Mar - Norton Green, Knebworth Woods. Several Brimstone and Peacock but only 3 Comma. A Small Tortoiseshell plus a Peacock feeding on sallow catkins Norton Green Common/Watery Grove

22 Mar - Peacocks galore. 22 Peacocks along with 9 Brimstone, 8 Comma and a Small Tortoiseshell seen in Fairlands Valley Park mostly north of Six Hills Way. Several feeding om blackthorn blossom

21 Mar - Species accounts updated. For UKBMS abundance data for 2020 and Herts & Middx distribution and abundance for 2021

19 Mar - First Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell. 8 Comma, 3 Peacock and 1 Small Tortoiseshell in Fairlands Valley Park in the early afternoon. 13c and unbroken sunshine despite stiff easterly breeze

10 Feb - 2021 records. Butterfly records for 2021 are now on the database for the Stevenage area (TL22). Quite a few new 2km squares contain new species for the first time like Purple Emperor in TL22L (Whomerley Wood)

1 Feb - Red Admiral. Red Admiral basking in the sun on southern edge of Millennium Wood at 1325 hrs

27 Jan - Brimstone. My first butterfly of the year, male Brimstone, by southern edge of Watery Grove at 1:30 pm during brief sunny spell and 10-11 degrees

10 Jan - Screens updated. Accommodate style changes (e.g. font size) for different media devices (laptop, tablet, mobile, MAC etc.)

1 Jan - Small Tortoiseshell. Small Tortoiseshell spotted in Fishers Green by Stefan Hunt at 11:15 in exceptionally mild weather