A cool northerly breeze drifted through several parts of the transect this week, dialling down the temperature – but not the butterfly activity. Generous helpings of sunshine more than made up for the chill, giving our survey another boost.
Hot on the heels of last week’s record-breaking total, this week’s count reached 187 butterflies across 13 species – our second-highest total ever for Week 7.
The Green Hairstreak also had a strong showing, with 12 individuals spotted in a single section – just shy of our record of 13 from Week 6 in 2018, and matching tallies from 2019’s Weeks 5 and 7. Clearly, this little green gem enjoys making history.
But the real showstopper came courtesy of Fames Rough, where we were treated to a surprise visit from a Painted Lady – a glamorous globe-trotter that had travelled a very long way for a brief encounter in the sun (see below).
What to call the male of this species? Perhaps a Tattooed Gentleman!

​We recorded:
69 Common Blues
30 Brimstones
29 Dingy Skipper
26 Small Heath
12 Green Hairstreak
  5 Small Copper
  4 Peacock
  3 Brown Argus
  3 Grizzled Skipper
  3 Speckled Wood
  1 Holly Blue
  1 Orange Tip
  1 Painted Lady
Total: 187 butterflies from 13 species.

For more info on these species visit butterfly-conservation.org 

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) – the globe-trotting marvel of the butterfly world.

• Painted Ladies migrate thousands of miles – from North Africa to the UK – without a map, compass, or satellite navigation.
• They’re the most widespread butterfly on Earth, found on every continent except Antarctica.
• Unlike many UK butterflies, they don’t hibernate – each generation keeps the migration going, like a relay race across continents.

As Shakespeare once mused:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm’d.
That 16th-century weather report still holds true for British summers – although today we’d probably call it 'sunny intervals with a chance of poetic reflection.' And sure enough, this week’s butterfly survey enjoyed just such weather: warm, bright, and butterfly-approved.
The mild temperatures triggered a fluttering boom across the transect, with 221 butterflies recorded—roughly three times our average for Week 6. The stars of the show? Common Blues, Dingy Skippers, Small Heaths, and Brimstones, all out in force. Once again, Fames Rough lived up to its reputation as a butterfly hotspot, contributing a whopping 114 to the total.
As cooler conditions creep in, we’ll be watching with interest to see if next week’s numbers continue to soar – or take a turn for the verse!

Count details:
88 Common Blue
42 Dingy Skipper
34 Small Heath
24 Brimstone
10 Brown Argus
  8 Green Hairstreak
  6 Peacock
  2 Grizzled Skipper
  2 Holly Blue
  2 Orange Tip
  2 Small Copper
  1 Green-veined White
​Total: 221 butterflies from 12 species.

​For more info on these species visit butterfly-conservation.org     

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus) – a master of subtlety and survival.

• This butterfly rarely opens its wings when resting, making it easy to overlook despite being widespread.
• It can be active in cooler, breezy conditions when other species stay grounded – thanks to its ability to absorb heat quickly.
• The Small Heath may have up to three generations a year, adapting its life cycle to fit local weather conditions and habitats.

Spindle Ermine Moth Caterpillars (Yponomeuta cagnagella) – Nature’s spooky silk-spinners.

• These caterpillars create massive communal webs that can completely shroud spindle trees, giving them a ghostly, haunted look.
• Despite their eerie appearance, they don’t usually kill the tree – most bounce back after the caterpillars pupate and move on.
• Each web can house hundreds of caterpillars, all working together like a tiny silken city of leaf-munching roommates.

Mating Brown Argus Butterflies (Aricia agestis) – a close encounter of the butterfly kind.

• Brown Argus butterflies are often mistaken for female Common Blues, since both sexes are have brown with orange spots on the underside.
• They have two broods a year, and mating usually takes place soon after the butterflies emerge – no time wasted!
• Their courtship is a delicate dance, with males using subtle wing flicks and scent scales to attract a mate.

The hottest May Day on record didn’t just have humans reaching for the sun cream – it sent our butterfly count soaring too. Unsurprisingly, the blazing sunshine gave our sun-worshipping species a major boost, resulting in a record-breaking 151 butterflies spotted on this transect – the highest ever for week 5 of the season.
A remarkable 128 of those were found in just the first five sections –Stagbury, Great Parsons, Coneyboro, and Fames Rough – clearly the prime destination for nectar-hunters and basking beauties.
We were delighted to see Speckled Woods make a surprise return to their usual shady hangouts, a first appearance here in some time and a hopeful sign for this woodland-loving species. Also spotted was the dashing Red Admiral, a familiar favourite that often migrates from the continent and seems equally at home flitting through gardens or sunning itself on paths.
Butterflies love a heatwave – and apparently, so do the record books!

Count details:
41 Dingy Skipper
36 Small Heath
32 Brimstone
14 Grizzled Skipper
  6 Common Blue
  6 Peacock
  5 Brown Argus
  4 Green Hairstreak
  3 Holly Blue
  2 Speckled Wood
  1 Orange Tip
  1 Red Admiral
Total:151 butterflies from 12 species.
​For more info on these species visit butterfly-conservation.org

Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) – a high-flying beauty with seasonal tastes.

• It's one of the earliest blues to emerge in spring, often seen flitting high around holly bushes (hence the name).
• The caterpillars are picky eaters, feeding on holly in spring and switching to ivy in late summer – two broods, two diets.
• Unlike many butterflies that stay close to the ground, Holly Blues often fly high among trees and shrubs, making them easy to miss unless you're looking up.

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) – the shady woodland specialist with a twist.

• Unlike most butterflies, it prefers dappled shade over open sun, often seen dancing in sunlit glades and woodland rides.
• Males are fiercely territorial, spiralling into mid-air battles to defend their favourite sunspots.
• It can overwinter either as a caterpillar or chrysalis, giving it flexibility to cope with the UK's unpredictable seasons.

Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines) – a springtime splash of colour with hidden talents.

• Only the males have the bright orange wingtips – females are white and often mistaken for other white butterflies.
• It’s one of the first butterflies to appear in spring, often seen darting through hedgerows and along woodland edges.
• Its caterpillars are cannibalistic and will sometimes eat their own kind to eliminate competition for food.

This week’s transect brought a fluttery change for the better. With a welcome (if brief) boost in temperature, the butterfly scene really stepped up its game. Species diversity soared compared to last week, as more Dingy Skippers took to the air – and they weren’t alone. Making their seasonal debut were the radiant Small Copper and the charming Small Heath, clearly ready to join the springtime party.
Even more intriguing was the early arrival of two butterflies who clearly missed the memo about their flight times starting in May: the photogenic Common Blue and the elegant Brown Argus both checked in ahead of schedule. Whether they were keen or just impatient, they certainly made a surprise arrival midway through the afternoon.
Their reward? Exclusive admission to the transect’s ‘first-class lounge’ (our well-earned refreshment break at Fames Rough), where tea, snacks, and butterfly banter are always in-flight entertainment.

Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) – the classic blue with a wild side.

• Males are a brilliant sky blue, while females vary from dull brown to bright blue – no two are quite the same.
• It’s the most widespread blue butterfly in the UK, thriving in gardens, grasslands, and even roadside verges.
• Its caterpillars communicate with ants by sound and scent, earning protection in exchange for sweet secretions.

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) – a tiny butterfly with a fiery personality.

• Its bright orange wings with bold black spots make it one of the most eye-catching small species.
• Despite its delicate appearance, it’s fiercely territorial – often chasing off much larger butterflies.
• It can produce up to three generations a year, making surprise appearances from spring right through to autumn.

Brown Argus (Aricia agestis) – a subtle beauty with secrets.

• Though it looks similar to female Common Blues, it has no hint of blue – just rich chocolate-brown wings with orange spots.
• It’s a sun-lover often found in warm, dry grasslands, basking with wings wide open on bare ground.
• Its caterpillars feed on low-growing plants like rockrose and geraniums – and they’re guarded by ants in return for sugary rewards.

The weather for our Easter transect was cool, overcast, and a bit reluctant to play nice. For much of the afternoon, the butterflies stayed tucked away, presumably sipping hot nectar indoors. But just when we thought we’d missed out, the sun peeked shyly through the clouds … and out they came!
Among the brave flutterers making a fashionably late entrance were the Dingy Skipper, the Grizzled Skipper, and the Green-veined White – names that sound like they come from a woodland fairytale, but are real-life characters now appearing in a meadow near you. And that meadow is Fames Rough, where most of this week’s butterfly action was recorded.
As the figures show, butterfly numbers are doing their own weather forecast – rising and falling in step with our current temperature rollercoaster. It’s a delicate dance between sunshine and wings, and this week the rhythm was definitely a slow one.

Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages) – more charming than its name suggests.

• Despite its dull brown colour, it’s actually a member of the fast-flying, sun-loving skipper family.
• It prefers warm, open habitats like chalk grasslands and brownfield sites – often basking with wings spread wide like a moth.  
• Its caterpillars live in a self-made shelter by folding leaves of Bird’s-foot-trefoil, their main food plant.

Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvae) – a tiny speedster with a chequered charm.

• Its distinctive black-and-white ‘grizzled’ pattern helps it blend perfectly into stony or gravelly ground.
• It’s one of the earliest skippers to emerge in spring, often zipping low over the ground in quick, darting flights.
• The caterpillars feed on wild strawberry and other plants in the rose family, hiding in cleverly folded leaves.

Green-veined White (Pieris napi) – a master of disguise in the meadow.

• Unlike the similar-looking Small White, its underwings have delicate greenish veins that help it vanish among foliage.
• It prefers damp, grassy habitats like meadows, woodland edges, and riverbanks – often overlooked despite being widespread.
• Females are picky egg-layers, choosing only the freshest wildflowers like cuckooflower and garlic mustard for their caterpillars.

An afternoon bathed in glorious sunshine and skies so blue they looked photoshopped – perfect weather both for butterflies and the volunteers counting them. This was only our second outing of the season, but what a difference a week makes! We nearly doubled last week’s total, proving that the butterflies were just waiting for a proper spring day to stretch their wings.
Leading the charge once again were the flashy Peacocks and widespread Brimstones, the latter spotted in every single one of the 12 transect sections – as if they’d been assigned to patrol.
We also welcomed some fresh names to the party, with season-first sightings of the darting Dingy Skipper and the dazzling Green Hairstreak, pictured below in all its emerald glory.

Brimstone Butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni) – Nature’s early riser.

• It’s thought to be the original inspiration for the word butterfly due to the male’s buttery yellow wings.
• Brimstones can live up to a year – remarkably long for a butterfly.
• Their leaf-shaped wings make them masters of camouflage when resting among foliage, like the butterfly on the right.

Peacock Butterfly (Aglais io) – a springtime stunner.

• Its striking ‘eye-spot’ markings are used to scare off predators like birds.
• Despite its delicate looks, it hibernates through winter and is one of the first butterflies seen in spring.
• When threatened, it makes a hissing sound by rubbing its wings together.

Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi) – a tiny gem of spring.

• Though its upper wings are brown, it always rests with wings closed, showing off its shimmering green undersides.
• It’s the only green butterfly in the UK, perfectly camouflaged among leaves and grasses.
• The family name Callophrys is a Greek word meaning ‘beautiful eyebrows’.

Survey by Brian G, Liz North, Duncan Jennings, Graham H and Graham K submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). ​Report by GK & AI.

The afternoon of Thursday the19th proved to be a perfect choice for the penultimate transect of the 2024 season. We had continuous warm sun all the way round our 4 km walk, and the surviving butterflies were up and flying. 
 
Just for a change, the Meadow Browns failed to provide the highest count, they were beaten this time by a surprising  total of 29 Brown Argus. Our overall count of 56 butterflies from 9 species considered as reasonable for so late in the year. 
 
There are frequent news reports at the moment of 2024 being a disastrous year for butterfly sightings in the UK, but with still one week left of our counting season, we have recorded our third highest annual total of the eight complete seasons for which we have provided data. This appears to be due to the strong showing of our Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites and Gatekeepers, but a more detailed study of the figures is required to identify population trends.

Count details:
29 Brown Argus
12 Meadow Brown
   4 Small White
   3 Common Blue
   2 Small Heath
   2 Brimstone 
   2 Speckled Wood
   1 Large White 
   1 Small Copper
Click on butterfly names for more info from Butterfly Conservation.

Survey by Brian G, Liz North, Duncan Jennings, Graham H and Graham K submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). 
​ Report by Brian Gardner.
​Pics by Graham Kenward.