When GH and BG set up this week’s transect, the forecast hinted at a dip in temperatures after a stretch of sizzling summer heat. In the end, we were treated to a pleasant mix of warm sunshine, drifting clouds, and a refreshing westerly breeze – ideal conditions for butterflies and volunteers alike.
And what a day it was for Marbled Whites and Meadow Browns! The numbers were so high, our counters were clicking faster than castanets – rivalling the Super Butterfly Summer of 2019. Adding to the throng, freshly emerged Ringlets made their presence known in impressive numbers, their dusky wings fluttering across the grassland.
Our carefully planted Kidney Vetch was putting on a spectacular show in Barn Field and Hither Field, with our blooming patches full of potential. But alas, despite the floral welcome mats, no Small Blues accepted the invitation this time.

Count details:
 307 Marbled White
 135 Meadow Brown
   50 Ringlet
  30 Small/Essex Skipper
    8 Large White
    6 Comma
    6 Dark Green Fritillary
    3 Large Skipper
    3 Small Heath
    2 Common Blue
    1 Red Admiral
    1 Small Copper
    1 Speckled Wood
Count total:
553 butterflies from 13 species.
For more info on these species visit
​ butterfly-conservation.org

Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) – a dusky beauty with secrets in its circles.

• Those eye-catching rings on its wings aren't just decoration – they may help confuse predators or deflect attacks away from vital body parts.
• The Ringlet is a fan of gloomy weather – it often flies on overcast days when most butterflies stay hidden, earning it the nickname ‘cloud lover.’
• This species is a success story: its range has expanded dramatically in recent decades, making it one of the few UK butterflies doing well in a changing climate.

This week’s transect delivered a larger burst of butterfly brilliance, with 305 individuals from 15 species – our second-highest Week 11 total on record, just behind the extraordinary 517 seen in 2020.
Not surprisingly, the warmest survey day of the year so far had the butterflies out in force. Numbers were driven by a major surge in Small and Essex Skippers, Marbled Whites (spotted in every single section) and Meadow Browns, now dominating the summer landscape.
While Common Blues and Green Hairstreaks continue their decline, we were pleased to spot two Small Blues – tiny but mighty – one enjoying Hither Field and the other basking on Coneyboro Hill.
​The season is clearly heating up, and if this momentum continues, we could be fluttering toward a record-breaking summer.

Count details:
123 Marbled White
  90 Meadow Brown
  36 Small/Essex Skipper
  (inc. 2 Small & 1 Essex)
  20 Small Heath
  10 Common Blue
    7 Dark Green Fritillary
    4 Brimstone
    4 Large Skipper
    3 Speckled Wood
    2 Green Hairstreak
    2 Small Blue
    1 Brown Argus
    1 Large White
    1 Small Copper
    1 Small White
Total: 305 butterflies from 15 species.
​For more info on these species visit butterfly-conservation.org

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) – a familiar flutter in summer meadows, but full of surprises.

• As our figures indicate, it’s one of the most widespread and abundant butterflies in the UK, often seen flying even on dull or windy days when others stay grounded.
• Males and females look different – females have brighter orange markings, while males are browner and more subdued.
• Unlike many butterflies, Meadow Browns can live for several weeks, allowing them to be active from June well into September – a long season for a short-lived insect.

Transect 10 brought a sharp drop in butterfly numbers – a reminder that nature doesn’t always follow a smooth curve. With skies turning overcast and winds picking up, conditions weren’t ideal. We may also be entering the well-known ‘June Dip’, a seasonal lull when spring butterflies fade and summer species are still on the rise.
But it wasn’t all doom and gloom. Despite lower overall numbers, we recorded 17 different species –our highest species diversity since July 2020. Even better, several first appearances of the year brightened the count: Large Skippers, Large Whites, Marbled Whites, and both Small and Essex Skippers made their seasonal debut.
So while the numbers took a dip, the variety hints at exciting things to come. We’re now on the cusp of the main summer emergence, when butterfly activity traditionally soars – so keep your cameras ready and your eyes sharp!

Count details:
32 Meadow Brown
11 Small Heath
10 Common Blue
  9 Marbled White
  4 Small Blue
  3 Dark Green Fritillary
  3 Dingy Skipper
  2 Brimstone
  2 Green Hairstreak
  2 Grizzled Skipper
  2 Large Skipper
  2 Small/Essex Skipper
  1 Holly Blue
  1 Large White
  1 Painted Lady
  1 Red Admiral
  1 Small Tortoiseshell
Total: 87 butterflies from 17 species.
For more info on these species visit
​ butterfly-conservation.org

Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) – a strikingly patterned beauty of summer meadows.

• Despite its appearance, the Marbled White is actually part of the brown butterfly family, not the whites.
• It prefers unimproved grasslands and thrives in areas rich in wildflowers and tall grasses like red fescue.
• The caterpillars hatch in late summer but don’t feed right away – they enter hibernation almost immediately, only beginning to eat the following spring.

Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris) – a tiny burst of orange with big energy.

• Often mistaken for a moth, this butterfly rests with its forewings angled upwards, giving it a distinctive, jet-plane posture.
• Males can be identified by a bold black line across the forewing – called a sex brand – used to release pheromones and attract females.
• Its caterpillars feed on Yorkshire Fog grass, and cleverly spin a cocoon on to the grass blades as a shelter from predators.

Transect 9 brought with it one of the warmest days of the year so far – and the butterflies responded accordingly. Making its seasonal debut was the Meadow Brown, a true summer stalwart whose numbers are likely to rise dramatically in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the Painted Lady continues to make itself at home, joined this week by a Small Tortoiseshell, a vibrant visitor more than worthy of top billing on any butterfly page. (Photo above.)
Although the Small Blues were sadly fewer this time, another first of the season took us by surprise: a Dark Green Fritillary whizzed past at high speed in Fames Rough, a thrilling blur of orange wings.
Fames Rough remains our butterfly stronghold, with 78 individuals recorded in Sections 3 and 4, but, encouragingly, sightings were more evenly distributed across the rest of the transect this week. The totals for each weekly outing are still holding up strongly – this was our highest ever week 9 count.

Counted this week:
45 Common Blue
42 Small Heath
14 Brimstone
14 Green Hairstreak
13 Meadow Brown
  9 Dingy Skipper
  7 Large Skipper
  6 Holly Blue
​  3 Peacock
  3 Speckled Wood
  2 Dark Green Fritillary
  2 Small Blue
  1 Painted Lady
  1 Small Tortoiseshell
Total: 162 butterflies from 13 species.

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

Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) – a garden favourite with hidden strengths.

• Despite its delicate looks, this butterfly is tough – it overwinters as an adult, often sheltering in sheds or attics until spring.
• Its caterpillars feed exclusively on nettles, turning a common weed into a vital food source.
• Once abundant, its numbers mysteriously declined in the early 2000s – scientists now suspect a parasitic fly may be to blame.

Dark Green Fritillary (Argynnis aglaja) – a fast flier with a taste for the wild.

• Despite the name, it’s not very green – its name comes from the greenish sheen on the underside of its hind wings.
• It’s one of the UK’s speediest butterflies, zipping across grasslands in a blur of orange and black.
• Its caterpillars rely on violets – especially Dog Violet – as their sole food source, laying eggs near tufts where the larvae can safely hibernate over winter.