Week 5’s transect was carried out by GH, LN, BG and by new-girl Luka, who clearly showed her keen interest and willingness to learn about butterflies. 
​Friday afternoon was selected for the survey as it was forecast to be very warm and sunny before the weather was set to deteriorate. Just as last week’s count was a week 4 record, week 5’s tally broke the record once again with 196 butterflies seen from 13 species. This was largely due to the surge in Dingy Skipper numbers. 
Our records for the past 10 years show that it’s extremely rare for count numbers to reach into the hundreds at this point in the year, let alone to surge as high as 159 and 196.
Just after we’d finished our walk we saw a Painted Lady, the first of the season but, sadly, off the transect.

Count Summary:
​76 Dingy Skipper
56 Brimstone
19 Holly Blue
11 Green Hairstreak
7 Small Copper
7 Small Heath
6 Peacock
5 Orange Tip
5 Grizzled Skipper
1 Comma
1 Large White
1 Small White
1 Speckled Wood
Total Summary:
196 butterflies from 13 species.

The spring’s sunny and dry weather continues, and the strong cool winds we’ve experienced slackened for Friday’s transect, allowing the temperature to rise pleasantly to around 18 degrees: great for spring butterflies. 
GH, LN, BG and DJ headed out on transect number 4 at midday and even though the count was a bit slow to start, upon arriving in Fames Rough the butterfly numbers shot up rapidly. 
Highlights included first sightings of the year for Grizzled Skippers, Small Heaths and Green Hairstreaks, joined by strong showings of Brimstones, Dingy Skippers, Holly Blues and Peacocks. We also recorded our first Small Coppers of the season. 
​The total count for the transect was 159 butterflies (from 9 species), our highest ever week 4 count by almost 100.

Count Summary:
​50 Brimstone
46 Dingy Skipper
17 Grizzled Skipper
10 Green Hairstreak
10 Holly Blue
9 Peacock
7 Orange Tip
7 Small Copper
3 Small Heath

Week 3’s transect was carried out in much improved conditions on our previous walk, with warm temperatures and spells of sunshine – though it quickly became clear just how dependent butterflies are on the sun. Each time the clouds rolled in and the temperature dipped, activity dropped off almost instantly as butterflies retreated into cover.
While the overall count remained modest, there was encouraging progress in species diversity – rising from six last week to eight this time.
As so often, Fames Rough proved to be the standout location. Its south-facing, sheltered slopes acted as a natural sun trap, hosting the majority of sightings – 19 Brimstones (out of 23 recorded) and 10 Peacocks (from a total of 13). It was also here that we recorded our first Dingy Skippers of the year – a welcome sign that the season is beginning to build.
Elsewhere along the 12-section route, sightings were more scattered but still rewarding – 1 Comma, 1 Holly Blue, 3 Orange Tips, 1 Small White, and 1 Speckled Wood.
A slow start in numbers perhaps – but a clear sign that spring is gathering momentum.

                 First of the year
Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages) – pictured above.

• Despite its modest colouring, the Dingy Skipper is actually a day-flying moth lookalike and a master of camouflage, sometimes mistaken for a dead leaf or a patch of bare earth.
• It prefers sunny, sheltered spots with sparse vegetation, often basking with wings outstretched to soak up the warmth.
• Its caterpillars live in silken shelters made by folding leaves of bird’s-foot trefoil, their essential food plant.
• When it’s on the wing: Typically seen from April–June, with a possible second brood in July–August in warm years.

Astronauts are not the only ones setting distance records. UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS) volunteers have collectively walked around 950,000 miles since 1976 – equivalent to roughly twice the distance to the Moon and back. In recent years, their annual survey effort is estimated at 120,000–160,000 miles, or about 140,000 miles per year, reflecting thousands of weekly transect walks carried out across the UK each butterfly season.
For our latest contribution to that remarkable total, on Walk 2 of our season LN and BG were joined by GK, making a welcome return to butterfly counting. Although the afternoon began warm with a brisk south-easterly wind, conditions soon deteriorated into cloud and a cold, unpleasant breeze. 
While the weather was still just about butterfly-friendly, we recorded 8 Peacocks (in Hither Field and Fames Rough), 7 Brimstones (all in Hither Field), and a single Comma (in Fames Rough). After leaving Fames Rough the temperature dropped further, and no additional butterflies were seen – bringing a modest but meaningful addition to the millions of steps that underpin this extraordinary long-term record.

Easter Monday provided ideal conditions for launching the new butterfly recording season, with GH, LN, and BG completing the first transect of the year in fine, mild weather. The walk covered all 12 sections of the standard route, with the south-facing slope of Fames Rough producing the majority of observations.
In total, 23 Peacocks were recorded, 16 of them on Fames Rough, along with 13 Brimstones, of which 9 were also seen there. Additional species included two Commas, two Holly Blues, two Orange Tips, and a single Speckled Wood.
Not a bad haul, making a strong start to the 2026 monitoring season, reflecting both favourable early-spring conditions and good species activity across the site. 
As in previous seasons, records from this and future walks will contribute to the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS), helping to build a long-term picture of national population trends and habitat health.

 
​One of the early flyers this year ...
 Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines)  pictured above – a springtime splash of colour with hidden talents.

• Only the males have the bright orange wingtips – females have mostly white upper wings and are 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.
• In south-east England, the flight period is typically from early April to late June, with peak activity in May.
• Orange Tip caterpillars are cannibalistic and will sometimes eat their own kind to eliminate competition for food. 

GH and BG completed Transect 26, bringing this year’s butterfly season to a close under fine, warm skies. While the overall count was modest at 23 – an average score for week 26 – the transect still held plenty of interest. A lone Brown Hairstreak put in an appearance on Great Parsons Field, while most of the activity was centred on Fames Rough and Coneyboro Hill.
The butterflies seen up close looked remarkably fresh, suggesting newly emerged individuals: Common Blues, Brown Argus, Brimstones and Small Coppers all showed off their bright colours. We also recorded a late-season Peacock, the first since July.
But the real story of 2025 lies in the season as a whole. With persistently high summer temperatures, this became our busiest butterfly year since records began in 2016. We counted an astonishing 7,140 butterflies, comfortably surpassing the previous high of 5,763 in 2019. Average counts per transect jumped from 240 in 2019 to 275 in 2025, a leap mirrored in reports from across the UK, confirming 2025 as an exceptional butterfly year.
Highlights weren’t limited to big numbers. We had three rare sightings of Silver-spotted Skippers on Great Parsons Field, a species of national conservation interest. A UKBMS team, intrigued by the record, carried out a detailed survey and discovered 18 Silver-spotted Skipper eggs on sheep’s fescue grass, the larval food plant. Their verdict: the site is highly suitable for supporting a permanent colony.
And, in July, another first: two Purple Emperors soaring over Hill Wood Field – their debut appearance in nine years of transects.
From record-breaking counts to rare and regal encounters, 2025 will be remembered as one of our finest butterfly years.

​Count details:
​7 Common Blue
4 Brimstone
4 Meadow Brown
2 Brown Argus
2 Small Copper
1 Brown Hairstreak
1 Large White
1 Peacock
1 Speckled Wood

Count summary:
23 butterflies from 9 species.

For more info on these species visit butterfly-conservation.org
​​
​Click here for a spreadsheet
​detailing the counts of 2025 and previous transect seasons.

For the penultimate transect of the season, BG was once again flying solo. After days of heavy rain, blustery winds, and a dip in temperatures, the return of wall-to-wall sunshine tempted out the hardy survivors for one last show.
Overall numbers were noticeably down on last week’s 118, a reminder that the season is drawing to its natural close. But there was one curious twist: no fewer than eight Brimstones were recorded – well out of season. Normally these bright yellow butterflies are among the earliest to appear in spring and then vanish into summer dormancy before re-emerging the following year. Their unexpected appearance at this late stage may reflect this year’s unusual weather patterns or the resilience of a species finely tuned to the ebb and flow of seasonal change.

Count details:
​11 Meadow Brown
8 Brimstone
6 Common Blue
4 Small Copper
4 Small White
3 Large White
2 Brown Argus
2 Speckled Wood
1 Small Heath
Count Summary:
41 butterflies from 9 species.
​
For more info on these species visit
​​butterfly-conservation.org

LN and BG walked Transect 24 on a morning of shifting skies – a mix of warm sunshine and passing cloud. The overall species list remained much the same as in recent weeks, but the balance of numbers told a different story.
As expected for late summer, Meadow Browns, Large Whites, Small Whites, and Small Heaths are now gradually declining. However, the downturn was offset by a strong showing from second-brood species. Common Blues were out in good numbers, but the real stars were the Brown Argus and Small Copper, both enjoying an exceptionally strong season. Their late flush added to a count that might otherwise have shown the first clear signs of autumn.

Count details:
43 Meadow Brown
25 Common Blue
15 Brown Argus
15 Small Copper
  8 Small White
  5 Small Heath
  3 Speckled Wood
  2 Chalkhill Blue
  2 Large White
Count Summary:
118 butterflies from 9 species.
​​​For more info on these species visit
​​butterfly-conservation.org    

With the butterfly team short on numbers this week, BG took on the challenge of completing Transect 23 solo. The conditions were kind – warm early autumn sunshine lit the way – and although the overall count dipped slightly from last week’s figures, it still came in above average for the season.
The species list remained much the same, though with a few interesting changes: the Chalkhill Blues and the elusive Purple Hairstreak were absent, but in their place came a welcome addition to this week’s tally – a lone Speckled Wood.

Count details:
53 Meadow Brown
10 Small White
  9 Common Blue
  6 Small Copper
  5 Brown Argus
  3 Small Heath
  1 Speckled Wood
Count summary:
87 butterflies from 7 species.

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

GH and BG set out early for Transect 22 in classic British summer conditions – a mix of sun and cloud, interrupted by a brief rain shower and accompanied by an almost constant strong south-westerly wind. Unsurprisingly, the blustery conditions held numbers down, leaving us with a lower-than-average late-season count. Even the usually reliable Meadow Browns were noticeably fewer than last week.
The day’s highlight, however, more than made up for the dip in numbers: our first Brown Hairstreak of the year, spotted and photographed beneath the oaks on Hill Wood Field. Moments later, a second individual may have zipped past us in the same section – a fleeting but tantalising possibility.
The Brown Hairstreak is always a special find. It is the last of our regular butterfly species to emerge each season, with adults often proving elusive because they spend much of their time high in the treetops. To find one low down is a rare treat – and a memorable reward for a windswept walk.

Count details:
​68 Meadow Brown
10 Common Blue
  5 Small White
  4 Small Heath
  4 Brown Argus
  3 Chalkhill Blue
  3 Small Copper
  1 Brown Hairstreak

​Count summary:
98 butterflies from 8 species.

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