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.