New sightings this week

14/7/2020

Monday's midday walk around was in warm and partly sunny weather. We got off to an immediate good start on Section 1, Hither Field (where sightings are usually scarce). We counted butterflies from ten species including three Small Coppers, two Dark Green Fritillaries, and one Red Admiral. Although this week's total count of 232 was much reduced from last week's, it was the Meadow Browns and Marbled Whites that were the most common sightings across all sections but Ringlet numbers have crashed to only 14. We recorded our first-of-the-season sightings of a Silver-washed Fritillary, Gatekeepers, Brown Argus(es) and Purple Hairstreaks plus second brood Common Blues. So, despite total numbers being reduced, we gained by counting butterflies from an impressive 19 species.

Count details:
87 Meadow Brown
40 Marbled White
16 Small/Essex Skipper
14 Ringlet
14 Small White
10 Large White
9 Brimstone
7 Small Copper
7 Gatekeeper
6 Dark Green Fritillary
5 Common Blue
4 Comma
3 Purple Hairstreak
3 Brown Argus
3 Red Admiral
1 Peacock
1 Small Heath
1 Large Skipper
1 Silver-washed Fritillary
Click on butterfly names for more info.

Purple Hairstreak, Hill Wood Field - GK

Silver-washed Fritillary, Fames Rough - GK

Survey by Graham H, Graham K, Brian Gardner and Roger Vye
submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS).
Report by Brian G.
Pics by Brian G & Graham K.
Click on pics to enlarge.