In your area

December 2023

Friday 8th December 2023

Toby Ludlow messaged: "Jean Green, from Coningsby, reported a Red Admiral flying in her garden today."

November 2023

Thursday 23rd November 2023

December Moth (left) and Merveille du Jour (Andy Sims)
December Moth (left) and Merveille du Jour (Andy Sims)

Andy Sims from Swanpool emailed: "In my garden trap this morning were 3 December Moths and a rather late Merveille du Jour."

Monday 20th November 2023

Derek Fox emailed: "Today, I had my latest ever sighting of a Red Admiral, nectaring on late flowering dwarf buddliea in my garden at Langworth." 

Red Admiral (Derek Fox)
Red Admiral (Derek Fox)

Sunday 19th November 2023

Sprawler (Andy Sims)
Sprawler (Andy Sims)

Andy Sims from Swanpool emailed: "I had a Sprawler in the trap this morning, which was new for the garden."

Friday 17th November 2023

Derek Fox from Langworth emailed: "With it being only 10 degrees C at 11 pm today, I was shocked to see 3 Red Admirals in the garden. Two were looking quite worn and ragged now."

Red Admiral (Derek Fox)
Red Admiral (Derek Fox)

Monday 13th November 2023

Derek Fox from Langworth emailed: "Still 3 Red Admirals in my garden today at 10:30 am. They were in a sheltered corner, trying to shelter from the very strong wind. Possibly my latest ever record for this species."

Saturday 11th November 2023

  • Laura Gundy reported: "This morning a Small Tortoiseshell made a brief appearance in my Benniworth Walk Farm garden."
  • Dave Wright reported: "My daughter's garden, near Cleethorpes Country Park, produced another 2 Red Admirals nectaring on the Buddleia weyeriana."

Friday 10th November 2023

  • Graham Catley messaged: "A Red Admiral today in my Barton-upon-Humber garden." 
  • Renata Jackson messaged: "This morning I had a Red Admiral at Sea View car park (Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR)."

Thursday 9th November 2023

Derek Fox from Langworth emailed: "Red admiral update for 1 pm today, still 3 nectaring on my late flowering buddlieas."

Tuesday 7th November 2023

  • Derek Fox emailed: "During the early afternoon, there were still 4 Red Admirals in my Langworth garden and some were getting well worn after bird attacks."
  • Graham Catley messaged: "A Red Admiral at Alkborough today."
  • John Walker messaged: "A Red admiral and Peacock in my sheltered garden at Coastguard Cottages, Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR."

Monday 6th November 2023

Cliff Morrison messaged: "Red Admiral and Peacock in my Brickyard Lane garden (Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR)."

Saturday 4th November 2023

Andy Sims from Swanpool emailed: "My garden trap produced a December Moth on 4th November, only my 4th record!"

Thursday 2nd November 2023

  • Dave Wright reported: "This afternoon I had 2 Red Admirals in the Cleethorpes area. The first, was seen along Clee Road, and the second, was found nectaring on Buddleia weyeriana in my daughter's garden near Cleethorpes Country Park."
  • Derek Fox emailed: "A bit of a sunny spell, late morning in my Langworth garden, produced 5 Red Admirals."

Wednesday 1st November 2023

Graham Catley messaged: "A Red Admiral this morning at Alkborough."


October 2023

Tuesday 24th October 2023

Kate Melton emailed: "During early October I saw a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in uphill Lincoln."

Sunday 22nd October 2023

Langworth Butterflies 3 (Derek Fox)
Comma and Small Tortoiseshell (Derek Fox)
  • Derek Fox from Langworth emailed: "In the garden today, 7 Red Admirals, 2 Commas and 1 Small Tortoiseshell."
  • Ian McGlynn emailed: "I saw a Red Admiral today in Bourne Woods."
  • Owen Beaumont messaged: There were a few butterflies at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR today. Sea View - Red Admiral, Comma and Peacock. Brickyard Lane - 2 Red Admiral and Peacock. Crook Bank - Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral (in-off the sea)."

Thursday 19th October 2023

Dave Wright reported: "Although it was dull and overcast in the Grimsby area late morning, I still had 2 Red Admirals nectaring on the few remaining buddliea flowers in the front garden."

Wednesday 18th October 2023

Lesley Robinson emailed: "A single Hummingbird Hawk-moth in my Bottesford garden today."

Sunday 15th October 2023

  • Phil Bowler from Amber Hill emailed: "The season is not over yet! Unexpectedly, today I saw a third brood male Common Blue feeding on marjoram in our butterfly garden meadow. Despite full sun all day, it only reached 12 degrees C, yet this one-off, so far, third brooder was quite happy getting on with its business. Only other sightings were 4 Red Admirals and a fresh female Small White."
  • Dave Wright reported: "A single Comma and 2 Red Admirals in my Grimsby garden today."

Saturday 14th October 2023

Pale Tussock Caterpiller (Kev Armstrong)
Pale Tussock Caterpiller (Kev Armstrong)

Kev Armstrong messaged: "This morning I found a Pale Tussock caterpillar wandering across the road, just outside my house at Wold Farm, Nettleton."

Tuesday 10th October 2023

Red Admirals (Laura Gundy)
Red Admirals (Laura Gundy)
  • Laura Gundy emailed: "A 200 metre long stretch of ivy-covered hedge, just outside the village of Great Sturton was abuzz with insects in the glorious weather yesterday and today. I counted 48 Red Admirals, 3 Commas, 1 Painted Lady and 1 Small White amongst the bees, wasps, flies and hoverflies. What an undervalued plant ivy is! 
Clifden Nonpareil (Roy Harvey)
Clifden Nonpareil (Roy Harvey)
  • Roy Harvey from Grasby emailed: "This evening I was stunned to find a Clifden Nonpareil on our kitchen window. Not surprisingly this was a first for our garden."  

Monday 9th October 2023

Merveille du Jour (Josh Forrester)
Merveille du Jour (Josh Forrester)
  • Josh Forrester from Grimsby messaged: "I've waited for three years, and this morning I've finally caught a Merveille du Jour in the garden trap." 
  • Derek Fox reported: "This afternoon's warm sunshine produced 2 Brimstones flying around my Langworth garden. Also noted 15 Red Admirals, 1 Peacock, 3 Small Tortoiseshells, 6 Commas, 2 Large White and 1 Small White."

Sunday 8th October 2023

  • Dave Wright reported: "Spent the morning with Mark Johnson at Donna Nook NNR, between Stonebridge car park and Pye's Hall. We witnessed the amazing sight of thousands of thrushes flying in-off the North Sea early on. Predominantly Redwings and Song Thrushes, but also a few Fieldfares and 3 Ring Ouzels. We also noted 2 Red Admirals, a Small White and 3 Vapourer moths. Later, 5 Red Admirals and another Small White were seen at Bank End, North Somercotes. Nearby, I received the following reports from Saltflleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR. Sea View - Comma and Painted Lady in garden (Pete Roworth), 4 Red Admirals flew in-off the sea, taking my total today to 14, also Painted Lady, Comma, 2 Large Whites and 2 Speckled Woods (Dean Nicholson). Brickyard Lane - 12 Red Admirals (Cliff Morrison). 
  • Alison Brownlow emailed: "Today my husband and I found a Pale Tussock caterpillar wandering across a path at Kettlethorpe, Lincoln. Overnight it pupated into a silken case among the leaves."
  • Nige Lound emailed: "Making the most of the unseasonably warm weather I trapped at Syke's Farm, Gib two days ago and overnight. The 6th produced 174 moths of 30 species. Highlights were Scarce Bordered Straw, Convolvulus Hawk-moth, and another 11 Delicate. 2 Feathered Ranunculus and a pristine Vestal were new for the year. The 8th was even busier with 324 mothsof 34 species, without doubt my busiest ever October session. Most numerous were Large Wainscot with 78. Another Scarce Bordered Straw and 19 Delicate were of note. The micro Crocidosema plebejana was a county first, and many thanks to County Recorder Martin Gray for confirmation."
  • Andy Sims emailed: "This morning's trap produced 68 moths of 22 species. Dewick's Plusia was new for the garden. Also, Grey Shoulder-knot and 3 Merveille du jour were new for the year."
Swanpool Moths 2 (Andy Sims)
Clockwise from left: Merveille du Jour, Dewick's Plusia and Grey Shoulder-knot (Andy Sims)

Saturday 7th October 2023

Chris Dobson from Langworth emailed: "After a very quiet autumn things picked up a little last night. Catch included Barred Sallow, Pink-barred Sallow, Delicate, Black Rustic, a couple of Feathered Thorns, Spruce Carpet, Large Wainscot and Yellow-line Quaker."

Tuesday 3rd October 2023: Clouded Yellow at Whitton!

  • Neil Drinkall messaged: "I had a Clouded Yellow at Whitton today."
  • Chris Atkin messaged: "I visited Saltfeetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR today, and a walk between Rimac and Paradise Wood this afternoon, produced a totally unexpected Wall. Also noted 2 Red Admirals, 1 Peacock and a Small White." 
  • Graham Catley messaged: "Painted Lady today at RSPB Frampton Marsh."

Sunday 1st October 2023

Nige Lound emailed: "I trapped at Syke's Farm, Gib overnight and managed 75 moths of 24 species. New for the year were Black Rustic, Feathered Thorn, Mallow and Red-line Quaker."


September 2023 

Saturday 30th September 2023

Graham Catley messaged: "This morning I noticed 5 Red Admirals that flew in off the Humber, and carried on south at Barton-upon-Humber."

Friday 29th September 2023

Langworth Butterflies 2 (Derek Fox)
Clockwise from top left: Red Admiral, Comma, Red Admirals and Small Tortoiseshell (Derek Fox)

Derek Fox emailed: "A fantastic day in the garden today, with 55 Red Admirals and 10 Commas busy nectaring on the Ivy, Michelmas Daisy, Sedum spectabile and Verbena bonariensis. Still a few Small Tortoiseshells, the odd Peacock, and Large and Small Whites. I think its the most Red Admirals I have seen in the garden. What a great sight!"

Wednesday 27th September 2023

Dean Nicholson at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR messaged: "5 Red Admirals and a Hummingbird Hawk-moth at Crook Bank this morning."

Monday 25th September 2023

  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "Popped over to Kirkby Moor LWT Nature Reserve in the afternoon and spent some time enjoying the sunshine. The temperature got up to 20 degrees C, which coaxed a few butterflies out. There were still a good number of third-brood Small Coppers on the wing, and a walk over the heath produced a tally of 19. There were also a couple of female Brown Argus egg-laying close to the main track, and a flypast by a Red Admiral. A walk around the Visitors' Route produced a meagre 11 butterflies: 3 Commas, 3 further Small Coppers, 1 Green-veined White, 1 Peacock, 1 Red Admiral, and 2 Speckled Woods, one of which was extremely fresh."
  • Dave Wright reported: "Had a very enjoyable time today, birding at RSPB Tetney Marshes, in the company of Chris Atkin. A totally unexpected find was a Painted Lady on the outer sand dunes, only my third in Lincolnshire this year. We also noted 1 Red Admiral, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Large Whites and 8 Small Whites."

Saturday 23rd September 2023: Second brood Orange-tip at Doddington Hall!

  • Aaron Mace reported: "I'm a 'wilder volunteer' at Doddington Hall, and around midday I was astonished to see a male Orange-tip flying around an area of habitat known as 'Donkey Close'."
  • Andy Sims from Swanpool emailed: "A Rusty-dot Pearl in the trap this morning, was new for the garden."
  • John Davison emailed: "Today John Petyt and I had a walk in Tuetoes Wood and found the following 4 moth caterpillars: Pebble Prominent, Buff Ermine, Poplar Hawk-moth and Swallow Prominent."
Clockwise - Pebble Prominet - Buff Ermine - Poplar Hawk-moth - Swallow Prominent 2
Clockwise from top left: Pebble Prominent, Buff Ermine, Poplar Hawk-moth and Swallow Prominent (John Davison)

Friday 22nd September 2023

  • Pete Roworth messaged: "11 Red Admirals and a single Comma on Ivy flowers at Sea View, Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR. Also, 1 Speckled Wood and a Small Copper nearby."
  • Cliff Morrison messaged: "At least 6 Speckled Woods in my garden at Brickyard Lane, Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR, and a territorial Red Admiral. I also had a Scarce Bordered Straw moth in the trap this morning as well as 2 Delicates, and a Rush Veneer. Also, 3 species of Sallow moths and a Canary-shouldered Thorn added some colour."
  • Dave Wright reported: "Glorious weather for this time of year at Cleethorpes this morning, and so I decided to visit Cleethorpes Coast LNR and the Country Park, in the hope of seeing a few butterflies. A disappointing outcome really, as the first site only produced 10 Small Whites and a Large White, whilst the second revealed 1 Red Admiral, 1 Speckled Wood and 2 Small Whites. Both sites still had lots of dragonflies on the wing, consisting of two species - Common Darter and Migrant Hawker." 
Migrant Hawker and Common Darter (Dave Wright)
Migrant Hawker and Common Darter (Dave Wright)

Tuesday 19th September 2023: Balsam Carpet in Nettleton - a first for VC54!

Balsam Carpet (Kev Armstrong)
Balsam Carpet (Kev Armstrong)

Kev Armstrong emailed: "On the 15th September I put the trap out on my land at Wold Farm, Nettleton and caught 298 macros of 35 species, including a Clifden Nonpareil. However, the highlight was a Balsam Carpet, confirmed today by Martin Gray, and a first for VC54 and the second for Lincolnshire following one in Market Deeping last year." 

Monday 18th September 2023

Convolvulus Hawk-moth and Clifden Nonpareil (Colin Pumfrett)
Convolvulus Hawk-moth and Clifden Nonpareil (Colin Pumfrett)

Colin Pumfrett from Broughton emailed: "Two stunning moths caught in my garden trap recently - Clifden Nonpareil (14/09/23) and my first Convolvulus Hawk-moth (16/09/23)."

Sunday 17th September 2023

Box-tree Moths (Andy Sims)
Box-tree Moths (Andy Sims)
  • Andy Sims from Swanpool emailed: "I caught my first Box-tree Moth in July 2021. So far this year I have caught 81, with a record 29 this morning."
  • Derek Fox from Langworth emailed: "My first Painted Lady of the year in my garden and also the first I have seen this season! Still one very faded Holly Blue, over 20 lovely fresh Red Admirals and 5 second brood Commas. Also, the warmer weather has brought out Peacocks and Small Tortoiseshells, 5 or so of each. Small and Large Whites still in good numbers, plus the odd male Brimstone and Speckled Wood."
Langworth Butterflies (Derek Fox)
Clockwise from top left: Comma, Painted Lady, Holly Blue and Red Admiral (Derek Fox)

Saturday 16th September 2023

Convolvulus Hawk-moth and inset Beautiful Marbled (Nige Lound)
Convolvulus Hawk-moth and inset Beautiful Marbled (Nige Lound)
  • Nige Lound emailed: "Last night the trap at Gibraltar Point NNR, produced a Convolvulus Hawk-moth as well as a Beautiful Marbled, albeit it being a bit worn."
  • Laura Gundy emailed: "Today I walked a stretch of hedgerow around one field at Benniworth Walk Farm and counted 25 Red Admiral, 9 Comma, 5 Speckled Wood, 4 Small White and 1 Peacock - all feeding on blackberries. 1 Vapourer moth was also buzzing about."

Friday 15th September 2023

Clifden Nonpareil (Sandra Lawton)
Clifden Nonpareil (Sandra Lawton)
  • Sandra Lawton emailed: "I caught a Clifden Nonpareil in my moth trap in my back garden overnight in Billingborough." 
  • Yvonne Bentley from Wyberton, Boston emailed: "I have Purple Toadflax growing in my garden for 
Toadflax Brocade Larva (Yvonne Bentley)
Toadflax Brocade Larva (Yvonne Bentley)
  • the first time this year, and have just spotted what I believe are four Toadflax Brocade caterpillars. From what I've read this species is not common in Lincolnshire."
  • Andy Sims from Swanpool emailed: "This morning I had a lifer on the outside of my garden trap, a stunning Convolvulus Hawk-moth!"
Convolvulus Hawk-moth (Andy Sims)
Convolvulus Hawk-moth (Andy Sims)

Tuesday 12th September 2023

Clifden Nonpareil (Andy Sims)
Clifden Nonpareil (Andy Sims)

Andy Sims from Swanpool emailed: "A Clifden Nonpareil was in my garden trap this morning."

Sunday 10th September 2023

Beautiful Marbled (Cliff Morrison)
Beautiful Marbled (Cliff Morrison)
  • Cliff Morrison messaged: "This morning the moth trap at Brickyard Lane (Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR), produced a migrant Beautiful Marbled, which was a new species for me. Apparently it is the third county record, according to Martin Gray."
  • Dave Wright reported: "This morning, my wife and I visited friends in Hainton, and was amazed at the number of butterflies in their garden. The following were recorded: 5 Red Admiral, 5 Peacock, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Comma, 8 Large White, 26 Small White, 1 Green-veined White and 3 Speckled Wood." 

Saturday 9th September 2023

Convolvulus Hawk-moth (Cliff Morrison)
Convolvulus Hawk-moth (Cliff Morrison)
  • Cliff Morrison reported: "This morning the moth traps in the dunes at Brickyard Lane (Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR) revealed another Convolvulus Hawk-moth, following the one caught yesterday. Also a couple of Dark Sword Grass migrant moths."
  • Dave Wright reported: "This afternoon I decided to take a stroll through Cleethorpes Country Park on one of the hottest days of the year. Despite the heat, I managed to record the following butterflies: 2 Red Admiral, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Comma, 9 Speckled Wood, 1 Holly Blue, 2 Large White, 4 Small White and a single Green-veined White. Moths included 2 Green Carpet. There were lots of both Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers on the wing and it was good to see 4 Willow Emerald damselflies, a recent colonist at this site."

Friday 7th September 2023

Toby Ludlow messaged: "Had a really fresh Painted Lady in my mum's Coningsby garden today. Also, just across the road in my own garden I found a Willow Emerald damselfly!

Wednesday 6th September 2023

Small Tortoiseshell (Dave Wright)
Small Tortoiseshell (Dave Wright)

Dave Wright reported: ”Today, Chris Atkin and I, had an excellent day down the coast at two of Lincolnshire’s National Nature Reserves - Donna Nook and Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR. The morning was spent from first light birding at the first of these sites, concentrating on the area between Stonebridge car park and the breach at Pye’s Hall. There was definitely an autumnal feel to proceedings, with low cloud and poor visibility lingering all morning. As a result and not surprisingly, insects were thin on the ground, although we did find a roosting Small Tortoiseshell and noted 4 species of moths - Green Carpet, Sharp-angled Peacock, Vapourer and Silver Y. However, the highlight was undoubtedly a Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi, found near the breach, and a species with only a handful of records in Lincolnshire.

Wasp Spider and Small Heath (Dave Wright)
Wasp Spider and Small Heath (Dave Wright)

Around midday we moved on to Rimac, where at long last the sun began to penetrate the cloud, and it became pleasantly warm. Our arrival was greeted with a skein of 33 Pink-footed Geese overhead heading south, another reminder that autumn is on the way! There were still good numbers of butterflies on the wing and during the afternoon we recorded the following: 1 Red Admiral, 4 Small Tortoiseshell, 30 Speckled Wood, 55 Meadow Brown, 5 Small Heath, 21 Common Blue, 1 Holly Blue, 4 Brown Argus, 4 Small Copper, 1 Large White, 7 Small White and 5 Green-veined White. The only moth seen was a single Yellow Shell. We also found 2 Long-winged Cone-heads, a first for both of us at this reserve. This cricket type, once described as an endangered species, is gradually spreading north due to the climate crisis and in some areas is now regarded as common.”

Long-winged Cone-head (Dave Wright)
Long-winged Cone-head (Dave Wright)

Tuesday 5th September 2023: Clouded Yellow at Osbournby Hill Top!

Male Clouded Yellow (Rick Camm)
Male Clouded Yellow (Rick Camm)
  • Pete Cawdell emailed: "One species we have been missing this year in Lincolnshire is Clouded Yellow. This was righted by my contact Rick Camm who emailed me today with his sighting of a male ay Osbournby Hill Top. He aplogises for the poor photo as it flew up just before the shot! In my opinion better than the usual side view as it clearly shows the sex."
  • Nige Lound emailed: "I trapped at Syke's Farm, Gib overnight and managed 241 moths of 49 species. Plenty of variety, nothing special with Large Thorn (3) being the only new for the year. Migrants represented by Dark Sword-grass and Rusty Dot Pearl." 

Monday 4th September 2023

Owen Beaumont messaged: "A sunny transect here at Rimac this morning and recorded 67 butterflies of 7 species: 1 Small White, 1 Green-veined White, 1 Brown Argus, 24 Common Blue, 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 14 Speckled Wood and 23 Meadow Brown."

Sunday 3rd September 2023

Brown Hairstreak at Snakeholme (Keith Walton) 030923 (3)
Brown Hairstreak (Keith Walton)

Keith Walton emailed: "This afternoon, Ron Henderson, Graeme Baker and I visited Snakeholme Pit.  We were only there for about an hour but found Common Blue, Brown Argus, Holly Blue, Small Copper, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Comma, Peacock, Brimstone, all in single digits, and 2 late Gatekeeper. The surprise was 5 Brown Hairstreak between 13:30 and 14:00 hours." 

Brown Hairstreak at Snakeholme (Keith Walton) 030923 (1)
Brown Hairstreak (Keith Walton)

Saturday 2nd September 2023

Toby Ludlow messaged: "As time marches on inexorably and we enter the month of September, we also enter meteorological autumn. In sympathy, it now also feels like 'butterfly autumn' as many of our summer species have all but vanished for the year. On my last few visits to the central Lincolnshire Limewoods butterfly numbers have plummeted, and insect life in general seems scarce. Contrastingly, my last few trips to the heathlands near Woodhall Spa were heaving with insect life. So it was to this latter area that I headed. Here, third brood Small Coppers are well out and in good number, with fresh females being courted by less fresh males. There were a handful of fresh male Common Blues and a pristine male Brown Argus, which looked like it was less than a day old. I also came across a small group of Painted Ladies, which, until this last week, have been extremely thin on the ground this year. I had only seen about half a dozen, but in the last week alone i have had 10 sightings, four were seen today. Of these, three had quite a few miles on the clock, but one was really fresh and was that beautiful pink colour, which means it must be a homegrown individual." 


August 2023

Thursday 31st August 2023

Owen Beaumont messaged: "Butterfly numbers have dropped significantly in the last couple of weeks, but the sun was out and wind had died down for the transect at Rimac this morning. Totals were: 1 Large White, 2 Small Copper, 3 Brown Argus, 34 Common Blue, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock, 13 Speckled Wood, 1 Wall and 18 Meadow Brown."

Tuesday 29th August 2023

Nettleton Butterflies (Kev Armstrong)
Brimstone and Red Admiral (Kev Armstrong)

Kev Armstong from Wold Farm, Nettleton messaged: "There were a few butterflies around the garden this morning, and included Brimstone, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood and Small Copper."

Bank Holiday Monday 28th August 2023

Small Tortoiseshell
Small Tortoiseshell (Dave Wright)

Dave Wright reported: "My wife and I decided to take a walk in the Saltfleet area today and make the most of the sunny spells on offer. Parking at Paradise car park, we were immediately rewarded with a single Wall and 2 Small Whites. We then proceeded to walk along Haven Bank towards the sea and noted at least 10 Small White, 1 Large White, 1 Common Blue, 2 Speckled Wood, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Peacock and 1 Small Tortoiseshell. This summer I have only seen a trickle of second-generation individuals of the latter. At the start of this track several large patches of Ivy in flower were good for hoverflies and included Volucella zonaria (Hornet Hoverfly), Volucella inanis and 6  Myathropa florea. Eventually we reached Donna Nook NNR and turned north and walked as far as Howden's Pullover. Small White were by far the most numerous butterfly along the seaward side of the dunes, where we also had 2 Large White, singles of Green-veined White, Wall and another Small Tortoiseshell. From Howden's Pullover we headed inland and returned to Saltfleet via Marsh Lane. By this time, increasing cloud meant that only 2 Speckled Wood and 1 Small White were added to the list before we got back to the car."   

Volucella zonaria and Volucella inanis (Dave Wright)
Volucella zonaria and Volucella inanis (Dave Wright)

Saturday 26th August 2023

Comma Larva and Spiked Shieldbug (John Davison)
Comma Larva and Spiked Shieldbug (John Davison)
  • John Davison emailed: "a visit to Tuetoes Ride in Laughton Forest, produced an unfortunate Comma larva being stabbed by a Spiked Shieldbug. Also, one tatty Silver-washed Fritillary, Small Copper and several Speckled Wood."
  • Laura Gundy emailed: "Today was a caterpillar sort of day at Benniworth Walk Farm. I found hordes of Small White larvae feeding on Wild Mignonette in my flower borders, and attempting to win cutest pic of the day was a Buff-tip caterpillar, who was cutting a heart shape as he ate!"
Buff-tip larva and inset Small White larvae (Laura Gundy)
Buff-tip larva and inset Small White larvae (Laura Gundy)

Friday 25th August 2023

Mark Brandon from North Somercotes emailed: "A Wall was a nice garden tick today."

Thursday 24th August 2023

Brown Hairstreak Female (Steve Hollinrake)
Brown Hairstreak Female (Steve Hollinrake)

Steve Hollinrake emailed: I'm on holiday from Lancasahire and had a great time in Chambers Farm Wood, where the egg-laying Brown Hairstreak (see attached) was a first for my dad. Fantastic place!"

Wednesday 23rd August 2023

Webb's Wainscot (Nige Lound)
Webb's Wainscot (Nige Lound)
  • Nige Lound emailed: "I trapped at Syke's Farm, Gibraltar Point NNR overnight and managed 660 moths of 106 species. Highlights were Scarce Bordered Straw and Webb's Wainscot. Others new for the year were Box-tree Moth, Centre-barred Sallow, Hedge Rustic, Leopard Moth, Oak Hook-tip, Orange Swift, Red Underwing, Treble Lines and Twin-spotted Wainscot. The most numerous moth was Common Wainscot with 110."
  • Mark Brandon emailed: "We've just had a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in our North Somercotes garden. Especially pleasing, as since we moved here in December, we have planted plenty of wild flowers, which are now attracting plenty of butterflies, bees and hoverflies. We've also had a few nice moths, including an Old Lady on 29/07, which was new for me!"
  • Russell Bean from Ashby emailed: "I found this Clifden Nonpareil in my garden trap today."
Clifden Nonpareil (Russell Bean)
Clifden Nonpareil (Russell Bean)

Sunday 20th August 2023: Winter is coming!

White Admiral Larvae (Pete Smith)
Clockwise from top left: White Admiral larva 3rd instar, larva with frass packet and typical feeding damage, freshly constructed hibernaculum, larva with frass packet and typical feeding damage (Pete Smith)
  • Pete Smith emailed: "While we all continue to enjoy the last weeks of the Lincolnshire butterfly season, some of our local species are already considering hunkering down for winter. Mid-August is a time when I really like to seek out White Admiral larvae  in the Lincolnshire Limewoods. Today I spent 2 hours in amongst the shadowy ride sides, looking for what, in my opinion, is one of our most fascinating British species. I managed to find 7 larvae, all in their third instar, one of which was already spinning up its hibernaculum (overwintering tent) where, if successful, it will spend the next eight months largely asleep. 
  • Roy Harvey emailed: "I saw my first Painted Lady this evening at Killingholme. A very worn one, 
Painted Lady (Roy Harvey)
Painted Lady (Roy Harvey)
  • but better than none. It seems to have been a very poor year for them?"
  • Keith Walton emailed: "During a visit to Chambers Farm Wood this female Brown Hairstreak was egg-laying near Minting Triangle. It was low down disappearing in the undergrowth laying about a dozen eggs or so, then basking for a minute before egg-laying again. 7 seen during my visit, but only this one 'behaved'. Still good numbers of other butterflies around, including 30+ Silver-washed Fritillary. Went on to Southrey Wood where the two rides next to the watchtower had 250 Red Admiral, 25 Peacock, 20 Brimstone, 15 Silver-washed Fritillary and 4 Comma."  
Brown Hairstreak (Keith Walton)
Female Brown Hairstreak (Keith Walton)

Saturday 19th August 2023

Purple Hairstreak (Adrian Royle)
Purple Hairstreak (Adrian Royle)

Adrian Royle from Louth emailed: "I am chuffed to have found my first ever Purple Hairstreak in Hubbard's Hills this morning. I've been walking through there regularly since I moved here in 1994 and never a sniff of one!"

Thursday 17th August 2023: Gatekeeper Aberration at Chambers Farm Wood!

Gatekeeper Aberration (Phil Bowler)
Gatekeeper Aberration (Phil Bowler)

Phil Bowler emailed: "Had an afternoon at Chambers Farm Wood today. As well as the garden I followed the main track to Fiveways, right to Minting Triangle and into the narrow strip that is good for the Brown Hairstreak, and continued out of the woods to Wood Farm Lane. Very little was seen in this outer area apart from a notable Gatekeeper aberration (pics attached). I didn't see any Brown Hairstreak anywhere, but was aware of a female being sighted in the usual area beyond Minting Triangle. My sightings are as follows: 1 Mint Moth, 1 Latticed Heath, 1 Small Skipper, 13 Brimstone, 2 Large White, 7 Small White, 9 Green-veined White, 1 Small Copper, 1 Brown Argus, 6 Common Blue, 6 Holly Blue, 22 Red Admiral, 31 Peacock, 8 Comma (6 of which were the later typical form - very vibrant), 16 Silver-washed Fritillary, including 6 females, one of which may have been f. valesina, 16 Speckled Wood, 25 Gatekeeper and 20 Meadow Brown."          

Sunday 13th August 2023

Brown Argus (Laura Gundy)
Brown Argus (Laura Gundy)

Laura Gundy emailed: "Following a downpour which saw me sheltering under an oak tree wondering why on earth I was bothering, the sun came out at Benniworth Walk Farm and soon there were Common Blues and Brown Argus buzzing about as if nothing had happened. I found it difficult to count them as they were very active, but within a small area of pollinator mix I estimated 30 of each species. Many of the Brown Argus had white rings around the spots on their wings, which I believe is a feature of a different subspecies? (see photo). A few Meadow Browns and Green-veinedWhites were also flying, plus 25 Gatekeeper and 6 Red Admirals. A single, very large and beautifully marked Small Copper ab. caeruleopunctata made me stop in my tracks – a great end to the walk."

Small Copper ab. caeruleopunctata (Laura Gundy)
​ Small Copper ab. caeruleopunctata (Laura Gundy) ​

Saturday 12th August 2023

Graham Catley messaged: "At least 5 Walls today, along a stretch of the Viking Way west of the B1218 at Saxby Wolds"

Friday 11th August 2023

Brown Hairstreak (Toby Ludlow)
Brown Hairstreak (Toby Ludlow)
  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "Any other year, a sighting of 2 male Brown Hairstreaks down low would 
Silver-washed Fritillary male ab. confluens (Toby Ludlow)
Silver-washed Fritillary male ab. confluens (Toby Ludlow)
  • be cause for celebration, but this year, with the recent proliferation of aberrations, it seems a little lacklustre. Fortunately, late in the day, I managed to find another Silver-washed Fritillary aberration - this one was a male ab. confluens - adding to the extraordinary tally that the Bardney Limewoods NNR has produced this year."
  • Graham Catley messaged: "Today a walk along 300 metres of knapweed at Laughton wet heath track produced 45 Peacock, 5 Silver-washed Fritillary, 3 new Brimstone, 4 Red Admiral, and odd for the forest 5 Holly Blue."
  • Pete Roworth messaged: "A single Purple Hairstreak today, in an Oak tree in my garden at Sea View, Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe NNR."
  • Owen Beaumont messaged: "49 Wall on Rimac transect, most along the footpath on western side of dunes."
  • Lesley Robinson from Bottesford emailed: "Just had a female Silver-washed Fritillary in the back garden, flying low to the ground and very interested in the violets. What a garden record, and made my day!"

Thursday 10th August 2023: The Madness Continues!

Peacock Pathological ab. (Pete Smith)
Peacock Pathological ab. (Pete Smith)
  • Pete Smith emailed: "There seems to be no let-up in the run of aberrant butterflies in the central Lincolnshire Limewoods at present. This morning, I found what I thought at first glance (in flight) was a Peacock with a damaged left forewing, but on closer examination it turned out to be a pathological aberration with a unilateral scale defect, giving it a most striking and unusual asymmetric appearance. Never seen anything quite like it before!"
  • Nige Lound emailed: " I trapped at Syke's Farm, Gib overnight  and was rewarded with exactly 
Oblique Striped (Nige Lound)
Oblique Striped (Nige Lound)
  • 400 moths of 80 species, 58 macros and 22 micros. Personal highlight was Oblique Striped a lifer for me and the 2nd Lincs record, following one from Gib pre 1918, I understand. I was lucky to get a photo, because as soon as I removed the egg box above it, it flew out of the trap, but fortunately landed on by cycle about 10 metres away, hence the odd photo. Also of note was my 2nd ever Tawny Wave. By-catch included 3 Oak Bush-cricket."

Wednesday 9th August 2023: Bilateral Gynandromorph Brimstone!

Bilateral Gynandromorph Brimstone (Toby Ludlow)
Bilateral Gynandromorph Brimstone (Toby Ludlow)
  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "I had my day all mapped out and was looking forward to what I'd planned, and then I looked at the Sightings page on the Lincolnshire Branch website and all of that went straight out of the window! A new course was plotted to Southrey Wood and the plans updated to try and locate the interesting Peacock aberration found yesterday by Merv Freeman. I spent a few hours there, but despite finding 73 Peacocks on the main ride, not one of them was the one I was looking for. Early on, there were dozens of Purple Hairstreaks down low, but they ascended as the day wore on and the sun got higher. The real the stars of the show here were the Brimstones: they were everywhere! They particularly like the Purple Loosestrife flowers and I found one individual bloom that had 5 Brimstones on it! When I looked up and down the ride it seemed that every clump of Purple Loosestrife had 3, or 4 Brimstones on it - it was a real delight to see so many. Eventually I got to the turning point at the end of the main ride and hope of seeing the aberrant Peacock had faded and I was feeling a little disappointed, but then one butterfly instantly changed my mood: this butterfly was a Brimstone, but no ordinary Brimstone; it was a bilateral gynandromorph Brimstone, and looked truly bizarre when seen in flight - the two left-hand wings were the sulphurous yellow colour of the male, whereas the two right-hand wings were the subtle apple-white colour displayed by the female (see back of camera shot). The immediate problem I faced was how to obtain a photograph of this amazing creature - every time it landed to nectar it closed its wings, so hiding the two differing colour schemes. I decided that I would try and get a picture of it in flight, but that is not as easy as it sounds!!! (Keith and Ron, you might have got a good Comma ab, but you missed this Brimstone! Lol!"
  • Pete Smith emailed: "What a staggering year it is turning out to be for butterfly aberrations, 
Brown Argus ab.glomerata + postico-obsoleta (Pete Smith)
Brown Argus ab.glomerata + postico-obsoleta (Pete Smith)
  • especially at Chambers Farm Wood. I have missed out on a few of them, but have seen a fair few aberrant Commas and Silver-washed Fritillaries. Today I found a particularly interesting Brown Argus out there, a rather niche aberration but to my eyes quite stunning and beautiful. This is ab. glomerata + postico-obsoleta, not a common finding at all - certainly made my day!" 
Comma ab. (Adrian Royle)
Comma ab. (Adrian Royle)
  • Adrian Royle emailed: "I was back at Chambers Farm Wood again today, and one of the aberrant Commas has shown up again, this time at Fiveways."
  • Andrew Kurch phoned: "Around lunchtime, I had a walk from Irby upon Humber to Irby Dales Wood. As I approached the wood I had a Wall along the footpath, and this was the first time that I have seen this species at this site for about two decades! In the wood itself an Oak tree produced 2 Purple Hairstreaks and a large butterfly which I am almost certain was a Purple Emperor! Also, 1 Painted Lady."
  • Pete Cawdell emailed: "When I went to my regular monitoring of the butterflies in Welton Le Wold disused quarry today, I wasn't expecting to find this ragged little gem nectaring on Creeping 
White-letter Hairstreak (Pete Cawdell)
White-letter Hairstreak (Pete Cawdell)
  • Thistle - a female White-letter Hairstreak. A new first record for the site, the tetrad and the 10 km square."
  • Dave Wright reported: "Chris Atkin and I visited Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR today, concentrating mainly on the area between Sea View and Rimac. The undoubted highlight was 3 Purple Hairstreaks in an Elm tree at Sea View, a totally unexpected find and our first for the 
Purple Hairstreak (Chris Atkin)
Purple Hairstreak (Chris Atkin)
  • reserve. We noted 20 species of butterfly for the day: 3 Purple Hairstreak, 60 Wall, 111 Meadow Brown, 117 Gatekeeper, 1 Ringlet, 5 Speckled Wood, 10 Holly Blue, 40 Common Blue, 6 Brown Argus, 9 Small Copper, 5 Small Skipper, 25 Essex Skipper, 11 Large White, 21 Small White, 3 Green-veined White, 22 Red Admiral, 148 Peacock, 2 Comma, 1 Small Tortoiseshell 
Wall Mating Pair (Dave Wright)
Wall Mating Pair (Dave Wright)
  • and 2 Brimstone. Moths included: I Yellow Belle, 3 Silver Y, 1 Latticed Heath, 18 Shaded Broad-bar, 4 Common Carpet, 1 Dusky Sallow, 4 Yellow Shell, 1 Vapourer, 11 Buff-tip larvae and lots of Cinnabar larvae. We also managed to find 11 species of dragonfly, with 7 Willow Emerald Damselfly and 14 Small Red-eyed Damselfly being the most noteworthy."
Rimac Insects (Dave Wright)
Clockwise from top left: Gatekeeper Mating Pair, Buff-tip Larva, Yellow Belle and Willow Emerald Damselfly (Dave Wright)

Tuesday 8th August 2023: Stunning Peacock Aberration!

Peacock Aberration (Merv Freeman)
Peacock Aberration (Merv Freeman)
  • Merv Freeman emailed: "Today I found a stunning Peacock aberration at Southrey Wood, about halfway down the main path, on the right-hand side."
  • Gary Fenwick emailed:" I enjoyed a full lepidoptera day today. I started with a moth trap and had the following new for year: Mother of Pearl, Flounced Rustic and Turnip Moth. I then travelled to Messingham Sand Quarry LWT Nature Reserve and estimated counts were: c60 Gatekeeper, c50 Red Admiral, c  30 Meadow Brown, c20 Peacock, 3 Holly Blue, c15 Small/Green-veined White, 5 Large White, 5 Small White, 1 Small Copper, c10 Speckled Wood, 4 Brimstone, 2 Brown Argus, a surprise Silver-washed Fritillary, 3 Comma, 2 Essex Skipper and a Shaded Broad-bar. I then went to Risby Warren, somewhere I had never been to before (I'll certainly be returning, what a superb habitat). Here I noted 2 Grayling, 1 Wall, 1 Peacock, c10 Gatekeeper, c10 Meadow Brown, 7 Brown Argus, 1 Small Copper, 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth and 2 Yellow Shell. I also had the unexpected bonus of 2 Whinchat on passage as well as a Stonechat.

Monday 7th August 2023: Another Comma Aberration!

Comma Aberration ( Keith Walton)
Comma Aberration ( Keith Walton)
  • Keith Walton emailed: "Ron Henderson and I travelled down from Washington today to visit Chambers Farm Wood. We visited the Butterfly Garden and then went on to do complete circuits of the three Little Scrubbs Meadows and then walked via Fiveways to Minting Triangle. We walked the Red Trail and part of Ivy Wood on the way back to the car park. Bright sunshine most of the time, but cloud had built up during the Red Trail walk and Ivy Wood sections, so most butterflies were not flying on these sections (totals would have been 10-15% higher than seen) - 98 Silver-washed Fritillary (5 f. valesina), 292 Red Admiral, 578 Peacock, 16 Holly Blue, 59 Brimstone, 34 Comma, but only 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Painted Lady and 1 Brown Hairstreak. 21 species were seen and also included 2 Small Copper, 5 Common Blue, 5 Brown Argus, 1 Small Skipper and 1 Essex Skipper. We then went to Snakeholme Pit to find another blizzard of butterflies. Species here included 21 Silver-washed Fritillary, 6 Red Admiral, 130 Peacock, 15 Brimstone, 19 Holly Blue and 11 Comma, with Brown Argus and Common Blue among the supporting cast. The day ended with a visit to Camshaw Wood, where the ride to the left of the watchtower had 4 Silver-washed Fritillary, 27 Red Admiral, 51 Peacock, 5 Brimstone, and a probable Brown Hairstreak. The attached aberrant Comma was found in Ivy Wood (Toby and Jim you missed this one!)."
  • Pete Cawdell emailed: "Peacocks have made a remarkable recovery if the numbers I saw this 
Peacock at Southrey (Peter Cawdell) 070823
Peacock (Pete Cawdell)
  • afternoon in Southrey Wood are anything to go by. There were several hundred, mostly fresh, along the main ride - too many to count. They were mainly nectaring on the abundant knapweed flowers. They must have had a very successful breeding season. Fresh Brimstones were also in large numbers. I counted 9 Silver-Washed Fritillaries plus another in our Reserve area. For once it was easy to count the individual ones as nearly all were sporting their unique 'war wounds' on their wings from skirmishes with birds. About equal numbers of males and females. There were large numbers of Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown and about 10 Red Admiral. Other butterflies noted in small numbers were: Brown Argus 4 (inc.2 in Reserve), 2 Holly Blue (inc.1 in Reserve), 3 Common Blue males, 4 Small Skipper (inc.2 in Reserve), Comma in Reserve, 4 Ringlet (inc.2 in Reserve). Of the Whites there were plenty of Large (10+), 20+ Green-veined  and a smaller number of Small (about 6). Also a Hummingbird Hawk-moth."

Friday 4th August 2023

Meadow Brown non-symmetrical aberration (Toby Ludlow)
Meadow Brown non-symmetrical aberration (Toby Ludlow)

Toby Ludlow messaged: "Despite being very cloudy today, there were some lengthy bright spells which brought the butterflies out in numbers. The first thing of note, although not a butterfly, was a really fresh (I would estimate less than a day old) Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth nectaring on the Buddleia at the Chambers Farm Wood Centre. This is the first time I've seen a second-brood Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth, so it was not something I expected to see! However, talking of things out of the ordinary, it was a trip down to the meadows that really produced something unexpected: in Little Scrubbs Meadow Extension was an aberrant Meadow Brown, or perhaps I should describe it more accurately as half an aberrant Meadow Brown, as only its left-hand side was aberrant - it lacked the forewing apical spot; the right-hand side, though, was normal. Also in the meadow extension was a Peacock aberration, ab. irenea, which is characterised by an extra black spot on each forewing, just above the inner margin. As previously stated, Peacock aberrations are few and far between, so to get one as subtle as this is noteworthy! And then, in Little Scrubbs Meadow proper, a third aberration, a Meadow Brown ab. alba instantly stood out amongst the other fulvous examples on the wing. Whilst in the meadow extension I noted many male Common Blues, so it looks like the second brood will be more numerous than the first; the only female I saw was part of a mating pair."

Meadow Brown ab. alba (Toby Ludlow)
​ Meadow Brown ab. alba (Toby Ludlow) ​

Thursday 3rd August 2023

Silver-washed Fritillary aberration (Phil Bowler)
Silver-washed Fritillary aberration (Phil Bowler)
  • Phil Bowler emailed: "Following on from my ab. ocellata a few weeks ago at Chambers Farm Wood, then Toby's gynandromorph, I can now add another aberration seen here today. Though faded, it was nevertheless a dramatic sight, a female Silver-washed Fritillary of (I think) ab. nigricans. Silver-washed were in incredible numbers and the majority were fresh, some pristine, although a couple of the faded females were posing as the valesina form, which they were not (Toby showed me a photo he had taken at Minting Triangle which was definitely f. valesina but I never saw it). 47 in total - 36 m and 11 f including the ab. Supporting cast: 4 Small/Essex Skipper, 4 Large Skipper, 12 Brimstone, 6 Large White, 7 Small White, 20 Green-veined White, 2 Small Copper, 5 Holly Blue, 11 Purple Hairstreak, 2 male Brown Hairstreak, 1 White Admiral, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 45 Peacock, 11 Comma, 8 Speckled Wood, 40 Gatekeeper, 55 Meadow Brown and 10 Ringlet. Moths: 1 Mint Moth, 1 Yellow Shell, 12 Latticed Heath, 3 Shaded Broad-bar, 1 Ruby Tiger, 1 Silver Y, 1 Humming-bird Hawk-moth plus what looked like a Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth flying around honeysuckle in a clearing. Too late for this species??
  • Adrian Royle emailed: "Found a lovely micro moth down Crowtree Lane in Louth today - Chrysoclista linneella, a very localised distribution. Plus some Holly Blues out of town SW of Hubbard's Hills, and a Brown Argus, Red Admirals and Commas etc."                   
Louth Insects (Adrian Royle)
Clockwise from top left: Chrysoclista linneella, Red Admiral, Brown Argus and Holly Blue (Adrian Royle)

Tuesday 1st August 2023: The Ultimate Aberration!

Toby Ludlow emailed: "There are good days, and then there are exceptional days, and there have been several of the latter out at Chambers Farm Wood recently, but this one takes the biscuit! Only this last week I have had a day which has far exceeded anything I could have hoped for, and found that I was saying to myself, 'I never, ever, ever thought I would see THAT!' It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments that I didn't expect to have in my lifetime, if that doesn't sound too bonkers! The 'THAT' on this occasion was a gynandromorphic Silver-washed Fritillary, a butterfly which displays both male and female characteristics. However, my luck on this occasion had reached new heights because it was a bilateral gynandromorph, the ultimate aberration, where one side is completely male and the other side is completely female. This phenomenon occurs early on in a butterfly's development, when the organism only has a few cells, and then typically an event occurs during mitosis: one of the dividing cells does not split its sex chromosomes in the normal way, leading to one of the cells having sex chromosomes that cause male development and the other having sex chromosomes that lead to female development. (I hope I haven't lost any of you!) Needless to say, sightings of bilateral gynandromorphs are as rare as hen's teeth and I feel honoured to have seen this one. As is customary with exceptional aberrations like this, this one read the script, followed standard operating procedures and disappeared after a few seconds, never to be seen again! I did manage to get a 'record shot' of it, but I was left mulling over what could have been! The accompanying photograph illustrates the phenomenon of a bilateral gynandomorph: The complete left-hand side is male whereas the complete right-hand side is female. If you visit Chambers Farm Wood in the near future, keep your eyes peeled for this butterfly!"

Silver-washed Fritillary - Bilateral Gynandromorph (Toby Ludlow)
Silver-washed Fritillary - Bilateral Gynandromorph (Toby Ludlow)

July 2023

Sunday 30th July 2023

Red Admiral ab. klemensiewiczi (Toby Ludlow)
Red Admiral ab. klemensiewiczi (Toby Ludlow)
  • Toby Ludlow emailed: "I spent a few hours out at Chambers Farm Wood today and was delighted to see that the aberrant Comma ab. suffusa + sagitta-album, that I first saw on Saturday 15th July 2023, was still out there in virtually the same place and enjoying life, nectaring on Bramble blossom. This is now Day 16, and it is not standard operating procedure for an aberrant butterfly to hang around for so long – they usually disappear after a few seconds!!! It has now got a few battle scars, but nevertheless it was good to see it. Several Comma and Silver-washed Fritillary aberrations have been observed at Chambers Farm Wood throughout July and these have provided much enjoyment to those that have had the fortune to see them. Whilst butterflies such as Comma and Silver-washed Fritillary seem to periodically produce these aberrations, others such as Peacock and Red Admiral are, in an aberrant sense, disappointingly uniform. Given the huge numbers of Peacocks and Red Admirals present throughout the county, of which large numbers are seen in gardens, very few aberrations are ever reported from among these species. The Red Admiral aberrations that are reported are usually very minor in nature, usually consisting of an extra white dot on the forewing red band (ab. bialbata), or a broken red band (ab. fructa). I therefore got very excited when I discovered this Red Admiral aberration at Chambers Farm Wood, right next to the Chambers Farm Wood Centre. This extreme aberration, ab. klemensiewiczi, is as extreme as it gets, is stunningly beautiful and this individual even has an additional golden bloom to the red forewing band.
  • John Davison emailed: "Sunday morning walk at Messingham Sand Quarry LWT Nature Reserve 
Elelphant Hawk-moth Larva (John Davison)
Elelphant Hawk-moth Larva (John Davison)
  • brought out: 1 Silver-washed Fritillary, 1 Small Copper, 1 Brown Argus, 2 Holly Blue, 2 Speckled Wood, 24 Large White, 16 Small White, 4 Green-veined White, 300 Red Admiral, 140 Meadow Brown, 15 Ringlet, 210 Gatekeeper, 1 Painted Lady, 59 Peacock, 26 Small Skipper, 9 Large Skipper, 94 Comma and 2 Brimstone. Also 1 Shaded Broad-bar, 1 Silver Y, 2 Elephant Hawk-moth larva and 1 Herald Moth larva.

Saturday 29th July 2023

Holly Blue (Mike Pickwell)
Holly Blue (Mike Pickwell)
  • Mike Pickwell from Grimsby emailed: "This morning between 09:00 and 09:30 our Scartho garden produced 2 Red Admiral, 2 Speckled Wood, 1 Small White, 1 Comma, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Large White, 1 Gatekeeper, 1 Green-veined White and 1 Peacock. There was also a Mint Moth. Yesterday, I went birdwatching to Winter's Pit and the Humber Bank, where there were large numbers of Whites of different species, good numbers of Gatekeepers, and a few Red Admirals and Meadow Browns."
  • Pete Cawdell emailed: "Since Rick Camm's sighting of a White-letter Hairtsreak on 25/7, he has 
White-letter Hairstreak (Pete Cawdell)
White-letter Hairstreak (Pete Cawdell)
  • been to Osbournby Hill Top several times and twice seen 2 individuals nectaring on the bramble, so there is obviously a colony there. Today I checked the site out on a windy, mainly cloudy afternoon and duly found the pictured one - along with 17 other species. Notable was a good colony of Brown Argus between the set-aside and woodland edge. At least 10 seen. This site seems quite unremarkable from the A15 as you drive by, in an area not noted for its butterflies, but just shows what's still out there to be discovered in the Lincs countryside."
  • Andy Sims from Swanpool emailed: "This morning the garden trap produced White-point, Ear Moth agg, Southern Wainscot, Least Carpet and Mouse Moth, all new for the year."
White-point and Southern Wainscot (Andy Sims)
White-point and Southern Wainscot (Andy Sims)

Friday 28th July 2023

  • Keith Walton emailed: "Visited Chambers Farm Wood today, but the walk to Minting Triangle was disappointing, although things improved on the Red Trail. 64 Peacock, 34 Red Admiral, 16 Silver-washed Fritillary, 10 White Admiral, 7 Brimstone and 15 Comma. One patch of brambles on this route had 10 Peacock, 10 Red Admiral, 4 Comma, 5 White Admiral and 6 Silver-washed Fritillary. Little Scrubbs Meadows were full of butterflies - 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Painted Lady, 30 Red Admiral, 46 Silver-washed Fritillary and c450 Peacock. Finished in the garden - 1 White Admiral, 2 Peacock, 40 Red Admiral, and lots of Whites, Browns and a few Blues." 
  • Mark Johnson from North Somercotes emailed: "I decide to trap on Friday night instead of 
Obscure Wainscot (Mark Johnson)
Obscure Wainscot (Mark Johnson)
  • Saturday, as forecast said lighter winds and slightly warmer. Little did I know what was to come! Sally said she could hear moths hitting the trap from the open bedroom window, but I didn’t pay it much thought. Saturday didn’t start well, late up, b****r! When I looked in the trap at 7 a.m. double b****er! All I could see was Large Yellow Underwings. How the hell was I going to sort that lot out, was my first thought. I sat bemused at the sight before me, this may take a while! As I removed the lamp from the trap, moths erupted in all directions. 'Damn it!' I said as literally dozens of unidentified moths disappeared into the surrounding cover. I did manage to catch sight of a Swallow-tailed Moth as it flopped it’s way into the Buddleia, but the others were gone. Oh 
Crescent (Mark Johnson)
Crescent (Mark Johnson)
  • well! With a deep breath, I gingerly picked up the first egg box to be greeted with a writhing mass of moths and, as the 30+ Large Yellow Underwings dispersed, I could count the other species which were buried below. After two hours it was done, a few potted up for photos and the note book full of scribble. A fortnight ago we had 521 moths of 99 species, the most species ever recorded here. This week only 78 species but a whopping 1192 moths of which 711 were Large Yellow Underwings. After a very slow start to the year things have definitely picked up here, despite having recorded the wettest March and July. Moth highlights were our seconds of Obscure Wainscot, Crescent, Dark Spectacle and Straw Underwing."

Wednesday 26th July 2023

Purple Hairstreak at Twyford (Martin Kew) 260723
​ Purple Hairstreak (Martin Kew)
  • Martin Kew reported: "A bright, sunny morning at last brought out a good variety of butterflies on the reserves at Twyford Wood. The highlight was four Purple Hairstreak, one at the Glades and three on the tracks between the reserves. There were pleasing numbers of fresh Peacock and Brimstone on the wing as well." 
  • Phil Bowler emailed: "Today I visited Morkery Wood for the first time in ages. Very impressive habitat but relatively few butterflies considering that the weather has improved. I fear this is the norm following this wet and very windy July. The star of the show was undoubtedly a very impressive female Purple Emperor, who emerged from the backdrop of brambles, valerian, Meadowsweet, thistles and various other nectar plants, only to zoom upwards into the top of a nearby Ash. She didn't even give me time to introduce myself! Supporting cast: 2 Small/Essex Skipper, 16 Large Skipper, 10 Brimstone, 3 Large White, 4 Small White, 10 Green-veined White, 2 Holly Blue, 2 Purple Hairstreak, 19 Red Admiral, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 15 Peacock, 7 Comma, 10 Silver-washed Fritillary (including 3 typical females, no f. valesina), 1 Speckled Wood, 25 Gatekeeper, 17 Meadow Brown and 20 Ringlet."
  • Trevor Baily emailed: "Today I visited Kirkby Gravel Pits and noted the following: 2 Brown Argus, 9 Common Blue, 2 Meadow Brown, 12 Gatekeeper, 4 Red Admiral, 1 Peacock, 1 Brimstone, 2 Speckled Wood and 1 Silver Y moth."
  • Graham Catley emailed: "Surveyed Low Farm at Searby today and noted the following species: 300 Meadow Brown, 2 Ringlet, 72 Gatekeeper, 10 Red Admiral, 3 Peacock, 2 Comma, 5 Small Tortoiseshell, 24 Large White, Small and Green-veined White, 3 Speckled Wood, 1 Small Copper, 3+ Essex Skipper and 15+ Small Skipper."

Tuesday 25th July 2023

Painted Lady (Graham Catley)
Painted Lady (Graham Catley)
  • Graham Catley messaged: "Painted Lady, 10 Essex Skippers and 8 new Peacocks at Alkborough this morning. Also a Willow Emerald damselfly."
  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "Had a brief trip to Kirkby Moor LWT Nature Reserve today and was 
Valesina Silver-washed Fritillary (Toby Ludlow)
Valesina Silver-washed Fritillary (Toby Ludlow)
  • rewarded with my first ever sighting there of a valesina form of a Silver-washed Fritillary, which is the first one I've seen this year too."
  • John Walker emailed: "Today I visited a copse off the old Roman Way footpath at TF410839. The site is lined with broadleaf trees and mixed blackthorn, hawthorn, ivy and bramble, with a 10 m field margin to the south side. I have walked and surveyed the area at least twice each 
White-letter Hairstreak (John Walker)
White-letter Hairstreak (John Walker)
  • spring/summer for c15 years. The copse and adjacent hedge have ash, oak, sycamore and several elms of 6 to 10 m tall. Also, blackthorn, hawthorn, ivy and bramble spreading into the long term 10 m field environment boundary, with various flora, including knapweed, ragwort, creeping thistle, red clover and fleabane. The late Peter Childs and I counted 21 butterfly species including 6 White-letter Hairstreaks there in July 2015 and a further 3 in each of the following 2 years. I have not visited the site since 2019, so I did so this morning with a walk of c250 m along the field margin and south side of the c2 acre copse, and 75 m length of tall hedge. To the east of the copse and hedge is a c3 acre old meadow with lots of marsh thistle, ragwort, etc. I recorded the following: 2 White-letter Hairstreak, 2 Holly Blue, 3 Comma, 7 Red Admiral, 7 Large White, 7 Small Skipper, 8 Speckled Wood, 8 Ringlet, 29 Small White, 31 Gatekeeper and 41 Meadow Brown. Other species seen at this location on early June past visits included Brimstone, Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshell, Green-veined White, Large Skipper and Small Copper."
  • Pete Cawdell reported: "Rick Camm from Osbournby, near Sleaford, found a female White-letter Hairstreak at the top of Osbournby Hill on the south facing side of some elms. The fields around the hill are on a two year set-aside programme to try and get rid of the black grass. They have been sown with red and white clover, plus bird seed. They are attracting many butterflies."
White-letter Hairstreak (Rick Camm)
White-letter Hairstreak (Rick Camm)

Sunday 23rd July 2023: Butterfly Conservation Open Day at Rimac

Rimac Butterflies (Mark Johnson)
Clockwise from top left: Wall, Small Copper, Painted Lady and Brown Argus (Mark Johnson)
  • Dave Wright reported: "Our last ‘Open Day’ was held at Chambers Farm Wood in July of 2019, the traditional site for this important event. Unfortunately, the total lack of support from FE during and after the pandemic, meant that we could no longer use the visitor/education centre, a facility that has always been instrumental in promoting Butterfly Conservation in Lincolnshire. With no resolution on the horizon, it looked as though this year’s event would have to be shelved once 
Blackneck (Mark Johnson)
Blackneck (Mark Johnson)
  • again, until Owen Beaumont and Renata Jackson from English Nature at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR offered us a lifeline. Thanks to their hard work, along with colleagues and volunteers, we were able to utilise the Eco-classroom at Rimac car park, from where we were able to conduct a couple of guided butterfly walks. Unfortunately, the weather hadn’t read the 
Privet Hawk-moth Larva (Mark Johnson)
Privet Hawk-moth Larva (Mark Johnson)
  • script and it was dull and overcast for most of the day, with just the occasional bright spell. Not exactly ideal butterfly weather! Nevertheless, we had a good turn out from the general public with double figures on both walks, and remarkably we managed to find eighteen species of butterfly: Small Skipper, Essex Skipper (including a mating pair), Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Small Copper, Red Admiral, Painted Lady
Small Red-eyed Damselfly (Mark Johnson)
Small Red-eyed Damselfly (Mark Johnson)
  • Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small Heath and 4 second generation Wall. Moths also featured during the walks and included lots of Six-spot Burnet, a few Silver Y and a single Blackneck. These species supplemented the 209 moths of 51 species trapped at a damp and miserable Seaview overnight, some of which were on display in the education centre, along with a few Privet Hawk-moth larvae found by committee member Tim Clayton in his garden near Lincoln. The walks also produced a few dragonfly species, the highlights being 2 Small Red-eyed Damselflies, and a single Willow Emerald found in the corner of the car park."                                                                                                
Sea View Moths (Mark Johnson)
Clockwise from top left: Drinker, Swallow Prominent, Elephant Hawk-moth, Double Lobed, Coronet and Straw Underwing (Mark Johnson)
  •  
  • Sue Houghton emailed: "I visited Twyford Wood today and was thrilled to have my first sighting of Silver-washed Fritillary. Also noted Marbled White, Large Skipper, Comma, Peacock, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper."

Friday 21st July 2023

Graham Catley messaged: "Visited Laughton Woods today and, during a brief spell of sunshine, noted 5 Silver-washed Fritillary along Tuetoes Ride."

Silver-washed Fritillary (Graham Catley)
Silver-washed Fritillary (Graham Catley)

Thursday 20th July 2023

Gary Fenwick emailed: "After a period away on holiday and then illness, it's been a while since I was able to get out. This afternoon I took advantage of the respite in showers and a cancellation at work and ventured out to Little Scrubbs Meadow and Chambers Farm Wood more widely. The sum total of what I saw is as follows: 2 White Admiral, 4 Green-veined White, c30 Small White, c140 Small/Green-veined White  c40 Large White, 4 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Peacock, 6 Comma, c35 Red Admiral, 4 Large Skipper, 2 Speckled Wood, c55 Ringlet, c120 Meadow Brown, c30 Gatekeeper and 10 Silver-washed Fritillary. Moths included: 14 Silver Y, c40 Six-spot Burnet and 1 Latticed Heath.

Wednesday 19th July 2023

  • John Davison emailed: "Silver-washed Fritillary at Burkinshaw's Covert, Immingham today." 
  • Nige Lound emailed: "I trapped at Syke's Farm, Gib overnight and was surprised that the overnight temperature was a mere 6 degrees C and accompanied by a thick, damp fog. This resulted in only 71 moths of 28 species to 2 traps. New for the year macros were Cloaked Minor, Maple Pug, Pine Hawk-moth and Rosy Rustic. As a keen lister I recently visited Langworth to see Waved Black, kindly kept for me by Chris Dobson. Just happened to be macro number 450 for me in Lincs, quite a milestone!"

Tuesday 18th July 2023

Large White (Mike Pickwell)
Large White (Mike Pickwell)

Mike Pickwell from Grimsby emailed: "At last we had a warm spell with no wind this morning so there was some pleasing butterfly activity in my Scartho garden. 2 Red Admiral, 1 Green-veined White, 2 Large White, 2 Small White, 2 Gatekeeper, 1 Meadow Brown and a Mother Shipton moth. I also saw a Painted Lady on our neighbour's buddleia." 

Monday 17th July 2023

Josh Forrester messaged: "This morning I found a small colony of Purple Hairsteaks on an oak tree along Weelsby Avenue in Grimsby, opposite cemetery car park."

Sunday 16th July 2023

Grayling (John Davison)
Grayling (John Davison)

John Davison emailed: "Weather likely to have put a lot of people off the Butterfly Conservation Field Trip, but four hardy individuals did manage the visit to Risby Warren. It did stay dry but the high wind was a nuisance. Although lots of butterflies, it meant that they stayed low to the ground in flight and hunkered down in the vegetation when settled. As you will see however, we did manage the target species and quite a few more including Cinnabar, Silver Y and Common Carpet moths. My thanks for the butterfly count (and keen eyes) to Suzanne Nelson - 4 Grayling, 14 Small Skipper, 18 Gatekeeper, 25 Meadow Brown, 11 Ringlet, 16 Small Heath, 15 Small Copper, 1 Green-veined White, 2 Large Skipper, 2 Comma, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Large White, 1 Small White, 1 Common Blue and 4 Small Tortoiseshell."

Saturday 15th July 2023

Comma ab. suffusa (Toby Ludlow)
Comma ab. suffusa (Toby Ludlow)

Toby Ludlow emailed: "For once, it seemed, the weather forecasters got the forecast spot on - mainly thick cloud, the odd sunny interval, frequent showers, and the wind cycling between 20 mph and 40 mph. It was, therefore, not the day to visit Chambers Farm Wood in search of butterflies! When I arrived early in the morning there was a brief sunny spell, but soon had to head for the car to sit out a shower. This would be the story for the day! It came as no surprise that Purple Emperors did not take to the air, and I didn't see any over the course of the day; they seemed to be having a poor year. I only saw one White Admiral and about half a dozen Silver-washed Fritillaries, but alas not the aberrant one seen by Phil Bowler a few days previous. There were quite a few Red Admirals and Commas in the rides however, and one of the latter caught my eye as I passed by. Although its wings were closed, I could tell instantly that it was aberrant, but as I approached it shot up into a Field Maple and then opened its wings revealing it to be an extreme aberration - Comma ab. suffusa + sagitta-album. It then started to rain, so I legged it back to the car, again! When it stopped, I returned to the spot where I had seen the Comma, but I couldn't find it, so moved on. I then thought I'd rediscovered it, resting on a Bramble leaf about 20 metres further along the main track, but it wasn't - it was another, almost identical aberration, this one Comma ab. suffusa. Fortunately, this one sat still for a few photos. After, I was lucky to see the first aberrant Comma again and got a couple of record shots of it."

Comma ab. suffusa + sagitta-album (Toby Ludlow)
Comma ab. suffusa + sagitta-album (Toby Ludlow)

Thursday 13th July 2023

White Admiral (David Phillips)
White Admiral (David Phillips)
  • David Phillips emailed: "Today I visited the excellent Chambers Farm Wood reserve instead of undertaking my Wider Countryside Butterfly Surveys in NE England. What a fantastic day! For once the the butterflies had read the script and I saw all my target species. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit! There were so many Whites flying that could not be identified and I'm afraid I never tallied up the Hutchinsoni variation of Comma. My sightings covered three areas: Chambers 
Purple Hairstreak  (David Phillips)
Purple Hairstreak (David Phillips)
  • Farm Wood Butterfly Garden - 6 Small White, 3 Large White, 12 Gatekeeper, 7 Meadow Brown, 5 Ringlet, 1 Green-veined White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 1 Peacock. Chambers Farm Wood - 23 Green-veined White, 42 Small White, 32 Meadow Brown, 69 Ringlet, 29 Red Admiral, 1 Holly Blue, 3 Large Skipper, 24 Comma, 21 Large White, 16 Purple Hairsreak, 14 Silver-washed Fritillary, 13 White Admiral, 6 Gatekeeper, 3 Speckled Wood and 3 Purple Emperor. Chambers Farm Wood-Langton Hill Farm Footpath - 1 Ringlet, 14 Gatekeeper, 31 Meadow Brown, 3 Large White, 2 Green-veined White, 2 Red Admiral, 1 Comma and 2 Small White."
  • Owen Beaumont messaged: "An incredible transect around Rimac today, with butterflies absolutely everywhere! The totals were: 265 Small Skipper, 33 Essex Skipper, 284 unidentified Small/Essex Skipper, 1 Large Skipper, 4 Large White, 14 Small White, 7 Green-veined White, 1 Small Copper, 1 Brown Argus, 3 Red Admiral, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Speckled Wood, 109 Gatekeeper, 236 Meadow Brown, 198 Ringlet and 14 Small Heath."
  • Phil Bowler reported: "In my garden yesterday (12th) I counted 43 Red Admiral, as opposed to 28 on the full red route circuit at Chambers Farm Wood today (13th). I elected to walk the full red route circuit to take in the huge new clearings created since FE did their questionable management. They've certainly opened it up considerably, especially the bit after the Sykes Wood lane where the elms are. You can now see many more flourishing elms than before. Alas, I only saw one White-letter Hairstreak at the top of one. Their friends the Purple Hairstreak were one of the stars today, for almost all the 16 that I saw were low down, on plants, some taking nectar from bramble, others on the paths taking minerals, even females. A wonderful sight to see them so low. There were 19 hutchinsoni Commas; 9 White Admiral, including a fresh one; 3 male Purple Emperor, 2 of which came to ground; and 15 Silver-washed Fritillary, 3 of which were female, 1 in cop. But the real star of the show was right at the end of the afternoon in the second car park with the big boulders. An almost pristine male ab. ocellata (I think). Superb and attention grabbing. The supporting cast: 1 Latticed Heath, 2 Silver Y, 3 Small/Essex Skipper, 17 Large Skipper (only one female), 4 Brimstone (all males), 5 Large White, 40 Small White, 60 Green-veined White, 2 Holly Blue, 1 White-letter Hairstreak, 2 Peacock, 3 Speckled Wood, 8 Gatekeeper, 55 Meadow Brown and 155 Ringlet."
Purple Hairstreak & Marsh Fritillary ab. at CFW (Phil Bowler) 130723
Purple Hairstreak & Silver-washed Fritillary ab. (Phil Bowler) 

Wednesday 12th July 2023

Graham Catley emailed: "Back at the farm at Searby this morning where there were still c500 Meadow Browns. Also of note were 65 Gatekeepers, 4 Purple Hairstreaks and a couple of Essex Skippers."

Sunday 9th July 2023                                                                                                                                                     
Laura Gundy reports: "A good day for my local area! I was enjoying a walk around Benniworth Walk Farm, where finally, after a poor start to the year, there are good numbers of butterflies.

White Admiral at BWF (Laura Gundy) 090723
White Admiral (Laura Gundy) 

Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small Skipper and Gatekeeper were in profusion. A couple of Painted Ladies were seen nectaring on Marsh Thistle

Marbled Whites (Laura Gundy) 090723
Marbled Whites (Laura Gundy) 090723

and then for the first time here I saw a White Admiral gliding around a patch of bramble. I have been hoping they would arrive one day, as there is suitable habitat on the farm for them. Hurrah!

Later, as the sun heated things up, I paid a visit to an area of private land near to Market Stainton (by kind permission of the landowner). The fields of long grass and thistles were absolutely alive with insects – more than I have seen for many years. Large numbers of Small Skippers were chasing each other around creating little ginger clouds in the air.  This is no special nature reserve – there is little floral diversity – and yet by simply leaving it alone, no mowing, no nothing, it really is quite something. 

Small Copper on Ragwort (Laura Gundy) 090723
Small Copper on Ragwort (Laura Gundy) 090723

Anyway, to get to the point, I counted 7 Marbled Whites there, including one mating pair. Presumably they have spread from Red Hill, which is great news for the species. The other good thing is that a couple more fields to cross and they will be on the farm where I live too (here’s hoping).

Messingham Sand Quarry LWT Reserve
A selection of moths from this morning........

MSQ Moths (John Davison) 090723
MSQ Moths (John Davison) 090723

Clockwise: Blackneck, Blood-vein, Elephant Hawk-moth & Drinker Larva

Friday 7th July 2023

Meadow Brown Mating Pair (David Bee)
Meadow Brown Mating Pair (David Bee)
  • David Bee emailed: "Decided to get out early today to beat the heat and before the forecast 'washout'. A 07:00 start at Red Hill, with a noticeable breeze, saw most subjects well in the grass. 
Marbled White (David Bee)
Marbled White (David Bee)
  • By about 08:30 things had warmed up a bit and I noted the following: 9 Marbled White, 10+ Meadow Brown, 6 Gatekeeper, 3 Small Heath and 2 Large Skipper. Called in to Chambers Farm Wood on the way home to find more enthusiasts than butterflies, some people travelling quite a distance - up to 2.5 hours! Butterflies included: 10 Meadow Brown, 3 White Admiral, 5 Purple Hairstreak, 3 Purple Emperor, Small Heath, Ringlet, Silver-washed Fritillary, Small White and Large White."
  • Graham Catley messaged: "First Small Red-eyed Damselflies on the farm pond at Searby this morning, plus 8 male Banded Demoiselles. Butterflies included: c500 Meadow Brown, 5 Gatekeeper, 5 Small Tortoiseshell, 6 Comma, c20 Small White, 5 Large White, 5 Green-veined White, 1 Brown Argus, 50 Small Skipper and 5 Large Skipper."
  • John Davison reported: "At Southrey Wood today 6 Purple Hairstreak came down and flitted about head height on the main track. Silver-washed Fritillary on the main track, tower ride and 3 on the BC ride. 12 White Admiral on the main track with a few more on the tower ride."                   
Purple Hairstreak at Southrey (John Davison) 070723
Purple Hairstreak at Southrey (John Davison) 070723
Silver-washed Fritillary & White Admiral at Southrey (John Davison) 070723
Silver-washed Fritillary & White Admiral at Southrey (John Davison) 070723

Martin Kew visited Robert's Field LWT Reserve....

Dark Green Fritillary at Robert's Field (Martin Kew) 070723
Dark Green Fritillary at Robert's Field (Martin Kew) 070723

More than 15 Dark Green Fritillaries at Robert's Field plus this suspected Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth larva (Happy to be corrected).
There were also good numbers of Marbled White, Small Skipper and Meadow Brown.

Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth Larva at Robert's Field (Martin Kew) 070723
Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth Larva at Robert's Field (Martin Kew) 070723


Alan Barker e-mails......

Whites puddling at CFW (Alan Barker) 070723 (1)
Whites puddling at CFW (Alan Barker) 070723 (1)

 

Plenty about at Chambers Wood this morning.

Purple Emperor at CFW (Alan Barker) 070723
Purple Emperor at CFW (Alan Barker) 070723

Purple Emperors coming down to track for moisture. 

Most unexpected was a large group of 30-40 Small and Green-veined Whites 'puddling' in an area of damp ground no larger

Whites puddling at CFW (Alan Barker) 070723 (2)
Whites puddling at CFW (Alan Barker) 070723 (2)

than a dinner plate beside remnants of water in a drainage ditch. The photos aren't brilliant but give some idea of numbers and density - the gathering was very active.

Something I'd not come across before and quite a sight.

Thursday 6th July
Silver-washed Fritillary out at Laughton Woods - Tuetoes Ride.

Silver-washed Fritillary at Tuetoes (John Davison) 060723
Silver-washed Fritillary at Tuetoes (John Davison) 060723

A good day for moth larvae (all spotted by John Petyt).....
 

Larvae at Tuetoes (John Davison) 060723
Moth Larvae at Tuetoes (John Davison) 060723


Clockwise:Eyed Hawk-moth Early Instar, Final Instar (Green Form) Swallow Prominent Moth, Silver Y, Knot Grass

Tuesday 4th July
Grayling now out at Risby.

Grayling at Risby (john Davison) 040723
Grayling at Risby (John Davison) 040723

and Silver-washed Fritillary in Broughton West Wood near Scunthorpe.
 

Silver-washed Fritillary in Broughton West Wood (John Davison) 040723
Silver-washed Fritillary in Broughton West Wood (John Davison) 040723

Saturday 1st July 2023                                                                                                                       
Malcolm & Marilyn Goodman emailed: "After Derek Fox’s successful visit to Hardy Gang Wood, we tried this afternoon. Similar species list, maybe 25/30 sightings of White Admiral of 10+ individuals (allowing for duplication). No Hummingbird Hawk-moth, but the big surprise was a Purple Emperor after minerals on the ground for about 15 minutes"



June 2023

Friday 30th June 2023

Moth Nemophora cupriacella at Snakleholme (Helen Kirk) 300623
Moth Nemophora cupriacella at Snakleholme Pit (Helen Kirk) 

Helen Kirk emailed: "Decided to take a look at Snakeholme Pit, a Lincolnshire Branch of Butterfly Conservation nature reserve just a few miles distant from Chambers Farm Wood as I'd never visited it before.  A fascinating site of around two acres with three different areas to it.  First gem was a male Banded Demoiselle in vegetation along the stream edge to the east and then a Kingfisher's distinctive piping as it moved along the waterway.  Double figures of Ringlet and Meadow Browns, a couple each of Green-veined Whites and Gatekeeper.  Perhaps a dozen Six-spot Burnet Moths on various flower heads but tucked down low out of the wind was a small golden green longhorn moth with a snazzy punk yellow hair do and the obviously long antennae.   It was not one I was familiar with so managed a couple of record photographs and thought no more about it till I got home and downloaded it.  The nearest I could get it to was Nemophora cupriacella.  Now a bit of research suggests it's not a particularly common moth so I begin to doubt my ID and decided to run it past Martin Gray who promptly responded with 'Certainly is and quite a rarity, only the 5th Lincolnshire Record - duly recorded.'  Well, quite a result for a Yorkshire visitor to this site for the first time.  Just goes to show there's always something interesting to be found even on not ideal weather days!"       

Thursday 29th June 2023

Chambers Farm Wood (Adrian Royle)
Clockwise from left: Purple Emperor, Current Clearwing and Emperor Moth Larva (Adrian Royle)
  • Adrian Royle emailed: "A visit to Chambers Farm Wood produced an Emperor Moth caterpillar in Little Scrubbs Meadow and Purple Emperors along the main ride and easy access trail. Also Currant Clearwing, Light Emerald and White Admirals."
  • Chris Atkin messaged: "A Red-veined Darter today on the Easy Access Trail adjacent to the Rimac scrape today. Also, my first Emerald Damselflies and Gatekeepers of the year (2 of the latter)."                                                                                                                                              
Red-veined Darter and Gatekeeper (Chris Atkin)
Red-veined Darter and Gatekeeper (Chris Atkin)
  • Roy Harvey emailed: "I made a quick visit to Nettleton LNR late afternoon, and noted Cinnabar moth caterpillars on ragwort. Also, a Six-spot Burnet."
  • Owen Beaumont messaged: "Today's survey started in the glorious late morning sunshine and finished shortly after the cloud came in early afternoon. The full counts are as follows: 121 Small Skipper, 174 Small/Essex Skipper, 56 Large Skipper, 1 Large White 1 Small White, 1 Common Blue, 2 Red Admiral, 2 Speckled Wood, 3 Gatekeeper, 282 Meadow Brown, 41 Ringlet and 33 Small Heath. There must have been a mass emergence of Small Skipper over the last week."
  • Derek Fox emailed: "I visited Hardy Gang Wood this afternoon and spent about two hours there. 
White Admiral (Derek Fox)
White Admiral (Derek Fox)
  • White Admirals were on the wing and it was the most I have ever seen, with at least 25-30 nectaring on bramble blossom. Lots of thinning the side of the rides has allowed lots of bramble to establish. Lots of fresh species on the wing including 5 summer brood Comma, 4 Red Admiral, 8 Green-veined White, 3 Small White, 2 Large White, and 2 Speckled Wood. Meadow Brown 
Comma (Derek Fox)
Comma (Derek Fox)
  • around 100, Ringlet not doing so well with only about 20, and a lone Purple Hairstreak high upon a large oak. A poor wood for skippers, with only 2 Large and 1 Small Skipper. The biggest surprise was seeing a Hummingbird Hawk-moth nectaring on Wild Honeysucke. I think it's the best day I have ever had there!" 
  • Graham Catley emailed: "Small Heaths in a 'scuffle', Six-spot Burnet, pristine Small Tortoiseshell and first Small Skippers at the farm at Searby today. At least 11 Banded Demoiselles as well."
Small Heaths and Small Tortoiseshell (Graham Catley)
Small Heaths and Small Tortoiseshell (Graham Catley)

Wednesday 28th June 3023

  • Alan Daws messaged: "Attended the Well Vale walk today and noted lots of Ringlets, Meadow Browns and Speckled Woods, a few Green-veined Whites and a single Comma. Later, called into Swinn Wood LWT Nature Reserve and had 5 White Admiral sightings along the main ride."
  • Roy Harvey emailed: "I visited Cress Marsh at Stallingborough late morning, and there were good numbers of Meadow Browns present plus a few Ringlet. Also a single Red Admiral, a few Small Heaths and 3 Six-spot Burnet moths."
  • Graham Catley messaged: "Silver-washed Fritillary this morning at Laughton, along the ride at Tuetoes."
  • Mike Pickwell emailed: "I spent a couple of hours in Cleethorpes Dunes today. I saw a very large number of Meadow Browns (50+ but I stopped counting after 50), 15 Small White, 3 Large Skipper, 7 Small Skipper, 12 Ringlet, and moths included 8 Mother Shiptons and 12 Six-spot Burnets."
Clee Dunes Butterflies (Mike Pickwell)
Left to right: Meadow Brown, Small White and Small Skipper (Mike Pickwell)

Monday 26th June 2023

White Admiral (Michael Flowers)
White Admiral (Michael Flowers)
  • Michael Flowers emailed: "I spent a couple of hours this morning at Chambers Farm Wood. There were at least 4 White Admirals on the wing, plus 2 Red Admirals, several Large Skippers, a Ringlet, a few Meadow Browns, but the strong winds may have been putting off some species. I was almost back at the car park, when I noticed what looked like a small dark moth fluttering weakly near the path. It turned and there was a hint of purple, so I kept my eye on it as it nestled 
Purple Hairstreak (Michael Flowers)
Purple Hairstreak (Michael Flowers)
  • on a Hawthorn sprig. Sure enough it was a Purple Hairstreak. This seems a little early, as all the other ones I've seen have been in July!" 
  • Andrew Kurch phoned: "Paid a brief visit to my local patch, just off Westward Ho in Grimsby, and found 2 Small Skippers."
  • Kev Armstrong from Wold Farm, Nettleton emailed: "Had the trap out overnight and managed 183 
Lilac Beauty (Kev Armstrong)
Lilac Beauty (Kev Armstrong)
  • macros of 57 species. New for the year were 5 Single-dotted Wave, 1 Small Fan-footed Wave, 1 Barred Yellow, 1 Lilac Beauty, 1 Buff Arches, 1 White Satin Moth, 2 Plain Golden Y, 4 Poplar Hawk-moth, 1 Eyed Hawk-moth, and 2 Privet Hawk-moth."
  • David Bee emailed: "Only a quick visit to Southrey Wood at around teatime today, produced 10+ White Admiral (literally everywhere), 10+Meadow Brown, 5 Ringlet, 3 Large Skipper, 2 Comma, 1 Large White and 1 Green-veined White."
White Admiral (David Bee)
White Admiral (David Bee)

Sunday 25th June 2023: Purple Emperors and Silver-washed Fritillaries!

Purple Emperor (Ian McGlynn)
Purple Emperor (Ian McGlynn)
  • Ian McGlynn emailed: "I saw 2 Purple Emperors today at Morkery Wood, just two miles from Castle Bytham."
  • Andrew Kurch phoned: "3 White-letter Hairstreaks in People's Park, Grimsby today, my first of the year. Also, 2 Hummingbird Hawk-moths in my garden, nearby."
  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "I had 2 Siver-washed Fritillaries and a White Admiral at Kirkby Moor LWT Nature Reserve today."
  • Suzanne Nelson messaged: "I visited Chambers Farm Wood today and spotted the following butterflies: 10 Large Skipper, 8 Speckled Wood, 19 Meadow Brown, 7 Ringlet, 1 Red Admiral, and 2 Black Hairstreak between Fiveways and Minting Triangle. These are the first Black Hairstreaks I have seen in Lincs, as I usually visit Glapthorn Cow Pastures, so I am really pleased that I saw them! My first White Admirals, grand total of 5, and my first Silver Washed Fritillary of the year! I also spotted Green-veined White, Small White and a pair of Common Blues."
  • Mark Johnson from North Somercotes emailed: "This morning's trap produced 269 moths of 73 species, but the star was a Red-tipped Clearwing to pheromone this afternoon."
Red-tipped Clearwing (Mark Johnson)
Red-tipped Clearwing (Mark Johnson)

Saturday 24th June 2023

Small Skipper (Pete Cawdell)
Small Skipper (Pete Cawdell)
  • Pete Cawdell emailed: "A search of Castle Bytham limestone grassland hillside of about 2 acres yielded sightings of 91 Marbled Whites. Other butterflies seen were 30 Meadow Brown, 4 Ringlet, 7 Small Skipper, 3 Large Skipper, 5 Small Heath and just 1 Small White. I then went 
Small Heath (Pete Cawdell)
Small Heath (Pete Cawdell)
  • on to Little Bytham Spinney Meadow where I counted 40 Marbled White, 32 Meadow Brown, 2 Small Heath, 1 female Common Blue, 1 Small White and 1 Green-veined White. Difficult to believe that only a few years ago we had to go on 'out of County' trips to see Marbled Whites at Ketton Quarry. Now A firmly established species in Lincs."
  • Owen Beaumont messaged: "Visited Crowle Moor today with Mark Johnson and Liam Andrews. We didn't do a full loop of the reserve, but managed the following totals: 29 Large Heath, 91 Large Skipper, 33 Ringlet, 19 Meadow Brown, 5 Red Admiral and 3 Speckled Wood." 
Round-winged Muslin (Laura Gundy)
Round-winged Muslin (Laura Gundy)
  • Laura Gundy emailed: "This morning's catch from the moth trap in my Benniworth garden included a little cutie - a Round-winged Muslin. A first for me and quite unusual for Lincs, I believe"
  • Graham Catley emailed: "This morning I returned to Searby, to complete my survey on the other 
Meadow Brown (Graham Catley)
Meadow Brown (Graham Catley)
  • side of the farm. I counted an amazing 530 Meadow Browns, plus 11 Ringlet, 14 Small Heath, 13 Large Skipper, and singles of Small Tortoiseshell, Large White, Comma and Common Blue. Also 2 Broad-bodied Chasers and 120 newly emerged Common Darters." 
  • Nige Lound emailed: "I trapped at Syke's Farm, Gib overnight and managed 293 moths of 85 species. An unusually even split with 146 macros and 147 micros. New for the year were Green Silver-lines, Kent Black Arches, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Lyme Grass, Peach Blossom, Tawny-barred Angle and Treble Brown Spot."

Friday 23rd June 2023

Alan Pike emailed: "I saw 5 White Admirals in Potterhanworth Wood this evening, while walking the dog. Also, there were Commas, lots of Speckled Woods and a single Small Skipper."

Thursday 22nd June 2023: White Admirals and White-letter Hairstreaks!

  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "Paid a quick visit to Chambers Farm Wood today. I was surprised not to see any Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moths at the Chambers Farm Wood Centre, but there was a Hummingbird Hawk-moth nectaring on the Red Valerian instead. After a visit to Little Scrubbs Meadow, I saw my first White Admiral of the year, elegantly gliding high up in a Sallow tree. Later, in Coningsby, I had an afternoon walk on The Pingle LNR and was delighted to find 2 White-letter Hairstreaks flying around the large elm at the western end of the reserve. What an impressive tree it is; you don't see many elm trees that size anymore!"
  • Nige Lound emailed: "I trapped at Syke's Farm, Gibraltar Point NNR overnight and managed 224 
Delicate (Nige Lound)
Delicate (Nige Lound)
  • moths of 84 species. New for the year macros were Clouded Magpie, Common Footman, Common Wave, Delicate, Pebble Prominent, Rosy Footman and Smoky Wainscot."
  • Graham Catley messaged: "Visited Alkborough Flats this morning and a small section between the car park and the new reedbed, produced 58 Ringlet, 37 Meadow Brown and 10 Large Skipper."
  • Owen Beaumont messaged: "The transect at Rimac today produced the following species: 19 Small Skipper, 56 Large Skipper, 7 Common Blue, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 207 Meadow Brown, 1 Ringlet and 57 Small Heath."
  • Stuart Mackman emailed: "During an afternoon visit to Chambers Farm Wood, I spotted Black 
Black Hairstreak (Stuart Mackman)
Black Hairstreak (Stuart Mackman)
  • Hairstreaks at Fiveways. There were probably 7 or 8 in total seen over the one hour period of time I spent there. I also had a White Admiral in the vicinity too, but no shot recorded on this occasion unfortunately, as just too high and far away for a reasonable photograph."
  • John Davison reported: "A pleasant day at Southrey Wood - nice to see White Admiral out! Other butterflies included Large White, Peacock, Red Admiral, Comma, Ringlet and Meadow Brown."
White Admiral at Southrey (John Davison) 230623
White Admiral (John Davison)

Wednesday 21st June 2023

  • Martin Kew reported from Twyford Wood: "At the reserves Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Small Skipper are now on the wing."
  • Pete Cawdell emailed: "2 Marbled Whites, male and female, flying in Little Ponton Quarry near Grantham."
  • Graham Catley messaged: "Conducted a survey at a private site near the village of Searby today and noted the following species: 2 Red Admiral, 230 Meadow Brown, 11 Ringlet, 5 Small White, 11 Small Heath, 14 Large Skipper and a Speckled Wood. A few recently created pools produced a staggering 40+ Black-tailed Skimmers, 30+ Four-spotted Chasers, 5 Emperors, including an egg-laying female, 10 Red-eyed Damselfly, several Banded Demoiselle, 500+ Azure Damselfly and 20 Common Darter."                                                                                     
Searby Dragonflies (Graham Catley)
Emperor Dragonfly and Black-tailed Skimmer (Graham Catley)
  • Pete Roworth messaged: "Hummingbird Hawk-moth this afternoon at Sea View, Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR."
  • Mike Pickwell emailed: "Today I took the opportunity for a walk around Gooseman's Field and the 
Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet (Mike Pickwell)
Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet (Mike Pickwell)
  • Woodland Burial Ground in Grimsby. Gooseman's was quite productive with: 14 Meadow Brown, 1 Red Admiral, 6 Common Blue, 10 Large Skipper, 6 Small Heath and 2 Ringlet. There were also a few moths: 1 Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet and 3 Mother Shipton. I did less well in the Woodland Burial Ground, possibly because the council had been round with the mower, but I saw 3 Speckled Wood and 4 Meadow Brown."

Tuesday 20th June 2023

Toadflax Brocade (Caroline Sanderson)
Toadflax Brocade (Caroline Sanderson)

Caroline Sanderson emailed: "The other day I found a caterpillar in my Spalding garden, feeding on Purple Toadflax. It was one of many and I believe it's a Toadflax Brocade. Today's photo (see below) was taken at 13:20 PM and you can just make out a few of the 21 that I counted."

Toadflax Brocade Larvae (Caroline Sanderson)
Toadflax Brocade Larvae (Caroline Sanderson)

Monday 19th June 2023

  • Phil Bowler from Amber Hill emailed: "It is still very slow going in our butterfly garden, although Holly Blue and Orange-tip have had a superb spring, and the Brimstone is doing well. Speckled Wood looks set to break a few records too! Just lately there has been an influx of mainly very fresh Red Admiral. I counted 11 today, alongside 3 worn Painted Ladies in the last few days and a few Silver Y. The freshness of the Red Admirals makes me wonder if they are offspring of hibernated ones. A bit confusing really, although there is a school of thought that says migrants can arrive fresh because they don't get involved in skirmishes whilst migrating. Don't know what happened to the Painted Ladies then!"
  • Peter Calvert emailed: "What a great population of Black Hairstreak you have at Chambers Farm 
White Admiral Larva (Peter Calvert)
White Admiral Larva (Peter Calvert)
  • Wood. I visited today for my first sighting ever! On my previous visit I found a White Admiral caterpillar starting to pupate."

Sunday 18th June 2023

Marbled White (Toby Ludlow)
Marbled White (Toby Ludlow)
  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "Elliott and I headed for Red Hill LWT Nature Reserve and on arrival were greeted by a couple of Marbled Whites, and witnessed a very swift flypast by a Red Admiral. Soon after, we saw a male Orange-tip, which was totally unexpected, as it's been a while since either of us had seen one. There was a good number of Common Blues on the 
Chimney Sweeper (Toby Ludlow)
Chimney Sweeper (Toby Ludlow)
  • reserve: 15 being our final tally. Elsewhere, this species seems very thin on the ground! The Meadow Browns were emerging in numbers now: 27 seen in our brief time on site, and we saw 7 Marbled Whites before the light levels dropped with the approaching thunderstorm. Various moths were recorded whilst we were there: Yellow Shell, Silver Y, Burnet Companion, Six-spot Burnet, and Chimney Sweeper. Despite seeing 11 of the latter, they proved very difficult to photograph - almost on a par with the Small Heath, of which we saw one!" 
  • John Davison emailed: "Today I had both Ringlet and Meadow Brown at Mesingham Sand Quarry. Yesterday, John Petyt and I visited Crowle Moor, which seems to be the in-place at the moment, and recorded Large Heath and our first Ringlet."
  • Dale Middleton emailed: "I visited Chambers Farm Wood today and noted the following: 6 Black Hairstreak at Fiveways, 12 Speckled Wood, 4 Red Admiral, 1 Meadow Brown, 1 Hummingbird Hawk-moth and 1 Current Clearwing by the brick building in the car park."

Saturday 17th June 2023

Kev Armstrong emailed: "Had the trap out overnight, here at Wold Farm, Nettleton, and caught my second Rannoch Looper in less than a week! Another highlight was my first Bird's Wing of the year."

Rannoch Looper and Bird's Wing (Kev Armstrong)
Rannoch Looper and Bird's Wing (Kev Armstrong)

Friday 16 June 2023

  • Howard and Penny Smith emailed: "Today we made our annual visit to wonderful Crowle Moor, 
Rannock Looper
Rannoch Looper Howard and Penny Smith)
  • where on a glorious day we were treated to a selection of stunning sightings, including our first Large Heath of the year.  We also spotted a Rannoch Looper alongside the drain on the way down to the moor area. We are aware of a small number in Yorkshire, so this looks as if a significant movement has occurred."
  • Adrian Royle emailed: "Today I popped over to Crowle Moor with Toby Ludlow. Did the loop 
Large Heath
Large Heath (Adrian Royle)
  • clockwise, a slow start but eventually the Large Heaths started to appear and we managed to photograph a few. About 30 seen, also Large Skippers about."
  • Helen Kirk emailed: "Another trip To Chambers Farm Wood today and I was pleased to catch up 
Black Hairstreak
Black Hairstreak (Helen Kirk)
  • with Black Hairstreak. At least 8 (probably more) very mobile around the top of the Blackthorn at FiveWays. One little character very obliging in terms of facilitating observation, but not easy to get a photograph due to bramble and nettles and not wishing to disturb it feeding on probable aphid honeydew on the surface of a bramble leaf. Three worn and two intact Marsh Fritillary nectaring on bramble in Little Scrubs Meadow.  Five Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moths very active around 
Mullein Larva (Helen Kirk)
Mullein Larva (Helen Kirk)
  • the valerian in the Butterfly Garden, with a stunning male Emperor Dragonfly around the car park checking visitors to the garden!  Other lepidoptera of interest were some magnificent specimens of Mullein larvae devouring their foodplant. In serious numbers of at least 50 were Tortrix viridana around oak in the 'far' car park, and also present in moderate numbers on oak in Little Scrubs Meadow. Other lepidopteran species observed - Speckled Wood, Large Skipper, Meadow Brown, Orange-tip, Brimstone, Red Admiral and Nemorpha degeerella."
  • Roy Harvey emailed: "I looked in at Nettleton LNR again this afternoon. The main change from six 
Yellow Shell (Roy Harvey)
Yellow Shell (Roy Harvey)
  • days ago was Meadow Brown butterflies with 12 counted. I also saw 3 of what I took to be Yellow Shell moths and 2 Cinnabars."
  • John Walker messaged: "On a 6.4 mile circular walk from Brinkhill, taking in Snake Holt and Fox Covert, I recorded the following butterflies: 1 Peacock, 3 Small White, 2 Orange-tip, 5 Large Skipper, 3 Small Heath and 3 Speckled Wood. On the footpath downhill back to Brinkhill, a small tall growth meadow produced 7 Meadow Brown and a Holly Blue."
Thursday 15th June 2023
 
  • David Bee emailed: "I spent two or three hours at Chambers Farm Wood this morning with Toby 
Marbled White (David Bee)
Marbled White (David Bee)
  • Ludlow and saw 7 Black Hairstreaks (Fiveways), 1 Comma, 1 Large White, several Speckled Wood, and 1 Large Skipper. I then went on to Red Hill LWT Nature Reserve and the Marbled Whites have definitely started. I saw three together and probably six individuals. There were numerous Common Blues, but I was very pleased to see two Meadow Browns."
  • Nige Lound emailed: "I trapped at Syke's Farm, Gibraltar Point NNR overnight and managed 169 
Rosy Wave (Nige Lound)
Rosy Wave (Nige Lound)
  • moths of 62 species. Gib speciality - Rosy Wave the best of it!"
  • Adrian Royle emailed: "9 Black Hairstreaks at Fiveways, Chambers Farm Wood this morning. Lots of activity, occasionally one would come down low enough for a photo. Also, a Holly Blue there and a Small Magpie moth seen at the White-letter Hairstreak site near the old orchard."
Chambers (Adrian Royle)
Clockwise from top left: Holly Blue, Black Hairstreak and Small Magpie (Adrian Royle)

Wednesday 14th June 2023: Rannoch Looper in Nettleton!

Rannoch Looper (Kev Armstrong)
Rannoch Looper (Kev Armstrong)
  • Kev and Pat Armstrong from Nettleton reported: "We've had two 'mothing' sessions this week, here at Wold Farm and, after inspecting the trap on Monday morning, I was well pleased with the haul of 359 macros of 54 species, 23 of which were new for the year. These included Marbled White Spot, Broad-barred White, Pale-shouldered Brocade, Privet Hawk-mothSmall Elephant Hawk-moth and 87 Cream-bordered Green Pea, a number far exceeding previous years with yearly totals usually in single figures. However, while we were inspecting the catch 
Privet Hawk-moth (Kev Armstrong)
Privet Hawk-moth (Kev Armstrong)
  • from yesterday morning, Pat pointed out a small moth which we weren't familiar with. Eventually, we came to the conclusion that it had to be a Rannoch Looper! This has subsequently been confirmed by Martin Gray today, and is apparently only the second record for Lincolnshire and VC54, following one from Boston in 1960."
  • Les Austin emailed: "We visited Redhill LWT Nature Reserve today, but there wasn't much about where the meadows were exposed to the fresh wind. We fared better in the shelter of the quarry and found good numbers of Common Blues. We got 6 Small Heath and were rewarded with a fresh Marbled White and a Meadow Brown."
  • David Bee emailed: "I visited Crowle Moor today and initially the search for Large Heath looked hopeless. However, after encouragement from a chap recording Thorne Woods, my effort was eventually rewarded with 10/12 Speckled Woods, 4 Large Skipper, 6 Small Heath and then the main event - at least a dozen Large Heath!"
Crowle Moor (David Bee)
Large Skipper and Large Heath (David Bee)

Tuesday 13th June 2023

Chambers Farm Wood (Adrian Royle)
Clockwise from top left: Pebble Hook-tip, Black Hairstreak and Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Adrian Royle)
  • Adrian Royle emailed: "Black Hairstreaks seen at Fiveways (Chambers Farm Wood) this morning. I saw the first with Toby Ludlow, then a total of 12 sightings over 90 minutes - 10:30-12:00. I managed only distant, heavily cropped pictures. Also, a Pebble hook-tip and several Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moths, 4 seen together by the garden gate, and a few others out and about." 
Black Hairstreak (Paul Daubney)
​ Black Hairstreak (Paul Daubney) ​
  • Paul Daubney emailed: "I met Adrian Royle at Chambers Farm Wood this morning, to be entertained and teased by Black Hairstreaks - lots of sightings but no more than two at once, and only one coming down below 10 ft. above the ground (see attached). Also, an Orange-tip still on the wing, Holly Blue, Speckled Woods and my first Meadow Brown of the year. Then to Little Scrubbs Meadow where, among the Common Spotted Orchids, there are still a few Marsh Fritillaries about. And, courtesy of Toby Ludlow, my first Dingy Skipper of the year. Emperor Dragonfly also there. Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth and Ruby-tailed Wasp at the Butterfly Garden car park. 
  • Dave Wright reported: "My first Ringlets of the year this morning, 2 seen during a brief visit to the Pyewipe Line at Great Coates. Also noted 4 Large Skipper, 5 Common Blue, 1 Speckled Wood and a male Orange-tip."
  • John Walker messaged: "I walked the Rimac Transect at Saltfleetby-Theddlerhorpe Dunes NNR today and noted the following: 5 Large Skipper, 1 Small Copper, 5 Common Blue, 1 Red Admiral, 3 Speckled Wood, 5 Meadow Brown and 36 Small Heath. No other species seen on or near the Transect route."

Monday 12th June 2023

  • Gary Fenwick emailed: "This afternoon I popped over to Linwood Warren LWT Nature Reserve and saw my first Large Skipper (2) of the year. There were also about 4 Holly Blue and 10 Meadow Brown." 
  • Malcolm and Marilyn Goodman emailed: "Today we visited Chambers Farm Wood and a few hours around early afternoon produced 3+ Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moths around the butterfly garden gate. A quick walk around Little Scrubbs Meadow had 5 Marsh Fritillary (although others had more - mostly going over now). Few other species - 1 Brimstone and a few Speckled Wood."

Sunday 11th June 2023

Martin Kew reported from Twyford Wood: "I walked the Transects this morning and recorded two new species for the season - a single Marbled White and 6 Large Skipper. Other species recorded across the two reserves were: 3 Grizzled Skipper, 7 Dingy Skipper, 16 Small Heath, 16 Common Blue, 1 Brown Argus, 1 Brimstone, 1 Large White and 2 Speckled Wood."

Saturday 10th June 2023

Small Heath (Roy Harvey)
Small Heath (Roy Harvey)
  • Roy Harvey emailed: "I decided to visit Nettleton LNR this afternoon and found several butterflies on the wing. The following species were seen: 1 Brimstone, 1 Large White, 6 Common Blue, 8 Brown Argus, 4 Small Heath, 3 Speckled Wood and 3 Orange-tip. I also noted several medium sized whites flying around but these evaded identification."
  • Nige Lound emailed: "107 moths of 47 species to MV Robinson overnight at Syke's Farm, 
Clouded Buff (Nige Lound)
Clouded Buff (Nige Lound)
  • Gibraltar Point NNR. Undoubted highlight was a Clouded Buff which I believe is a first for the NNR."
  • Gary Fenwick emailed: "This afternoon I enjoyed a couple of hours exploring Kingerby Beck LWT Nature Reserve, on a guided walk with the Market Rasen Branch of the Lincs Trust. In the superb meadows were numerous Common Blue (c.60), 8 Speckled Wood and a Red Admiral. Moths were represented by 2 Yellow Shell and 2 Silver Y. It was good to see literally hundreds of orchids too! Earlier in the day I had my first Meadow Brown of the year, 2 in the surrounding fields of Toft Newton Reservoir."
  • Dave Wright reported: "After days of unseasonal weather, it was great to get out today with wall-to-wall sunshine and much higher temperatures. My wife and I decided to take a walk in the Donnington on Bain area, taking in the Public Bridleway south from Mill Lane, past Benniworth House Farm to Benniworth Haven. Surprisingly, and rather disappointedly, there were few butterflies on the wing, and we only noted the following: 2 Brown Argus, 2 Brimstone, 1 Large White, 1 Small White, 1 Orange-tip and 1 Speckled Wood. At Low Pond (Benniworth Haven) 20+ Red-eyed Damselflies were over the lilypads and I also found a Silver Ground Carpet moth. We returned to the car via the Public Footpath down to Donnington on Bain, noting 1 Brown Argus, 1 Small Copper, 1 Brimstone, 3 Speckled Wood and a Holly Blue along the 
Common Blue (Dave Wright)
Common Blue (Dave Wright)
  • way. We then paid a brief visit to Redhill LWT Nature Reserve nearby, concentrating on the old quarry side of the reserve, and noted the following: 18 Common Blue, 3 Small Heath, 1 Large Skipper, 1 Orange-tip, 1 Speckled Wood and 1 Small White. As a bonus, a Quail was heard calling from the field just below the reserve."

Friday 9th June 2023: Large Heath at Crowle Moor!

Large Heath (Phil Lee)
Large Heath (Phil Lee)
  • Phil Lee emailed: "The Large Heath is out on Crowle Moor. This is one of seven seen along north tram this afternoon in blustery but sunny conditions."
  • Pete Cawdell emailed: "I was doing my regular survey of an old quarry about 2 miles west of Louth this afternoon by kind permission of the owner. The warm sunny weather was spoilt by a gusty breeze which kept butterfly sightings lower than usual. I was fortunate enough to have Laura Gundy with me as her sharp eyes spotted a Wall Brown making short flights about 40 ft. up a chalk cliff face. We were both nearly certain of the identification but, as this was a really good record, we wanted to be 100% sure. As it had settled on a bare rock with its silhouette being clearly visible through binoculars, I sent her scampering up to get as close as possible for a 'record' shot (ungentlemanly conduct you might think, but she is younger than me!). Thankfully she brought down the proof in a picture that certainly would not win any awards, but showed it to be a definite Wall Brown. I hadn't recorded this species here for about ten years so this was really pleasing. Other butterflies seen were 18 Common Blue, 1 Small Copper, 1 Meadow Brown, 11 Small Heath, 2 Large Skipper, 2 each of Large White, Small White and Green-veined White, 3 Brimstone and a male Orange-tip. We also visited Welton le Wold LWT Nature Reserve  and saw another 16 Common Blue, 1 Small Copper and 2 Small White."
  • Helen Kirk emailed: "I visited Sedge Hole Close LWT Nature Reserve today, where moderate 
Chimney Sweeper (Helen Kirk)
Chimney Sweeper (Helen Kirk)
  • numbers of Chimney Sweeper moths were active in the meadow. What was particularly fascinating to observe was the moth settling lowish down on stems and stalks (flowers and grasses) and agitating their wings, was this to disperse pheromones to attract males (none observed in cop)? Later, at Crowle Moor South Reserve, 8 mobile Large Heath, possibly a couple more, but not exclusively monitoring this species. Nemophora degeerella leking by the entrance gate."

Thursday 8th June 2023

Lime Hawk-moth f. brunnea (Phil Lee)
Lime Hawk-moth f. brunnea (Phil Lee)
  • Phil Lee emailed: "A Lime Hawk-moth of the form brunnea was in the garden trap here at Misterton last night, and is the first time we have had this form in the garden. Note the colour difference to a normal one."
  • Graham Catley messaged: "This morning I had my first Meadow Brown of the year on a private site near Searby."

Wednesday 7th June 2023

Large Skipper (Dave Wright)
Large Skipper (Dave Wright)

Dave Wright reported: "On a day that felt more like autumn rather than 'flaming June', Chris Atkin and I had a great time at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR, despite the weather trying to dictate otherwise! Our perseverance paid off with two new butterfly species for the year - Large Skipper and Meadow Brown. We also noted: 3 Speckled Wood, 3 Small Heath and 1 Brown Argus. Moths included: 4 Burnet Companion, 2 Straw Dot, 5 Cinnabar, 5 Yellow Shell, 2 Fox Moth, 1 Silver Y, 2 Timothy Tortrix, 16 Grass Rivulet and a Garden Tiger caterpillar crossing the track along Willow Hedge, Rimac. However, the highlight of the day was seeing 2 Turtle Doves in flight over the dunes north of Churchill Lane car park."

Garden Tiger Moth Caterpillar (Dave Wright)
Garden Tiger Moth Caterpillar (Dave Wright)

Monday 5th June 2023

Lime Hawk-moth Mating Pair (Josh Forrester)
Lime Hawk-moth Mating Pair (Josh Forrester)
  • Josh Forrester messaged: "I found a mating pair of Lime Hawk-moths today, along Weelsby Road in Grimsby."
  • Andy Sims from Swanpool emailed: "This morning the trap produced a new species for the garden, a Chamomile Shark."
  • Helen Kirk emailed: "I visited Little Scrubbs Meadow at Chambers Farm Wood and although this morning's weather wasn't ideal for a sun loving butterfly, I caught up with one Marsh Fritillary around 10:30 quietly settled on a bramble flower. In the afternoon I was able to find a few more, settled or nectaring on bramble, but not in any significant numbers. I was also lucky to find a few Emperor Moth larvae on bramble leaves. Also of note was the Tortrix Aethes piercei (Devil's-bit Conch) and whose larval food plant is unsurprisingly Devil's-bit Scabious."
Little Scrubbs Meadow (Helen Kirk)
Clockwise from top left: Marsh Fritillary, Emperor Moth Larvae, Marsh Fritillary and Devil's-bit Conch (Helen Kirk)

Sunday 4th June 2023

Chimney Sweeper (Phil Lee)
Chimney Sweeper (Phil Lee)
  • Phil Lee emailed: "At least a dozen Chimney Sweeper moths were on the wing today at Sedge Hole Close, which is its stronghold here in the Isle of Axholme. In a good year the count can be over a hundred."
  • Laura Gundy emailed: "Three years ago I sowed a mix of wildflower seeds into a rubbishy area of left-over hardcore in the farmyard at Benniworth Walk Farm. Since then the poor plants that grew 
Six-spot Burnet Caterpillar (Laura Gundy)
Six-spot Burnet Caterpillar (Laura Gundy)
  • have endured various droughts, crazy hailstorms and being driven over by lorries. In spite of this they have done well, and I was really pleased to spot both a Treble-bar sitting right next to its larval foodplant of St John's Wort and several Six-spot Burnet moth larvae feeding on Bird's-foot Trefoil. So to paraphrase, 'if you plant them, they will come'."
  • John Davison emailed: "This morning I had my first Large Skipper of the year at Messingham Sand Quarry LWT Nature Reserve."
Large Skipper (John Davison)
Large Skipper (John Davison)

Friday 2nd June 2023

  • Pete Cawdell emailed: "Fresh Meadow Brown and 2 Small Tortoiseshell at Grimsthorpe today - summer must have arrived?"
  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "Paid a visit to Chambers Farn Wood this afternoon and it was 
Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Toby Ludlow)
Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth (Toby Ludlow)
  • immediately evident that we've hit the 'June Gap': I don't recollect seeing a single butterfly on the journey there! On arrival, at the CFW Centre, a Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth was frantically going about its business, nectaring on the Sweet Rocket, and a couple of Holly Blues and a male Brimstone flew through the car park, but that was all. A walk down to Little Scrubbs Meadow did produce a fresh, second-brood Speckled Wood, enjoying an area of dappled shade. A circuit around LSM produced approximately a couple of dozen Marsh Fritillaries, most now past their best and getting a little 'greasy', but there were a couple of females there in reasonable condition. Whilst there, I didn't see any Dingy Skippers, but could hear that one had been seen in the meadow extension. I walked back to the CFW Centre and there were now 2 Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moths nectaring on Red Valerian, and I later spotted what could have been a third one in the Butterfly Garden."

May 2023

Bank Holiday Monday 29th May 2023

Grizzled Skipper (Richard Smith)
Grizzled Skipper (Richard Smith)

Richard Smith emailed: "Two years ago I checked a brownfield site, south of Dysart Park and along the River Witham in Grantham, and found Grizzled Skipper. Today I noted 11 Grizzled Skippers, 14 Common Blues and 2 Small Heath

Saturday 27th May 2023: Twyford Wood BC Field Trip

Green Hairstreak at Twyford (John Davison) 270523
Green Hairstreak (John Davison)
  • Pete Cawdell emailed: "For once we chose an excellent day for this Field Trip with blue skies and sunshine throughout and temperatures in the low 20 degrees C. A healthy turnout of 16 adults and 3 children seemed to really enjoy the event. A surprisingly large group of South Lincs botanists had, by chance, also assembled in the car park, and several of them were known to the Branch for recent help with contributing important butterfly records and assisting in protecting a key site near Castle Bytham. We set off at 10:30am and made our way to the BC Lincs Sanctuary Reserve in the north west corner of the wood. We soon notched up good sightings of our 3 target species: 
Grizzled Skipper at Twyford  (John Davison) 270523
Grizzled Skipper (John Davison)
  • Grizzled Skipper, Dingy Skipper and Green Hairstreak. All species and numbers of butterflies and other wildlife were recorded separately here, on the 'in between areas', and at our later afternoon visit to the BC Lincs Glades Reserve in the south east corner of the wood. The Final totals are as follows: 1 Small Copper, 60 Grizzled Skipper, 57 Dingy Skipper, 9 Green Hairstreak, 52 Common Blue (including 3 mating pairs), 8 Holly Blue, 4 Brown Argus, 18 Small Heath (including a mating pair), 6 Speckled Wood, 5 Peacock, 2 Brimstone, 1 Orange-tip, 8 Green-veined White, 2 Large White, 2 Small White and a single Comma. Moths included Cinnabar, Burnet Companion and Mint Moth. We were really pleased to view so many butterflies about doing their business. Some members were able to see species for the first time and for some it was their first visit to this wood. It was rewarding to see that the winter volunteer work over many years has kept this habitat in such good condition for these scarce county butterflies. We were all flagging a bit in the heat and completed the walk back at the car park about 3:30 pm - a bit later than planned! Thanks to Martin Kew (transect recorder) for leading the event.
  • John Walker messaged: "Walked up through organic grassland out of Donnington on Bain, and picked up the bridleway leading north past Benniworth House. Butterflies seen: 3 Brimstone, 2 Large White, 3 Common Blue, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Small Heath, 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 3 Orange-tip.  
  • Mike Pickwell emailed: "Perfect conditions today on Gooseman's Field in Grimsby, produced only 1 Large White and 1 Small White. I can only assume that everything is late emerging. I did slightly better in the Woodland Burial Ground, with 2 Holly Blue, 3 Speckled Wood, 3 Orange-tip and 1 Large White. Later on I saw 2 Holly Blue and 1 Small White in my Scartho garden. Yesterday I walked through St Giles Churchyard in Scartho and saw 1 Speckled Wood and my first Red Admiral of the season."
  • Richard Doan reported: "The butterfly transect at Heath Meadow LWT Nature Reserve this afternoon produced: 1049 Common Blue (never seen anything like it, with 580 in just one section), Small Copper, 2 Brown Argus, 6 Orange-tip, Brimstone and 1 Small White."

Friday 26th May 2023

Small White Mating Pair
Small White Mating Pair (Dave Wright)
  • Dave Wright reported: "This morning I spent about a couple of hours at Cleethorpes Coast LNR, concentrating on the area between the leisure centre and Buck Beck car park. The highlight for me was a Sharp-angled Peacock, which flew up out of the grass and settled in the Sea 
Sharp-angled Peacock
Sharp-angled Peacock (Dave Wright)
  • Buckthorn (see attached). It was my first along this stretch of the Lincolnshire coast. Other moths included Blood-vein and Mother Shipton. Most of the butterflies were seen in the sheltered areas amongst the dune scrub, and I noted the following: 3 Green Hairstreak, 1 Small Copper, 1 Brown Argus, 14 Common Blue, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Peacock, a mass of Small Tortoiseshell larvae, 11 Orange-tip, 1 Large White, 2 Green-veined White and 11 Small White (including a mating pair)."
  • Pete Cawdell emailed: "It is pleasing to read that the Green Hairstreak are having another excellent season along the Lincs coastal strip. A friend told me he had seen 5 on a Hawthorn bush at Spurn Point the other day. Yesterday Tony Burgess, who lives on the edge of Grimsby, about 5 miles from the coast, informed me that he had one in his garden this year. The species is also doing quite well in south west Lincs - unless I am just being lucky with my sightings. I was particularly taken with the record of Dave Wright, and associated photograph by Mike Pickwell, of an egg-laying female at Rimac on Sea Buckthorn, even including an egg. Green Hairstreak are described as having the most catholic taste of any British butterfly in its choice of egg/larval host plant (although from my experience I would rate Holly Blue as a close rival). Favourites are Rockrose (particularly in south England), and Bird's-foot Trefoil. Alder and Purging Buckthorn are mentioned but they are completely different species of a different plant family. When we started Lincs BC in the early 1980's there was some debate as to the Green Hairstreak's status and larval foodplant in coastal Lincs. I made several trips to the area and eventually found a female egg-laying at ground level on Bird's-foot Trefoil. However, we still kept getting Green Hairsteak records of sightings stating that they 'were seen around their foodplant bushes Elder, Hawthorn or Sea Buckthorn'. We, and I include myself here, were rather dismissive of these mentions which we attributed to male territorial bushes just being used in perching and mating behaviour. Anyway, now we know Sea Buckthorn is utilised, occasionally at least, so well done for the record and picture. Never too old to learn!"

Thursday 25th May 2023

Marsh Fritillary (Pete Cawdell)
Marsh Fritillary (Pete Cawdell)

Pete Cawdell emailed: "Fears over the Marsh Fritillary population at Little Scrubbs Meadows have been allayed somewhat by recent sightings. Emergence of adult butterflies has been at least 2 weeks later than in recent years due to the cold, wet spring weather. Today, I counted 20 butterflies including 2 females - all but one on the original meadow. Not a great year but probably enough to keep the colony going. The FC decision to make an earlier than usual cut in late summer last year put this species in peril with the danger of removing the larval webs before they were settled low down for winter hibernation."

Wednesday 24th May 2023: National Nature Reserves Week

Rimac Butterflies (Dave Wright)
Clockwise from top left: Small Heath, Small Copper, Brown Argus and Common Blue (Dave Wright)

Dave Wright reported: “To celebrate National Nature Reserves Week, myself and Toby Ludlow were invited by Owen Beaumont and Renata Jackson from Natural England to lead a guided butterfly and moth walk at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR today, focusing on the Rimac area. Twenty of us spent an enjoyable two and a half hours exploring the site in glorious weather, starting from the car park, south through the dunes to the MOD track and returning via the seaward side of the dunes. We noted the following butterflies: 13 Wall, 8 Small Heath, 10 Brown Argus, 15 Green Hairstreak (including 3 females egg-laying on Sea Buckthorn), 10 Small Copper, 6 Common Blue, 1 LargeWhite, 1 Small White, 1 Orange-tip (female), and a Peacock. Moths included: 8 Burnet Companion, 4 Silver Y, 1 Latticed Heath, 3 Mother Shipton, 1 Cinnabar, 2 Yellow Belle, and 12 Grass Rivulet.

Broad-bodied Chaser (Dave Wright)
Broad-bodied Chaser Dave Wright)

There were lots of dragonflies on the reserve and included the following species: Broad-bodied Chaser, Four-spotted Chaser, Hairy Dragonfly, Large Red Damselfly, and Azure Damselfly. As a bonus, a Common Lizard was seen making the most of the warm sunshine, sat on a fence rail close to the car park. We also had excellent views of Marsh Harriers and a Grasshopper Warbler, in full voice, sat on top of a small bush.

Wall and Common Blue (Dave Wright)
Wall and Common Blue (Dave Wright)

After a break for lunch, Toby and I stayed around and decided to cover two more areas not included in the walk. The first of these, was the dune area just north of Quarry Hill, and we added the following: 23 Wall, 21 Small Heath, 31 Brown Argus, 6 Green Hairstreak, 4 Small Copper, 11 Common Blue, 1 Peacock, 2 Burnet Companion, 1 Silver Y, 7 Mother Shipton, 2 Cinnabar, and 1 Common Carpet.

Silver Y and Silver Ground Carpet (Dave Wright)
Silver Y and Silver Ground Carpet (Dave Wright)

To end the day we surveyed the Zion Hill area which produced: 27 Wall, 8 Small Heath, 6 Brown Argus, 3 Green Hairstreak, 5 Small Copper, 3 Common Blue, 1 Small White, 5 Burnet Companion, 4 Mother Shipton, and 1 Silver Ground Carpet. It was an excellent and most rewarding day at Rimac, especially seeing so many Wall. A Red Listed species, which has been lost from so many inland areas of Lincolnshire, is definitely thriving on this important coastal reserve."

Green Hairstreak Egg-laying on Sea Buckthorn and Egg (Mike Pickwell)
Green Hairstreak Egg-laying on Sea Buckthorn and Egg (Mike Pickwell)

Tuesday 23rd May 2023

  • Richard Doan reported: "The butterfly transect at Heath Meadow LWT Nature Reserve this afternoon produced 537 Common Blue (mass emergence - most I've seen for many years), 9 Orange-tip, 4 Small Copper, 2 Holly Blue, Brown Argus, Painted Lady, 2 Brimstone and a Peacock."
  • Andrew Kurch phoned: "A walk through the dunes at Cleethorpes Coast LNR this morning produced 5 Common Blue, 2 Green Hairstreak, 1 Holly Blue, 12 Orange-tip, 1 Small Copper, 1 Peacock and 2 Green-veined White." 
  • Toby Ludlow phoned: "Paid a flying visit to Chambers Farm Wood today, and noted 20+ Marsh Fritillary in Little Scrubbs Meadow, with another 2 in the Extension. Also 5 Dingy Skipper."
  • David Bee emailed: "I really enjoyed my visit to Chambers Farm Wood today - quite a few eager butterfly spotters about! My tally was: 6 Marsh Fritillary, 3 Dingy Skipper, 3 Orange-tip and 5 Common Blue."

Monday 22nd May 2023

Common Blue Pair (Pete Smith)
Common Blue Pair (Pete Smith)
  • Pete Smith emailed: "Had a look at Greetwell Quarry on Saturday 20th hoping to see Green Hairstreak, and also maybe some Common Blues and Small Heaths, but ended up finding none of the above. A return trip today was rather different - Common Blues emerging in numbers! I counted 43 during a stroll through the more sheltered areas, all but one of these being males frantically scouring the vegetation for females. The one female I did find clearly didn't stand a chance in the face of such priapic behaviour and was swiftly paired up. Still no sign of Small Heath there yet, surely due any day?"
  • Mike Pickwell emailed: "I had a walk around Gooseman's Field and the cemetery in the Grimsby area this afternoon when the sun came out at 14:00. Despite the cold, blustery northerly wind I managed to photograph 2 Speckled Woods in the Woodland Burial Ground, where its was more sheltered. I noted the following: 5 Holly Blue, 14 Orange-tip (10 male and 4 female), 2 Large White, 4 Speckled Wood, 6 Small White and 2 Small Tortoiseshell. I have recently started a project to record and photograph the wildlife in Scartho St Giles churchyard. In an hour visit on Sunday at 12:00 I noted 2 Speckled Wood, 1 male Orange-tip and 1 Holly Blue."

Sunday 21st May 2023

Marsh Fritillary (Paul Daubney)
Marsh Fritillary (Paul Daubney)
  • Paul Daubney emailed: "Today I dropped in at Chambers Farm Wood in the hope of finding early fritillaries. Very few butterflies of any description  at Little Scrubbs Meadow but, on my second circuit, I found one small Marsh Fritillary. Result! Also saw my first Common Blue of the year there. Another first for me at this site were three spikes of Green-winged Orchid, unfortunately past their best, right next to the path in the newer meadow."
  • John Walker messaged: "Walked vehicle track alongside dune at Donna Nook Realignment whilst doing the WeBS count, 07:30 to 09:30, and noted 3 Wall, 1 Speckled Wood, 2 Peacock and 1 Small White."
  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "Paid a visit to Woodhall Spa Airfield today, and was rewarded with my first Common Blue of the year - a fresh male. This was closely followed by 2 further males, and 3 Brown Argus, which were all favouring Common Vetch ssp. nigra on which to nectar. Apart from 6 Brimstones, nothing else on the butterfly front was flying!"

Saturday 20th May 2023

Marsh Fritillary (Keith Walton)
Marsh Fritillary (Keith Walton)
  • Keith Walton emailed: "Visited Chambers Farm Wood today and there were at least 7 Marsh Fritillary in Little Scrubbs Meadow."
  • Graeme Baker emailed: "Today I counted 8 freshly emerged Marsh Fritillaries in Little Scrubbs Meadow, during early afternoon."
  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "Today I went to Kirkby Moor LWT Nature Reserve, and a walk along the main track over the heath from the main gate to the old car park produced a total of 43 Small Coppers. For a butterfly that is usually seen in ones and twos elsewhere, this would be a decent count on another day, but Small Copper numbers have dropped by more than half from their recent peak. So, if you wish to see Small Copper in really good numbers, I would urge you to visit Kirkby Moor in the next few days. Also of note, I saw my first Brown Argus at this site today. In addition, there has been an explosion of blue damseflies and Four-spotted Chasers, and many Hairy Dragonflies were also on the wing." 
  • Martin Kew reported: "I had a good afternoon walking the transects today with four new species for the season, which included at the Glades: 2 Small Heath, 1 Brown Argus, 2 Green Hairstreak and 4 Common Blue. Other species recorded were 5 Grizzled Skipper, 11 Dingy Skipper, 2 Green-veined White and a Peacock. At the Sanctuary numbers were: 4 Grizzled Skipper, 15 Dingy Skipper, 1 Small Heath, 2 Common Blue and a Speckled Wood. Several moths on the wing as well including Latticed Heath, Mother Shipton, Cinnabar and a Silver Y."
  • Mike Pickwell emailed: "I went to Monks Wood (Ashing Lane Nature Reserve) near Dunholme 
Female Orange-tip (Mike Pickwell)
Female Orange-tip (Mike Pickwell)
  • today to look for Broad-bodied Chasers, but they hadn't emerged yet, sadly. However, I did find a few butterflies - 3 Orange-tips, 3 Small Whites, 3 Brimstone, 1 Peacock and 2 Mint Moths."

Thursday 18th May 2023

Orange-tip eggs (Pete Cawdell)
Orange-tip eggs (Pete Cawdell)
  • Pete Cawdell emailed: "Stopped off at Colsterworth Butterfly Bank at lunchtime to check this cracking little LWT Roadside Reserve. It is either side of a cross-over bridge for the A1, just to the north of the village. Last year there were a couple of Green Hairstreak there, but today I viewed 5 different individuals, all at ground level, including a female egg-laying on Bird's-foot-trefoil. There were also at least 4 Dingy Skipper. The stoney limestone habitat, full of Wild Strawberry, 
Brown Argus (Pete Cawdell)
Brown Argus (Pete Cawdell)
  • seems perfect for Grizzled Skipper, but they do not appear to have 'found' the site yet. I the ventured on to visit Grimsthorpe Estate in the Scottlethorpe Road area. I spent about 2 hours there and found a good selection of butterflies - 1 Green Hairstreak, 24 Dingy Skipper, 16 Small Heath, 2 Speckled Wood, 3 Holly Blue, 3 Common Blue, 3 Brown Argus, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Peacock, 4 Brimstone including 1 female, 8 Orange-tip including a female and several eggs, 1 Large White, and half a dozen . All together 13 species."
  • Phil Lee emailed: "This afternoon I called in at Chambers Farm Wood and had a Dingy Skipper on Little Scrubbs Meadow, but no Marsh Fritillaries yet!"
Dingy Skipper (Phil Lee)
Dingy Skipper (Phil Lee)

Wednesday 17th May 2023

Small Copper (Phil Lee)
Small Copper (Phil Lee)
  • Phil Lee emailed: "We are slowly catching up here in the Isle of Axholme, where at Crowle Moors today, we had our first Small Copper for the year and a male Wall on the road near the car park, that was very flighty."
  • Dave Wright reported: "Orange-tips seem to be having an excellent year in the Grimsby area. It was still warm and sunny late this afternoon, when I decided to take a walk along a small section of the Pyewipe Line between Great Coates and Mawmbridge Drain. Here, I counted an amazing total of 21 male Orange-tips, with a mating pair nearby. The only other butterflies seen were 2 Small Whites and 2 Green-veined Whites."
Orange-tip Mating Pair
Orange-tip Mating Pair (Dave Wright)

Tuesday 16th May 2023

Common Blue (Pete Cawdell)
Common Blue (Pete Cawdell)
  • Peter Cawdell emailed: "I visited Welton le Wold near Louth this afternoon. On a south facing chalk hillside, during a warmer sunny spell, 2 fresh Small Heath males became active. Then, a very fresh Common Blue male appeared. At the top of the hill, 2 tatty Peacock were still interacting while at the bottom a supercharged Painted Lady was zooming around - too fast for a photo unfortunately."
  • David Bee emailed: "A walk at Saltfleet produced 3 Green Hairstreak and 1 Wall."
  • Owen Beaumont messaged: "An impromptu transect at Rimac today, as the weather stayed good: 9 Wall, 3 Green Hairstreak, 2 Small Heath, 2 Orange-tip, 1 Brown Argus and 2 Peacock. Mother Shipton and Burnet Companion moths also seen."
Rimac Butterflies and Moths (Owen Beaumont)
Clockwise from top left: Wall, Small Heath, Mother Shipton and Burnet Companion (Owen Beaumont)

Monday 15th May 2023

Brown Argus (Phil Lee)
Brown Argus (Phil Lee)
  • Phil Lee emailed: "I had this Brown Argus this afternoon along Langholme Lane, and it's our earliest ever In the Isle of Axholme by three days, which is not bad for this year."
  • Owen Beaumont messaged: "A minimum of 18 Wall today, between Sea View and Rimac at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR."
  • Ian McGlynn emailed: "I saw 3 Dingy Skippers today, on private land near Robert's Field LWT Nature Reserve."
  • Peter Cawdell emailed: "Checked out the Castle Bytham sites this afternoon and bagged the 'Holy 
Green Hairstreak (Pete Cawdell)
Green Hairstreak (Pete Cawdell)
  • Trinity' of Grizzled Skipper (1), Dingy Skipper (12) and Green Hairstreak (1), in the remaining patches of habitat left at the old Quarry, now being developed for housing."
Grizzled Skipper (Pete Cawdell)
Grizzled Skipper (Pete Cawdell)

Sunday 14th May 2023

Grizzled Skipper (Les Catchick)
Grizzled Skipper (Les Catchick)
  • Les Catchick emailed: "I saw 3 Grizzled Skippers at Twyford Wood today."
  • John Walker messaged: "Both Common Blue and Small Heath in the Rimac area today."
  • David Bee emailed: "20 Small Copper at Kirkby Moor LWT Nature Reserve today."

Thursday 11th May 2023

Dingy Skipper at Twyford (Martin Kew) 110523
Dingy Skipper (Martin Kew)
  • Martin Kew reported: "Walked the transects this afternoon during a break in the showers and saw my first Dingy Skipper of the season. They have appeared in good numbers over the two reserves and I recorded a total of 11. Grizzled Skipper are still thin on the ground with 3 recorded. Other sightings were: 4 Speckled Wood, 3 Orange-tip, 4 Green-veined White and a Peacock. Lots of Mint Moths around and also a large Grass Snake crossing transect 2 at the Glades."
  • Pete Cawdell reported: "Had a tour around some of the South Lincs sites today with Rhona, our Regional Officer. The weather was generally kind, but by the time we reached our last destination, Twyford Woods Lincs BC Sanctuary Reserve, rain showers set in. In a brief sunny spell a Dingy Skipper flew around onto a grass stem and a Red Admiral landed a few metres away. Earlier in the day Brimstones, Orange-tips and Green-veined Whites were at most sites with fresh Holly Blue males at Swayfield Drift and in the centre of Corby Glen."
  • Phil Bowler emailed: "There are about 6 Red Admirals in the vicinity of our Amber Hill garden, plus today a Painted Lady came hurtling through in a NW direction."
  • John Walker messaged; "Lovely sunny day here at Coastguard Gardens butterfly count: 2 Holly Blue, 2 Small White, 2 Orange-tip, 2 Peacock, 1 Brimstone, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Wall and 1 Small Copper."

Wednesday 10th May 2023: 'Green' Day at Rimac!

Brown Argus (Toby Ludlow)
Brown Argus (Toby Ludlow)
  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "A 'green' day at Rimac: Green Hairstreak, Green Carpet and Green Woodpecker. After two failed attempts to see Wall on the Lincolnshire coast, the third visit finally produced the goods! A 45-minute circuit before lunch at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR with my son, Elliott, resulted in several sightings of our target species. But before that, while I was still getting out of the car and sorting my life out, Elliot had spotted 3 Green Hairstreaks fighting over a desired perch on a Hawthorn bush. By the time I had gone over to investigate, he had already spotted a Brown Argus - a new species this year for both of us. We walked on and not only notched up the butterfly species, but we recorded numerous moth species too: Burnet Companion (honorary Dingy Skipper), Mother Shipton (honorary Grizzled Skipper), Green Carpet, Common Carpet, Silver Y and Ruby Tiger. In addition we saw our first dragonfly of the year - a Four-spotted Chaser, closely followed by our second - a Hairy Dragonfly, both having just emerged. By the time we left, we had seen 11 species of butterfly, the most notable being the 15 Wall we'd seen. Most of them were male, but there were a few females on the wing too, and we were absolutely delighted when we discovered a mating pair clinging to a tussock of grass. The 14 Green Hairstreaks and 3 Brown Argus were a bonus!"
  • Andrew Kurch phoned: "Visited Cleethorpes Coast LNR this morning and noted the following butterflies: 11 Green Hairstreak, 6 Orange-tip, 1 male Brimstone, 2 Holly Blue, 2 Green-veined White and 2 Peacock."

Tuesday 9th May 2023

Emperor Moth Pair (Phil Bowler)
Emperor Moth Pair (Phil Bowler)
  • Phil Bowler emailed: "Managed to fit in a couple of hours this afternoon at Kirkby Moor LWT 
Emperor Moth Male (Phil Bowler)
Emperor Moth Male (Phil Bowler)
  • Nature Reserve before the rain came, and at long last - with the guidance of Toby Ludlow - I managed to get some photos of the Emperor Moth. Toby came across a male crash landing into the heather, having sniffed out a freshly emerged female. They posed wonderfully for us. I later saw a further two males dashing across the heath, but I didn't have the chance to check out the more wooded areas properly. I did however see a Common Heath moth, 4 male Brimstones, 1 Small White, 1 Orange-tip, and 77 Small Copper all along the track feeding on Heath Violet, Common Storksbill (the Brown Argus foodplant here), and what I believe to be 'Changing Forget-me-not'."
  • Dave Wright reported: "Although heavy showers were predicted for the Grimsby area today, 
Orange-tip (Dave Wright)
Orange-tip (Dave Wright)
  • around midday it was pleasantly warm and sunny. Therefore, I decided to keep it local and take a stroll down to Town's Holt. Not surprisingly, good numbers of butterflies were on the wing with Orange-tip being the dominant species. The final tally was 18 (16 males & 2 females). I also noted the following: 2 Red Admiral, 8 Peacock, 7 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Large White, 7 Small White, 4 Green-veined White, 5 Holly Blue and 8 Speckled Wood." 
  • Trevor Baily emailed: "Today I saw 1 Brimstone, 1 Orange-tip and 2 Holly Blue in the graveyard of St Thomas Church in Boston."
  • John Walker messaged: "Walked a circuit around the private nature reserve at Thorpe Park in Humberston today and recorded the following butterflies: 12 Small White, 4 Green-veined White, 6 Orange-tip, 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Peacock, 2 Holly Blue and 2 Speckled Wood."
  • Mike Pickwell emailed: "I had an hour at Donna Nook NNR this morning photographing Green 
Green Hairstreak (Mike Pickwell)
Green Hairstreak (Mike Pickwell)
  • Hairstreaks. The weather was better than forecast, warm and sunny, so there was plenty of activity. We saw 10 Green Hairstreaks and singles of Speckled Wood and Small White."
  • Graham Catley emailed: "My morning haul at a site near Searby included the following butterflies: 
Small Copper (Graham Catley)
Small Copper (Graham Catley)
  • 3 Orange-tip, 1 Brimstone, 1 Red Admiral, c10 Small and Green-veined White,  and a single Small Copper."

Monday 8th May 2023

North Somercotes Moths (Mark Johnson)
Clockwise from top left: Clouded Drab, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Flame Shoulder, Seraphim, Chocolate-tip and Purple Bar (Mark Johnson)

Mark and Sally Johnson from North Somercotes emailed: "We had the garden trap out last night for the fourth time this year - 14 moths of 9 species caught. Highlight was 5 Seraphim, last year we had one which was a new moth for us. Others were - 1 Flame Shoulder, 1 Muslin Moth, 1 GreenCarpet, 1 Shuttle-shaped Dart, 1 Purple-bar, 2 Cinnabar, 1 Chocolate-tip and 1 Clouded Drab. On the butterfly front, we had 1 Large White, 1 Small White and the first Wall in the garden this morning. This afternoon we went to try and relocate a Great White Egret that Sally had seen earlier in the day, but unfortunately there was no sign. However, we did have a fleeting glimpse of a Painted Lady!"

Painted Lady (Mark and Sally Johnson)
Painted Lady (Mark and Sally Johnson)
Wall (Mark Johnson)
Wall (Mark Johnson)

Sunday 7th May 2023

Small Copper ab. radiata (Toby Ludlow)
Small Copper ab. radiata (Toby Ludlow)
  • Toby Ludlow emailed: "An afternoon walk in the Woodhall area with my son Elliott produced a cracking total of 146 Small Coppers. Many females have emerged, and lots of courtship 
Small Copper aberration with pale RH FW  (Toby Ludlow)
Small Copper aberration with pale RH FW (Toby Ludlow)
  • behaviour was witnessed, so looks good for the future progeny. Amongst the total were many caeruleopunctata aberrations, along with two more unusual aberrations: an ab. radiata, where the copper marginal band on the hindwings has been reduced to leave copper streaks, or rays, and a second aberration which had a pale dorsal area on its right-hand forewing. It was also pleasing to see a good number of Brimstones, 35 in total, with 6 females looking for suitable egg-laying locations on Alder Buckthorn."
  • Andy Weston emailed: "I have only a basic knowledge of butterflies and moths, but today, about 
​ Green Hairstreak (Andy Weston)  ​
Green Hairstreak (Andy Weston) ​
  • mid-afternoon, I spotted a Green Hairstreak on gorse near Hungerton."
  • Phil Bowler emailed: "Today we had our first 2 Red Admiral in our Amber Hill garden. And, at long last, 3 Holly Blue centred around a dogwood bush, but I saw 1 egg-laying on holly. I was beginning to think that the periodic population drop had kicked in around here. 5 Speckled Wood, 6 Brimstone with eggs being laid, 6 Orange-tip, 9 Green-veined White, 3 Small White, 2 Large White, 2 Small Tortoiseshell and a Peacock made up the rest."
  • Dave Wright reported: "As soon as the sun broke through the cloud this afternoon, I had multiple sightings of Holly Blue in my Grimsby garden with a maximum of 3 at any one time. Also, singles of Large and Small White."
  • Mark Johnson emailed: "This afternoon I had a walk across the dunes from Stonebridge car park to the breach, at Donna Nook NNR. I found an amazing total of 54 Green Hairstreaks and my first Wall of the year. Also noted 4 Speckled Woods, 2 Peacocks and a male Brimstone."
Donna Nook Butterflies (Mark Johnson)
Clockwise from top left: Orange-tip, Orange-tip, Wall and Green Hairstreak (Mark Johnson)

Saturday 6th May 2023

Kev Armstrong from Wold Farm Nettleton emailed: "Had the trap out tonight, but only caught 5 moths of 5 species - Pale Tussock, Muslin Moth, Poplar Hawk-moth, Waved Umber and an unidentified Pug."

Nettleton Moths (Kev Armstrong)
Clockwise from top left: Waved Umber, Muslin Moth, Pale Tussock and Poplar Hawk-moth (Kev Armstrong)

Wednesday 3rd May 2023

Small Copper (Pete Smith)
Small Copper (Pete Smith)
  • Pete Smith emailed: "I think everyone has found this year a bit of a slow starter for butterflies, but today I had a few sightings that show promise for at least two of our native Lincolnshire species. A quick visit to Woodhall Spa resulted in excellent numbers of Small Coppers on the wing - 52 
Holly Blue (Pete Smith)
Holly Blue (Pete Smith)
  • counted during a 30 minute stroll - quite impressive numbers for the first generation. Returning home via Chambers Farm Wood, I found two mud-puddling Holly Blue males. It is usually a good sign when Holly Blues turn up in the wider countryside in sites such as woodlands, away from their normal strongholds in towns and villages, and this was further confirmed when I took the dog out for her afternoon walk in Heighington, where males were appearing left, right and centre! Fingers crossed for a good Holly Blue year."
  • Owen Beaumont reported from Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR: "7 Green Hairstreak, 2 Peacock, 1 Brimstone, 3 Speckled Wood and 1 Orange-tip in the dunes south of Crook Bank as per Dean Nicholson."
  • Martin Kew reported: "Today I visited Twyford Wood with Pete Cawdell and we saw our first 
Grizzled Skippet at Twyford (Martin Kew) 030523
Grizzled Skipper (Martin Kew)
  • Grizzled Skipper of the season, a single individual at the Sanctuary. Other butterflies on the wing were: 8 Peacock, 4 Green-veined White and a Comma."
  • John Davison reported: "A sunny day at Snakeholme Pit with Large, Small and Green-veined White on the wing. Others included Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Common Blue, Holly Blue and Peacock."
  • Graham Catley emailed: "This morning I must have walked about two miles down sunny rides in Laughton Forest, but only came across 1 Peacock, 3 Speckled Wood, 1 Small White and a Holly Blue. Later, a stroll in another part of the forest produced 3 Brimstone, 3 Holly Blue, 4 Orange-tip, 1 Speckled Wood  and a Comma."
Brimstone Pair (Graham Catley)
Brimstone Pair (Graham Catley)

Monday 1st May 2023

Green Hairstreak (Dave Wright)
Green Hairstreak (Dave Wright)
  • Dave Wright reported: "It was typical Bank Holiday weather today - cloudy and cool - when my wife and I decided to take a walk along the seafront at Cleethorpes. Not ideal conditions for butterflies, but a brief unexpected sunny spell prompted me to walk along the landward side of the dune scrub, just south of the leisure centre. Amazingly, 3 Green Hairstreaks were found in sheltered pockets of vegetation and these were the first for me this year at this particular site. The only other butterfly seen was a single female Orange-tip."
  • Tina Negus emailed: "Small Tortoiseshell feeding on Purple Wallflowers and a female Holly Blue on Arbutus in my garden on the Manthorpe Estate in Grantham today."

April 2023

Sunday 30th April 2023

Speckled Wood (Mike Pickwell)
Speckled Wood (Mike Pickwell)
  • Mike Pickwell emailed: "I had a walk along the Freshney and Town's Holt in Grimsby this afternoon. Not much activity on the butterfly front, just 1 distant unidentified White and 2 Speckled Woods."
  • Dave Wright reported: "Met up with Laura Gundy this morning to do a recce for a future Butterfly Conservation walk around Hallington near Louth. The weather wasn't ideal, but we did manage six species including Holly Blue and a female Orange-tip."
  • Cliff Morrison messaged: "2 Wall, Orange-tip, Holly Blue and Peacock, all seen today whilst trying to sort the garden out, here at Brickyard Lane (Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR)."
  • John Walker messaged: "Wall and Small Copper on the Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR today.

Saturday 29th April 2023

Holly Blue (Dave Wright)
Holly Blue (Dave Wright)
  • Dave Wright reported: "A male Holly Blue appeared in my Grimsby garden this morning, on a day when Spring seemed to have arrived at last! Warm sunshine and a light breeze was a refreshing 
Male Large White (Dave Wright)
Male Large White (Dave Wright)
  • change from the dismal weather of late. The Holly Blue was first seen flitting about the Hydrangea petiolaris and then proceeded to nectar on Forget-me-not. It was later joined by a single Small White. Shortly afterwards I decided to take a walk around the outskirts of Great Coates, but surprisingly butterflies were thin on the ground, just a few Green-veined Whites and a Peacock. After lunch I resorted to my local patch of Town's Holt and was rewarded with the following species: 1 Large White (male), 6 Small White, 5 Green-veined White, 3 Brimstone (2 males and a female), 15 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Peacock, 1 Comma, 5 Speckled Wood, 1 Holly Blue and 5 Orange-tip (all males), the latter being my first of the year."
  • Mark Johnson messaged : "This morning I visited Donna Nook NNR  and had a walk along the 
Green Hairstreak (Mark Johnson)
Green Hairstreak (Mark Johnson)
  • dunes from Stonebridge car park towards Somercotes Haven. The only butterflies seen were 4 Green Hairstreaks and 2 Peacocks. During the afternoon an Orange-tip appeared in my North Somercotes garden." 
  • Dean Nicholson reported: "4+ Green Hairsteak today within dune scrub near Brickyard Lane (Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR)."
  • Steve Palmer messaged: "First Holly Blue in my Healing garden today." 
  • Kev Armstrong from Wold Farm, Nettleton messaged: "Had my first Orange-tip around the garden today. Also noted: Comma, Peacock, Brimstone and Holly Blue."

Tuesday 25th April 2023

Orange-tip (Mike Pickwell)
Orange-tip (Mike Pickwell)
  • Mike Pickwell emailed: "We were going to try for the Green Hairstreaks at Donna Nook today, but the forecast was a bit bleak. I went to Covenham birding instead, but along the roadside on the south side, found 1 Speckled Wood and my first Orange-tip of the year."
  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "With the weather forecast for the rest of the week looking decidedly iffy, I ventured out to Moor Farm LWT Nature Reserve to see if anything was enjoying today's sunshine. On arrival, there was a cold  NNW breeze blowing and the temperature was only a mere 8 degrees C. This meant that despite the sunshine nothing much was flying. After about half an hour the wind dropped and, although the thermometer read 9 degrees C, it felt considerably warmer, more like 11 degrees C. This was enough to coax a few butterflies out: a Speckled Wood was the first to show itself, followed by a couple of Green-veined Whites, and then a brace of Small Coppers, both really fresh and resplendent in their fiery livery."
  • Graham Catley messaged: "My first Orange-tip of the year this morning along Pasture Road near the railway crossing in Barton-upon-Humber."
  • Mark Johnson reported: "Around midday I saw my first Orange-tip of the year along Ings Lane in North Cotes." 

Monday 24th April 2023

Laura Gundy from Benniworth Walk Farm emailed: "I currently have a little herd of Common Footman larvae living on my house wall eating the lichens. During the day they are active and out in the open, but as night approaches (or bad weather) they retreat down the wall behind some vegetation for protection."

Saturday 22nd April 2023: Scarlet Tiger Larva in Heighington!

scarlet_tiger_larva_pete_smith_1.jpg
Scarlet Tiger Larva (Pete Smith)

Pete Smith emailed: "I saw my first ever Lincolnshire Scarlet Tiger Moth in my Heighington garden back in July 2021 and had a fabulous sighting of 3 Scarlet Tigers in the air at once, one memorable sunny evening back in June 2022. I have suspected that they have been breeding locally for a while, and this morning I finally found conclusive evidence of this - an almost full grown larva feeding on Green Alkanet just outside my back porch! Green Alkanet is closely related to Comfrey, a well-documented foodplant for this species. Great to have this beauty breeding so close to home. It really has spread significantly at the national level in recent years, from its south-westerly UK distribution. Green Alkanet is a very common opportunistic plant in our area, so the fact that Scarlet Tigers are using this as a foodplant bodes well for their future!" 

Thursday 20th April 2023

p1160444_green_hairstreak.jpg
Green Hairstreak (Dave Wright)
p1160448_brown-tail_larvae_1.jpg
Brown-tail Larvae (Dave Wright)
  • Dave Wright reported: "Following Chris Atkin’s sightings of Green Hairstreak at Rimac earlier this week, I met up with him this morning in the hope of finding a few more at Donna Nook NNR, a site traditionally good for this species. The cool north-easterly breeze was certainly a hindrance, so therefore we concentrated on the sheltered landward side of the dunes, north of Stonebridge car park. It was hard going, but we eventually managed to find 3 Green Hairstreaks. There was very little else on the wing apart from 1 Green-veined White, 10 Peacocks and a Cinnabar moth. We also noted lots of Brown-tail larvae on their webs amongst the Sea Buckthorn.   
  • Owen Beaumont reported from Saltfeetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR: "First Wall of the year on the landward side of the dunes, just south of Churchill Car Park (John Walker), Green Hairstreak, Comma and male Orange-tip at Sea View (Peter Roworth), and Holly Blue seen at Brickyard Lane for the last 3 days (Cliff Morrison)."  
  • Toby Ludlow phoned: "My first Small Copper of the year today, during a brief visit to Moor Farm LWT Nature Reserve."

Wednesday 19th April 2023

Owen Beaumont reported from Saltfeetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR: "Green Hairstreak at Saltfleet Haven today (Geoff Williams), and Orange-tip and Green-veined White at old terminal site at Theddlethorpe (Dean Nicholson)."

Tuesday 18th April 2023: Green Hairstreak at Rimac!

p4184807_green_hairstreak_chris_atkin.jpg
Green Hairstreak (Chris Atkin)
  • Chris Atkin emailed: "Visited Rimac today and had 2 Green Hairsteaks, my first of the year! The first was found high up on a Hawthorn bush in the dunes, south of the car park. Also noted the following: 14 Peacock, 1 Green-veined White, 2 Brimstone and a Speckled Wood." 
  • Ian McGlynn emailed: "I saw a Holly Blue in my Bourne Garden this morning. Later, during the afternoon, I had a walk in Bourne Woods and saw numerous Peacocks, 1 Brimstone, 1 Comma, 1 Small White and 2 Speckled Woods."
  • Dave Wright reported: "Just before midday, I took a walk down to Town's Holt in Grimsby, and noted 52 Butterflies of 7 species. These included 19 Small Tortoiseshell, 12 Peacock, 2 Comma, 6 Speckled Wood, 1 Brimstone, 7 Small White and 5 Green-veined White, the latter being my fist of the year. Later, another new species for the year came in the form of a single Holly Blue, which conveniently flew across in front of my car, while I was parked near the junction of Weelsby Road and Park Drive in Grimsby."

Monday 17th April 2023 

peacock_mike_pickwell.jpg
Peacock (Mike Pickwell)
 
 
 
  • Mike Pickwell emailed: "I had another walk around the cemetery and Gooseman's Field this afternoon. Plenty of butterflies about again, but some are getting quite worn now. I saw 10 Peacock, 2 Speckled Wood, 9 Small Tortoiseshell and 2 Comma."
  • Andrew Kurch phoned: "This afternoon I paid a visit to my local patch just off Westward Ho in Grimsby, and noted the following: 8 Peacock, 15 Small Tortoiseshell, 5 Comma, 2 Speckled Wood, 2 Brimstone, 2 Small White and 2 Green-veined White."
  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "Species no. 10 for the year in the bag - a male Orange-tip at Kirkby Moor LWT Nature Reserve."
  • Phil Lee emailed: "Our first Holly Blue of the year this afternoon in our Misterton garden."                                                                                                                                                           
holly_blue_phil_lee.jpg
Holly Blue (Phil Lee)

Sunday 16th April 2023

wold farm moths kev armstrong
Clockwise from top left: Pebble Prominent, Streamer, Waved Umber and Brindled Beauty (Kev Armstrong)
  • Kev Armstrong from Nettleton emailed: "Decided to put the trap out overnight, here at Wold Farm, and caught 59 macro moths of 15 species. New for the year included: 1 Streamer, 2 Early Grey, 2 Waved Umber, 1 Brindled Beauty, 3 Red Chestnut, 1 Pebble Prominent and 1 Powdered Quaker."
  • Mike Pickwell emailed: "I enjoyed a very pleasant walk along the Freshney and Town's Holt in Grimsby this morning, with quite a few butterflies about. I saw my first Brimstone and Holly Blue of the year, along with a Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma and 5 Small White
  • Dave Wright messaged: "This weekend, the first butterflies of the year appeared in my Grimsby garden. Yesterday, a female Large White lingered briefly, and this morning probably the same butterfly was seen interacting with a male Small White." 
  • Graham Catley emailed: "Today I had 3 Green-veined Whites at Winteringham Haven. "
 
green-veined_white_graham_catley.jpg
Green-veined White (Graham Catley)

Saturday 15th April 2023

  • Owen Beaumont reported from Saltfeetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR: "6 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Small White, 1 Brimstone, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Red Admiral and 1 Comma seen between Churchill Lane and Brickyard Lane today (John Walker)."
  • Mike Pickwell from Grimsby emailed: "I had visits from a Small White and a Speckled Wood in my Scartho garden this afternoon."
  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "Had another 2 Holly Blues today on The Pingle LNR, spiralling up around some Ivy."

Tuesday 11th April 2023: Holly Blue in Coningsby!

  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "My son, Elliott and I, had a Green-veined White, 2 Speckled Woods and 2 Holly Blues on the Pingle LNR in Coningsby today."
  • Brian Hedley emailed: "I had a Hummingbird Hawk-moth nectaring on wallflowers in the rainy garden here at Marton today."
  • Phil Lee emailed: "This afternoon, Langholme Wood was a sheltered sun-trap and in 20 minutes I saw 2 Brimstone, Orange-tip, 3 Speckled Wood, 3 Green-veined White, 5 Comma and a Peacock."
  • Mark Johnson messaged: "Green-veined White this morning, along High Street in Grainthorpe."
  • Paul Daubney emailed: "I went to Owlet Wood, Blyton this morning and saw my first Orange-tip of the year. The small number of butterflies seen there included Green-veined White, Small White, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell.                                                                                                  
Orange Tip (Paul Daubney)
Orange Tip (Paul Daubney)
  •                                                                                                                                          

Easter Sunday 9th April 2023

Toby Ludlow messaged: "After the cloud finally cleared around noon, decided to have a walk around Kirkby Moor LWT Nature Reserve. However, even though it was quite warm, it proved hard going at first, and the only butterfly I saw for some considerable time was a male Green-veined White - my first sighting for 2023, which seems to be a couple of weeks late this year. Gradually, a few butterflies began to appear, and I notched up a brace of Peacocks and 4 Commas, and then a couple of Brimstones on the walk back to the car."

Saturday 8th April 2023

  • Ian McGlynn emailed: "I went to some private land today, close to Robert's Field and I saw 7 Brimstone, 2 Peacock and 2 Orange-tip."
  • Alan Barker emailed: "In spite of a cool breeze, our garden in Doddington Park was visited in the spring sunshine today by a male Brimstone, Comma and male Orange-tip, which settled for a while on some yellow pansies."
  • Mike Pickwell emailed:"I have just had a very pleasant walk around the cemetery and Gooseman's Field in Grimsby. I saw 2 Comma, 10 Small Tortoiseshell and 18 Peacock."
  • Dave Wright reported: "A vast improvement in the weather in the Grimsby area today, warm and

    Small White (Dave Wright)
    Small White (Dave Wright)
     
     

    sunny with a light breeze, meant that a walk down to my local patch of Town's Holt was definitely on the agenda. Along the way, I had to negotiate the Wybers Wood Estate field margin and noted the following: 15 Small Tortoiseshell, 8 Peacock, 3 Small White and a single Comma. At long last, it was refreshing to see butterflies on the wing! Town's Holt was no exception and produced 8 Small Tortoiseshell, 6 Peacock, 1 Comma, 2 Small White, 5 Speckled Wood and an immaculate female Large White, the latter being a totally unexpected find and my first of the year."

 
p1160400_speckled_wood_dave_wright.jpg
Speckled Wood (Dave Wright)

Thursday 6th April 2023

Small White (Toby Ludlow)
Small White (Toby Ludlow)

Toby Ludlow messaged: "My sixth Small White of the year today near Coningsby, but the first female."

 
 
 

Tuesday 4th April 2023

  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "Double-digit day! With the sun shining and not a single cloud in the sky, the temperature gradually rose to 11 degrees C. In the sun, it felt much warmer, and this enticed many butterflies onto the wing. A couple of hours spent in the Coningsby/Kirkby area produced a magnificent haul of 41 butterflies, comprising 6 species, but, alas, there were no new ones for the year. However, of note, I did see my first female Brimstone of the year, which was in a courtship flight with an amorous male - a true sign that spring is in the year! Also, having been told by my son that he had just seen a Red Admiral in our garden, a search together on the neighbouring Pingle LNR produced another brace, surely a further indication that this butterfly is overwintering in our county."
  • Owen Beaumont messaged: "This week at Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR, has largely 
Comma (Owen Beaumont)
Comma (Owen Beaumont)
  • been rather nice and, despite the cold nights, we've seen a few butterflies on the wing. Sunday 2nd: 2 Small Tortoiseshell and a Red Admiral at Brickyard Lane. Monday 3rd: male Brimstone and Comma at Crook Bank, and Small Tortoiseshell at Churchill Lane. Today, the first butterfly transect of the year recorded 2 Peacock. There were also 6 Peacock off the transect and a Comma at Crook Bank again."
  • Trevor Bailey emailed: "Hummingbird Hawk-moth and Peacock nectaring on Grape Hyacinth in 
Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Trevor Bailey)
Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Trevor Bailey)
  • my Boston garden today."
  • Keith Robinson reported: "This morning I found 4 Small Tortoiseshells while walking a circuit of Covenham Reservoir. Later, in my Holton le Clay garden, I had another Small Tortoiseshell and my first Small White of the year."
  • Mark and Sally Johnson reported: "Today we had 2 Brimstones in North Somercotes, the first along Conisholme Road and the second at Bank End."
  • Dave Wright reported: "This afternoon, I had my second Small White of the year, this time along Humberston Road in Cleethorpes."

Monday 3rd April 2023

  • Dave Wright reported: "This morning I had to visit the Grimsby Community Recycling Centre on the Pyewipe Industrial Estate, and was amazed to see a Small White on waste ground close to the entrance of the site. This was my first of the season and brings my species total to seven for the year."
  • Chris Atkin messaged: "Speckled Wood, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell today at Doona Nook NNR, all in a sheltered area close to Stonebridge car park."

Sunday 2nd April 2023

Dave Wright reported: "Today I met up with Laura Gundy and visited two LWT Nature Reserves - Kirkby Moor and Moor Farm. It was quite cool in the north-easterly breeze, but the sheltered areas of both sites produced a few butterflies when the sun decided to shine. Kirkby Moor: 2 Peacock and singles of Comma and Brimstone (male). Moor Farm: 4 Peacock and 2 Comma.


March 2023

Thursday 30th March 2023

Brimstone (Dave Wright)
Brimstone (Dave Wright)

Dave Wright reported: " Along with Chris Atkin, spent an enjoyable few hours at Messingham Sand Quarry LWT Nature Reserve, despite the changeable weather. During one of the brief sunny spells, we came across a Speckled Wood, our first for the year, as were 2 Commas and a single male Brimstone. The latter was seen briefly in flight, before it sought shelter under a nettle leaf during a heavy shower. Later, shortly after leaving the reserve, we saw another Brimstone patrolling the verge along Brigg Road."  

Monday 27th March 2023

Comma (Phil Lee)
Comma (Phil Lee)
  • Phil Lee emailed: "A couple of Comma were basking in the warm sunshine at Haxey Turbary this afternoon, where an unidentified White flew past and kept going."
  • Dave Wright reported: "With virtually wall-to-wall sunshine in the Grimsby area today, I decided to make a brief visit to my local patch of Town's Holt, in the hope of seeing a few butterflies. I could only muster 3 Small Tortoiseshells along the River Freshney, close to where the bridge crosses over to Laceby Acres. On my way home another Small Tortoiseshell was seen along Oakwood Drive on the Wybers Wood Estate."

Friday 24th March 2023: Small White in Coningsby!

 
Small White and Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Toby Ludlow)
Small White (left) and Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Toby Ludlow)

Toby Ludlow messaged: "My first 'true' butterfly of 2023 today - a Small White flying in my garden, which takes my species total to 6 for the year! Nearby, I had my second Hummingbird Hawk-moth of the week, when my son Elliott, found one in my Mum's garden!"

Thursday 23rd March 2023:

 
Comma (Toby Ludlow)
Comma (Toby Ludlow)

Toby Ludlow messaged: "Had my first 'garden' butterfly today - my son Elliott spotted a Comma, so I went out to enjoy the sighting of the first butterfly, of what we hope will be many more, in our garden."

Wednesday 22nd March 2023

 
Kirkby Moor Butterflies (Toby Ludlow)
Brimstone (left) and Peacock (Toby Ludlow)
  • Toby Ludlow emailed: "With the sun shining, had a walk around Kirkby Moor LWT Nature Reserve with my son today. We walked over the heath, and it wasn't long before we spotted a Peacock flying - our first for 2023. A little further on and we saw another Peacock flying over the heathland, although this one was less graceful due to some wing damage. By now, the air temperature had risen to 13 degrees C., but it felt cold in the open due to the Moderate Breeze that was blowing. However, in the rides where it was sheltered, it felt warm. Here, Elliott soon spotted a male Brimstone, which was roosting on some dried reeds, basking in the sunshine - this Brimstone being our first of the year. Within seconds, a shout went up, and Elliott pointed to a Comma which was heading skyward, up into a Silver Birch tree. This Comma represented my fifth species of the year and Elliott's fourth, after he found a Small Tortoiseshell earlier in the day. As we continued on our way, we came across another male Brimstone; this one flew past us and began sparring with the first one we'd seen, before separating and going their separate ways. The cloud began to thicken and the sunny intervals became less frequent, so we decided to head back to the car. We were lucky to disturb a third Peacock before it had totally clouded over. Earlier in the day, I had a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in my Coningsby garden. It investigated the pansies, but they weren't to its liking. Eventually, it found the lungwort plants that were in flower and these were more to its liking."
  • Mike Pickwell emailed: "It seems to have been a long winter, but I have finally seen my first butterfly of the year: a Comma at Far Ings NNR.
  • Kev Armstrong messaged: "A male Brimstone and my first Small Tortoiseshell of the year today, here at Wold Farm, Nettleton."
  • Steve Palmer messaged: "Small Tortoiseshell today, at the local nature reserve at the back of Healing."
  • Ian McGlynn emailed: "A Peacock was in my Bourne garden this morning, the first I have seen this year!"
  • Chris Atkin messaged: "A visit to Saltfleetby-Theddlethorpe Dunes NNR today, produced my first butterflies of the year - 2 Peacocks and a Small Tortoiseshell at Rimac."

Monday 20th March 2023

  • Michelle Bellini messaged: "I saw a Hummingbird Hawk-moth at Castlethorpe this lunch time."
  • Phil Bowler emailed: "3 Brimstones (2 males and a female) in the garden today. Off to a good start!" 

Sunday 19th March 2023

  • Toby Ludlow messaged: "My third Small Tortoiseshell of the year, this morning, in Coningsby."
  • Mark Johnson from North Somercotes emailed: "Just the usual suspects in the garden trap this morning - 19 Common Quaker, 1 Clouded Drab, 2 Hebrew Character and 6 Red Chestnut. Later in the day, butterfly sightings included 2 Small Tortoiseshells at Thoresby Bridge, and a male Brimstone and Peacock close to home."
 
N S Moths (Mark Johnson)
Clockwise from top left: Common Quaker, Clouded Drab, Hebrew Character and Red Chestnut (Mark Johnson)

Friday 17th March 2023

  • Dave Wright reported: "It was quite mild, with the occasional sunny spell in the Grimsby area this morning. I decided to take another walk along the Wybers Wood Estate field margin, and was rewarded with my first Small Tortoiseshell of the year."
  • Graham Catley from Barton-upon-Humber messaged: "Brimstone in my garden today - first butterfly I've seen this year!"
  • Kev Armstrong from Wold Farm, Nettleton messaged: "First male Brimstone of the year in my garden this afternoon."
  • Steve Palmer from Healing messaged: "This morning the trap produced 1 Twin-spotted Quaker, 2 Hebrew Character, 4 Common Quaker, 6 Clouded Drab and a single Lead-coloured Drab, which was new for the garden."
  • Kev Armstrong from Wold Farm, Nettleton messaged: "The conditions looked favourable this evening and so I decided to put the moth trap out overnight, managing 84 macro moths of 9 species - 10 Small Quaker, 14 Clouded Drab, 1 Dotted Border, 4 Red Chestnut, 2 Twin-spotted Quaker, 24 Common Quaker, 3 Oak Beauty, 18 Hebrew Character and 8 March Moth."
 
Oak Beauty (Kev Armstrong)
Oak Beauty (Kev Armstrong)

Thursday 16th March 2023

Mark Johnson messaged: "This afternoon, as I came out of the builders merchants in Louth, I found the attached Small Tortoiseshell at the bottom of the steps."

 
Small Tortoiseshell (Mark Johnson)
Small Tortoiseshell (Mark Johnson)

February 2023

Sunday 26th February 2023

Dave Wright reported: "This afternoon I took a walk along the field margin, bordering the Wybers Wood Estate in Grimsby. Traditionally this is a good site for early sightings of Small Tortoiseshell, but no such look today. However, I was rewarded with my second butterfly of the year, this time a Red Admiral!"

Friday 24th February 2023: Hummingbird Hawk-moth in Coningsby!

Kathy Burrell emailed: "This morning I had a Hummingbird Hawk-moth hovering over winter flowering violas in my garden at Coningsby."

Wednesday 22nd February 2023

Steve Palmer from Healing messaged: "Decided to put the trap out last night and was rewarded with an Oak Beauty, which was new for the garden."

Tuesday 21st February 2023

  • Mark Bannister reported: "Brimstone and Red Admiral this morning in my garden along Westfield Road in Barton."
  • Steve Palmer from Healing messaged: "Red Admiral in my garden today, feeding on pansy."

Monday 20th February 2023

 
Clouded Drab (Kev Armstrong)
Clouded Drab (Kev Armstrong)

Kev Armstrong from Nettleton messaged: "Trapped overnight for the first time this year and caught 28 macro moths of 8 species - 3 Common Quaker, 1 Chestnut, 1 Satellite, 1 Clouded Drab, 6 Pale Brindled Beauty, 2 Dotted Border, 1 Spring Usher and 13 March Moth. Not a bad start!" 

 
Common Quaker (Kev Armstrong)
Common Quaker (Kev Armstrong)

Sunday 19th February 2023

Phil Bowler from Amber Hill emailed: "We had a male Brimstone in the garden on the 11th February, but we had disturbed it whilst cutting the privet hedge. Today was a genuine sighting of a male out of hibernation, traversing the whole garden as if getting to know the layout already for its Spring patrols. It was full sun but only 10.5 degrees C."

Wednesday 15th February 2023

Phil Lee emailed: "We had our first butterfly of the year today, a Red Admiral along the old railway line at Langholme, but it wouldn't pose for a photo."

Saturday 12th February 2023

 
Pale Brindled Beauty (Roy Harvey)
Pale Brindled Beauty (Roy Harvey)

Roy Harvey from Grasby messaged: "This Pale Brindled Beauty (see attached) came to our house window this evening."

Sunday 5th February 2023

Dave Wright reported: "A Peacock flying along Haven Bank at Saltfleet this afternoon, was my first butterfly of the year. Also, a Ruby Tiger caterpillar was found crossing the track nearby."

 
Ruby Tiger Moth Caterpillar
Ruby Tiger Moth Caterpillar (Dave Wright)

Friday 3rd February 2023

Mark Johnson from North Somercotes emailed: "First moth of the year tonight in the garden trap, a Dotted Border. My sister Michelle, had 2 Spring Ushers at North Thoresby on the same night."

 
Dotted Border (Mark Johnson)
Dotted Border (Mark Johnson)

Thursday 2nd February 2023

 
Acleris kochiella (Phil lee)
Acleris kochiella (Phil lee)

Phil Lee emailed: "The 2nd February was mild, so we put the trap out in our Misterton garden and next morning we had the attached micro in the trap. There are a couple that look very much alike, Acleris logiana which we have seen in Lincs at Langholme Wood and Messingham Sand Quarry, and Acleris kochiella which is an Elm feeder and very rare this far north. To be sure, we took it to Martin Gray who performed the gen. det. which confirmed it as being a female Acleris kochiella. The first record for Notts, VC56 with only two Lincs records and only one for Yorkshire, so a rarity and one to keep a lookout for!" 


January 2023

Tuesday 31st January 2023

Josh Forrester messaged: "I've just seen my first butterfly of the year: a Red Admiral jetting past at the junction of Peaks Parkway and Weelsby Road in Grimsby."

Sunday 29th January 2023: Southrey Work Party

John Davison emailed: "A Brimstone flying made the work all the more worthwhile."

Saturday 21st January 2023: Small Tortoiseshell in Coningsby

Toby Ludlow phoned: "Just had my second butterfly of the year this afternoon, a Small Tortoiseshell along Marmion Road in Coningsby."

Bank Holiday Monday 2nd January 2023: We're off!

 
Red Admiral (Toby Ludlow)
Red Admiral (Toby Ludlow)

Toby Ludlow emailed: "The attached Red Admiral was in my mum's garden along Marmion Road in Coningsby today. She phoned me to say that there was a brown butterfly flying around her driveway. So popped over, but couldn't find it initially. Looked in her backed garden and hey presto! Surprised to see it flying as it was only about 4 degrees C."