December
26th: A Peacock was seen at Wood Burcote near Towcester
17th: A Brimstone was flying at Summer Leys
8th: A female Brimstone was in a garden in Broadmead Avenue, Northampton.
3rd: A Red Admiral was seen in a garden in Kingsthorpe, Northampton.
November
30th: A Red Admiral was in a Towcester garden and a Peacock again in a Barton Seagrave garden.
29th: A Peacock was in a Duston garden and a Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell in a Barton Seagrave garden.
19th: A Small Tortoiseshell was indoors at Milton Malsor Football club.
18th: A Red Admiral was in a garden in Towcester.
12th: The Clouded Yellow at Grange Park on 9th was seen again,identifiable as the same butterfly
from slight wing damage, creating a new record latest date in the county for this species.
9th: Five species were recorded in the county today. A male Clouded Yellow
put in an appearance at Grange Park. It is unclear whether this is a new immigrant or the product
or the result of local breeding. A Peacock was also there, a Comma at Harlestone Firs,
a Red Admiral in a Duston garden and a Small Tortoiseshell in Cogenhoe churchyard.
4th: Red Admirals were at Storton’s Pits and in a Duston garden. A Red Admiral was at Green’s Norton Pocket Park.
1st: A Comma was at Pitsford Reservoir. Red Admiral, Comma and Small Tortoiseshell were all in a Polebrook garden.
The latest ever Common Blue in the county, a male, was found at Helmdon old station site.
A Speckled Wood was in a Sywell garden and a Peacock at Byfield Pool.
October
31st: Red Admiral and Comma were still on the wing at Twywell Hills and Dales.
A Small Tortoiseshell was in a Duston garden.
30th: A Peacock was seen at Islip mill.
28th: A Brimstone was recorded in a garden in Rothwell and a Red Admiral in another in Duston.
23rd: A Red Admiral was seen at Castle Ashby.
21st: A Red Admiral was sighted in Whistley Wood.
20th: A Small Tortoiseshell was in a Brackley garden.
19th: Red Admiral, Comma and Large White were in a Polebrook garden.
18th: A Hummingbird Hawkmoth was in a Polebrook garden.
16th: Red Admiral, Peacock and Speckled Wood were in fields near Hanging Houghton.
A Speckled Wood was seen in Hazelborough Forest.
Three Red Admirals and a Small Tortoiseshell were in Castle Ashby gardens.
12th: A Small Tortoiseshell was on the wing at Luddington-in-the-Brook.
10th: A Small Copper was flying on the dam at Pitsford Reservoir. Red Admiral, Small White and
Small Tortoiseshell were noted in a Polebrook garden.
9th: Two Red Admirals were in a Barton Seagrave garden. Red Admiral and Peacock were in Sane Copse, Yardley Chase.
7th: A Peacock was in Barnwell Country Park and Red Admiral and Brown Argus at Summer Leys..
5th: Three Speckled Woods were in Bucknell Wood.
1st: Two Small Coppers were at Clifford Hill Gravel Pits an don the disused railway line at Brackmills were 2 Red Admirals,
2 Commas and 4 Speckled Woods.
September
28th: 4 Commas and 3 Speckled Woods were in Salcey Forest south, and 4 Speckled Woods
in Bucknell Wood. Several Common Blues, 3 Brown Argus (with several eggs found), 2 Small Coppers
and a Peacock were still flying at Grange Park and around Boughton church ruins were 6 Red Admirals,
Comma, Small White, Small Copper and Brown Argus.
26th: At Boughton church ruins, 18 Red Admirals and 7 Commas were feeding on the ivy.
25th: The lasted transect count of the season at Twywell Hills and Dales yielded 4 Small Coppers,
a Common Blue and 6 Small Heaths.
24th: A Large White, 2 Small Whites, 10 Common Blues, 4 Brown Argus
(a fresh female seen egg-laying on Dove’s-foot Cranesbill) and 9 Commas were at Grange Park.
23rd: At Finedon, 2 Small Whites, 12 Red Admirals, 3 Commas and 8 Speckled Woods were noted.
22nd: A good array of species was present at Sywell Country Park; 2 Large Whites, 3 Small Whites,
2 Green-veined Whites, 5 Small Coppers (on Michaelmas daisies in the butterfly garden), 9 Commas,
2 Red Admirals, a Small Tortoiseshell and 10 Speckled Woods.
21st: Two Small Tortoiseshells were in a Cogenhoe garden.
18th: Eleven Small Heaths on the Twywell transect included a mating pair.
14th: Two Green-veined Whites, 5 Speckled Woods and a Comma were at Bucknell Wood.
12th: On the Twywell transect were Small White, Brown Argus, 8 Common Blues,
Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, 4 Speckled Woods, Meadow Brown
and 15 Small Heaths. At Quarry, Brimstone, Small and Green-veined White,
a mating pair of Brown Argus, Small Tortoiseshell and 6 Small Heaths were seen.
10th: Six Red Admirals and a Comma were on ivy at Little Billing. A Holly Blue was flying near Weston Favell Primary School.
8th: A Purple Hairstreak was still flying at Thorpe Malsor.
At Bradlaugh Fields, 2 Small Whites, 8 Common Blues, a Small Copper, 6 Red Admirals,
5 Commas, a Painted Lady, a Speckled Wood, a fresh female Meadow Brown
and 7 Small Heaths were on the wing.
7th: A good range of species was still flying at Grange Park: Small Tortoiseshell 5, Speckled Wood 2, Small White 15,
Common Blue 19, Small Heath 6, Brown Argus 5, Red Admiral 3,
Large White 1, Brimstone 1, Comma 4, Peacock 1.
The transect count at Twywell Hills and Dales included 28 Common Blues, 8 Speckled Woods,
4 fresh Meadow Browns and 7 Small Heaths.
A Red Admiral and a Speckled Wood were in a New Duston garden.
2nd: A Clouded Yellow was seen at Daventry Reservoir.
August
31st: In Bucknell Wood were 1 Brimstone, 1 Peacock, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Common Blue,
1 Large White, 2 Small White and 13 Speckled Wood.
30th: A member of the Stanford Bird Ringing Group reported a Camberwell Beauty from private land
near Stanford Reservoir. At Helmdon old station site were 23 Common Blues, a Red Admiral,
a Small Tortoisehell, 2 Brown Argus and 5 Speckled Woods
29th: A Clouded Yellow was in Sywell Wood.
28th: A Clouded Yellow was seen on the Twywell Hills and Dales transect. 25 Speckled Woods,
13 Brimstones, 6 Brown Argus and a Small Heath were among species at Summer Leys.
24th: A Clouded Yellow was still at Grange Park.
23rd: Two, possibly three Clouded Yellows were at Grange Park.
21st: Two Silver-washed Fritillaries (male and female) and a Purple Hairstreak were still flying in part of Yardley Chase.
19th: Two Clouded Yellows were still at Grange Park.
Fifteen Small Tortoiseshells and several Brown Argus and Small Heath were among other species there.
18th: Twenty-one Small Tortoiseshells and three Small Coppers were seen at Pitsford Reservoir.
A female Holly Blue was in a garden at Polebrook.
17th: A Hummingbird hawk moth was in a Polebrook garden. 44 Common Blues,
34 Meadow Browns, 4 Brown Argus, a Small Copper and 5 Small Heaths were counted on the Twywell Hills and Dale transect.
At least three Clouded Yellows this afternoon at Grange Park (2 Males and 1 female)
along with lots of Common Blues and Small Tortoiseshells, Peacocks,
Brown Argus, Meadow Brown, Small Copper and Small Heath were also present.
16th: Fourteen Small Tortoiseshells and 6 Brown Argus were among species at Summer Leys.
14th: 8 Small Tortoiseshells, Red Admiral and Painted Lady were in a Cogenhoe garden.
12th: A Holly Blue was with 8 other species in a Polebrook garden.
10th: A Clouded Yellow and 6 Common Blues were at the derelict Brackley Sawmills.
9th: Two Clouded Yellows were in Sulby Gardens. Three Wood Whites, Painted Lady
and Clouded Yellow were in Sywell Wood and a Silver-washed Fritillary in Salcey Forest.
Two Clouded Yellows and a Painted Lady were near Stanford Reservoir.
Another Clouded Yellow was on the disused airfield at Harrington. 161 Common Blues
were counted at the old station site at Helmdon.
7th: Thirteen Small Coppers were on the dam at Ravensthorpe Reservoir.
In Welford Quarry 172 Common Blues were counted, along with Painted Lady,
2 Small Coppers and 2 Brown Argus.
Two vagrant Chalkhill Blues appeared in Ravenstone Road Copse, part of Yardley Chase.
Eighteen other species were present, including 6 second brood Wood Whites, 3 Silver-washed Fritllaries,
4 Purple Hairstreaks and good numbers of Brown Argus.
6th: Two Silver-washed Fritillaries were at Great Morton Sale.
4th: Twenty-one species were on the wing in two parts of Yardley Chase. In Olney Lane End,
these included a White-letter Hairstreak low on thistles, 4 Purple Hairstreaks, 9 Silver-washed Fritillaries
and 2 second brood Wood Whites.
In Ravenstone Road Copse were 6 Wood Whites, Purple Hairstreak and both Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow.
3rd: A White-letter Hairstreak and Painted Lady were seen in Sulby Gardens.
In Hazelborough Forest south block 7 Wood Whites were on the wing and 4 Purple Hairstreaks and
a Valezina Silver-washed Fritillary were also noteworthy.
In Bucknell Wood, at least fifteen Silver-washed Fritillaries were recorded, most looking rather ragged.
The majority were females searching out violets and egg-laying on trunks of trees.
This behaviour was observed being done by both typical females and two more Valezina specimens which were present.
A single second brood Wood White, Purple Hairstreak and Painted Lady were the pick of other species in the wood.
1st: A female helice Clouded Yellow was flying at Harrington disused airfield.
Seven second brood Wood Whites were in Hazelborough south block.
Two male Clouded Yellows were now at Twywell Hills and Dales.
A male Holly Blue was feeding on snowberry in Abington Park, Northampton.
July
31st: On part of the private Yardley Chase estate were several Silver-washed Fritillaries and two White-letter Hairstreaks.
A Painted Lady was spotted near Barby. Three second brood Wood Whites were seen in Salcey Forest north
with Silver-washed Fritillary and 2 White Admirals. The male Clouded Yellow
was on the transect at Twywell, where 8 Brown Argus were the pick of other species present.
30th: A male Clouded Yellow was flying strongly around Twywell Hills and Dales.
29th: Fifteen Wood Whites were seen in Sywell Wood in the morning, one egg-laying in the ride cleared last year.
A further nine were seen by a different observer in the evening, with two pairs courting.
28th: A Clouded Yellow was on the railway line near Harlestone Firs.
A Small Copper was egg-laying in Bradlaugh Fields. Nine Brown Argus constituted a good count for Summer Leys.
27th: A Clouded Yellow flew near Wellingborough railway station.
In nearby Mill Road were 4 Brown Argus, 3 Small Coppers and 20+ Common Blues.
26th: A Clouded Yellow flew across Welford Quarry. Marbled White, 77 Peacocks
and 12 Common Blues were also seen. At Hollowell Reservoir were a Painted Lady, 131 Peacocks
and 21 Small Tortoiseshells. A Painted Lady and 4 Brown Argus were flying at Ditchford Gravel Pits.
A second brood Wood White was in Salcey Forest south, with Purple Hairstreak and 2 White Admirals.
Silver-washed Fritillary, 2 Purple Hairstreaks, White Admiral and Painted Lady were in Salcey north.
25th: A Wood White was at Bucknell Wood, where 22 Purple Hairstreaks were counted.
Twenty-one second brood Wood Whites were on the wing in Sywell Wood suggesting that there will be a record emergence this year.
Three pairs were seen courting (unsuccessfully) and a female egg-laying.
24th: Twenty-one species were recorded in two parts of the private Yardley Chase estate.
In Cold Oak Copse notable were 5 Silver-washed Fritillaries, 2 White Admirals,
2 Purple Hairstreaks, a Brown Argus and 2 Small Coppers.
In a grassy meadow by the adjacent sandpit a female Wood White was a surprise find.
A Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady were among species still at Grange Park.
23rd: Three male Clouded Yellows were seen at Grange Park.
Seven Purple Hairstreaks were flying around oaks on the eastern side of Sywell Reservoir.
22nd: Three Wood Whites at Bucknell Wood were confirmed as second brood specimens (2 males and a female),
the first since 2011. Among 15 Silver-washed Fritillaries was a Valezina female.
Another female was seen egglaying on the trunk of a pine tree. 5 White Admirals and
6 Purple Hairstreaks were also noteworthy. Among species at Brackley Sawmills were 4 Brown Argus,
10 Marbled Whites, 2 or 3 Small Coppers, 150+ Peacocks, 10 Small Tortoiseshells
and 10 Essex Skippers. 3 Brown Argus, 5 Marbled Whites and 30 Small Skippers
were on a disused rail line at Helmdon. A Holly Blue was in a Duston garden.
21st: A Painted Lady was in a Duston garden and in Bucknell Wood were 3 White Admirals,
3 Silver-washed Fritillaries, 18 Purple Hairstreaks and a Wood White,
almost certainly a second brood specimen. Butterflies continue to be numerous on the Twywell Hills and Dales transect – 122 Small Skippers,
28 Marbled Whites,
144 Gatekeepers and 193 Meadow Browns for example.
A Clouded Yellow was seen at Grange Park along with a Painted Lady. Found at 1.30 p.m., it was still there after 7 p.m.
Also present were a number of Peacocks, Gatekeepers, Small Skippers, a few Marbled Whites
and Common Blues and a fresh second brood Brown Argus.
20th: A Holly Blue was in a garden in Cavendish Drive, Northampton.
50+ Peacocks and numerous Gatekeeper, Meadon Brown, Small Skipper,
Small Tortoisehell, 3 Marbled White and
4 Common Blue were counted at waste land on Grange Park, Northampton.
Two Red Admirals were feeding on buddlea in Northampton town centre.
18th: A Painted Lady was at Hollowell Reservoir. Purple Emperor was seen again in Bucknell Wood in the evening,
with 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries, 7 White Admirals and 16 Purple Hairstreaks.
Essex Skipper was added to the species list at Fineshade Wood and, on an unsettled morning,
Silver-washed Fritillaries (6) and a Purple Hairstreak put in an appearance.
17th: 21 species recorded on the Yardley Chase MOD site included 4 Purple Emperors, 2 White Admirals,
30+ Silver-washed Fritillaries, 20+ Marbled Whites and 3 Purple Hairstreaks.
Butterflies were also very numerous on the Twywell Hills and Dales transect – 211 Small Skippers,
73 Marbled Whites, 363 Gatekeepers and 260 Meadow Browns. 295 Gatekeepers
were counted on a forty-yard stretch in section 10, with 5 mating pairs and 2 aberrant excessa specimens.
Three second brood Common Blues had appeared.
A fresh Small Copper ab. caeruleopunctata was at Wicksteed Park.
In and around Wakerley Wood were 43 Silver-washed Fritillaries, 40 Marbled Whites,
Purple Hairstreaks and White Admirals.
Purple Hairstreak and Holly Blue were flying near Thorpe Malsor.
16th: For the third year in succession a Purple Emperor visited a cottage in Denton Wood in Yardley Chase.
A Silver-washed Fritillary was also there the previous day. Purple Emperor sightings were very sporadic in Fermyn Wood,
leading to some frustration for visitors, but Purple Hairstreaks and Silver-washed Fritillaries showed
well along with a White-letter Hairstreak feeding on valerian.
15th: A valezina female Silver-washed Fritillary was seen again in Bucknell Wood in the evening.
Mating Essex Skippers were noteworthy, seen by a different observer earlier in the day, along with 17 Silver-washed Fritillaries,
8 Purple Hairstreaks and 3 Wood Whites. 2 Essex Skippers, 4 Purple Hairstreaks
and a Silver-washed Fritllary were notable in a private wood near Lowick.
14th: A Purple Emperor was recorded for the first time in Weekley Hall Wood.
13th: Purple Emperor and a Valezina Silver-washed Fritillary were recorded in different parts of Yardley Chase.
12th: A Valezina female Silver-washed Fritillary was seen in Bucknell Wood.
Three Purple Emperors in Brampton Wood near Desborough included a female egg-laying. 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries,
36 Marbled Whites and a Small Heath were near Weekley Hall Wood.
6 Purple Hairstreaks and 2 White-letter Hairstreaks were at a new site near Milton Malsor.
60+ Marbled Whites and an Essex Skipper were noteworthy at Helmdon old station site
and in Bucknell Wood were 2 Wood Whites, 4 White Admirals, Silver-washed Fritillary
and 15 Small Tortoiseshells.
A valezina Silver-washed Fritillary was reported by a second observer here.
15 Purple Emperors, 3 Wood Whites, 3 Silver-washed Fritillaries
and 6 White Admirals were at Salcey Forest.
One of the White Admirals was seen feeding from the body of a female Purple Hairstreak caught in a spider’s web.
A record count on the Twywell Hills and Dales transect included 98 Small Skippers, 13 Small Tortoiseshells, 148 Marbled Whites,
194 Meadow Browns and 88 Ringlets.
11th: Up to 20 Marbled Whites were seen near Bozeat.
10th: Species in Bucknell Wood included 4 Wood Whites, 12 Silver-washed Fritillaries and 11 White Admirals.
In Old Pastures, part of the private Yardley Chase estate, were 6 White-letter Hairstreaks, 3 Purple Hairstreaks,
2 White Admirals and at least 8 Silver-washed Fritillaries along with a dozen more common species.
9th: 4 Purple Emperors, 9 White Admirals and 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries were in Bucknell Wood.
Essex Skipper was identified near Stanford-on-Avon and 3 Purple Hairstreaks at a new site near Crick.
At least 40 Small Tortoiseshells were on the wing around Sywell Reservoir.
8th: Silver-washed Fritillary and Marbled White were in a private wood near Lowick.
A second brood Holly Blue was in Great Doddington churchyard.
7th: In Salcey Forest north were 2 Purple Emperors, a Wood White, a Silver-washed Fritillary,
3 White Admirals and a second brood Holly Blue and a fresh Peacock.
On the south side, a further 7 Purple Emperors and 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries were notable.
6th: A White-letter Hairstreak was in a garden in Barton Seagrave.
A hundred Marbled Whites, and 5 Essex Skippers were among eleven species at Helmdon old station site.
5th: A female Purple Emperor was noted on a footpath near Geddington Chase. 15 Marbled Whites were at Brackley sawmills. In Bradlaugh Fields,
Marbled White, Ringlet and Small Skipper were all seen in three-figure numbers. Several Essex Skippers were also identified.
4th: In the private Yardley Chase woodland 2 Purple Emperors, White Admiral,
4 Silver-washed Fritillaries, 2 Purple Hairstreaks and a Wood White were in Sane Copse
and a Purple Emperor, 3 Silver-washed Fritillaries,
Purple Hairstreak, 10 Wood Whites and, rare for this site, a Small Heath.
3rd: On a two-hour walk for the BB Society in Fermyn Wood, led by Matthew Oates, 42 Purple Emperors were counted,
including an egg-laying female. One was seen on the door of the Ranger’s office in the Country Park later.
Good numbers of White-letter Hairstreaks and a few Purple Hairstreaks also put in an appearance.
Numerous Essex Skippers were among 50+ Marbled Whites and good numbers of Meadow Browns
and Gatekeepers near Weekley Hall Wood.
On the Twywell Hils and Dales transect were 193 Marbled Whies, 163 Meadow Browns,
98 Ringlets and 13 Small Heaths.
2nd: Matthew Oates counted 92 Purple Emperors on his fieldwork in Fermyn Wood.
In Bucknell Wood were 2 Purple Emperors, 10 Silver-washed Fritillaries,
7 White Admirals, 2 Purple Hairstreaks, a Marbled White
and 10 Wood Whites (maxima from two different observers).
In Hazelborough North were Purple Emperor, 4 Silver-washed Fritillaries,
8 White Admirals and a Wood White. 12 Purple Emperors, 7 Silver-washed Fritillaries,
4 White Admirals, 11 Wood Whites and 2 Purple Hairstreaks were found in Salcey Forest.
40+ Marbled Whites were near Mill Road, Wellingborough.
1st: Two Purple Emperors were in Geddington Chase. Two more were in Brampton Wood near Desborough,
along with 2 Marbled Whites.
30+ Small Tortoiseshells were noteworthy at Titchmarsh Mill. A Marbled White appeared in a garden In Duston.
June
30th: Large numbers of Marbled Whites and 10+ Small Heaths were recorded at Bradlaugh Fields.
27th: 189 Marbled Whites, 146 Meadow Browns, 126 Ringlets, 21 Small Heaths, 2 Grizzled Skippers,
a Green Hairstreak and surprisingly a Silver-washed Fritillary at Twywell Hills and Dales.
A number of Wood Whites at Sywell Wood included a mating pair and Purple Emperor (a first site record)
and Marbled White were also seen.
26th: Two Purple Emperors, White Admiral, Purple Hairstreak and 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries were in Fermyn Wood.
226 Marbled Whites were counted near Wekley Hall Wood.
25th: Two White-letter Hairstreaks were noted at a new site near Daventry.
22nd: The first Purple Emperor was on the wing in Fermyn Wood.
At the Branch Open Day at Glapthorn Cow Pasture, four Black Hairstreaks were seen,
though numbers are now decreasing. Two Silver-washed Fritillaries were also present.
In a part of Fermyn Wood, a White Admiral was seen.
Marbled Whites continue to appear in new places around Northampton,
with c.50 found on waste ground by the road to Moulton Park.
21st: 34 Marbled Whites were counted at Summer Leys, along with 21 Small Tortoiseshells,
2 Commas and an early Gatekeeper.
In a private wood near Lowick, White Admiral and Small Heath were notable.
Marbled White was recorded at Storton’s Gravel Pits, Northampton.
White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary were in Fineshade Wood.
20th: In Wakerley Wood, two White Admirals and a Silver-washed Fritillary were on the wing.
Among species at Collyweston Quarries were 8 Marbled Whites,
14 Small Heaths and a late Green Hairstreak.
At Twywell Hills and Dales, the transect count included 49 Large Skippers, 44 Marbled Whites, 67 Meadow Browns,
22 Ringlets and 8 Small Heaths. A late Brown Argus was seen at Finedon. Two Marbled Whites were seen in Whistley Wood,
from which they have not been recorded for several years.
19th: Two White-letter Hairstreaks were seen to the west of the MI at near Crick.
18th: In Bucknell Wood were 43 Wood Whites and a White Admiral.
Around 30 Marbled Whites and two Small Skippers were seen at Grange Park, Northampton.
17th: A Marbled White was seen at Harlestone Firs. 39 Wood Whites were in Hazelborough south block and 16 in Bucknell Wood.
Fourteen Black Hairstreaks were counted at Fermyn Woods Country Park.
15th: A Marbled White was at Summer Leys.
14th: On the Branch Field Trip to Salcey Forest, 81 Wood Whites were counted in the northern section.
A roosting Elephant Hawkmoth was also noteworthy. Afterwards, a further 21 Wood Whites were in the southern half.
Species on the Twywell Hills and Dales transect were 2 Grizzled Skippers, 2 Marbled Whites and 2 Small Heaths.
A Marbled White was at Old Sulehay.
13th: At least 10 Black Hairstreaks were flying at Glapthorn Cow Pastures. Twelve species were seen in Fermyn Woods Country Park,
with spring butterflies (2 Grizzled Skippers, Green Hairstreak, over-wintered Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral)
merging into summer ones (2 Black Hairstreaks, Marbled White). A Hummingbird Hawkmoth was in a garden in Ashley Way, Northampton.
2 Dingy Skippers and 10 Small Heaths were in Great Morton Sale.
12th: Large numbers of Wood Whites continue to be seen in Salcey Forest,
with 42 in the south section and 90 in the north.
5 Red Admirals were also worthy of note. In Olney Lane End, part of Yardley Chase,
34 Wood Whites were seen, along with half a dozen Ringlets.
11th: There were eight Wood Whites in Whistley Wood.
Three Marbled Whites were seen at Grange Park, a new site for this species.
Up to ten Black Hairstreaks were seen by visitors to Glapthorn Cow Pastures.
In Fermyn Woods Country Park Dingy Skipper and Green Hairstreak were still on the wing along with the first Ringlet.
In Yardley Chase, six Wood Whites were counted in Sane Copse and 31 in Ravenstone Road Copse.
10th: A Dingy Skipper, 14 Small Heaths and a Painted Lady were notable among species in weekley Hall Wood.
58 Wood Whites were counted in Sywell wood and 6 in Hardwick Wood.
9th: At least six Black Hairstreaks were seen at Glapthorn Cow Pastures. Nineteen Wood Whites were seen on an evening walk in Bucknell wood.
8th: The first Black Hairstreak was seen at Glapthorn Cow Pastures and a male Clouded Yellow
was on the wing at Grange Park, Northampton, more likely a new immigrant than one from last year's breding on the site. If visiting the site,
please keep to the bank to avoid disturbance to birds which are breeding on the wasteland.
6th: Sixty Wood Whites were on the wing in Sywell Wood.
5th: Another century of Wood Whites was notched up, this time in Salcey Forest, 41 in the south of the wood and 59 in the north.
Among species at Summer Leys were several Large Skippers, the first Meadow Browns of the year, two Brown Argus and two Small Coppers.
3rd: A Painted Lady was feeding on red valerian in Middleton Cheney.
2nd: Second brood Small Tortoiseshells have been appearing in the last few days and five were seen in Abington Meadow, Northampton.
5 Small Heaths were at Harrington airfield. Brown Argus and Small Heath were at Merry Tom Lane, near Northampton.
1st: On a perfect sunny day after very little sunshine over the past week, the Wood Whites were making up for lost time.
Over two hundred were counted in the county, the best haul for some two decades. Of these, Sywell Wood led the way with 109 counted,
with 12 in Hardwick Wood and a further 5 between the two sites. In the Silverstone Woods,
48 were seen in Bucknell Wood and 41 in Hazelborough Forest south.
May
30th: Two Wood Whites were seen in Whistley Wood.
29th: Two Wood Whites were recorded on a cloudy day in the Yardley Chase MOD site.
26th: 12 Wood Whites were in Salcey Forest north.
25th: Notable among species at Polebrook airfield were 18 Dingy Skippers, 4 Grizzled Skippers, 7 Brown Argus and 2 Small Heaths.
The first Painted Lady of the year in the county appeared in a Polebrook garden.
Seven Wood Whites were in Hazelborough Forest north and 23 in Bucknell Wood.
24th: 28 Wood Whites were in Sywell Wood between the rain showers.
23th: 36 Wood Whites were seen in Sywell Wood when the sun came out in mid-morning.
22nd: Four Wood Whites were in Ravenstone Road Copse, part of the private Yardley Chase estate.
21st: A Brown Argus was found roosting in the evening at Summer Leys.
20th: At Collyweston Deeps were 2 Dingy Skippers, 2 Green Hairstreaks, 6 Brown Argus,
Small Copper, Holly Blue and Small Heath. Dingy Skipper,
Grizzled Skipper and Small Heath are o the wing at RAF Wittering.
On our field visit to Fermyn woods Country park, nine species seen included 12 Dingy Skippers, 6 Grizzled Skippers and 5 Green Hairstreaks.
19th: Six Wood Whites were flying in Whistley Wood, where they were re-discovered last year after an absence off 5 years.
There were also 12 in Salcey Forest north and 16 in Salcey Forest south. The first Brown Argus was found at Twywell in the Whitestones area.
Good numbers were also seen in the middle field there.
18th: The few members who attended our field trip to Twywell Hills and Dales in warm sunshine were rewarded with 64 Dingy Skippers,
20 Grizzled Skippers,14 Green Hairstreaks, 25 Common Blues and 3 Small Heath.
5 Green Hairstreaks and 4 Dingy Skippers were found at a new site near Desborough.
Wood White counts were an impressive 65 in Sywell Wood, 10 in Wicken Wood, 24 in Hazelborough Forest south, 3 in Hazelborough north,
3 in Denton Wood (part of the private Yardlley Chase and 5 in Bucknell Wood.
Large Skipper and Brown Argus were found at Grange Park, Northampton.
8 Grizzled Skippers and a Brown Argus were at Helmdon disused station site.
17th: A very early Large Skipper and 4 Wood Whites were in Salcey Forest.
The Wood White count for Hazelborough south was 33.
16th: Thirty plus Wood Whites were flying in Sywell Wood, with egg-laying noted on both meadow vetchling and bird’s-foot trefoil.
A Holly Blue and 2 Small Tortoiseshells (plus a larval web) were also noteworthy.
In adjacent Hardwick Wood, five Wood Whites were seen in the newly opened rides, one egg-laying on meadow vetchling.
The clearance in both of these areas as part of the restoration project appears to be paying dividends.
15th: An impressive 64 Dingy Skippers, 2 Grizzled Skippers and 4 Green Hairstreaks
were seen at Great Morton Sale in the north of the county, and 9 Grizzled, a Dingy and 2 Green Hairstreaks in Little Morton Sale nearby.
14th: 14 Wood Whites were counted in Salcey Forest with a further 6 in Hazelborough Forest.
Common Blue was seen in Green’s Norton Pocket Park. Three Wood Whites were reported from Wicken Wood.
Two Brown Argus were on the wing in a private wood near Lowick.
In Old Sulehay Quarry were 31 Dingy Skippers, 11 Grizzled Skippers, 6 Green Hairstreaks and both Holly and Common Blue.
In Ring Haw next to this were 25 Dingy Skippers, 13 Grizzled Skippers, 4 Green Hairstreaks and a Small Heath.
13th: Notable at Summer Leys were two Small Coppers, a Common Blue and, scarce so far this year, a female Large White.
12th: Four Wood Whites and a Common Blue were in Hazelborough Forest.
10th: At Helmdon old station site were two Grizzled Skippers and a Small Heath.
6th: The Branch’s evening field trip to Twywell hills and Dales proved very successful.
Roosting butterflies found were 13 Dingy Skippers, 7 Dingy Skippers and a Small Copper.
A caterpillar search yielded several examples of Marbled White, Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown.
5th: Three Holly Blues were found at Finedon old cemetery. At Fermyn Woods Country Park were 15 Dingy Skippers,
7 Grizzled Skippers and 10 Green Hairstreaks.
4th: 10 Grizzled Skippers, 24 Dingy Skippers and 4 Green Hairstreaks were among eight species on the wing at Old Sulehay Quarry.
Single Wood Whites were seen in Bucknell Wood and Salcey Forest.
Along the Grand Union Canal from J15A of M1 to Stoke Bruene were spotted around 30-40 of both Orange tips and Brimstones.
3rd: The first Wood White was seen in Bucknell Wood. There were spotted around 10 Dingy Skippers, 2 Grizzled Skippers,
about 6 Green Hairstreaks including a mating pair, 2 Small Coppers as well as Orange-tips, Brimstones and Peacocks at Twywell Hills and Dales.
April
30th: Two Grizzled Skippers were at the old station site at Helmdon..
28th: Three Small Coppers were seen at Twywell Hills and Dales.
24th: Three Grizzled Skippers, a Dingy Skipper and a Green Hairstreak were in Fermyn Woods Country Park.
Two Holly Blues were flying in Cranford Road, Kettering.
23rd: Four Green Hairstreaks, a Grizzled Skipper and a Dingy Skipper were found on the Twywell Hills and Dales transect.
21st: Green Hairstreaks were seen by two different observers at Twywell Hills and Dales today.
In Northampton, a Holly Blue was in Abington Park and two more in a garden in Ashley Way.
17th: Two Speckled Wood, four male Orange tip, many Peacocks
and Small Tortoiseshell and a Large White at Storton Pits this morning.
16th: Two Large Whites were seen in a Polebrook garden, along with 2 Green-veined Whites, 2 Orange-tips,
a Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell and 2 Peacocks.
15th: Notable among nine species flying in Eastfield Park, Northampton were nine Speckled Woods, 4 Orange-tips and a Holly Blue.
13th: Large numbers of Small tortoiseshells were seen in Brackley. A Holly Blue and a male Orange-tip were at Kislingbury Church.
10th: Small White and Holly Blue were in Cogenhoe churchyard. Seven Orange-tips and a Green-veined White
were noteworthy on the Yardley Chase MOD site.
Holly Blue and Small White were in Cogenhoe churchyard and an Orange-tip in a Kettering garden.
9th: In Barton Seagrave Pocket Park were 4 Brimstones, Greeen-veined White, Holly Blue, 4 Commas,
6 Peacocks, 6 Small Tortoiseshells and a Speckled Wood. Orange-tip and Green-veined White
were on the wing at Pitsford Reservoir. Seven Orange-tips near Twywell Hills and Dales included a female.
8th: Orange-tip and Speckled Wood were among species between King’s Cliffe and Apethorpe. 2 Speckled Woods,
a Holly Blue and Green-veined White were seen in a Pocket Park in Barton Seagrave.
Two Orange-tips were at Glapthorn Cow Pastures.
5th: A male Orange-tip was in a Lowick garden
1st: Orange-tip and Small White were both on the wing in Twywell village.
March
31st: A male Holly Blue and Orange-tip were in a Barton Seagrave garden.
Small Whites were seen in a garden in Old Duston and Clifford Hill Gravel Pits.
30th: A Small White was flying in Abibgton Meadow, Northampton.
29th: The first Orange-tip was at Brigstock and the first Small White was in Wellingborough.
9th: A glorious day of unbroken sunshine brought records from all over the county:
Salcey Forest: A walk round the perimeter yielded 22 Brimstones, 3 Commas and a Peacock.
A pair of Brimstones were seen in brief courtship before pairing up : .
Westone Estate, Northampton: 7 Small Tortoiseshells, 5 Peacocks, 4 Brimstones and a Comma
Wellingborough: 9 Brimstones, 4 Peacocks, 3 Commas, 2 Small Tortoiseshells
Summer Leys: Numerous Brimstones
Overstone (garden): Red Admiral and Peacock
Polebrook (garden): 3 Small Tortoiseshells, Brimstone
Brackley (garden): 2 Brimstones, 2 Small Tortoiseshells
Boddington Reservoir: 4 Brimstones (+7 in hedges nearby), 2 Small Tortoiseshells
Daventry Country Park: 2 Brimstones
Duston (garden): Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock
London Road Cemetery, Kettering: 16 Small Tortoiseshells exhibiting much courtship behaviour, 3 Brimstones, 8 Peacocks,
2 Red Admirals and a Comma.
Sywell (garden): Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock
Kettering (garden): 2 Brimstones, 2 Peacocks, 2 Commas
Cogenhoe (garden): 2 Brimstones, Small Tortoiseshell
Rothwell (garden): 3 Brimstones, 2 Peacocks, 2 Small Tortoiseshells
Ecton Sewage Farm: Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshell .
Grange Park, Northampton: 2 Brimstones, 4 Small Tortoiseshells, Peacock
Welford (garden): Brimstone
Kettering (garden): Brimstone, Small Tortoiseshells
Thrapston Gravel Pits: Numerous Brimstones, plus Peacocks, Commas and Small Tortoiseshells .
Wicksteed Park: 15 Small Tortoiseshells (including 3 courting pairs), 2 Commas, 4 Peacocks and 3 Brimstones
A male Brimstone and a Comma were in a New Duston garden.
On the canal between Sixfields and Northampton town were 5+ Brimstones, 10+ Small Tortoiseshell , 1 Comma and 3 Peacocks.
8th: A Comma was sunning itself in a New Duston garden
In gardens, Peacock (in Cogenhoe), Small Tortoiseshell (Polebrook), Comma (Duston) were seen. 3 Small Tortoiseshells were at Grange Park, Northampton.
7th: A warm, sunny day after early rain brought out the following:
Lings Wood, Northampton: C. 10 Brimstones, several Red Admirals, Peacock and Comma.
Cavendish Drive, Northampton: 2 Commas, Brimstone and Peacock
Near Abington Park, Northampton: Brimstone
Fermyn Woods Country Park: Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock and Brimstone.
Brimstones were also seen in Thorpe Waterville (3), Wellingborough (2) with singles in a Brackley garden and at Daventry Country Park.
5th: A Small Tortoiseshell was in a New Duston garden.
4th: A Small Tortoiseshell was in London Road cemetery in Kettering.
1st: Small Tortoiseshells were seen at Woodford Halse and Barton Seagrave
and a Peacock was on the wing in a Maidwell garden.
February
26th: A Brimstone was in a garden in Rushden.
22nd: A Red Admiral was in a garden in Overstone.
20th: A Brimstone was flying in a Lowick garden.
16th: A Peacock was seen in Harlestone Firs.
7th: Peacocks were on the wing in gardens in Wellingborough and Naseby.
3rd: A Brimstone was seen at Twywell Hills and Dales
January
20th: Two Peacocks were found in a wood shelter in Middleton near Corby.
12th: A Peacock was flying in a West Hunsbury garden.
9th: Two Brimstones were seen at Woodford Halse Nature Reserve.
2nd: A Peacock was seen on the shady side of a conifer hedge in Brixworth.