Hedgerow Heroes - Volunteers from Butterfly Conservation and CPRE Herts hedge planting today. The mix 15 plant species for butterflies and moths includes Buckthorn, Blackthorn, Elm and Holly. We’ve planted over 1km of hedge north of Hertford @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

My first butterfly of 2026, a hibernating Peacock, one of five in my shed in St Albans. Strangely a white spit has appeared on the underside. Possibly the result of predator attack? Grateful for any suggestions! @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Here is the review of the 2025 butterfly season in Northamptonshire. It was certainly an interesting year, and it was fantastic to see records from two species that were considered extinct in the county making an appearance! www.northantsbutterflies.com/the-butterfl...

Starting the weekend as we mean to go on: with more positive nature news! Butterflies are booming in Hertfordshire thanks to the efforts of @stalbanscouncil.bsky.social, @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social and several other organisations. 📷: Malcolm Hull

Lovely to see so many @hnhsoc.bsky.social members and guests at a private view for the 'Wildlife for the Record' exhibition at North Hertfordshire Museum this week. I gave a talk marking the end (almost) of the HNHS 150th anniversary year. www.hnhs.org/news/north-h...

A photo from my friend's garden on the slope of Highgate hill in London today. Quite early even for a Brimstone...

These rivers are important conduits for the Brown Hairstreak butterfly's expansion! At least one site that would end up under a runway has reported Brown Hairstreak sightings! @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Large and Small tortoiseshell (grote en kleine vos, N polychloros and A urticae) show opposite trends in their distribution in NL. The Large T used to be rare, and is now widespread, esp. in the eastern half. The Small T is now rare outside the W and N. #vlindermaand

New study using @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social data shows that 125w & 80w bulbs attract more moths than any actinics, and that Robinson and Skinner traps retain more moths that Heath traps #teammoth doi.org/10.1111/icad...

A quick Brown Hairstreak egg survey today at the recently colonised site at Bugs Bottom, Caversham. 10 found in total. Great to see a butterfly that is doing well!

More evidence of negative impacts of artificial light at night on moths - activity of Scarce Bordered Straw moths is naturally concentrated in the first 2hrs of night but activity was suppressed under streetlights www.sciencedirect.com:5037/science/arti... #teammoth #lightpollution 🌍

Butterfly numbers booming in St Albans! Managing meadows with low mow techniques and sowing wildflower seeds have resulted in a big increase in butterfly number. Congratulations to St Albans Council @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Yesterday, I went in search of Brown Hairstreak eggs at #BrookFarmOpenSpace in #LBBarnet. A new site in a known landscape. Pleased to find 19 eggs over 3hrs+.The books say young blackthorn growth, this female hadn't read the book! Record shot of egg on knarled blackthorn! @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social

Hard to believe that Hertfordshire Natural History Society's 150th anniversary is drawing to a close. But there's still a celebratory exhibition to come at North Hertfordshire Museum in Hitchin starting 16 December @hnhsoc.bsky.social @hertsbirds.bsky.social

New research from Belgium doesn’t support the ‘lost generation’ theory for the decline of the Wall, but does show reduced survival with warming temperatures 🌍 nsojournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... (📷 Mark Searle)

Don't forget to book your place @savebutterflies.bsky.social @ldnwildlifetrust.bsky.social @hnhsoc.bsky.social @lnhs.bsky.social @upperthames.bsky.social @bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social @hertswildlifetrust.bsky.social

We are delighted to have @davegoulson.bsky.social give a zoom presentation (joint with #BCSurreySWLondon) on 3rd December. Booking is free but essential www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/saving-our... @savebutterflies.bsky.social #teammoth www.hertsmiddx-butterflies.org.uk/winter-zoom.... Correct date 3rd!

Black-spotted Chestnut (Conistra rubiginosa) from Tuesday night in Bengeo. True winter noctuid that arrived in UK in 2011, colonised here in 2018. Population has slowly risen since but local area remains its only stronghold in Herts. @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social #teammoth

** BRANCH AGM TOMORROW ** A reminder that the Cambridgeshire & Essex branch's AGM and Members' Day is in-person this year. Foxton Village Hall on Saturday November 8th at 2pm All Cambridgeshire & Essex BC branch members are invited to join us.

The UK Butterflies 2025 Photography Competition is now open for entries and closes on November 30th. The winning photos will be announced in early December and the overall winner will receive a signed Richard Lewington print. See www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/phpBB/viewto... for more info. Good luck!

Searching blackthorn yesterday in a new field near the A1 in VC20 for Brown Hairstreak, yealded 8 Blue-borderedCarpet eggs & 2 Oak Eggar(says Obsidentify)caterpillars + the star of the show 2 Brown Hairstreak eggs ✅ My phone doesn't take photos of eggs very well! @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social #teammoth

For many years Saffron Green Open Space near Arkley, has been searched for Brown Hairstreak eggs but in vain. Yesterday Rohan found 1 egg, E of Borehamwood close to the A1 & within 1 km of the site!!! @savebutterflies.bsky.social @hertscc.bsky.social hertsmiddx-butterflies.org.uk/news.php#17376

Fascinating Swedish study proving that threatened butterflies can still disperse surprisingly long distances eg Marsh Fritillary >8km and more than 10% of Large Blues travelled at least 1km resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... 🌍

@colnevalley.bsky.social @colnecan.bsky.social @hnhsoc.bsky.social @hertsbirds.bsky.social @ruislipwoods.bsky.social @woodoaksfarm.bsky.social

....and thats a wrap! Today is the last day to carry out a survey for the 'core' UKBMS survey weeks. 🤞 the weather has been good enough to fit in your final survey. Don't forget to get all your data entered by the END OF OCT, otherwise it may not be included in the analysis 📋 📊 Thank you!

It's taken 5 years to repeat this - my 2nd record of Clifden Nonpariel! It was so big I nearly missed it! My eyes were focused on all the smaller moths as I turned the blue/grey egg box over-132 of 17 macro species last night in VC20. Also new season Satelitte. #Teammoth @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social

Don't under estimate Lyme Disease - this is truly an horrific story to read!

Recorded 1st Plumed Fan-foot (Pechipogo plumigeralis) male in Bengeo recently. However tonight this almost pristine female turned up in sitting room. With Ivy (Hedera helix) as one of its hosts plants, species is likely to expand its range rapidly. @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social #teammoth

New research - Weak recovery of insectivorous bird populations after ban of neonicotinoid in France, hinting at lasting impacts #pesticides HT @jeroenvandersluijs.bsky.social www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

@colnevalley.bsky.social @colnecan.bsky.social @hertswildlifetrust.bsky.social @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social @ruislipwoods.bsky.social @woodoaksfarm.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @batconservation.bsky.social #bats #moths

Our butterfly walks programme for 2025 is now complete but we have Brown Hairstreak egg surveys planned and an exciting programme of Zoom presentations coming up. Starting on Wednesday 3rd December at 7.30 - keep that evening free and all will be revealed in due course @savebutterflies.bsky.social

2nd appearance of the Delicate moth in Stevenage garden trap since 2020 @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social #teammoth #delicatemoth

Best year since 2019 on Stevenage butterfly transect - 1496 counted. Average 1260 over 33 yrs since 1993 @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Innovative analysis of the Big Butterfly Count, starts at 5 mins 40 www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social

Interesting - photo of an egg laying Wall Brown at Therfield Heath on the @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social sightings page. Wonder how long it's been since the species was last seen there? @andysymes.bsky.social

Yay! Four-spotted Footman in moth-trap Stevenage this morning - a first-ever @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social #teammoth #mothsmatter #four-spottedfootman #hertsmoths

Insects across the UK are in crisis. 🚨 Which is why we’ve joined forces with Buglife and @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social to create the Big Insect Rescue Plan – and we need your help to shape it! Have your say here 👉 butterfly-conservation.org/big-insect-r...

A new study from @ukceh.bsky.social using UKBMS data explores the impact of Agri-Environmental Schemes on butterfly abundance, species richness and diversity in England. Some positive relationships uncovered 👍 Learn more here - buff.ly/a0AKpBf buff.ly/yjNJdeE

There have been 5 or 6 mourning cloaks in the low countries in the last few days. I've only seen one in Belgium in april 2019 (see pic) so let's hope more will come!

Brown Argus (Aricia agestis) today in Bengeo garden. @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social

A lovely Dewick’s Plusia. A first for me. Found in my Hertfordshire garden this evening. An immigrant moth & possible recent colonist #teammoth @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social

One of my favourite butterflies at the Shackledell Grassland Stevenage - Small Copper @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social #smallcopper

@bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social Really enjoyed the walk around Stafford road open space and Ickenham marsh yesterday 17th August and huge thanks to Nick and Pete for generously sharing their knowledge, showing us around and helping me get my eye in on the Brown Hairstreak, i had the best day 👍🏻

First-ever moth trap record for Purple & Gold Pyrausta purpuralis Stevenage garden @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social #teammoth @cambsmoths.bsky.social

Therfield Heath, Herts: Adonis Blues now out, joining the throngs of Chalkhill and Common Blues and Brown Argus on site. Direct Sun saw most make a hasty retreat, presumably a result of the heat, but activity resumed in brief cloudy periods @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Therfield Heath yesterday scores of Chalkhill Blues and Adonis Blues (mostly males) but skittish and reluctant to open wings wide for best photos. Also Clouded Yellow @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social #AdonisBlue #ChalkhillBlue @savebutterflies.bsky.social

On the off-chance that there's anyone who's not tired of Clouded Yellow photos, here's a male from a north Hertfordshire clover field yesterday. Surely one of our hardest butterflies to photograph, this one was relatively docile in a cloudy spell @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social

A very hot walk around #EnfieldChase this afternoon. Highlights were a calling/basking Little Owl, a few Willow Emeralds & numerous Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies & singles of Painted Lady & Small Copper #londonbirds #ukbirds #ukwildlife @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

I spoke too soon about Jersey Tiger numbers being lower this year. A record 460 +/- this morning in my VC 20 garden plus 2 wasps causing mayhem. Never wish for a Jersey Tiger! #teammoth @bc-hertsmiddx.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @wjrpb.bsky.social