My website has a new page! I have combined five years of data to create charts showing the average flight periods for each butterfly species in Northants. I have also added them to their own page so they can be seen side by side.
www.northantsbutterflies.com/average-flig...
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...
Thanks, Edward, I had a good look around Wakerley yesterday but no luck unfortunately. I'm still hopeful that some of your Walls will find their way over into our county too!
Sometimes you can be lucky enough to find a female Common Blue that is an absolute jewel! Such as this one, which was at Old Sulehay a few days ago.
Two new locations for Black Hairstreaks have been discovered so far this weekend in Northamptonshire. Please keep checking those blackthorns as there must be more out there. White-letter Hairstreaks are also now out so please check any elms for new populations of those too!
This chart of the results of systematic timed counts at @wildlifebcn.org Brampton Wood shows just what an extraordinary year it has been for Black Hairstreak
(Figure courtesy of Vince Lea)
@davebjames.bsky.social
@upperthames.bsky.social
It’s fantastic to see Black Hairstreaks being recorded at Stanwick Lakes again for the 2nd year! Don’t forget to keep and eye on those blackthorns as I’m sure there are more colonies to be discovered!!
Exciting news! Twywell Hills & Dales has been added to the Northamptonshire Black Hairstreak distribution list today after the transect walker photographed one drying out its wing after recently emerging. There are more details here in this blog post!
www.northantsbutterflies.com/blog/its-tim...
A Black Hairstreak in Salcey Forest this afternoon, what a stunning butterfly!
Small Heath egg laying
Common Blue male nectars on sp.larval food plant,Birdsfoot Trefoil
Small Copper, will lay eggs on Common Sorrel that grows here.
Appropriately it's #NoMowMay ,at Ransthorpe reservoir in #Northanmptonshire Sorrel,Birdsfoot Trefoil and Yorkshire Fog all growing on the dam bank and providing habitat for the butterflies that depend on them. #WildWebsWednesday @savebutterflies.bsky.social @davebjames.bsky.social
I popped into Cambridgeshire today to look for the Great Reed Warbler at RSPB Ouse Fen. What a great bird! The other wildlife at the reserve didn't disappoint either!
Small Blue (file photo)
Hearing rumours of sightings of Small Blue at the Newmarket end of Devil's Dyke (Cambs).
If you see one please let me know - here, or email, or iRecord. Thanks
@norfolkbutterflies.bsky.social @bc-suffolk.bsky.social @bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social @davebjames.bsky.social @jamescbr.bsky.social
A quick update about how the butterfly season has been going so far here in Northamptonshire!
www.northantsbutterflies.com/blog/a-warm-...
We seem to be having a good year for Dingy Skippers too. However, Grizzled Skippers are being reported in very low numbers at present.
Hi Terry and Judy, I visited late morning and I must admit I was surprised how easy to photograph they were considering the strong sun. They were seen all over but mainly around the outskirts, predominantly on Hawthorn bushes.
If you’re interested in reading about the species of butterfly we have here in Northamptonshire, including where to see them, please check out my website. There are sightings updates, annual reviews, and identification guides to help you! www.northantsbutterflies.com
A male Orange-tip roosting on Cuckoo Flower in Hazelbrough Wood last weekend #butterfly #orange-tip #northants
It’s was great to record 31 Green Hairstreaks at Collyweston Quarries at the weekend. The highest number recorded at a single site in Northants since 2012!
