Recent sightings

The purpose of this page is to give an indication of what butterflies and moths are currently on the wing within the North East England region. Sightings do not have to be rare or unusual as the purpose is simply to give other website users an indication of what is about and what they can expect to see. If you have sightings to report please send them with the details of what you saw, the date and the location to this link or alternatively by using the contact page of the web-site.

Important Note: this is intended only as an informal record of what is currently on the wing and we strongly encourage you to send your records to the relevant recorder for Northumberland or Durham (see Committee page for contact details and the downloads page for the recording form).

Listed below are the reports from 2010 and 2011.  To view sightings from 2009 please click here.

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2012

January 2012

11 January.  Dave Liddle reports that a couple of Durham CC rangers , Deborah Hannaby and Mark Rothery working on the Sherburn railway transect were more than surprised when a Peacock appeared.  Surely the first 2012 butterfly sighting in the region and just over a week later than the first Peacock recorded in the UK.

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2011

November 2011

19 November.  Keith Walton reports that at least two Red Admirals were present at Broompark.  When leaving Holy Island, Ian Edgar saw a Red Admiral by the roadside between Beale House and the level crossing.

17 November.  John Atkinson saw a single Red Admiral traveling along the "bumpy road" at Prestwick Carr

12 November.  John Atkinson reported a single Red Admiral that lifted from bridle path on way to sentry boxes at Prestwick Carr near Dinnington.  On the same day Graeme Bowman saw 2 Commas (fresh-looking) sunning themselves at Newbiggin (at 'the mound') and a single Red Admiral flew over

7 November.  Comma still present in Malcolm Hutcheson's Berwick garden.  Malcolm also reported a Red Admiral at Castle Hills, Berwick.

6 November.  Stef McElwee had a very fresh Comma butterfly in his garden in Brunswick, Newcastle.  Stephen Lowther observed a Red Admiral flying at Low Barns Nature reserve.  Mike Taylor saw 1 Small Tortoiseshell at Tyne Green Hexham and another close by.  Meanwhile Graeme Bowman reported a Comma at Newbiggin (Northumberland) - in the area known as the 'mound' and Malcolm Hutcheson also observed a Comma on late flowering Buddleja weyeriana in his garden near Berwick-upon Tweed.

4 November.  Malcolm Hutcheson saw a Red Admiral in Seahouses in asea front garden)and then a second one further up the road at Bamburgh Castle.

3 November.  Michael Eccles extended this year's butterfly flight season into November with a sighting of 1 Red Admiral and 1 Small Tortoiseshell at Clara Vale.

October 2011

28 October.  Steve Austin reported 2 Red Admirals at Rainton Meadows.

24 October.  Keith Walton reported 1 Small Copper, 10 Red Admiral, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Comma, 2 Peacockand 2 Speckled Wood at Broompark.

22 October.  Rob Gavan reported a pair of Red Admirals nectaring in his garden at Gunnerton, Hexham.

19 October.  Steve Austin reported a Red Admiral at Coaley Lane, Durham.  Rob Gavan reported A Comma and a Small Tortoiseshell nectaring on flowers in his garden at Gunnerton, near Hexham.

16 October.  Jonathan Wallace saw a Red Admiral flying in Fenham, Newcastle.  At Cragside, near Rothbury Graham Beckwith saw : 3 Small Tortoiseshell; 1 Red Admiral; 4 Silver Y moths.

15 October.  Dave Liddle walked Dursand to Collier Law track and recorded 5 Red Admirals, 1 Wall and 1 Small Tortoishell.  On the same day, during a lovely sunny walk around Weetslade Country Park, Alan Davis saw 1 Peacock, 1 Red Admiral and 1 Common Blue [male].  In her garden near Bardon Mill, Hexham, Carline Bluck saw a Comma feeding on Michaelmas Daisies.  Graham Beckwith was out and about in the Rothbury area and made the folowing observations: Rothbury, Riverside West: 1 Large White, 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Peacock and 1 Silver Y moth.  Whitton Glebe, Rothbury: 3 Red Admiral; 2 Small Tortoiseshell.  Meanwhile at at Broompark ( Picnic Area) on the Keith Walton recorded 10 Red Admirals,1 Small Tortoisehell, 1 Speckled Wood and 1 Small Copper - all appeared to be freshly emerged.

14 October. Malcolm Hutcheson reported a Small White in nhis garden at East Ord, Berwick, as well as 8 Small Tortoiseshell and 11 Red Admirals.

9 October.  Steve Austin saw 2 Red Admirals at Nose point Seaham.

6 October.  Darren Archer counted 10 Red Admirals and 3 Speckled Woods in Hawthorne Dene between the car park and the beach making the most of the sun in sheltered spots.  Dave Liddle reported 5 Red Admirals (which seem to be having a good Autumn) at Longburn Ford Quarry.

5 October.  Derek Charlton reported approximately 25 Speckled Wood and 4 Red Admirals at Whitburn CP.

3 October.  Dave Liddle reported 11 Red Admirals at Pow Hill County Park, Durham.

1 October.  Graham Beckwith counted 11 Red Admiral, 13 Small Tortoiseshell and 1 Comma - most nectaring on Hebe at Heighley Gate Garden Centre, Morpeth.

September 2011

30 September.  While walking the coastal path between Rumbling Kern, Howick and Craster, John Atkinson saw numerous Red Admirals and Small Tortoiseshells and 3 Speckled Wood.  Later on the same day, he also observed a female Common Blue at Banks Pond, Dinnington.  Graham Beckwith visited Wingate Quarry where he counted 11 Red Admiral, 2 Painted Lady, 14 Small Tortoiseshell, 17 Small Heath and 4 Silver-Y moths.

29 September.  G.S.Butterfield reported 25 Red Admirals on the plum trees at Dolly's Wood, Butsfield (reported by Dave Liddle).

28 September.  Steve Austin recorded 1 Small White, 2 Painted Lady , 1 Large White , 4 Silver-Y moths, 5 Red Admiral, 5 Small Tortoiseshell, 5 Common Blue and 5 Speckled Wood (one pair mating).  He then called at Wingate and found the following : 1 Peacock, 4 Small Heath, 1 Speckled Wood and 2 Small Tortoiseshell.

26 September.  Peter Fletcher reported 4 Speckled Wood and 3 Red Admiral from St Mary's Wetland, Whitley Bay.

25 September.  Graham Beckwith saw 2 Red Admiral; 2 Peacock; 1 Small Tortoiseshell at Whitton Glebe.

24 September.  Graham Beckwith reported 3 Red Admiral. 1 Small Tortoiseshell from Whitton Glebe, Rothbury.  Also 2 Frosted Orange Moths attracted to the lights of his caravan.

21 September.  John Atkinson reported a single Small Tortoiseshell from Prestwick Carr, close to the sentry box.  Graham Beckwith visited Wingate Quarry where he saw his first Painted Lady of the year but was disappointed to see nothing else.

14 September.  Michael Eccles recorded the following at Clara Vale: 2 Red Admiral, 3 Peacock, 1 Small Copper and 15 Speckled Wood.

13 September.  Graham Beckwith rported a single Red Admiral nectaring in a garden at Sniperley Park, Durham.

11 September.  Graham Beckwith reported 1 Red Admiral from Whitton Glebe near Rothbury.

4 September.  Michael Taylor was at the Spetchells where he saw 5 Wall pair mating, 7 Speckled Wood, 3 Small Copper, 1 Red Admiral, 3 Small White, 1 Large White, 4 Peacock, 1 Tortosieshell.  At Rothbury riverside Graham Beckwith recorded Small Copper (2 of the form caeruleopunctata), 2 Large White, 1 Small White, 2 Green-veined White and 1 Small Tortoiseshell.  He also visited Cragside and saw 3 Red Admiral, 7 Peacock an 1 Large White in the vicinity of the shop.

3 September.  Graham Beckwith saw a single Small Tortoiseshell at Rothbury.

August 2011

29 August.  A disappointing day at Dunstanburgh on the Northumberland coast for Graham Beckwith in weather "more akin to a November day" produced just a single Green-veined White and a single Small White.

21 August.  Steve Austin reported the following from Blackhall: Meadow Brown x 7, Small White x 16, Wall x 7, Small tortoiseshell x 2, Peacock x 10, Red Admiral x 2, Painted Lady x 1, Speckled Wood x 1, Common Blue x 1 (f), Small Skipper x 1, Small Copper x 1.  On a walk from Ovingham to the Spetchells Mike Taylor saw 4 Meadow Brown, 1 Comma, 1 Painted Lady, 3 Wall, 3 Green-veined White, 1 Large White and 1 Small White. 

Graham Beckwith saw 5 Peacock; 7 Red Admiral near the entrance to Cragside then at Debdon Plantation he saw 4 Red Admiral in a clearing within the plantation with the following in the clearing by the roadside - 3 Peacock, 2 Red Admiral, 5 Small Skipper and 2 unidentified Whites.

20 August.  At Rothbury Riverside (west from Beggar's Rigg) Graham Beckwith counted 5 Small Copper, 1 Small White, 3 Green-veined White, 2 Large White, 6 unidentified Whites, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Wall Brown, 3 Peacock and 1 Red Admiral.

18 August.  Andrew Kinghorn sent the following report from Bishop Middleham Quarry: "20 or so Peacock, 10 or so Red Admiral, 10 Common Blue, 2 Speckled Wood, 5-10 Green-veined White, 10 or so Wall Brown. No Painted Lady!"  At Hauxley Paul Tankard reported a superb day with over 200 butterflies counted on the Northumberland coast, consisting of 71 Red Admiral, 33 Peacock, 35 Meadow Brown, 13 Wall, 2 Painted Lady, 1 Small Copper, 2 Small Heath, 9 Large and 3 Small White all at Hauxley NR and 10 Red Admiral, 8 Peacock, 6 Wall, 6 Meadow Brown, 7 Large and 2 Small White at Druridge Pools. 

Graham Beckwith was at Rothbury, Hillside West where he saw 1 Elephant Hawk Moth larva, 1 Peacock, 2 Red Admiral, 2 Wall Brown, 1 Green-veined White, 2 Small White, 1 Large White, 1 Small Copper (at the old hill fort) and 4 unidentified Whites.

17 August.  Keith Walton had a productive day at Wingate Quarry LNR where he saw 175+ Small Heath, 2 Small Copper, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Comma, 1 Painted Lady ,50+ Peacock,25+ Red Admiral, 1 Common Blue, 15 Wall, 1 Large Skipper, 1 Small Skipper also Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small White, Large White,Green Viened White and Speckled Wood.

16 August.  Ian Kerr reports from Holdy Island "Numbers of Dark Green Fritillary declining fast with just 7 in dunes between Straight Lonnen-Emmanuel Head and 6 at the Snook. Five Wall Brown and single Grayling and Small Copper also at Snook. Seven Red Admirals in my cottage garden was peak figures so far this summer and 1 Comma there was unusal".  Graham Beckwith visited Wingate Quarry, Co Durham and counted 91 Small Heath, 5 Small Copper, 1 Small Skipper, 2 Small White, 1 Large White, 3 Peacock, 4 Meadow Brown, 12 Wall Brown and 1 male Common Blue.

15 August.  Stephen Lowther visited the RSPB reserve at Saltholme where he saw 1 Painted Lady, 4 Wall Brown, 1 Green Veined White and 1 Small White.  At Cragside (Near shop) Graham Beckwith saw 11 Peacock, 4 Green-veined White, 2 Small White, 2 Large White, 3 Red Admiral, 1 Meadow Brown, 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 9 unidentified Whites.

14 August.  John Richards counted 65+ Red Admirals, 40+ Peacocks and 1 Small Tortoiseshell in the Walled Garden at Wallington, Northumberland. Stephen Lowther saw 2 Wall Browns and 1 Green Veined White in Shincliffe, Co. Durham.  Graham Beckwith visited Rothbury Riverside (west from Beggar's Rigg)and saw 3 Small Copper, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Peacock and 1 Small Skipper.

13 August.  Stephen Lowther reported Red Admiral, Peacock, Wall Brown and Green Veined White at Thrislington Plantation, Co. Durham.  Graham Beckwith was at Rothbury Riverside (east towards Thrum Mill) where he saw 3 Small Copper, 3 Small White and 1 Green-veined White.

10 August.  Graham Beckwith reported 3 Purple Hairstreak from the South end of Kepier Wood, Belmont Durham: In small car park on Belmont slip road from A690.

5 August Tim Nelson reported 12 Purple Hairstreak, 11 Speckled Wood, 5 Wall Brown 1 Peacock, 1 Small Copper and several White sp. at at Preston Park, Stockton.  At Seaton Snook- Teeside, D Charlton observed 32 Common Blue, 3 Painted Lady, 2 Wall Brown, 3 Small Heath, 4 Meadow Brown.  Steve Austin reported the following: Blackhall Rocks: Meadow Brown x 20. Wall x 12. Small White x 14. Small Skipper x 3. Speckled Wood x 4. Dingy Skipper x 1. Peacock x 3. Small Copper x 2. Ringlet x 1 and Large White x 1.  Wingate: Red Admiral x 1. Peacock x 1. Small Heath x 32. Marbled White x 2. Wall x 1. Meadow Brown x 5. Common Blue x 1. Painted Lady x 1. Small Copper x 1. and Large White x 1.

Sylvia Brennan reports that she has had a Holly Blue in her garden, in Hartburn Stockton, again this year, on 5th August 2011 feeding on holly bush.  She also had a Speckled Wood the day before in the garden.  Ian Kerr made a 1km circuit of Horsley Wood which produced four Purple Hairstreaks around the top oaks along the ride carrying the power line plus 4 Speckled Wood, 7 Green-veined white, four Peacock and 1 Comma.

1 August.  Malcolm Hutheson was at Cheswick Dunes where he recorded Large White 1,Small White4, Common Blue3, Ringlet 2, Meadow Brown 32 and Grayling 1.  AtWhite-hills Plantation, Elemore Woods D Charlton saw 5 Peacock, 1 Small Copper, 8 Meadow Brown, 1 Large Skipper and 2 Small Skipper.

July 2011

30 July.  Stephen Lowther made a late afternoon visit to Bishop Middleham Quarry and saw Small White, Green-veined White, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Comma, Wall Brown, Common Blue, Large Skipper, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood.  Keith Walton reported 50+ small skipper, 2 Wall and 2 Common Blue from Chapman's Well and on the same day near the A68, 4 Dark-green Fritillaries, 1 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary , 10 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Wall, 1 Painted Lady and50+ Small Skipper,  He also observed a Large Emerald Moth at his home.  At Coaley Lane, Steve Austin saw Large White x 1, Small White x 7, Small Copper x 3, Meadow Brown x 2, Peacock x 2, Small Skipper x 4 {mating pair) and Wall Brown x 3.  At Kibblesworth D Charlton saw 4 Purple Hairstreak, 1 Wall Brown, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Grayling, 2 Peacock.

28 July.  Michael Eccles visited Tunstall Reservoir where he saw 1 Dark green Fritillary, Ringlets, Meadow Brown, Small skipper and Small Tortoiseshell.  He also saw Common Hawker and GoldenRing Dragonflies.  Mike Taylor visited Kibblesworth Brick Pools and counted 1 Purple Hairstreak, 19 Small Heath, 2 Small Skipper, 1 Small Copper, 10 Meadow Brown and 3 Green-veined Whites.  Keith Walton visited Wingate LNR and saw the following Butterflies- 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Common Blue,1 Red Admiral, 1 Painted Lady (Fresh) also one large fast flying orange butterfly (another Painted Lady?), 250 Small Heath, 15+ Marbled White,50+ each of Ringlet/Meadow Browns,2 Small Copper, 25+ each of Small White/Green Veined White, 10+ each of Small/Large Skippers, 1 Northern Brown Argus.

27 July.  Mike Taylor recorded 3 White-letter Hairstreak at Bywell Bridge.  Steve Austin saw 8 purple Hairstreaks, 1 Small Copper, 1 Green-veined White and a Large White just off the A690 between Durham & the A1.  In the north of the region at Goswick Dunes Malcolm Hutheson saw Green-veined White 1, Common Blue 16, Small Heath 4, Small Tortoiseshell 14, Ringlet 2, Meadow Brown 122, Grayling 5 & Wall 2.  D Charlton recorded 5 Dark-green Fritillary, 3 Small Heath, 6 Ringlet and 5 Meadow Brown at Shillmoor- Upper Coquetdale.  At Running Watrs Quarry, Durham, Graham Beckwith saw 1 Large White, 1 Green-veined White, 3 Small White, 12 Small Skipper, 15 Small Heath, 9 Meadow Brown, 2 Ringlet, 11 Small Tortoiseshell.  The following moths were also recorded: 4 Six-spot Burnet, 1 Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet, innumerable Latticed Heath and Shaded Broad-bar, Cinnabar Moth larvae literally covering 3 Ragwort plants and a few more on a fourth plant.

24 July.  Julie Taylor was delighted to come across 2 White-Letter Hairstreaks in Chopwell Wood, not far from the Marx Terrace entrance.  She also reported Large White (2), Small White (5), Large Skipper (1), Small Skipper (4), Meadow Brown (1), Small Copper (1), Comma (1), Small Tortoiseshell (1).  Andrew Kinghorn saw 2 White-letter Haitstreaks at Derwent County Park and at least 8 Purple Hairstreaks at Kibblesworth.  He also reported two Holy Blues seen by his friend Martin Finney in his garden in Roker, Sunderland.  Graham Beckwith reported 6 Green-veined White, 84 Small Skipper, 7 Large Skipper, 53 Ringlet, 1 Peacock, 7 unidentified Whites, 1 female Dark Green Fritillary crawling over violets - potentially looking for egg laying sites al at Debdon Plantation, Nr Rothbury:.

23 July.  Sylvia Brennan walked along Hardwick Dene, Stockton where there was no sign of White-letter Hairstreaks but numerous Holly Blues, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Comma, Ringlets, plenty of Small Skipper and Speckled Wood along with Small and Green-veined Whites and 1 Small Copper.  On the same day, at Dormans Pool she observed 2 Grayling, 1 Peacock, plenty of Common Blue and 1 Small Copper, 2 Small Heath plus Small Skipper and a few Meadow Browns.

D Charlton reported 30+ Small tortoiseshell, 5 Small Heath, 6 Small Skipper, 4 Ringlet, 20+ Large White, 1 Common Blue, 1 Small Copper and 12 Meadow Brown from High Moorsley SSSI near Sunderland.  Graham Beckwith counted the following at Rothbury Riverside (West from Beggar's Rigg): 6 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Red Admiral, 19 unidentified Whites, 1 Green-veined White, 1 Large White, 7 Small Copper (1 of the form caeruleopunctata), 1 Ringlet, 1 Peacock, 2 Small Skipper, 1 Dark Green Fritillary.

18 July.  John Richards reported 3 Large Heaths from Blackheugh end, Northumberland.

17 July.  John Richards reported 25+ Dark Green Fritillaries and two Graylings Holy Island.

16 July.  More White-letter Hairstreaks with four reported by Michael Coates at Bywell Bridge, Northumberland.  D Charlton counted 20 Grayling at Greatham Crek, Teesside.

15 July.  Tim Nelson reported a Holly Blue seen in his garden in Stockton.

14 July.  John Richards reported 6 White-letter Hairstreaks flying at Coastley in the Tyne valley.  In the south of the region at Hardwick Dene, Stockton, Tim Nelson recorded 12 White Letter Hairstreaks, Commas, Ringlets and Meadow Browns.  Michael Eccles reported 7 Purple Hairstreaks from Kibblesworth.  Graeme Bell reported a Hummingbird Hawk-moth from West Denton.  Graham Beckwith reported a single White-letter Hairstreak from Durham City close to the DLI Museum.  Ken Dawson also reported White-letter Hairstreak with 12 seen near Warden Bridge, Hexham.

13 July.  Michael Eccles reported the following from Kibblesworth Brickworks Purple Hairstreak x1, Grayling x5, Common Blue, Small Skipper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma and lots of seemingly freshly emerged Small Heath.  Graham Beckwith visited Bishop Middleham Quarry and recorded 3 Northern Brown Argus; 21 Small Heath (popular number for these); 3 Meadow Brown; 7 Ringlet; 1 Red Admiral; 2 Small Tortoiseshell; 4 6 Spot Burnet moths.

12 July.  Graham Beckwith reported 7 Purple Hairstreak and a Scalloped Oak moth at Aykley Wood Durham.

11 July.  Ian Kerr sent the following report from Holy Island: "A check of the 500m stretch of rough dune track seawards from the north end of the Straight Lonnen to the wagonway gate today produced the following; Dark Green Fritillary: (47), Ringlet (14), Meadow Brown (6) and singles of Common Blue, Small White and Small Tortoiseshell.  Numbers of Meadow Browns seemed much lower than usual for this stretch.  Graham Beckwith visited Wingate Quarry whwere he saw 4 Meadow Brown; 14 Ringlet; 21 Small Heath; 9 Marbled White; 11 Latticed Heath moths; 5 very small Cinnabar moth larvae;1 Narrow-bordered 5 Spot Burnet moth.

10 July.  Mike Taylor reported a Large Heath from Grindon.

8 July.  Graham Beckwith visited Aykley Wood in Durham on a day of heavy rain and saw 3 Small Skipper basking in the sunny downpour, 1 Meadow Brown flying through the downpour and 1 Purple Hairstreak which flew up from the soaking vegetation and up into an oak tree bordering Hopper Wood.  He then travelled to Northumberland where he made the following sigtings.  Debdon (Near Primrose Cottage), Northumberland: 11 Ringlet; 3 Small Heath; 2 Meadow Brown.  Debdon Plantation, Northumberland: 86 Ringlet; 4 Meadow Brown (including a mating pair which flew still coupled together); 23 Small Skipper; 3 Dark Green Fritillary; 1 Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary; 1 Latticed Heath moth.  All seen in the clearing beside the Rothbury to Alnwick road.  Cragside Estate (opposite Debdon Plantation): 22 Ringlet; 1 Small Heath.  *A total of 119 Ringlet in a short space of time.

4 July.  Brian Denham rpeoted two Brimstone butterflies seen at Saltholme RSPB reserve.

3 July.  Stephen Lowther reported the following sightings: Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park: Green Veined White x2, Ringlet x52, Meadow Brown x19, Small Skipper x16, Speckled Wood x1, Small Tortoiseshell x1, Red Admiral x1, Small Heath x1 and Holly Blue x2.  RSPB Saltholme: Meadow Brown x38, Small Skipper x5, Small Tortoiseshell x2, Large White x1 and Ringlet x2.  Greatham Creek: Small White x4, Meadow Brown x12, Small Skipper x3, Small Tortoiseshell x2, Small Heath x1 and Grayling x7.  Graham Beckwith reported the following from a site near Rothbury: 31 Large Heath, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Small Heath and 5 Ringlet.  He also vsisted Alnmouth where he saw 1 Peacock, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Ringlet, 1 Meadow Brown and 1 Common Blue (female).

2 July.  Ian Kerr reported a sharp increase in the number of Dark Green Fritillary on the wing on Holy Island with 40 counted in the dunes at the north end of Straight Lonnen.  He also noted "literally hundreds" of Burnet Moths.  Stephen Lowther visited Wingate Quarry where he saw 23 Ringlet, 7 Marbled White, 6 Small Heath, 2 Small Skipper, 2 Large Skipper and 3 Common Blue.  He then visited Farnless Farm at Bishop Middleham where he counted 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Ringlet, 4 Meadow Brown and 1 Large White. He concluded his morning with a visit to Bishop Middleham Quarry where he recorded 11 Common Blue, 28 Ringlet, 12 Meadow Brown, 3 Large White, 8 Speckled Wood, 5 Northern Brown Argus, 9 Small Heath, 2 Large Skipper and 21 Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnet moths.  Paul Stamp went for a walk amongst the dunes at Warkworth and in a couple of hours recorded 5-10 dark green fritillary,5 small skipper,10+ common blue, 4 ringlet, 10+ meadow brown an20+ small heath.  Keith Walton also visited Wingate Quarry where he counted 40 Marbled White, 100+ Small Heath ,10 Small Tortoiseshell.  Keith also reported a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in his back yard at Broompark.  Graham Beckwith visited Rothbury Riverside (east towards Thrum Mill)and recorded 2 Green-veined White, 1 Meadow Brown, 1 Small Skipper and 13 Ringlet.  Heather McIntyre reported 'hundreds' of Six-spot Burnet Moths from Cobalt Country Park at Silverlink North Tyneside.

June 2011

30 June.  Michael Eccles reported a Painted Lady from Stargate Ponds.  Graham Beckwith reported the following from the Rothbury area: Rothbury Riverside (west from Beggar's Rigg): 21 Ringlet, 1 unidentified White, 1 Red Admiral, 3 Meadow Brown, 1 Common Blue (male) and 3 Small Copper; Cragside (Near shop): 2 Meadow Brown and 16 Ringlet. Heather McIntyre visited Cobalt Country Park in North Tyneside and saw about 50 6-spot Burnet around the pathway leading up the hill to the sundial.  Hundreds of cocoons were attached to the wire fencing which runs around a wild flower meadow.  Many of them had the moths emerging.

29 June.  Brian Denham saw a Hummingbird Hawk-moth at Salthome RSPB reserve.  At a site near Rothbury, Nothumberland Graham Beckwith and Steve Austin recorded 13 Large Heath and 1 Small Heath.  Malcolm Hutheson reported the followng from Needles Eye (NT95X) Small White 2, Large White, Common Blue 3, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown 2, Ringlet 22, Silver Y moth 5.  Then at Marshall Meadows (NT95Y) he saw Green-veined White, Common Blue 3, Small Tortoiseshell 2, Meadow Brown 2, Ringlet 42, Silver Y 6, and a Humming bird Hawk Moth.  He also saw a Hummingbird Hawk-moth, which was present until July 1st, in his garden at East Ord.

28 June.  Michael Eccles reported 2 Grayling, seen at Kibblesworth Brick Pools.  During a couple of hours walking in the Waskerly area Keith Walton saw 2 Red Admiral 2 Small Heath, 10 Large Skipper,3 Green-veined White, 1 Dark Green Fritillary, 10+ Small Pearl Bordered Fritilary and 50+ Ringlets.  He also reports seeing good numbers of Small Tortoiseshell during the current spell of fine weather.  At Milburngate in Durham City on 28 June Stephen Lowrther saw 1 Peacock and 1 Small Tortoisehell.  Graham Beckwith reported the following from Debdon Pit Cottage, Rothbury: 12 Ringlet, 9 Small Heath, 1 Red Admiral.  He saw 21 Large Heath at another site near Rothbury and then on Cragside Estate he recorded 26 Ringlet and 1 Chimney Sweeper moth.  Finally on Debdon Plantation he counted 61 Ringlet, 1 Meadow Brown, 1 Red Admiral, 3 faded Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, 1 Small Skipper and 1 Dark Green Fritillary.  In the north of the region Malcolm Hutheson recorded the following at Berrington near Berwick (NU04B): Large Skipper 2, Common Blue (new tetrad), Red Admiral, and Ringlet 4.  Philip Jordan reported Ringlet from Gosforth Park Nature Reserve.

27 June.  Kevin Redgrave saw 4 Hummingbird hawks at Newton Point along a sheltered, south facing coastal bank, feeding on Kidney Vetch flowers.  He also reported an emergence of Dark Green Fritillaries, first on the 15th June, now 4 on transect and many more about.  During the week he reported that there were also Meadow Browns and Ringlet here and large numbers of Common Blues.  Peter Fletcher visited Banks Pond near Dinnington and saw 30+ Meadow Brown, 3 Ringlet, 2 Small Skipper, 1 Common Blue.  He also saw 3 male 4-Spotted Chaser dragonflies.  He subsequently visited Prestwick Carr where he saw 15 Ringlet, 4 Meadow Brown, 4 Small Skipper, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Small White.  Graham Beckwith reported the following from Rothbury Riverside (West from Beggar's Rigg car park): 1 unidentified White, 1 Meadow Brown, 5 Ringlet, 7 Chimney Sweeper moths, 1 Humming-bird Hawkmoth.

26 June.  Philip Harris reported a sighting of a Gatekeeper in a meadow at Harperley Wood (NZ1853).  Frank Berney reported 15 Dark Green Fritillary in the Waskerley area (reported via Dave Liddle).  At Newburn Riverside Business Park Peter Fletcher observed 5 Common blue (3 female 2male), 2 Ringlet, 3 Meadow Brown, 3 Small Skipper and 2 Shaded Broad Bar moths.  Stephen Lowther walked along the disused railway line at Bowburn where he recorded 16 Ringlet, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Meadow Brown, 1 Small Heath, 2 Common Blue, 1 Speckled Wood and 2 Small Skipper.

25 June.  Stephen Lowther visted the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust centre at Washington where he saw a single female Large White, singles of both Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood, 5 Meadow Brown, 14 Ringlet and a single Narrow-bordered Five-Spot Burnet moth.  Gary Whitton reported (via Dave Liddle) a Marbled White from Wingate Quarry.

24 June.  Steve Austin visited Bishop Middleham Quarry where as well as encountering several other BC members he saw 2 Speckled Wood,9 Common Blue, 3 Meadow Brown, 7 Small Heath, 5 Ringlet,4 Northern Brown Argus and 3 Large Skipper.  Eddie Crabtree reported 4 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries and 2 Common Blue near Sweethope Lough, Norhtumberland.

23 June.  Stephen Lowther scanned a small section of Crimdon Dene and counted 8 Six-spot Burnet Moths.

22 June.  Bob Mawson reported that Marbled White is on the wing at Wingate Quarry with two seen.

21 June.  Stephen Lowther reported a Peacock seen in Sidegate, Durham.

20 June.  David Atkinson reported remarkable numbers of butterflies from the meadows behind the Chester Moor Pub near Chester le Street: 150+ Meadow Brown, 300+ Ringlets, 300+ large skipper, 200+ Small skipper, 6 Small Tortoiseshell and 3 small white plus quite a few day flying moths.  Graham Beckwith reported 3 Meadow Brown, 8 Ringlet, 3 Small Tortoiseshell and 1 Large Skipper from Aykely Woods, Durham.

19 June.  Peter Fletcher reported 10 Meadow Brown and 2 Small Skipper at Banks Pond, Dinnington.

17 June.  Graham Beckwith recorded 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Common Blue, 1 Ringlet, 3 Small Heath, 3 Latticed Heath moth and 1 Cinnabar moth at Running Water Quarry, Durham.

15 June.  Graham Beckwith saw a freshly emerged and rather early White-letter Hairstreak on a path at Milburngate, Durham City.

14 June.  Steve Austin visited Rainton Meadows where he recorded: Meadow Browns 10, Common Blue 10, Small Heath 14, Ringlet 9, Large Skipper 5 as well as 4 Chimney Sweeper moths.  Michael Eccles visited Stargate Ponds and recorded : 1 newly emerged Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Meadow Brown and 30+ Common Blue.  At Sniperley Park, Durham, Graham Beckwith saw 1 Green-veined White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 2 Wall Brown.

12 June.  Jonathan Wallace counted 14 Small Heath and 2 Common Blue on waste land near the Metro Centre a well as a number of day flying moths including Mother Shipton, Clouded Border, Yellow Shell, Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnet, Thistle Ermine and Garden Grass Veneer.

9 June.  Stephen Lowther visited Bishop Middleham Quarry where he saw 7 Speckled Wood, 11 Common Blue (8 male and 3 female), 2 Northern Brown Argus, 10 Large Skipper, 1 Dingy Skipper and 1 Small Heath.  He then visited Low Barns where he recorded 3 Speckled Wood and completed a successful day with a visit to a site on the A66 where he counted 9 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, 2 Green=veined White and 2 Small Heath.

3 June.  Stephen Lowther reported 3 Large Skipper, 5 Small Heath, 11 Common Blue(5 Male and 6 Female) and a single Northern Brown Argus from Thrislington Plantation.

2 June.  Graham Beckwith counted 53 Large Skipper at Aykely Wood, Durham where he also saw many moths including Silver-ground Carpet and Blood-vein.  Stephen Lowther reported Common Blue, Large Skipper and Small Heath from Raisby Hill, Co. Duham.

May 2011

31 May.  Paul Tankard and Alan Davis reported 2 Large Skipper, 2 Small Heath 2 Small White plus a Common Blue fro Weetslade Country Park.  Grham Beckwith reported 2 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary from Debdon Plantation, Northumberland.

30 May.  John Atkinson saw 3 Small Heath in blustery conditions along Hawsen Burn, Northumberland.

29 May.  Stephen Lowther reported 1 Green Veined White, 7 Common Blue, 3Small Heath and 1 Large White at Thrislington Plantation.  On the same day he saw 1 Orange Tip, 2 Peacock, 3 Green Veined White and 1 Speckled Wood at Low Barns.  Bob Mawson reported Brown Argus from Raisby Way.  Graham Beckwith made the following sightings in the Rothbury area: Rothbury Riverside, east towards Thrum Mill: 4 Small White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell.  Debdon Plantation, Rothbury: 12 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (3 Female; 9 Male) - each female experiencing the advances of a male plus 2 Green-veined Whiteand 1 Small Heath.

27 May.  Alan Davis and Paul Tankard recorded their first Common Blue of te year on their transect at Weetslade Country Park.

26 May.  Bob Mawson reported 5 Northern Brown Argus from Bishop Middleham Quarry.

20 May.  Despite the very windy conditions Mike Coates saw 9 Dingy Skippers and 3 Small Heath at Havannah Nature Reserve, Hazelrig.

19 May.  Rev David Atkinson and Bob Mawson both reported sightings of Large Skipper at Dunston on the banks of the Tyne and at Raisby Way respectively.  Paul Tankard saw 1 Red Admiral,1 Speckled Wood,1 male Orange Tip, 4 Wall, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Small Copper and several Small, Large and G/V Whites at Hauxley Nature Reserve whilst wardening.  Dave Liddle reported 2 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary from site on the A68, Durham.  He also reported an sighting of this species by another observer on the 15th.

17 May.  Graham Beckwith added Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary to the season's tally with a sighting of a male at Debdon Plantation, Northumberland.  He also reported 9 Green-veined White (5 Female, 4 Male), 3 Small White, 2 Orange Tip (both Female), 1 Silver Y moth and 12 Brown Silver Line moths.  Graham also visited Swin Hope, near Edlingham, Northumberland where he saw 10 Green-veined White (6 Female; 4 Male), 1 Large White, and 1 Small Copper.

Tom Tams saw 1 Small Copper, 2 Wall plus several Orange Tips and Green-veined Whites at Arcot Pond, Cramlington.

14 May.  At whitton Glebe near Rothbury, Graham Beckwith saw 1 Orange Tip (Male), 1 Green-veined White (Male).

12 May.  David Lacey recorded the following species at Low Newton Nature Reserve in County Durham: Brimstone, Dingy Skipper, Speckled Wood, Orange Tip, Large White, Small White, Green Veined White.  Graham Beckwith visited Debdon Plantation and adjacent moorland near Rothbury and saw 5 Green-veined White, 1 Orange Tip (Female), 1 Peacock and 13 Common Heath moths.

10 May.  Graham Beckwith reported 1 Red Admiral, 4 Dingy Skipper and 2 Wall Brown all seen at Running Waters Quarry, Durham.

9 May.  Graham Beckwith visited a site near the A68, Co. Durham and saw 2 Orange Tip (both Male), 2 Large White, 1 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Green-veined White.

8 May.  Graham Beckwith reported 26 Dingy Skipper; 8 Small Copper, 11 Common Blue (all Male), 10 Wall Brown at Wingate Quarry plus a bonus of 2 Four-spotted Chaser dragonflies.

7 May.  Graham Beckwith and Steve Austin reported the following from Coaley Lane, Newbottle: 8 Speckled Wood, 10 Green-veined White (1 a Female), 3 Large White, 3 Dingy Skipper, 3 male Orange Tip.  They then went to Rainton Meadows and saw: 1 Wall Brown, 1 Peacock, 6 male Orange Tip, 2 Dingy Skipper, 1 Green-veined White and 2 Mother Shipton moths.

6 May.  Steve Austin reported 1 Red Admiral, 6 Orange Tip, 2 Green Veined White, 8 Wall Brown, 4 Small White, 3 Speckled Wood and 1 Small Tortoiseshell from Coaley Lane, Newbottle.  Keith Smith reported 2 Dingy Skipper, 7 Green Veined White, 4 Large White, 5 Orange Tip, 2 Small White and 9 Wall Brown from Moorside, North Tyneside.  In Durham Graham Beckwith visited the DLI Museaum grounds where he saw 2 Large White, 2 Peacock and 1 Comma and then Aykley Wood,where he saw 1 Wall Brown and 1 Clouded Silver moth.

4 May.  Keith Smith visited various locations: Percy Pit: 12 Dingy Skipper, 1 Small Heath, 1 Speckled Wood, 8 Wall Brown, 4 Large White, 1 Small White, 6 Green Veined White, 9 Orange Tip; Nearby Shelley Rd:1 Dingy Skipper, 1 Large White, 4 Green Veined White, 3 Orange Tip, 2 Speckled Wood, 1 Wall Brown; Newburn Riverside Park: 5 Large White, 3 Small White, 7 Green Veined White, 13 Orange Tip, 1 Red Admiral, 4 Small Tortoiseshell, 5 Speckled Wood, 9 Wall Brown.  Steve Austin saw the following at Blackhall: Small White 1, Dingy Skipper 7, Small Copper 1, Speckled Wood 3.  Then at Wingate he saw: Common Blue 2, Wall Brown 1, Dingy Skipper 2, Small Copper 1.

3 May.  Graham Beckwith reported the following from Cragside: along roadside near the shop/restaurant - 2 Green-veined White (1 Male; 1 Female), 6 Small Copper (1 of the form caeruleopunctata),1 Orange Tip (Male) near the Formal Gardens; only 1 Green-veined White in the Formal Gardens.

2 May.  Bob Mawson reported Common Blue from Raisby Way.  Tom Tams saw a Red Admiral in his garden in Tynemouth.  Graham Beckwith reported 9 Orange Tip (8 Male; 1 Female)and 1 each of Peacock, Re Admiral and Comma at Rothbury Riverside (east side of north shore towards Thrum Mill).  At Boldon Colliery Vicky Foster recorded 9 Dingy Skippers.

1 May.  David Atkinson got the month off to a fine start with excellent views of a male Brimstone nectaring in dandelions at the Whickam Thorns Activity Centre, Dunston, Gateshead.  Graham Beckwith reported 7 Small Tortoiseshell seen Between Low Hesleyhurst and Wingates, Northumberland amongst disused quarries and lime kilns.

April 2011

30 April.  Bob Mawson added Small Heath to the year's list with a sighting at Lime Kilns, County Durham.  Steve Austin walked along Coaley Lane, Newbottle and saw Large White 2, Small White 2, Speckled Wood 7, Orange Tip 7, Green Veined White 1, Peacock 1 and 2 Dingy Skippers (the first he has seen at this location).

Keith Walton had an excellent day at Wingate Quarry where he recorded 50 Dingy Skipper 10 Wall, 10 Small Copper , Peacock, Orange Tip, Green Veined White, Large White, Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Small Heath, 1 Common Blue.  He also visited Hedleyhope Fell near Tow Law where he saw at least 5 Green Hairstreaks.  Jonathan Wallace recorded 13 Dingy Skipper at Paradise, Newcastle upon Tyne as well as 4 Wall, 4 Small Copper, 7 Orange Tip and 2 Small White.  Graham Beckwith was out and about in the Rothbury area and saw the following: Rothbury Riverside (west side of north shore): 11 Orange Tip (10 Male; 1 Female), 1 Large White, 2 Green-veined White, 3 Small Copper, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Red Admiral; Debdon Plantation: 2 Green-veined White (1 Male; 1 Female), 3 Brown Silver Line moths; Cragside Estate (East side of B6341): 3 Green-veined White, 1 Water Carpet moth.

29 April.  Bob Mawson recorded 2 Brown Argus at Lime Kilns, County Durham.  Mike Taylor reported 4 Dingy Skippers from Wingate Quarry but these were the only butterflies showing.

27 April.  David Atkinson walked along the Tyne riverside in Dunston Gateshead and recorded 5 Wall, 2 Small Copper, 1 Dingy Skipper, 4 Orange-Tips and 3 Small Whites.  Steve Austin and Graham Beckwith visited Running Water Quarry, Durham where they saw 6 Dingy Skippers and 1 Wall.  They then went on to Wingate Quarry and recorded a further 2 Dingy Skippers 1 Wall and 2 Small Coppers.  Michael Eccles recorded 15+ Green Hairstreak Muggleswick Common.

26 April.  Ian Kerr was delighted to record a single Orange Tip on Holy Island where the species is very uncommon in his experience.

Graham Beckwith visited Running Water Quarry in County Durham where he saw Wall Brown (1 Male) 1 Dingy Skipper and 2 Red Admiral.  He then travelled north to Rothbury where he recorded the following: Whitton Glebe, Rothbury: 2 Orange Tip (1 Male; 1 Female); Hillside West, Rothbury: 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 unidentified Whites, 1 Red Admiral; Rothbury Town: 2 unidentified Whites; 1 Orange Tip (Male).

On Waldridge Fell near Chester le Street, Keith Walton saw at least 5 Green Hairstreaks.

24 April.  Mike Coates saw 7 Speckled Woods and 3 Holly Blues in Northumberland Park, North Shields.  Mike Jessop recorded an Orange Tip roosting in a Blueberry bush in his garden in Fenham, Newcastle, overnight and still present the following morning. 

Stewart Sexton reported a small colony of Green Hairstreaks on Alnwick Moor, Northumberland where there were at least three on teritory; he also counted at least 40 Common Heath Moths.

At several locations in the Rothbury area Graham Beckwith made the following observations: Rothbury Riverside: 19 unidentified Whites, 18 Orange Tip (12 Males and 6 Females), 3 Green-veined White, 2 Large White, 3 Small Tortoiseshell; Carterside Cottages, Nr Rothbury: 1 Small Tortoiseshell; Rothbury Golf Course : 1 unidentified White; 11 Small Tortoiseshell (in large patch of nettles); 1 Peacock; 1 Flame Carpet moth.

23 April.  Steve Austin saw the following at Waldridge Fell: Peacock 4, Small White 2, Small Tortoiseshell 1 and Green Hairstreak 1.  Bob Mawson added to the season's species tally with a Brown Argus at Raisby Way.  Stewart Sexton observed 3 Orange Tips in his garden in Howick Village on the Northumberland coast.

22 April.  Graham Beckwith visited several locations in the Rothbury area with the follwong results: Whitton Glebe, Rothbury: 2 Orange Tip (both Male), 1 unidentified White; Debdon Plantation: 5 unidentified Whites; 2 Green-veined White; 5 Orange Tip (all Female), 4 Brown Silver Line moth; Moorland bordering Debdon Plantation: 1 Orange Tip (Female); 1 Green-veined White; 1 Peacock; Primrose Wood, Nr Rothbury: 1 Brown Silver Line moth, 2 Peacock, 1 unidentified White.

21 April.  Ian Kerr saw at least 25 Orange Tips concentrated in a small open area at Beda Hills, Gateshead, along with a single Speckled Wood, six Small Tortoiseshells and a couple of Peacocks.

20 April.  With the temperature at 23 degrees Tom Tams recorded an excellent total of 9 species in his garden in Tynemouth this morning, namely: Holly Blue 2, Small Tortoiseshell 1, Speckled Wood 1, Orange-tip 1, Green-veined White 5, Small White 1, Large White 2,Comma 1 and Peacock 2.  Steve Austin visited Hedleyhope where he recorded 3 Peacock, 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Large White 1 and after about an hour of searching 1 Green Hairstreak.  At Running Waters Quarry, Nr Durham Graham Beckwith recorded 5 Small Tortoiseshell.

19 April.  A Brimstone butterfly was found at Wallsend Swallow Pond this morning by Joe Dobinson (reported on NE Moths Forum).  Graham Beckwith visited the DLI Museum Grounds, Durham and saw 1 Peacock and 3 Small Tortoiseshell.

18 April.  Michael Eccles reported 6 Green Hairstreaks from Muggleswick Common.  Marge and Norman Tuck reported 6 male Orange-tip and 3 Speckled Wood seen during a walk along Waggonways/Holywell Dene.  Graham Beckwith reported 3 Orange Tip (one male and two female) from his garden in Sniperley Park, Durham.

17 April.  Vicky Foster recorded a Holly Blue in Marsden Quarry.  Graham Beckwith reported the following sightings from the Rothbury area.  Whitton Glebe, Rothbury: 1 female Orange Tip; 2 Small Tortoiseshell; 1 Small White; 1 male Green-veined White.  Hillside West, Rothbury: 2 male Orange Tip; 1 Large White; 3 Green-veined White (1 female, 2 male).  Hillside West above Rothbury: 1 female Green-veined White; 2 early species of moth - 3 Brown Silver Line; 4 Common Heath (3 female, 1 male).  Hillside West, Brae Head: minimum of 23 Green Hairstreak in 2 colonies approx 500-600m apart - at least 10 in one colony and at least 13 in the other with several aerial combats between 2 or 3 individuals - one such combat lasting at least 8 minutes before they disappeared over a hill. None seen in the more exposed area between the 2 colonies; further 7 Common Heath moths, further 2 Brown Silver Line moths; 2 Peacock.

16 April.  Graham Beckwith reported 3 Small Tortoiseshell and 1 Peacock from Whitton Glebe, Rothbury.  He also had a couple of moths visit the light outside his caravan, a Garden Carpet and a Twin-spotted Quaker.

14 April.  Steve Austin reported the following from Coaley lane Newbottle: Small White 2 Speckled Woods 6 (these have spread from last year) Small Tortoiseshell 1, Peacock 5, Orange Tip (m) 1.

11 April.  Paul Tankard reported 1 male Orange Tip at Waterside Plantation, 2km north of Beanley, Northumberland.

10 April.  Steve Austin reported 1 Small White from Seaham Point and 2 Small Whites and a Peacock fom Easington.  Later in the day he visited Rainton where he recorded 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Peacock, 5 Small White, 1 Comma and his first two male Orange Tips.  At Whitton Glebe, Rothbury Graham Beckwith observed 4 Peacock, 5 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Large White and 1 Small White then at Lamp Hill, nr Alnwick he saw 1 Peacock and 4 Green Hairstreak.  Mike Taylor returned to Allerwash where he saw 1 Small White, 6 Peacocks,7 Tortoiseshell 6 Male Orange Tips and 1 Comma.

9 April.  Keith Smith visited Dipton Woods in Northumberland where he saw the first 3 Green Hairstreaks of the year as well as 6 Peacocks.  Grahm Beckwith was in Rothbury and saw the following along the riverside: 9 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Large White, 5 Small White, 1 Green-veined White (Female), 3 Orange Tip (all Male)and 3 Peacock.  In the twn centre he saw 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 4 Small Whites.  Jonathan Wallace saw 5 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock, 1 male Orange Tip, 1 Green-veined White and several unidentified flying whites at Elswick Cemetery, Newcastle.  He also saw a Small Tortoiseshell flying through the car park at the Morrisons supermarket in Cowgate, Newcastle, where there was also a Twenty-plume Moth, a Common Quaker and a Twin-spotted Quaker on the supermarket window.  On a walk from Heddon on the wall Grid ref NZ132664 down to the river Tyne Grid ref NZ136655 - Mike Taylor recorded 4 male Orange Tips 4 Tortoiseshell 1 Peacock 1 Large White. He subsequently visited Allerwash Grid ref NY880673 - NY884675, where he saw 5 Male Orange Tips, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Green- Veined White.

8 April .  David Atkinson had a cycle around lower Dunston, Gateshead in an area known as Timber Beach to Costco and noted the following: 2 Male Orange-tips, 3 Peacock, 10 Small Tortoiseshell, 7 Small White and a mating pair of Green-veined Whites.  Steve Austin reported the following: 3 Small Whites and 2 Peacocks in his garden in Newbottle and then during a short walk down Coaley Lane another 5 Small Whites, 2 Commas 9 Peacocks and 4 Small Tortoiseshells.  From High Shincliffe and Shincliffe Village in Durham, Stephen Lowther reported 3 Small White, 4 Orange Tip, 2 Comma and 9 Small Tortoiseshell.  On the same day he visited Bishop Middleham Nature Reserve where he saw 1 Green Veined White, 2 Small Tortoiseshell and 9 Peacock, Hardwick Hall where he saw 2 Small Tortoiseshell and 2 Peacock and finally at his home in Bowburn he recorded 2 Small Tortoiseshells.  Graham Beckwith reported a Small White rom the Arneson Centre, Durham.

6 April.  Steve Austin reported the following observations seen during an excursion around several sites: Coaley Lane, Newbottle 4 Peacock, 6 Small Tortoiseshell and 3 Comma; Rainton Meadows: 1 Peacock.  Wingate Quarry: 2 Peacock and 4 Small Tortoiseshell; Crow Trees nature reserve at Old Cassop:6 Peacock, 2 Small Tortoiseshell and 1 Comma.  John Atkinson reported at least 7 Peacocks at Cobalt Countryside Park, West Allotment, N. Tyneside.  Michael Eccles added Small Copper to the season's tally with a single specimen at Salter's Gate as well as seeing a Small Tortoiseshell on Waskerley Way.  Meanwhile in Northumberland Park, North Shields, Michael Coates added Holly Blue to the season's list - his first record of this species since 2008 and hopefully a sign that it will have a better year than the last two very poor ones.  Michael also recorded 2 Peacocks, 2 Small Whites, 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 3 Commas.  Stephen Lowther reported a Small White at Hardwick Park in County Durham.  Robert O'Neill recorded Small Tortoiseshell, Comma and Peacock at Marden Quarry, Whitley Bay.

5 April.  Rev. David Atkinson saw 2 Small White, 1 Peacock and 4 Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies on a bright but blustery morning along the Tyne riverside at Dunston, Gatesehead.  Keith Smith also walked along the banks of the Tyne, in his case from Prudhoe Bridge to Newburn Bridge and saw the following. Spetchells: 1 Small White and 1 Speckled Wood; Wylam Haugh: 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Comma, 1 male Orange Tip; Close House: 2 Comma, 2Small Tortoiseshell and 1 Peacock.

3 April.  Graham Beckwith saw a single Peacock flying through a roadside clearing and settling periodically at Debdon Plantation, Rothbury, Northumberland.  Andrew Barron observed a newly emerged Large White in his yard in South Shields.  After several hours, however, the butterfly had not succeeded in unfurling its wings.

2 April.  Ken Dawson recorded two Commas at Whittle Dene.

1 April.  Whilst walking in Whittle Dene Woods near to Ovingham, Ken Dawson did not record any butterflies but he did come across the rather surprising piece of apparatus shown in this picture.  Ken is hoping it is sufficiently portable for him to use it later in the summer to get up into the tree-tops when searching for Purple Hairstreaks!

March 2011

29 March.  John Atkinson reported a Small Tortoiseshell basking at Netherwitton, Northumberland.

27 March.  Steve Austin saw seven Small Tortoiseshell and his first Comma of the season during a walk along Coaley Lane, Newbottle.  Michael Eccles added another species to the year's tally with a Small White at Shotley Bridge.

25 March.  Dave Wainwright added Early Tooth-striped, Herald and Orange Underwing to the list of moths caught at Low Barns in 2011.

24 March.  Joyce Walker reported 2 Peacocks and 1 red Admiral sighted feeding in gardens at Blackfell, Washington.

23 March.  Steve Austin saw four Small Tortoiseshell in his garden in Newbottle.  Micchael Eccles recorded 1 Peacock and 1 Small Tortoiseshell on Waskerley Way and then in his garden in Shotley Bridge, a Red Admiral.  Meanwhile Roy Webb photographed a Peacock with rather worn and tatty wings in his garden in Long Newton, John Atkinson also reported a Peacock from Rothley Hall in Northumberland and Ken Dawson saw yet another in his garden in Wylam.

22 March.  Mike Coates recorded 3 Commas and 1 Peacock in Northumberland Park, North Shields.  Dave Wainwright reported Red Chestnut and Small Quaker moths from his moth trap at Low Barns.

21 March.  Michael Eccles added Comma to the list of species reported for the year with a sighting of three at Allensford.  Dave Winawright recorded a couple of Peacocks at Low Barns Nature Reserve.  He also ran his moth trap and had over 50 moths, mainly Hebrew characters, quite a few clouded drabs and shoulder stripes, one dotted border and one early grey.  At Northumberland Park, North Shields, Mike Coates saw a Comma.

19 March.  Marge and Norm Tuck saw their first butterfly of the year, a Peacock, in their garden in Monkseaton.  Steve Austin reported a Small Tortoiseshell from his garden in Newbottle.

18 March.  Robert Callf saw a Small Tortoiseshell flying around a patch of crocuses near the Town Hall in Darlington.

14 March.  Steve Austin saw his first butterfly of the year - a Small Tortoiseshell flying through the car park at Asda in Boldon.

9 March.  Alan Davis observed a Small Tortoiseshell sunning itself in his garden in South Gosforth.

March 1.  Ann Hutcheson saw a Peacock in the top of a Sycamore tree next to the Union Bridge in Berwick upon Tweed.

6 March.  Ken Dawson observed a Small Tortoiseshell flying across Amble Harbour.

February 2011

February 24.  An increase in temperature and a bit of sunshine resulted in several butterfly sightings.  Rev. David Atkinson saw a Small Tortoiseshell in the Vicarage garden in Dunston, Gateshead and Michael Eccles also saw a Small Tortoisesell sunning itself at Lamesely in the late afternoon.  Neville Stead observed a Peacock at Brierdene, Whitley Bay, whilst Tom Tams reported a Comma visiting his garden in Tynemouth.  Dave Stebbings visited the Whitelee Moor Nature Reserve near Catcleugh Reservoir where he saw 5 Fox Moth caterpillars basking on grass tussocks in th sunshine.

February 3.  Julie Mason kicked off the new year's sighting's with a Small Tortoiseshell seen at Belasis Hall Technology Park near Stockton.

January 2011

January 16.  Graham Beckwith found a Peacock in his garden at Sniperley Park, Durham; it was crawling around the lawn but was very sluggish.  Obviously brought out of hibernation by the much warmer temps. It is now in Graham's greenhouse settled amongst the pots etc where it will hopefully continue hibernation as the temps are set to fal again soon.

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December 2010

December 25.  Despite the White Christmas Nichola Green discovered a Peacock disturbed from hibernation in her garden in Washington.

November 2010

November 10.  Steve Austin saw a Comma whilst walking in Hawthorne Dene, Co. Durham.  Steve reports that in spite of the generally low temperatures in the region it was quite warm in the Dene and the Comma was basking on brambles in a sun trap but flew off when he approached for a closer look.

November 6.  Philip Jordan saw a Red Admiral in Jesmond, Newcastle in unseasonably sunny weather.

October 2010

October 21  Tim Nelson recorded 3 Speckled Wood in the woodland at Wynyard WP.

October 16  Graham Beckwith found 3 Fox Moth caterpillars on Ling at Simonside, near Rothbury.

October 11  Graham Beckwith saw and photographed a pristine looking Meadow Brown basking on waste ground near the Benfield Group Garages in Gateshead.

October 10  Graham Beckwith recorded a Red Admiral flyingt through the caravan par at Whitton Glebe, Rothbury.

October 8.  Graham Beckwith found a final instar Gothic moth caterpillar at Rothbury Riverside.

October 7.  Steve Austin recorded 12 Red Admirals in the gardens of Egglestone Hall, Co. Durham.  Later on he saw another from the car as he drove through Middleton in Teesdale.  Graham Beckwith recorded a Small Tortoiseshell and a Red Admiral in Durham City, bot flying past the window of his place of work; he also recorded a Small Tortoiseshell at Sniperley Park, Durham on the same day.

October 4.  A lovely sunny morning produced a Speckled Wood in Alan Davis' garden in South Gosforth. Later at Weetslade Country Park he saw another Speckled Wood - his first for this site - also a Red admiral, 2 Common Blue plus a Silver Y moth.

September 2010

September 26.  Despite three days of strong N winds the following were noted by Ian Kerr in the dunes on Holy Island: Peacock 3, Small Tortoiseshell 2, Small Copper 1. Four Red Admirals were in a village garden.

September 22.  Peter Minnikin recorded 6 Red Admirals, 2 Small Tortoiseshells, 2 Speckled Woods feeding on Sedum spectabile in his garden in Wardley, Gateshead.  From Rainton Meadows, Steve Austin reported 10 Speckled Wood, 1 Common Blue, 1 Small Tortoishell and 1 Peacock.

September 18.  At Beal Point, Lindisfarne, Ian Kerr found five Wall Browns landing on dried sea-weed along the tide line, perhaps taking traces of salt.

September 17.  Michael Eccles saw 2 Speckled Wood and 1 Red Admiral at Trow Quarry, South Shields.

September 14.  Michael Eccles visited Clara Vale Nature Reserve where he saw 13 Speckled Wood, 1 Comma and 1 Red Admiral.

September 12.  At Heighley Gate Garden Centre Graham Beckwith finally saw his first Painted Lady of the year along with 2 Painted Lady; 3 Peacock and 2 Red Admiral.

September 11.  Graham Beckwith reported the following from Rothbury riverside: 11 Small Tortoiseshell, 8 Red Admiral, 4 Small Copper, 5 Peacock, at least 16 Small White, 7 Large Whiteand 4 Green-veined White.

September 9.  Graham Beckwith found another Purple Hairstreak site at Belmont, Durham where he saw 5 flying together.  At Sniperley Park, Durham he also saw 2 Wall Brown, 3 Small Copper, 9 Red Admiral, 5 Small Tortoiseshell, 14 Small White, 8 Large White and 2 Green-veined White.

September 7.  Graham Beckwith saw 4 Purple Hairstreak at Hopper Wood, Durham.

September 5.  Graham Beckwith saw 26 Wall Brown, 19 Small Heath, 14 Small Copper, 9 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Comma, 1 Speckled Wood, 3 Red Admiral, 7 Small White, 1 Green-veined White and 3 Silver Y moths at Running Waters Quarry, Co. Durham./p>

September 4.  Graham Beckwith recorded a minimum of 8 Purple Hairstreak at Hopper Wood, Durham.  He also saw 1 Wall Brown at the same site and 2 Green-veined White at Dryburn Park, Durham, and a further Wall Brown at Sniperley Park, Durham.

September 2.  Maria Drummond recorded a Holly Blue in her garden in Kenton, Newcastle. Graham Beckwith visited Aykley Wods, Durham where he saw 1 Red Amiral, 1 Speckled Wood (both basking on oak leaves) and 1 Small Copper.

August 2010

August 31.  Michael Coates spent an hour and a half watching Purple Hairstreaks at Hopper Wood, Durham with up to five visible simultaneously.  At Rothbury riverside Graham Beckwith saw 4 Small Tortoiseshell, 11 Peacock; 2 Red Admiral, 3 Wall Brown; 1 Small Copper of the form caeruleopunctata, displaying 4 bright blue dots on each upper hindwing plus innumerable Whites (Small, Large and Green-veined). On the same day at Cragside, near Rothbury(in the formal gardens and by the cottages he saw innumerable Whites 3 Comma; at least 41 Peacock; 19 Red Admiral; 17 Small Tortoiseshell; 1 Wall Brown.

August 28.  Michael Eccles saw 4 Red Admiral, 5 Peacock, 1 Large White and 3 Green-veined White at Queens Road, Shotley Bridge.  Ian Kerr reported just one lonely Dark Green Fritillary showing in his usual survey patch between the Straight Lonnen and wagonway on Holy Island after a week which included a lot of heavy rain.  But he also saw 2 Painted Lady and 2 Peacocks near the Lough and about 12 Wall Brown in Straight Lonnen, village and on Heugh.

August 27.  David Lockey saw 4 Red Admiral, 6 Peacock, and only one Painted Lady at Eppleton Hall, DH5 9NQ near Hetton le Hole T & W.  He also saw the same species at the same location on 25 and 26 August.

August 26.  Mike Coates saw two Purple Hairstreak in a lime tree in Northumberland Park, North Shields.  The butterflies flew down to the ground in front of him before returning to the tree-tops and being lost from sight.  Steve Austin also saw a Purple Hairstreak at Aykley Heads as well as 1 Small Copper, 1 Peacock and 2 Wall Brown.  On the same day he also visited Blackhall Rocks where he recorded Wall Brown 16, Small Tortoishell 6, Small Copper 11, Painted Lady 2,Peacock 6,Speckled Wood 1,Common Blue 2,Small Heath 2 and 2 Silver Y moths.

August 22.  Despite windy conditions Mike Coates counted 102 Wall Brown during his walk around the field adjacent to Whitley Bay Cemetery - Briardene Farm, a location where he often sees 20 - 30 of this species.  Steve Austin visited Blackhall Rocks and reported the following: 28 Peacock, 27 Wall Brown, 6 Small Copper,16 Red Admiral,2 Painted Lady, 2 Small Heath, Large Skipper, 3 Small Tortoishell, 1 Speckled Wood, large numbers of Whites and 25 Silver Y Moth.  Meanwhile at Druridge Bay Pools, Peter Fletcher observed the following: 2 Red Admiral, 18 Wall Brown, 4 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Meadow Brown, 2 Small Skipper, 2 Small Copper plus numerous Small white and a handful of Large and Green veined white.  He also reported 4 Common Darter dragonflies.

Michelle Mills reported several Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillars in the poly tunnel on her allotment in Billy Row, Crook, where they were feeding on grape vine.  This is an unusual food plant for this species which more typically is found on willowherbs.

August 21.  Malcolm Hutcheson reported the following from his garden in East Ord, Berwick: Large White 5, Small White 3, Green-veined White 2, Small Copper, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell 2, Red Admiral 2, Peacock 14, Painted Lady, Meadow Brown & Wall Brown.  Malcolm also reports that the Speckled Wood has continued its northward spread and has been recorded in Eyemouth north of the border this summer.

August 19.  Graham Beckwith reported 7 Purple Hairstreak on the same tree as the previous day, although three also flew into adjacent oaks.

August 18.  Graham Beckwith saw 5 Purple Hairstreak.  All observed on one (relatively small) oak tree on the edge of Hopper Wood where the wood meets the railway line. 1 basking mid-way up with the rest flying and twirling around the tree top.  He also saw 1 Red Admiral, 1 Small Skipper and 2 Green-veined Whites. Malcolm Hutcheson reported thefollowing from Cheswick dunes, north Northumberland: Large White2, Small White 3, Small Copper, Peacock 3, Meadow Brown 6, Wall Brown 7.

August 16.  At Debdon Plantation, Northumberland, Graham Beckwith observed 1 Chevron Moth, 1 Peacock, 14 Green-veined White, 6 Small White, 2 Pyrausta purpuralis micro moths.

August 15.  Steve Austin reported the following from Coaley Lane in Newbottle: Wall 7, Small White 2, Green Veined White 8.  Then on the same day at at Rainton Meadows he saw: Meadow Brown 6, Small Heath 8, Large Skipper 2, Silver Y moth 2, Peacock 11, Green Veined White 3 and Wall 1.  Graham Beckwith saw 1 Comma, at least 38 Peacock, at least 25 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Red Admiral, 6 Large White, Small White and Green-veined White (both innumerable)at Wallington Hall Northumberland, mainly in the walled garden.

August 14.  Andy Caesar reported a possible sighting of a Camberwell Beauty in the dunes behind Cocklawburn Beach near Scremerston on the north Northumberland Coast.  Unfortunately the butterfly flew off before Andy had a chance to fully confirm the sighting but he was fairly confident that it was a Camberwell Beauty and so any observers out and about in this area should look out for it.  Please note that the recording policy for the Branch is that sightings of rarities such as this must be supported by a detailed description and if possible a photograph in order for the record to be accepted.

August 12.  Ken Dawson saw a Holly Blue in his garden in Wylam and Dave Stebbings also saw one in the grounds of St Nicholas Hospital in Gosforth.  On Rothbury riverside Graham Beckwith saw innumerable Large White, Small White and Green-veined White as well as 2 Small Tortoiseshell and a Peacock.

August 11.  Graham Beckwith saw 1 Ringlet, 1 Meadow Brown, 4 green-Veined White and 1 Antler Moth at Debdon Plantation, near Rothbury.

August 10.  Ian Kerr reported the following from Holy Island: "600m stretch from top of Straight Lonnen to wagonway: Dark Green Fritllary 20, Meadow Brown 18, Small White 5, Ringlet 3 and singles of Common Blue, Wall Brown and Grayling.  Also 10 Small Tortoiseshell sunning themselves on stone wall at Holy Island Lough".

August 8.  Peter Fletcher counted the following from the bridle track across the Prestwick Carr ranges: Small white 100+ and Green viened White 35+, Small Copper 28, Peacock 6, Small Tortoiseshell 3, Meadow Brown 2, Comma 2 and a Small Skipper.  On Holy Island Ian Kerr recorded 1 Grayling and 3 Wall Brown on Heugh.  Graham Beckwith visited Debdon Plantation near Rothbury where he saw 2 Antler Moth; 9 Green-veined White; 1 Small Skiper; 3 Meadow Brown;1 Vapourer Moth Caterpillar.

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August 5.  Richard Vogel watched and photographed a fine specimen of a Peacock on the platform of the Metro Centre Railway station.  Ken Dawson found 2 Purple Hairstreaks in Horsley Wood in an Oak tree 100 yds to the right from the bridleway junction waymarker post (under the power-lines; OS Ref. NZ 099 649.  He also saw a Speckled Wood.  Meanwhile on the same day, a walk in Preston Park, Stockton for Tim Nelson gave 3 Purple Hairstreak, 5 Holly Blue along with 5 Commas, 2 Walls 9 Speckled Woods, a Peacock and lots of mixed whites.  Jonathan Wallace had a fleeting sighting of a single Purple Hairstreak at 9 Arches Viaduct in Derwent Walk Country Park, Gateshead.  Graham Beckwith found a freshly deceased White-letter Hairstreak on the ground near a large Elm tree near the entrance to Wharton Park Durham but was unable to find any live ones. He also saw th follwong at Sniperley Park: 14 Green-veined White, 3 Small White, 1 Meadow Brown.

August 3.  Tim Nelson reports that he has had up to two Holly Blues present in his garden in Stockton over the past 10 days (see photo in gallery).

August 2.  Graham Beckwith recorded 9 Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars on 1 Ragwort plant; 1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing at Sniperley Park, Durham (Park and Ride Grounds).

August 1.  Ian Kerr counted the following between the car park and the rear of the Golden Lion pub garden between 10-11am : Meadow Brown 54, Comma 4, Peacock 2, Small Copper 1, Small Skipper 1 and White-lette Hairsteak 1.  Peter Fletcher counted Small white 100+, Green veined white 30+, Meadow Brown 50+ (all very tatty and faded), Small Copper 50+, Small Tortoiseshell 15+ and Small Skipper 3 during about an hour walking alon the bridleway across the ranges at Prestwick Carr.  He also recorded a Comma at Ponteland Golf Course.

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July 2010

July 31.  Steve Austin reported the following from Coaley Lane Walbottle: Green veined white 11, Meadow Brown 3, Comma 2, Peacock 1, Small Copper 1.  Graham Beckwith visited Debdon Plantation, Rothbury and recorded 7 Pyrausta purpuralis, 11 Green-veined White, 4 Small White, 3 Meadow Brown and 5 Ringlet.

July 30.  Jonathan Wallace counted 51 Green-veined Whites, mostly nectaring on thistles, at Big Waters along with 8 Meadow Brown, 2 Comma, 4 Large White, 7 Small White, 1 Small Skipper and 2 Small Copper on a rather breezy day.

July 28.  Steve Austin visited Wingate Quarry where he saw the following: Large White 1,Green Veined White, 16, Small Heath 23, Marbled White 11 (some tatty), Ringlet 11, Small Copper 2, Small Tortoishell 2, Meadow Brown 5 (tatty) Common Blue 1.

July 27.  Graham Beckwith visited Tanfield Marsh LNR where he recorded 17 Meadow Brown; 3 Ringlet; 7 Small Tortoiseshell; 8 Small Skipper; 1 Comma; 2 Narrow Bordered Five-spot Burnet. All seen within a 15 minute walk around the larger meadow.  Malcolm Hutcheson recorded the followong at Paxton House near Berwick: Large White 5,Small White 16,Green-veined White 30,Small Copper 1,Comma,Speckled Wood 2,Ringlet 1 & Meadow Brown 4.

July 26.  Ian Kerr reports from Holy Island: "Good day on island. A check from the gate at north end of the Straight Lonnen for 600m east to old wagonway yielded following: Dark Green Fritillary 74 (nearly all on red clover), Meadow Brown 23, Ringlet 16, Green veined white 11, Common Blue 2, Small Tortoiseshell 2. No sign of Graylings there but one on Heugh."  Also in the north of the region, Malcolm Hutcheson reported Large White 15,Small White 62,Green-veined White 27, Small Copper 2,Large Skipper 2, Smal Skipper 10, Small Tortoiseshell 10, Ringlet 20 & Meadow Brown 64 from Marshall Meadows near Berwick.

July 25.  Graham Beckwith saw 2 White-letter Hairstreak in Durham City; he also saw the following at Sniperley Park: 14 Green-veined White; 1 Large White; 5 Small White; 2 Small Tortoiseshell.

July 24.  Phil Harris reported 17 Small skipper, 1 Ringlet, 1 Comma and 1 Small Copper at Harperley Woods.  Graham Beckwith visited Simonside Forest, Northumberland where he saw 49 Ringlet; 8 Meadow Brown; 7 Small Argent and Sable moths.

July 21.  Phil Harris counted 245 Six-spot Burnet Moths a White le Head.  Alan Davis and Paul Tankard found three very obliging WHite-letter Hairstreaks nectaring on thistles behind the Golden Lion Pub in Winlaton Mill.  They also recorded 2 Comma, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Small Copper, 12 Small Skipper, 1 Green-veined White, 8 Small White and 25 Meadow Brown.  In Aykley Woods, Durham, Graham Beckwith counted 2 Purple Hairstreak (on a mature oak tree on edge of Hopper Wood); 19 Meadow Brown; 37 Ringlet; 13 Small Skipper; 2 Large Skipper; 7 Small Tortoiseshell; 3 Common Wainscot moths

July 20.  Sylvia Brennan found at least six White-letter Hairstreaks nectaring on bramble at Hardwick Dene near Stockton, in varying states of freshness.  Tim Nelson independently counted five at the same location.  Tim also recorded two Holly Blue in his garden on Mahonia.  At White le Head, Phil Harris counted 152 Six-spot Burnet Moths.

July 18.  Julie Mason was doing a BTO bird survey at Wynyard but also managed to record: White-letter Hairstreak 1, Meadow Brown 10, Small Skipper 6, Small Tortoiseshell 1, Large White 2, Small White 5.  Graham Beckith recorded 12 Marbled White, 3 Speckled Wood, 2 Green-veined White, 1 Large Skipper, 14 Meadow Brown, Innumerable Ringlet (lost count at 30+), 26 Small Heath; 3 Small Skipper; 2 Latticed Heath moths and 3 July Belle moths at Wingate Quarry, Co. Durham.  He also recorded a female Large Yellow Underwing a 1 Red Admiral in his garden at Sniperley Park, Durham.

July 17.  Julie Mason visited Teesmouth Field Cetre where she counted: Meadow Brown c35, Common Blue 1, Grayling 1, Large White 3, Small Skipper 8,6-spotted Burnet Moth 1 and Cinnabar Moth larvae c20.

July 16.  Graham Beckwith visited Debdon Plantation, near Rothbury where he counted 27 Ringlet, 13 Small Skipper, 9 Meadow Brown, 6 Small Heath, 2 Speckled Wood, 3 Twin Spot Carpet moths and 4 male Gold Swift moths.

July 14.  The Ward family had a Hummingbird Hawk Moth in their garden in Bedlington; the moth was still present on the following day.

July 13.  Ken Dawson saw 20 White-letter Hairstreaks on the Warden Bridge/Burnfoot/bridleway site near Hexham.  Phil Harris reported 31 Small Heath, 92 Common Blue, 8 Small Skipper, 1 Wall and 2 Ringlet from white le Head, Co. Durham.  Mrs Julie Taylor walked a short way into Chopwell Wood from Marx Terrace and recorded 7 Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell, Large Skipper, 3 Small Skipper, Ringlet, and a White Letter Hairstreak.  Also on the 13th Tom Tams, Tim Sexton and Steve Rock visited the old railway line at Cambois, Northumberland where they recorded: Grayling 17, Small Tortoiseshell 3, Meadow Brown 30, Large White 6, Small White 1, Ringlet 2 and Small Copper 1.

July 10 Ian Graham had a Hummingbird Hawk Moth in his garden near Newcastle upon Tyne.

July 9.  Michael Eccles recorded the following at Kibblesworth: Kibblesworth:- Common Blue x3, Meadow Brown 20+, Ringlet 20+, Small Heath 20+, Small Skipper x8 and Grayling x 5.  He also visited the Derwent Walk where he recorded 2 White-letter Hairstreak, 7 Ringlet, 20+ Meadow Brown, 4 Small Skipper, 6 Small Tortoisesell and 2 Comma.

July 6.  Julie Mason recorded a Painted Lady in her Stockton garden.  Graham Beckwith visited Harbottle Crags, Northumberland and saw 3 Large Heath; all seen in the area in front of Harbottle Lake, 2 Ringlet; 3 Beautiful Yellow Underwing moths and 1 Northern Spinach moth.  He also recorded Riglet at Harbottle Wood and a Dark Green Fritillary at Whitton Glee, Rothbury.

July 4.  Jonathan Wallace visited Havannah Nature Reserve where in the stong wind he counted 29+ Common Blue, 9+ Meadow Brown, 5 Small Heath and a single Small Skipper.  The butterflies were mostly clustered in the vegetation in sheltered spots.  On the same day, in a Meadow between County Hall and the DLI Museum in Durham Graham Beckwith counted at least 23 Ringlet, at least 18 Meadow Brown and 7 Small Skipper.

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June 2010

June 30.  Steve Austin visited Rainton Meadows where he "Counted over 30 Ringlets and the same Meadow Browns then lost count as there were as many as you could count and even an estimate would be hard hundreds! 8 common blue. 9 small heath, 3 Large Skippers, 5 Small Skippers, 2 Speckled Wood, 8 Burnet moths. 2 Silver Y moths".  A visit to Weetslade Country Park in North Tyneside by Alan Davis and Paul Tankard produced 144 meadow brown,37 common blue, 20 small heath, 13 small skipper, 7 large skipper, 2 small tortoiseshell and 1 green-veined white.  They also visited Havannah LNR where they counted 95 meadow brown, 52 common blue, 5 green-veined white, 4 small heath, 2 red admiral, 2 small skipper, 1 large skipper and 1 small tortoiseshell.  Meanwhile Graham Beckwith counted at least 32 Large Skipper, 1 Male Common Blue, at least 18 Ringlet, 17 Meadow Brown, at least 26 Small Skipper, 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Red Admiral, 3 Shaded Broad Bar moths and 2 Silver Y moths at Aykley Woods, Durham.  From the north of the region Malcolm Hutcheson reported the following at Beal Station: Large White 2,Small White 2,Green-veined White 3,Small Tortoiseshel 5,Red Admiral 2,Large Skipper 1,Speckled Wood 5,Ringlet 8 & Meadow Brown 4.

June 28.  Dave O'Brien made it north of the Tees to visit Bishop Middleham Quarry where he saw 11 Northern Brown Argus, as well as Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, 2 Dingy Skipper (1 worn looking but the other quite fresh), Large White, Common Blue, and, very unexpected, a single Dark Green Fritillary.  Michael Eccles reported 50+ Ringlet, 5 Common Blue, 3 Small Skipper, 15 Small Heath 8 Meadow Brown and 2 Small Tortoiseshell from Coatham Woodlands.  Ian Cook, holidaying in Northumberland observed a Dark Green Fritillary at Plankey Mill, Allen Banks.

June 27  Graham Beckwith counted 1 Red Admiral; 2 Female Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary; 3 Large Skipper, 1 Dark Green Fritillary, 2 Ringlet, 1 Meadow Brown, 1 Small Copperand 1 Chimney Sweeper moth at a site near Rothbury.

June 25.  Dave Wainwright reported the first White-leter Hairstreak of the year from Low Barns.  He also reported a sighting of Hummingbird Hawk Moth from Marsden Bay.  Graham Beckwith saw 4 Small Heath; 1 female Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, 4 Large Skipper and 1 Wood Tiger moth near Rothbury.

June 24.  Dave Wainwright reported Meadow Brown, Ringlet and his first sighting in Durham of Blood Vein Moth.

June 23.  Sylvia Brennan reported lots of Ringlet and Burnet Moths from Coatham Stobbs.  In the Salter's Gate area Dave Wainwright saw: 50+ Small Pearl-bordered Fritilary, Orange Tip, Green-veined White, Dingy Skipper, Large Skipper, Small Heath, Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnetplus first sighting of 2010 for Dark Green Fritillary.  Graham Beckwith recorded 1 female Large Skipper; 4 male Gold Swift moths and 1 male Common Blue at a site near Rothbury.

June 22.  Dave Wainwright recorded the following at Low Barns: Ringlet, Meadow brown, Orange-tip, Large Skipper, Common Blue, Peacock and Small Heath.  On the same day Michael Eccles visited the Kibblesworth Brickworks site where he recorded 6Meadow Brown, 20+ Common Blue, 50+ Small Heath, 2 Large Skipper and 2 Ringlet.  Steve Austin visited a site near the A68 where he counted 1 Small Pearl-borderd Fritillary and 7 Large Skipper.  Graham Beckwith recorded 2 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (1 male and 1 female) and 1 Red Admiral at a site near Rothbury.

June 21. Dave Wainwright visited Pittington Hill where he recorded 7 Northern Brown Argus, 2 Speckled Wood and Meadow Brown.  The NBA were particularly pleasing as he believes they may be the 1st record there since 1997.  Graham Beckwith visited Ross Links, Northumberland where he counted 12 Small Heath; 8 Small Copper; 1 male Common Blue; 1 male Wall Brown; 1 Cinnabar moth; 9 Yellow Shell moths.

June 20.  Graham Beckwith visited Cragside where, despite the warm weather, he was disappointed to record only single Large and Small Whites plus a White Ermine Moth.

June 19.  Graham Beckwith reported 2 Wall Brown from Rothbury.

June 18.  Phil Harris reported 24 Small Heath from White Le Head, Stanley.  Bob Mawson reports that the White-letter Hairstreak reported on 11 June has finally pupated.  Micael Eccles visited a couple of sites; at Bishop Middleham Quarry he counted 18 Dingy Skipper, 5 Wall Brown, 11 Northern Brown Argus, 6 Small White, 2 Large White, 18 Common Blue, 1 Speckled Wood and 5 Large Skipper.  At a site near the A68 he counted 11 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary and 4 Large Skipper.  Graham Beckwith also reported 2 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary from a site near the A68 as well as 2 Large Skipper and a Gold Swift Moth.

June 17.  Alan Davis reported the following from the Havannah local Nature Reserve near Newcastle: 7 Small Heath, 3 Green-veined White, 1 Wall Brown, 1 Large White and 1 Small Copper. At Sniperley Park, Durham, Graham Beckwith reported 5 Peacock; 4 Small Tortoiseshell; 5 Large White; 2 Small White and 1 Green-veined White.  Dave Wainwright reported Speckled Wood, Cinnabar moth and Green-veined White from 100 Acre Plantation in Co Durham.

June 16.  Steve Austin visited Rainton Meadows where he recorded 19 Small Heath, 4 Large Skippers,1 Wall Brown, 1 Peacock, 2 Common Blues, 1 Painted Lady, 1 Orange Tip and over 30 Chimney Sweeper Moths.  Meanwhile Sylvia Brennan visited Coatham Stobb, Stockton where she observed 4 Meadow Brown, a single Cinnabar moth, numerous Small Heath and Large Skipper and single Large White.  Jonathan Wallace saw 2 Dingy Skippers still on the wing at Paradise, Newcastle as well as 8 Large Skipper, 5 Small White, 2 Orange Tip, 1 Red Admiral, 4 Common Blue, 1 Small Copper, 2 Wall Brown.  He also saw a couple of fresh Six-spot Burnet Moths and a Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet Moth in the process of unfurling its wings.  DAve Wainwright saw the following at Low Barns: Orange Tip, Speckled Wood, Dingy Skipper, Common Blue, whilst at Longburn Ford he recorded Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Large Skipper, Small Heath, Orange Tip, and Gren-veined White.

June 15.  Keith Smith reported 8 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary from Wark Forest along with 16 Small Heath, 2 Orange Tip, 8 Green Veined White.  From another site in the same area he reported 2 Small Pearl-bordered Fritilliary, 7 Small Heath, 4 Green Veined White, 2 Small White and 3 Orange Tip.  Dave Wainwright reported Northern Brown Argus, Dingy Skipper, Large Skipper, Small Heath, Orange Tip, Green-veined White, Large White, Painted Lady and SPeckled Wood from Thrislington and st, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Green-veined White, Northern Brown Argus, Dingy Skipper, Large Skipper, Common Blue, Wall and Small Heath from Sherburn Hll

June 14.  Graham Beckwith reported 2 male Large Skippers from Aykley Wood, Durham.

June 12.  Tom Tams had Speckled Wood in his garden at Tynemouth as well as Small Whites, Large White and Orange-tip.

June 11.  Bob Mawson found a White-letter Hairstreak caterpillar on Raisby Way which he thought was about to pupate.

June 10.  Bob Mawson counted 1 Female Orange Tip, 14 Common Blue, 1 Small Heath, all roosting, on Raisby Way.

June 7.  Philip Harris saw a single Painted Lady at White le Head, Stanley.  Malcolm Hutcheson also recorded one in the Dunes at Cheswick.  Graham Beckwith saw 4 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Red Admiral, 3 Orange Tip and a Large White at Rothbury.

June 5.  Bob Mawson added Meadow Brown to the season's tally with a singleton at Lime Kiln.  Graham Beckwith saw 4 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Red Admiral, 3 Orange Tip and a Large White at Rothbury.  Malcolm Hutcheson counted 9 Large White, 11 Small White, 9 Green-veined White, 2 Orange Tip, 2 Small Copper, 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 12 Wall at Scremerston and 2Large White, 6 Small White, 7 Green-veined White, 1 Peacock and 5 Wall at Spittal Cliffs near Berwick.

June 3.  Bob Mawson added two more species to the season's tally with a Northern Brown Argus at Bishop Middleham Quarry and Large Skipper (one at Bishop Middleham and 3 on Raisby Way.  On the same day John Money reported a male Brown Argus at Dormans Pool, Teessside in the same area where they were seen last year.  In the Berwick Area Malcolm Hutcheson counted 1 Large White, 3 Small White, 4 Green-veined White, 1 Orange Tip, and 25 Small Heath at Cheswick Sheil in overcast conditions and 5 Small White 5, 1 Green-veined white, 2 Small Copper, 23 Small Heath and 3 Wall Brown at Goswick.

June 2.  Whilst carrying out bird surveys at West Chevington Mike Cooke observed Wall Brown, Speckled Wood, Small Copper, Orange Tip and Green-veined White.  Jonathan Wallace visited Paradise SNCI where he counted 20 Dingy Skipper, 11 Wall Brown, 3 Small Copper, 2 Small White, 2 Green-veined White and 9 Orange Tip.

June 1.  Graham Beckwith reported a Clouded Silver moth seen at Running Waters quarry.

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May 2010

May 31.  Bob Mawson counted over 200 Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars at all stages from tiny to large in the Trimdon area.  He also reported finding Dingy Skipper eggs on Raisby Way.  Garham Beckwith visited Runnig Waters Quarry where he counted 27 Wall Brown (minimum), 23 Dingy Skipper (minimum), 1 female Green-veined White, 2 Small Heath, 5 Grass Rivulet moths, and several Elachista argentella (a micro moth).

May 29.  Dave Liddle reported 14 Dingy Skipper from the Waskerley area.

May 28.  Julie Mason saw a Wall Brown flying in the sunshine at North Gare.  Jonathan Wallace recorded 6 Small Heath and 2 Wall Brown on waste ground near 'Costco', Gateshead.

May 27.  Steve Austin visited Running Waters Quarry where he saw 3 Dingy Skippers, 5 Wall Brown, Small Heath and a Peacock.

May 24.  Harry Eales profited from the fine weather with another excellent count of over 50 Dingy Skippers and even more Green Hairstreaks, the latter nectaring on gorse, at a Northumbrian Water site near Smiddy Shaw Reservoir (not open to the public).  He also recorded Emperor Moth, Common Heath, Latticed Heath, Common Pug and Poplar Hawkmoth as well as Wall Brown, Orange Tip, Green-veined White, Small White and Small Copper.  Brian Pollinger reported 11 Dingy Skipper from Barlow Burn.

May 23.  Brian Pollinger recorded 10 Dingy Skipper and 1 Wall Brown at Shibdon Pond and 1 Dingy Skipper, 1 Orange Tip and 5 Wall Brown at Stella Haugh.  Michael Coates reported 7 Green Hairstreaks, 16 Orange Tips, 21 Small Whites and 1 Peacock from Sidwood near Kielder.  Roger Norman recorded 36 Dingy Skipper at a site at Brenkley, Northumberland.  Jonathan Wallace visited waste land near to the Costco store between the Metro Centre and the Tyne and recorded 5 Dingy Skippers, several Small Heath and Wall Brown plus Treble Bar Moths and Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnet Moth caterpillars. 

Over the weekend Dave Wainwright also visited a number of Dingy Skipper sites: Land adjacent to Newton Aycliffe LNR: 13 Dingy Skipper; Simpasture Junction: 12 plus Common Blue, Wall Brown, Small Copper, and Treble Bar; Shildon Sidings: 26 Dingy Skipper, plus Common Blue, Wall, Small Heath, Treble Bar, and Mother Shipton; Royal Mail, N. Aycliffe Ind Est: 6 Dingy Skipper; Large site, N. Aycliffe Ind Est: 14 Dingy Skipper; 100 Acre Plantation: 6 Dingy Skipper.

May 22.  Brian Pollinger recorded 16 Dingy Skipper and 7 Wall Brown at Pathhead Quarry, Gateshead.  On the same day he also recorded 22 Dingy Skippers and 6 Wall Brown at Stargate Ponds and Bewes Hills, 3 Dingy Skipper and a Mother Shipton moth at Blaydon Burn and a single Dingy Skipper by the A695 near Mill House Farm East of Stargate.  Ken Dawson reported 3 Green Hairstreak at Muckle Moss.  He also visited the old Frankham Quarry site where he found 3 Dingy Skipper on the restored landfill.  Graham Beckwith reported 6 Green Hairstreak from the western edge of the hillside to the north of Rothbury

May 21.  Brian Pollinger made an astonishing count of Dingy Skipper at Andrews House Station/Tanfield Railway with at least 128 on the wing, including 50 in a timed count of 15 minutes.  Steve Austin visited Running Waters Quarry and saw 17 Dingy Skippers, 4 Wall Browns, 1 Small White, 1 Orange Tip and his first Common Blue of the year.  Meanwhile Michael Eccles also found it was a good day for Dingy Skipper with 23 at Bishop Middleham Quarry where he also saw 5 Speckled Wood, 4 Wall Brown, 1 Small Heath, 1 Peacock and 3 male Orange Tip.  He also visited Low Barnes Nature Reserve where he recorded 4 Dingy Skippers, 1 Peacock and 7 Orange Tip.  At the 'Bioblitz' event at Ashington Community Woodland eight butterfly species were recorded: Speckled Wood, Wall Brown, Small Copper, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White, Large White and Green-veined White.  Further north Malcolm Hutcheson recorded the followng at Haggerston Castle near Berwick on Tweed: 1 Large White, 4 Small White, 3 Green-veined White, 4 Orange Tip, 1 Peacock and 2 Small Tortoiseshell.

May 20.  Bob Mawson added Common Blue to the season's list at Lime Kilns.  George Simpson recorded Dingy Skipper at Shibdon Nature Reserve.  Meanwhile Graham Beckwith visited Running Waters Quarry in Durham and recorded no less than 24 Dingy Skippers ("probably many more"), 4 Wall Brown, 3 Male Orange Tip, 3 Peacock, 2 (probably) Small White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 1 Male Green-veined White.

May 18.  Keith Smith visited Close House near Wylam picnic site and recorded 17 Orange Tip, 3 Wall Brown, 1 Small Copper, also Large White, Green Veined White, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell.  On the same day he also visited the Spetchells near Prudhoe and recrded 2 Dingy Skipper, 3 Wall Brown also Green Veined White, Orange Tip, Large White, Small White, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood

May 16.  Graham Beckwith recorded 2 Orange Tip and 2 Small White at Rothbury.

May 15.  Jonathan Wallace recorded 2 Dingy Skipper at Walker Riverside, Newcastle as well as 3 Speckled Wood, 1 Peacock and 1 Large White.  Gordon Sirmond recorded 2 Dingy Skipper beside the old railway track between Ryhope and Seaton near West Cherry Knowle Farm.  Graham Beckwith saw 2 Peacock and 9 Green Hairstreak at Lamp Hill near Alnwick where he also saw and |Early Thorn moth.

May 14.  Bob Mawson reported another new species for the year with a Wall Brown at Raisby Way

May 10.  Bob Mawson added Small Heath to the season's tally with a singleton on Raisby Way.

May 9.  Dave Wainwright reported 7 Dingy Skippers from a known site within Newton Aycliffe Industrial Estate.

May 7.  Michael Eccles visited Bishop Middleham Quarry where he saw 8 Speckled Wood, 1 Orange Tip and 2 Green-veined Whites.  He then recorded 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Peackock and 7 Green-veined White on Trimdon Walkway.

May 4.  Sid Storey and Dave Fletcher recorded Dingy Skipper at Raisby Way.  Graham Beckwith recorded 4 Peacock and a single Speckled Wood in the Grounds of the DLI in Durham and 1 Large White and 2 Small White at County Hall.  Gordon Sirmond reported Speckled Wood, numerous Peacocks, Whites, Small Tortoiseshells and a single Comma from the High Wood - Baron's Quay area in Sunderland.  Michael Eccles returned to Muggleswick Common where he found 14+ Green Hairstreak in patches of Bilberry at between 300 and 340 metres.  He only searched a small area and notes that there were many more Bilberry patches all over the common that he did not search.  He also saw 6 male Emperor Moths.

May 3.  Graham Beckwith and Steve Austin recorded 1 Small White and 1 Green-veined White at Malton Picnic Area, Lanchester.  Graham also reported Garden Tiger Moth caterpillars from Hedleyhope Fell.

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April 2010

April 30.  Neville Stead reported a Red Admiral at Whitley Bay.  Emma Pearson recorded Speckled Wood at Low Barns.  Dave Wainwright reports "plenty of Orange Tip, Peacock and Green-veined White at Low Barns".

April 29.  Bob Mawson saw Orange Tip, Speckled Wood and Small Copper at Raisby Way.  David Harrison reported Orange Tip and Speckled Wood from Billingham Beck Country Park.

April 27.  Michael Eccles recorded 6 (possibly 7) Green Hairstreak at Muggleswick as well as a Small Tortoiseshell.

April 24.  Steve Austin recorded 2 Speckled Wood, 2 Peacock and 2 Small Tortoiseshell at Coaley Lane Newbottle and on the same day at Rainton Meadows, 4 Peacocks and 3 Small White.  Dave Wainwright recorded Green Hairstreak at Hedleyhope Fell and on the same day Large White at Willington.  Steve Egglestone recorded 2 male Orange Tips at Scotch Estate, Jarrow, adjacent to the River Don.

April 23  Steve Austin toured several Durham sites and recorded 1 Peacock at Wingate then at Cow Tree Nature Reserve, Cassop where he recorded a Peacock and a Small Tortoiseshell.  Finally he went to Rainton Meados where the sun came out and he recorded 6 Peacocks, 1 Comma, 2 Small White and 2 Green-veined Whites.

April 22.  Keith Smith visited Dipton Woods where he recorded 12 Green Hairstreaks and 3 Peacocks.  Dave Wainwright recorded 2 Orange Tips at Low Barns Nature Reserve

April 16.  Steve Austin saw one each of Peacock, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell and Small White at Coaley Lane in Newbottle.  He also visited Rainton Meadows where he saw 6 Peacock and 3 Small Tortoiseshell.  David Anderson visited Rainton Meadows independently and saw six pairs of Peacock spiralling up into the air together as well as 4 Small Tortoiseshell.  Keith Smith walked along the Tyne riverside from Prudhoe to Newburn and was rewarded with plenty of butterflies: Spetchells - 4 small tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock, 2 Speckled Wood, 1 Red Admiral; Wylam, the Haughs - 4 small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock; Wylam Picnic Site/Close House Nature Reserve - 2 Green Veined White, 2 Orange Tip (male) 5 Peacock, 7 Small Tortoiseshell; Newburn - 3 Comma, 9 Tortoiseshell, 3 Peacock.  Jonathan Wallace observed a solitary Small Tortoiseshell near to St Mary's Island.  Michael Eccles reported 6 Peacock, 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Comma and 1 Green-veined White from Shibdon Pond and 2 Peacock, 3 Small Tortoiseshell and 2 Comma at Clara Vale Nature Reserve. 

Dave Wainwright reported that five species have been observed at Low Barns Nature Reserve over the course of this week: Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Green-veined White & Small White.   At Hedleyhope Fell on his transect he has recorded Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock as well as several male Emperor Moths flying over heather at the Tow Law end of the site.

April 11.  Jonathan Wallace saw three Peacock at Dobbie's garden Centre near Ponteland.  Graham Beckwith had a fruitful walk in fields at Sniperley Park Durham in which he recorded 17+ Small Tortoiseshell, 8+ Peacock, 1 Comma, 3 Small White and 1 Large White inn 30 - 45 minutes along a 3/4 mile walk.

April 10.  Julie Mason recorded 3 Small Tortoiseshell in her Garden in Stockton on Tees.  On the same day she also observed a Peacock resting on slag rocks at the Reclamation Pond, North Tees.  Jonathan Wallace recorded 13 Peacock, 6 Small Tortoiseshell and 1 Comma in the Derwent Walk Country Park near Winlaton Mill.

April 9.  An improvement in the weather resulted in 4 Small Tortoiseshell and 3 Peacock appearing in Graham Beckwith's garden in Sniperley Park, Durham.  Steve Austin recorded a Peacock and a Comma at Malton picnic site and three Peacocks and a Small Tortoiseshell at Hedleyhope.  On the same day Tom Tams recorded a Small White as well as a Red Admiral and a Peacock in his garden in Tynemouth.  Further north, David Anderson recorded 14 Peacock and 1 Small Tortoiseshell from Cragside, Northumberland

March 2010

March 22.  Sylvia Brennan observed a Small Tortoiseshell flying in the sunshine at the RSPB Saltholme Reserve.  On the same day in Rothbury, Northumberland Graham Beckwith saw a Small Tortoiseshell alive and well and flying in the window of an estate agent on the High Street.

March 21.  Tom Tams recorded his first Peacock of the year in his garden in Tynemouth whilst Keith Robson recorded his first in his garden at Waldridge Fell, Chester-le-Street.

March 16.  Emma Pearson saw a Peacock on Hedleyhope Fell near Tow Law (reported by Dave Wainwright).

March 13.  Julie Mason recorded her first Small Tortoiseshell of the season in her garden in Stockton on Tees.

March 4 - 12.  Brian Pollinger reported sightings of Small Tortoiseshell, Comma and Red Admiral in Gateshead.

March 8.  Dave Wainwright reported a Small Tortoiseshell seen at the Low Barns Nature Reserve at Witton le Wear.

February 2010

February 16. Bob Mawson found a Speckled Wood caterpillar at Trimdon Pit Heap. See his photograph in the gallery.

February 10.  Sid Storey found an adult Small White Butterfly in his house.  It is suspected it was present in a bunch of flowers purchased in Durham on the same day.  (Reported by Bob Mawson). See photograph in the gallery.

February 4, 5 and 6.  Bob Mawson found a total of three Speckled Wood Pupae on Trimdon Pit Heap.

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January 2010

January 27.  Bob Mawson found a White-letter Hairstreak egg on Raisby Way.  He also recorded a Small Copper caterpillar on Trimdon Pit Heap.

January 4.  2010 has got off to a wintry start with prolonged low temperatures and plenty of snow so perhaps not many people have been thinking much of butterflies and moths.  Undeterred, Bob Mawson has found a number of Drinker Moth caterpillars (16 in all) over the past two weeks, frozen in ice and snow at Trimdon Pitheap, Beck Fir Trees and Charity Land.  The caterpillars were still alive on thawing as shown in his remarkable photograph.  Bob also made what is surely the first butterfly record of the year with a White-letter Hairstreak egg at Double Dyke on 4th January.