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.

Please note that this is intended only as an informal record of what is 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).

To view sightings from 2009 please click here.

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August 2010

August 28.  Michael Eccles saw 4 Red Admiral, 5 Peacock, 1 Large White and 3 Green-veined White at Queens Road, Shotley Bridge.

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.

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.