Bedfordshire Butterfly Recording & Sightings
This page is maintained by Keith Balmer, Bedfordshire County Recorder for Butterflies butterflies@bnhs.org.uk
Bedfordshire Butterfly Report for 2019
Draft 2019 butterfly report to be published in the BNHS Bedfordshire Naturalist 2019.
Online Bedfordshire Atlas
Read more about Bedfordshire's butterflies at www.bedsbutterflies.org.uk. - UPDATED to include 2019's data
Submitting Records
General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)
By submitting records to the County Recorder you agree that those records may be collated and disseminated manually or electronically,
including via the Internet, for conservation, environmental decision making, education, research and other public benefit uses in accordance with Butterfly Conservation's data access policy.
Names and contact details of recorders will be used for administration and verification purposes only.
Your contact details will not be passed to other parties without your consent, whilst your name will form part of the record that is collated
and disseminated in accordance with Butterfly Conservation's privacy policy.
Important:
Full details of sightings should be recorded using one of the channels below please. (A report on social media is not sufficient).
Please do not submit records by more than one route as this leads to duplicate records which have to be found and removed, causing unnecessary work.
The cut-off date for records to be included in the annual report in Bedfordshire Naturalist is 31st January, but please don't leave them all until then! Get them in a soon as you can please.
Records entered into the iRecord Butterflies App and iRecord website will usually only be examined at the end of the season,
as will records entered into the WCBS and UKBMS online systems, which are also acceptable for record submission for those special types of transect surveys.
Records are not normally marked as accepted or rejected within iRecord itself but all valid records will be incorporated into the Bedfordshire database.
If you have used an electronic recording system other than Adnoto or iRecord, please extract the records yourselves and email them as a
spreadsheet to Keith before the end of December.
Need a grid reference for a sighting? Grab one HERE.
First Flights
Here is Bedfordshire's first-flight table.
Monthly Totals
To see monthly species totals thoughout the year click HERE March's totals added
Weekly News Digests
Weekly digests are posted throughout the season on Yahoo and
Beds & Northants BC Facebook and
BNHS Facebook and
Bedfordshire Nature Spotters Facebook.
Bedfordshire's 2020 Sightings
Reports (mostly gleaned via Adnoto, iRecord, iRecord App and iRecord Butterflies App) are summarized below.
First flights are marked in red.
Communication from BC Head Office:
"Updated guidance for butterfly and moth recorders relating to Coronavirus Covid-19, 24/03/2020
The UK Government delivered a very strong and clear message on 23rd March 2020 with their updated guidance:
The single most important action we can all take, in fighting coronavirus, is to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives.
Bearing this in mind, Butterfly Conservation strongly advises that you adhere to the message from the government, and therefore
only record butterflies and moths in your gardens.
Please do not make any journeys away from your home in order to undertake recording activities, these would be considered as non-essential at the present time.
We will continue to monitor this situation closely and will produce revised guidance when the time is right. Please check for any updates at www.butterfly-conservation.org.
We recommend that you continue to follow the UK Government's response to the situation at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus.
If you have any doubts or queries regarding this advice, please feel free to contact the recording team at recording@butterfly-conservation.org".
In support of this I will therefore only be posting reports that appear to be from gardens until the situation changes. Keith, 24/03/20
April 2020
7th:
1 Comma - Upper Caldecote garden. [iRecord Butterflies]
6th:
1 Peacock - Sandy. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Small/Green-veined White, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Peacock - Linslade garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone - Wigmore garden, Luton. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone, 1 Peacock, 1 Speckled Wood - Surburban garden, Stopsley, Luton. [Adnoto]
1m Orange Tip, 1 Peacock - King William Close, garden, Kempston. [Adnoto]
1 Small White, 1 Brimstone - Biggleswade. [iRecord App]
2 Holly Blue, 1 Small White, 8 Peacock - Easton. [iRecord Butterflies]
1 Comma - Houghton Hall Park. [iRecord Butterflies]
1m Orange-tip - Blunham. [iRecord]
1 Orange Tip - Leighton Buzzard. [iRecord Butterflies]
5th:
4m, 2f Brimstone, 6 Small Tortoiseshell, 5 Peacock, 1 Comma - Buckingham drive, stopsley, luton. [Adnoto]
3m Brimstone - Toddington. [Adnoto]
1m, 1f Brimstone, 1 Small White, 1 Peacock - Heath and Reach. [Adnoto]
1m Orange Tip - Leighton Buzzard. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Green-veined White, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Peacock - Garden in Sandy. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Toddington, Park Hill. [Adnoto]
3 Brimstone, 1 Orange Tip, 3 Holly Blue, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma - Rothsay road Bedford. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone - Bedford garden. [Adnoto]
4 Peacock, 2 Comma - Lower Stondon. [Adnoto]
1 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Peacock - The Baulk, Beeston. [Adnoto]
3 Brimstone, 2 Green-veined White, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma - Suburban garden, Stopsley, Luton. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone - Stopsley garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Small White, 1 Small/Green-veined White, 1 Peacock - Linslade garden. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone - Stopsley. [Adnoto]
1m Orange Tip, 1 Peacock - Globe Lane Linslade. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Bedford, Salcombe Close. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Shillington. [Adnoto]
1f Brimstone, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma - Sandy garden. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Ampthill Garden. [Adnoto]
1m, 1m Brimstone, 1 Peacock, 1m, 1m Brimstone - Blows Downs guided busway Dunstable. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Garden, Heath and Reach. [Adnoto]
1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock - Wootton garden. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone, 1 Small/Green-veined White - Clapham garden. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone, 1m Orange Tip, 1 Peacock - Maulden garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1f Small White, 1m Orange Tip, 1 Peacock - King William Close, garden, Kempston. [Adnoto]
Peacock - Sandy. [iRecord App]
2 Brimstone, 1 Orange Tip, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma - Garden, Bramingham, Luton. [iRecord Butterflies]
4 Peacock, 2 Holly Blue, 2-9 Brimstone, 2 Large White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Easton. [iRecord Butterflies]
1 Peacock, 2-9 Brimstone - Harrold. [iRecord Butterflies]
1 Peacock - Newtown Potton. [iRecord App]
1 Peacock, 1 Brimstone, 1 Small White, 1 Orange Tip - Upper Caldecote. [iRecord Butterflies]
2-9 Small Tortoiseshell, 1m Brimstone - Toddington. [iRecord App]
1 Orange Tip, 1 Peacock, 1 Brimstone, 1 Orange Tip - Leighton Buzzard. [iRecord Butterflies]
1 Holly Blue - Houghton Regis. [iRecord Butterflies]
Brimstone - Heath and Reach. [iRecord App]
1 Orange-tip, 1 Peacock, 1 Brimstone - Sandy Garden. [iRecord App]
1 Green-veined White, Peacock - Potton. [iRecord App]
1m Orange-tip, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Brimstone, 1 Comma, 1 Peacock - Pegnut Garden. [iRecord App]
1m Brimstone, 2 Green-veined White, 1 Peacock - Clophill. [Email]
1 Painted Lady - Blunham garden. [Email]
4th:
1 Brimstone - Stopsley. [Adnoto]
2 Brimstone, 2 Holly Blue, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma - Rothsay road garden, Bedford. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Clapham garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Peacock - Stopsley garden. [Adnoto]
2 Small White, 2 Peacock - Back garden in Beeston. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Lower Shelton. [Adnoto]
2 Green-veined White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock - Maulden garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Small White, 1 Peacock, 1f Comma - Biggleswade garden. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - King William Close, garden, Kempston. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Stopsley. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone - Bedford, Salcombe Close. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone, 1 Peacock - Garden in Ampthill. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Red Admiral - Garden in Sandy. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone - Bedford garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock - Shillington. [Adnoto]
2m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Shillington garden. [Adnoto]
1 Small White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock - Wootton garden. [Adnoto]
Brimstone - Potton -Gamlingay Road. [iRecord App]
Brimstone, Peacock - Hatley Road Potton. [iRecord App]
1 Large White, 2 Peacock, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Brimstone, 1 Comma, 2 Small White, 1 Red Admiral - Easton. [iRecord Butterflies]
1m Brimstone - Toddington garden. [iRecord App]
Peacock - Hatley Road, Potton. [iRecord App]
1 Peacock - Back Garden, Sandy. [iRecord Butterflies]
1m Orange-tip - Lidlington garden. [iRecord]
1 Peacock - Houghton Regis. [iRecord Butterflies]
1 Small White, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma, 1 Brimstone - Pegnut Garden. [iRecord App]
3 Peacock - Sandy Garden. [iRecord App]
1 Brimstone - Leighton Buzzard. [iRecord Butterflies]
3rd:
1 Small White - Linslade garden. [Adnoto]
1m Small White - King William Close, garden, Kempston. [Adnoto]
2nd:
2 Small White - Back garden in Beeston. [Adnoto]
1 Small/Green-veined White - Linslade garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone - Tavistock Avenue, Ampthill. [Adnoto]
1 Orange Tip - Merlin Gardens, Bedford. [iRecord Butterflies]
1 Brimstone - Easton. [iRecord Butterflies]
March 2020
30th:
1 Small White - Back garden in Beeston. [Adnoto]
29th:
1m Brimstone - Stopsley garden. [Adnoto]
27th:
1 Brimstone, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma - Rothsay road garden, Bedford. [Adnoto]
1m, 1f Brimstone, 1 Comma - Linslade garden. [Adnoto]
1 Holly Blue, 1 Comma - Clifton garden. [Adnoto]
1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock - Renhold garden. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock, 1 Comma - Lidlington. [iRecord]
1 Comma - Houghton Hall Park. [iRecord Butterflies]
1 Peacock - Easton. [iRecord Butterflies]
26th:
1 Comma - Stopsley garden. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone, 2 Holly Blue, 1 Comma - Rothsay road garden, Bedford. [Adnoto]
1m, 1f Brimstone, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma - Linslade garden. [Adnoto]
1m Orange Tip, 1 Comma - Crediton Close, Bedford. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Molivers Lane, Bromham, garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone - Bedford, Salcombe Close garden. [Adnoto]
1 Orange Tip - Rothsay road garden, Bedford. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Comma - Clifton garden. [Adnoto]
3 Peacock, 1 Comma - Renhold garden. [Adnoto]
2 Small Tortoiseshell - Heath and Reach. [iRecord App]
2 Brimstone - Coopers Close, Sandy. [iRecord App General Survey]
25th:
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Stopsley garden, Luton. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone - Stopsley. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Garden in Sandy Beds. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone, 1 Peacock - Back garden, The Rally, Arlesey. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone, 2 Peacock, 1 Comma - Rothsay Road, Bedford garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 5 Peacock - The Baulk, Beeston. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Peacock - Bedford garden. [Adnoto]
1m, 1f Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock - Linslade garden. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone - Meppershall garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone - Stopsley garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1m Orange Tip, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock - Shillington garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma - King William Close, garden, Kempston. [Adnoto]
3 Peacock - Tavistock Avenue, Ampthill. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Small White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock - Church Walk, Harrold. [Adnoto]
2m Brimstone - Park Road, Stevington. [Adnoto]
2m, 1f Brimstone - Renhold garden. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone - Biggleswade. [iRecord App]
1 Brimstone - Biggleswade. [iRecord App]
1m Brimstone - Toddington garden. [iRecord App]
1 Brimstone - Sandy garden. [iRecord Butterflies]
1 Brimstone - Leighton Buzzard. [iRecord Butterflies]
2 Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock, 1 Comma - Easton. [iRecord Butterflies]
1 Peacock - Pegnut Garden. [iRecord App General Survey]
1 Comma, 1 Small White, 3 Brimstone - Sandy garden. [iRecord]
1 Comma, 1 Peacock - Toddington. [iRecord App]
24th:
1 Brimstone - Ampthill, Church Street garden. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone - Suburban garden, Stopsley. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Stopsley garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Stopsley. [Adnoto]
1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock - Heath and Reach garden. [Adnoto]
2 Brimstone, 1 Comma - Bedford, Rothsay Road, garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Peacock - Bedford garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Linslade garden. [Adnoto]
1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma - Back garden in Beeston. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Green-veined White - Maulden garden. [Adnoto]
2m Brimstone, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma - Biggleswade garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Peacock - Wootton garden. [Adnoto]
1f Brimstone - Houghton Regis Garden. [Adnoto]
2m Brimstone, 1 Peacock, 2 Comma - King William Close, Kempston garden. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone - Clifton. [Adnoto]
1 Comma - Back Garden, Biggleswade. [Adnoto]
1 Holly Blue - Garden in Sandy Beds. [Adnoto]
2m Brimstone - Renhold garden. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone - Holgate Drive. [iRecord Butterflies]
2 Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock - Easton. [iRecord Butterflies]
2-9 Comma - Bramingham, back garden. [iRecord Butterflies]
4 Brimstone, 2 Comma, 4 Peacock, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Bedford. [iRecord Butterflies]
1 Peacock, 1 Brimstone - Pegnut Garden. [iRecord App General Survey]
1 Red Admiral, 1 Comma - Flitwick garden. [iRecord Butterflies]
Only garden records above this point for the duration...!
23rd:
1 Peacock - Cottage Bottom Field entrance off Caddington Road. [Adnoto]
4m Brimstone, 2 Peacock, 3 Comma - Pegnut Wood, Potton. [Adnoto]
2 Brimstone, 1 Peacock - Garden in Stopsley, Luton. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone - Shillington garden. [Adnoto]
6 Brimstone - Barton Le clay. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock - Lower Stondon garden. [Adnoto]
1 Comma - Houghton Regis Garden. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone - Suburban garden, Stopsley. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone - Bedford garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone - Chute Farm, Whipsnade. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 2 Comma - Linslade Woods. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone - Clifton garden. [Adnoto]
2 Brimstone, 1 Comma - Sandy Smith Nature Reserve. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone - Stopsley garden. [Adnoto]
4m, 2f Brimstone, 1 Comma, 1m Brimstone, 1 Peacock - Cottage Bottom Fields Caddington. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Peacock, 1 Speckled Wood - Church Walk, Harrold. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone - Barton-Le-Clay. [Adnoto]
2m, 1f Brimstone - Renhold garden. [Adnoto]
1 Orange Tip - Bedford near motor vogue. [iRecord Butterflies]
1 Brimstone - Sandy garden. [iRecord]
1 Peacock, 2 Brimstone - Easton. [iRecord Butterflies]
1 Brimstone, 1 Comma - Leighton Buzzrd. [iRecord Butterflies]
1m Brimstone - Elm Grove, Toddington. [iRecord App]
1 Comma - Field near Sandy. [iRecord Butterflies]
1 Comma - RSPB Sandy. [iRecord Butterflies]
1m Orange Tip, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Ampthill. [Email]
22nd:
1m Brimstone - Heath and Reach. [Adnoto]
1 Comma - Mill Lane, Houghton Conquest. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock, 1 Comma - Myers Farm, Potton. [Adnoto]
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Ramridge allotments Stopsley. [Adnoto]
2 Small Tortoiseshell - Stotfold Meadow. [Adnoto]
5m Brimstone, 2 Small Tortoiseshell - Linslade garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Peacock - Wigmore, Luton.. [Adnoto]
1 Small White - Back garden in Beeston. [Adnoto]
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Center parcs near Millbrook roundabout. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone, 1 Peacock - King William Close, garden, Kempston. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock, 4 Comma - Clapham Park. [Adnoto]
2-9 Brimstone - Merlin Gardens Bedford. [iRecord Butterflies]
2-9 Comma - Bedford Park. [iRecord Butterflies]
1 Comma - Leighton Buzzrd. [iRecord Butterflies]
21st:
1 Comma - Back garden in Beeston. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Riseley. [Adnoto]
1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Brimstone - Pegnut wood. [iRecord App]
17th:
1m Brimstone, 1 Comma - Cople village. [Adnoto]
1f Brimstone - Sandy Smith NR. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone - Shillington garden. [Adnoto]
1 Comma - riverside mown lawn, Pavenham. [Adnoto]
2 Brimstone - Easton. [iRecord Butterflies]
16th:
1 Brimstone - The Brache, Maulden. [Adnoto]
1 Comma - Back garden in Beeston. [Adnoto]
1 Red Admiral - Old Bedford Road, Potton. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock, 1 Comma - Maulden Wood SSSI. [Adnoto]
1 Comma - Linslade Woods. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Rectory Wood Park. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone - Bedford garden. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Riseley church. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone - Stopsley garden. [Adnoto]
1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock, 1f Comma - Biggleswade garden. [Adnoto]
1m Brimstone - Barton in the Clay village. [Adnoto]
1f Brimstone - Shillington garden. [Adnoto]
Brimstone - Priory Country Park. [iRecord App]
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Easton. [iRecord Butterflies]
Brimstone - The Lodge. [iRecord App]
1 Brimstone, 2-9 Comma - Sandy, walk home from work. [iRecord Butterflies]
1m Brimstone, 2 Comma - Marston Thrift SP9741. [iRecord]
14th:
1 Brimstone - Lower Stondon garden. [Adnoto]
11th:
1 Comma - Dunstable garden. [Adnoto]
Brimstone - Heath and Reach. [iRecord App]
1 Peacock - Maulden Wood. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Garden In Upper Caldecote. [Adnoto]
1m, 1f Brimstone - Linslade garden. [Adnoto]
1 Brimstone - Heath and Reach. [iRecord App]
8th:
1m Brimstone - Potton Wood - north east quarter. [Adnoto]
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Linslade garden. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Swineshead wood. [iRecord App]
1 Peacock - Lower Stondon garden. [Adnoto]
1 Peacock - Marston Vale Millennium Country Park. Small glade on edge of woodland near bird feeders. [Adnoto]
6th:
1 Peacock - The Lodge RSPB. [iRecord App]
1 Red Admiral - The Lodge RSPB. [iRecord App]
2nd:
1 Red Admiral - The Lodge RSPB. [iRecord App]
2m Brimstone - Rokum hole. [Adnoto]
February 2020
23rd:
1 Brimstone - Old Moat NR, Arlesey, flying over a glade. [Adnoto]
17th:
1m Brimstone - Mowsbury Hillfort, Bedford. [Adnoto]
14th:
1 Red Admiral - RSPB The Lodge gardens, Sandy. [iRecord]
6th:
1 Peacock - On a Dunstable window ledge. [Email]
1 Red Admiral - The Lodge RSPB: Gardens. [iRecord]
5th:
2 Red Admiral - RSPB Lodge Gardens. [Adnoto]
January 2020
4th:
3 eggs Purple Hairstreak - The pinnacle, Sandy. [Adnoto]
3rd:
1 Peacock - Clifton. Flying in sunshine in a garden at 13.40, settled briefly on a Primrose flower. [Email]
1st:
1 egg White-letter Hairstreak - Chicksands Wood, on Elm twigs. [Adnoto]
Recent years
If you'd like to read the summaries of recent years they can still be accessed via the following links:
2019,
2018,
2017,
2016,
2015,
2014,
2013,
2012,
2011,
2010,
2009,
2008.
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