Bedfordshire Butterfly Recording & Sightings
Bedfordshire Butterfly Report for 2017
NEW. Draft 2017 butterfly report (PDF) to be published in the BNHS Bedfordshire Naturalist 2017.
Bedfordshire Atlas 1990-2017
Read more about Bedfordshire's butterflies at www.bedsbutterflies.org.uk. Updated to include 2017.
Live Adnoto Atlas 2015-2019
A live atlas of Adnoto records for the current 2015-2019 recording period can be found HERE. Although this is currently running off unverified data
(so a few records may not be correct) the absence of a record for a 1km square is a definite absence of a record, so please try to fill in the gaps near you during this five year period. Records submitted via other
means won't of course show as this is running off the Adnoto database - another reason to use this for submitting records. Thanks, Keith
Submitting Records
Important: An observation reported on a social medium such as Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Yahoo, YouTube, blogs, etc. or entered into an online recording system such as Living Record, WildWalks, etc.
is most likely not going to be seen by the County Recorders and therefore will not result in a record in the Bedfordshire database or in the national database.
It is impossible for us to monitor all these channels of information for records, even if we wished to spend all day in front of a computer trying to do so!
Records entered into Big Butterfly Count are also unlikely to be used as the data quality in this survey is usually difficult to determine.
Please therefore submit your records using one of the channels below only - thank you.
Bedfordshire butterfly sightings should be reported to Keith:
Please DO NOT submit records by more than one route as this leads to duplicate records which have to be found and removed thus causing unnecessary work.
If you wish to submit records on paper please use this form and post to Peter.
Note that records entered into the iRecord Butterflies App and iRecord website will reach us only 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.
If you have used an electronic recording system other than Adnoto or iRecord, such as Living Record, WildWalks, Recorder 6, MapMate, etc. then 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 2018 first-flight table.
Monthly totals
To see monthly species totals thoughout the year click HERE
Weekly reports
Weekly reports for every week of the year are being posted on Yahoo and Facebook.
2018's Sightings
Reports (mostly gleaned via Adnoto) are summarized below: Observers are credited by using their initials, e.g. (KB). First flights are marked in red.
April 2018
22nd:
1 Small White, 1 Speckled Wood - Maulden, Sleaford end (CG)
1 pair Speckled Wood - Woodland in garden Stotfold (NL)
6m, 2f Brimstone, 1m Orange Tip, 1 Green Hairstreak, 3 Small Tortoiseshell - Whipsnade Downs (SC)
1m Orange Tip - M1 Luton (SC)
1 Holly Blue - Toddington, Park Hill (SB)
3m Brimstone, 1f Green-veined White - Whipsnade Downs (JP,AH)
4m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock - Whipsnade Downs (JP,AH)
2 Holly Blue - S facing Bedford garden (AD)
3m, 1f Brimstone, 2m Orange Tip, 3 Holly Blue, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - bridleway alongside Putnoe Wood (AD)
1 Holly Blue, 2 Speckled Wood - bridleway alongside Marsh Wood (AD)
1m Orange Tip, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - grass verge, Ravensden Rd, Renhold (AD)
2m Brimstone, 3 Green-veined White, 3m Orange Tip, 12 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock, 1 Comma, 1 Speckled Wood - near Lower Stondon (AB,MB)
1m Brimstone, 2m, 1f Orange Tip, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - overgrown field corner, Renhold (AD)
4m Brimstone, 3 Green-veined White, 6 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock - near Lower Stondon (AB,MB)
1 Small Tortoiseshell - near Lower Stondon (AB,MB)
2 Small White, 1m, 1f Orange Tip, 1 Holly Blue - walkway behind houses, Mowsbury (AD)
1 Holly Blue - Lower Stondon, Baptist Church, Station Road (AB,MB)
1m Brimstone, 1 Holly Blue - Kempston (JG)
1 Comma - Kempston (JG)
1m Orange Tip - Back garden in Beeston (TR)
1 Green Hairstreak - Dunstable Downs (WP)
1 Green Hairstreak - Knocking Hoe (GB)
1 Holly Blue - Heath and Reach garden (EC)
21st:
1m Orange Tip, 1 Peacock - Riverside Walk Leighton Buzzard (EC)
1 Holly Blue - All Saints Church Leighton Buzzard (REM,DSM)
2 Orange Tip - Maulden garden (CG)
1 Holly Blue - Bedford garden (KB)
2m Brimstone, 3m Orange Tip, 1 Peacock, 3 Speckled Wood - Mowsbury Hill (KB)
1m Brimstone, 1 Small White, 1 Holly Blue - Kempston (JG)
1m Orange Tip - Heath and Reach garden (EC)
20th:
1 Holly Blue - Ampthill garden (AB)
1 Holly Blue - Dunstable garden (jp,WP)
1 Brimstone - St Mary's churchyard, Church Road, Henlow, Beds (DI)
1 Large White - St michaels churchyard Aspley heath (AB)
1m Brimstone, 1 Holly Blue - Church Road aspley heath (AB)
1 Orange Tip, 11 Holly Blue, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock - Bedford (AD)
3 Small White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Cleat Hill field margin (AD)
1m Brimstone, 1f Orange Tip, 1m, 1f Holly Blue, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Bedford School (mh)
1 Brimstone - Stopsley (JF)
6m, 1f Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock - Warden Hill (EC)
1m Orange Tip - Hockliffe road verge (EC)
7m, 1f Brimstone, 1m, 1f Orange Tip - Totternhoe Quarry (SB)
1m Brimstone, 1 Large White, 1m Orange Tip, 1 Holly Blue - Kempston (JG)
19th:
1m Holly Blue - Southill (TS)
2m, 1f Brimstone, 1 Small White, 1f Orange Tip, 2 Holly Blue - Clifton garden (BC)
1m Orange Tip, 1 Peacock, 1 Speckled Wood - Linslade Woods (REM)
2 Brimstone, 3 Small Tortoiseshell - bridleway alongside Putnoe Wood (AD)
3 Brimstone, 5 Small Tortoiseshell - arable field margins Salph End (AD)
1 Brimstone, 1 Small White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - public footpath Salph End (AD)
2 Brimstone, 6 Small Tortoiseshell - bridleway behind Mark Rutherford school (AD)
1 Brimstone, 1 Small White - Bedford garden (AD)
2 Brimstone - Stopsley (JF)
1 Large White, 1m, 2f Orange Tip, 1 Peacock - Linslade (MS)
12m, 6f Brimstone, 6 Large White, 5 Small/Green-veined White, 1m, 1f Orange Tip, 1 Small Copper, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock, 1 Comma - Bison Hill, Whipsnade (PC)
1 Brimstone, 1 Small White - Ampthill garden (AB)
2m Brimstone, 2 Small Tortoiseshell - Cottage Bottom Field (EC)
9m, 2f Brimstone, 2 Small Tortoiseshell - Galley and Warden Hills and The Icknield Way CWS (EC)
4m Brimstone - The Icknield Way CWS (EC)
1m, 1f Orange Tip, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Kempston (JG)
18th:
1m Orange Tip - MVMCP (AC)
1m Orange Tip - Lovell Road, Bedford (DOM)
1m Brimstone - Kempston, Bedford Road (AB)
1m, 1f Brimstone - Marston Mortaine by A421 (AB)
2m, 1f Brimstone, 1 Small Copper, 1 Comma - The Lodge, Old Heath. (SC)
1m Brimstone - Colworth Estate Sharnbrook (HMH,CNm)
1m Brimstone - Colworth Estate, Sharnbrook (HMH,CNm)
1f Brimstone - Edge of Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook (HMH,CNm)
3 Green-veined White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Cranfield, Merchant lane (AB)
1f Brimstone, 1 Large White, 2 Small White, 1 Red Admiral, 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock - Shocott Spring NR (DOM)
1m Brimstone, 1m Orange Tip - Southill (TS)
1 Brimstone - Mowsbury Park (AD)
1 Comma - St Andrews churchyard, Church Street, Langford. Beds (DI)
1 Brimstone - Stopsley (JF)
1m, 1f Brimstone, 2 Large White, 3 Small White, 2 Green-veined White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 3 Peacock - RSPB The Lodge Sandy (PC)
1m Brimstone, 1 Small White - Luton (PG)
1f Brimstone - Luton (PG)
3m Brimstone - Sundon (PG)
1f Brimstone, 1m Orange Tip, 1m Peacock - Sundon (PG)
1f Brimstone - Sundon (PG)
4 Brimstone, 2 Green-veined White, 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock, 1 Speckled Wood - Upper Alders (SR)
1m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Dunstable garden (WP)
2m, 1f Brimstone, 2 Small White, 1 Orange Tip, 2 Small Tortoiseshell - Harrold (AH)
1m Brimstone, 1 Large White, 2 Small White, 1 Peacock - Linslade (MS)
1m Orange Tip - Bedford Park (mh)
17th:
2 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock - Wigmore, Luton (SC)
1 Small Tortoiseshell - St Andrews churchyard, Biggleswade (DI)
16th:
1m Brimstone, 1f Green-veined White, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Peacock - Chicksands Wood NE (KB)
2 Comma - Chicksands Wood SW (KB)
2 Small White - Linslade garden (MS)
1 Small White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Ampthill garden (AB)
1 Holly Blue - Stotfold Garden (PC)
15th:
1 Small White - Clifton garden (BC)
1 Peacock - Millennium Country Park, Marston Moretaine (MF,CS)
1 Green-veined White, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma - Near Henlow Lakes, (LL)
14th:
5m, 2f Brimstone, 3 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock - Galley and Warden Hills (EC)
11m Brimstone, 1 Small/Green-veined White, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 7 Peacock, 3 Comma - Clapham Park Wood (MH,DH)
1m, 1f Brimstone, 12 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Peacock - near Lower Stondon (AB)
1m, 1f Brimstone, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Comma - near Lower Stondon (AB)
1f Brimstone - Lower Stondon garden (AB,MB)
1 Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Stopsley (PLB,CLB)
2 Brimstone, 1 Red Admiral - Stopsley (JF)
2m Brimstone, 3 Peacock, 1 Comma - The Lodge-Gardens (TR)
1m Brimstone, 2 Peacock - The Lodge-Ridge trail (TR)
3 Small Tortoiseshell, 4 Peacock, 1 Comma - Sandcast Wood and Ivel Meadows, Sandy (TR)
3 Peacock - The Baulk, Beeston (TR)
1m Brimstone, 2 Small White, 2 Red Admiral, 7 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock - Fenlake Meadows (DOM)
2 Brimstone - Lower Stondon Garden (SC)
1m Brimstone - Bedford (KB)
2m Brimstone, 5 Peacock - Park Lane (green lane) TL1145 (KB)
2m Brimstone, 1 Comma - Park Lane (green lane) TL1045 (KB)
1m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma - Park Lane (green lane) TL1046 (KB)
1m, 1f Brimstone, 4 Small White, 3 Small Tortoiseshell - Linslade garden (MS)
1m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Heath and Reach (EC)
3 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock - arable field margin, near Brickhill (AD)
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Mowsbury Hill (AD)
1 Holly Blue, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock - Bedford (AD)
1 Brimstone, 1 Small White - near Riseley (AD)
3 Small Tortoiseshell - Toddington, Griffin Farm (SB)
1m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - River Ivel at Biggleswade (DK,FK)
1m Brimstone, 1 Small White - Luton (PG)
1 Brimstone - Barton Hills (AP)
1 Brimstone - Barton Hills (AP)
1 Brimstone - Pegsdon (AP)
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Pegsdon, Knocking Hoe (AP)
1 Brimstone - Pegsdon (AP)
2m, 1f Brimstone, 1 Small White, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Maulden garden (CG)
1m Brimstone - Wootton Garage (DA,AA)
2m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Clifton garden (BC)
2m Brimstone, 2m Small White - Wallis Way, off Cardington Road, Bedford (PC)
10th:
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Blows downs Downside slope (E,C)
7th:
1m Brimstone, 1 Comma - Kempston (JG)
1 Peacock - Kempston (JG)
1 Brimstone - Mile Road, Bedford (BG,MG)
1m Brimstone - Path between houses, Linslade (JK)
1 Brimstone - Stopsley (JF)
1m Large White - The Lodge-Gardens (TR)
1 Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Heath and Reach (MH)
1m Brimstone, 1 Small White, 1 Red Admiral, 4 Small Tortoiseshell - Fenlake Meadows (DOM)
1f Brimstone - Lovell Road, Bedford (DOM)
6th:
1m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma - Willington old railway station (KB)
1 Peacock - Willington behind playing fields (KB)
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Kempston (JG)
1 Small White - Heath and Reach (EC)
5th:
2m Brimstone - Dunstable Downs (JP)
1m Brimstone - Houghton Regis (AB)
1m Brimstone - Luton, New Bedford road (AB)
1m Brimstone - Luton, Barton road (AB)
1m Brimstone - Luton, Barton road (AB)
2m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Comma - Myers Farm, Potton (DOM)
2m Brimstone, 1 Peacock - Everton Heath (DOM)
1m Brimstone - Storey Farm, Everton (DOM)
1 Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 5 Peacock, 1 Comma - Sandy (MV)
1 Brimstone - Bedford grass verge residential street (AD)
1m Brimstone, 9 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock - Arable field margins with South facing hedgerow on Cleat Hill (AD)
2 Brimstone - Stopsley garden (JF)
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Whipsnade Zoo - near Cheetah enclosure (MB)
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Heath and Reach (MB)
1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Comma - Bedford (AD)
1m Brimstone, 1 Peacock - Back garden in Beeston (VR)
2m Brimstone - Dunstable (AW)
2m Brimstone, 2 Small Tortoiseshell - Blows Downs paddocks, Dunstable (AW)
2m Brimstone, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Peacock - Dunstable Sewage Treatment Works (AW)
1 Brimstone, 1 Peacock - Back garden in Stopsley. (RH,GH)
1m Brimstone, 1 Small White, 1 Peacock - Shillington (GB)
1m Brimstone - Pegsdon Common Farm (GB)
1 Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - northern part of field south of Pedley Lane, between Clifton and Shefford, Beds (DI)
1m Brimstone, 2 Small Tortoiseshell - Blows Downs Downside slope (EC)
5m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Comma - RSPB The Lodge Sandy (PC)
1 Brimstone, 1 Comma - Ampthill (AB)
1m Brimstone - Kempston (JG)
2 Comma - Fancott Woods and Meadows (CLB)
3 Brimstone - Fancott Woods and Meadows (CLB)
2m Brimstone, 4 Small Tortoiseshell - greensand ridge near Eversholt (CG)
4th:
1m Brimstone - Deepdale Quarry, Carthagena Road, Potton (DOM)
3rd:
1m Brimstone - Bromham (HMH)
1m Brimstone - Priory Country Park CWS (JU,KB,JM)
1m Brimstone - Priory Country Park CWS (JU,KB)
1m Brimstone - Sutton - Eyworth Road (IW)
1m Brimstone - edge of plantation Wrestlingworth (IW)
1 Brimstone - Wootton (DA,AA)
1 Peacock - St. Swithuns Churchyard, Sandy (TR)
1 Comma - Sandcroft Wood, Sandy (TR)
1 Comma - Sandcroft Wood, Sandy (TR)
1 Red Admiral - Stopsley garden (JF)
2m Brimstone - Linslade garden (MS)
March 2018
27th:
1 Comma - Barton-Le-Clay (AdW,MdW)
26th:
1m Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Lovell Road, Bedford (DOM)
1m Brimstone - Public footpath with hawthorn scrub both sides adjacent to Stewartby Lake (AC)
1m Brimstone - Stopsley (JF)
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Linslade (REM,DSM)
2m, 1f Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Linslade garden (MS)
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Flitwick moor, soay field (rk)
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Potton Wood (IW,IW)
1 Brimstone, 1 Comma - Clifton garden (BC)
1 Small Tortoiseshell - RSPB Sandy (DA)
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Leighton Buzzard (AW)
25th:
1 Small Tortoiseshell - arable field margin, Salph End (AD)
1 Red Admiral - Fenlake Meadows (DOM)
1m Brimstone - Linslade garden (MS)
1 Brimstone - Riseley (CT)
1 Peacock - Clifton garden (BC)
1 Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Kempston (JG)
1m Brimstone - Stotfold Garden (PC)
1 Brimstone - Back garden in Stopsley, Luton (RH,GH)
1m Brimstone - Stopsley (JF)
1 Brimstone - Barton-Le-Clay (AdW)
1 Brimstone - Biggleswade (MV)
23rd:
1 Red Admiral - Oak Farm, Deepdale, Potton (DOM)
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Cowslip Meadow , Luton (AP)
21st:
1 Peacock - Stopsley (JF)
16th:
1m Brimstone - Caldecote garden (DK,FK)
2m Brimstone, 2 Small Tortoiseshell - Fenlake Meadows, Bedford (DOM)
2 Brimstone - Lower Stondon garden (SC)
1m Brimstone - Wootton (DA)
1 Brimstone - grass verge by Bedford Park (AD)
1 Brimstone - Bedford garden (AD)
1 Comma - Cooper's Hill NR (AB)
1 Brimstone - Luton (AP)
1 Brimstone - Luton (AP)
1 Brimstone - Barton-Le-Clay (AdW)
1 Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Bedford (AD)
1m Brimstone - Back garden in Heath and Reach (EC)
1 Brimstone, 1 Small Tortoiseshell - Totternhoe Quarry (RK,GH)
1 Brimstone, 1 Red Admiral - Kempston (JG)
1m Brimstone - Stotfold Garden (PC)
1m Brimstone - Stotfold Crossroads (PC)
15th:
1 Brimstone - Sewell cutting (RK)
13th:
1m Brimstone, 1 Comma - Harrold (AH,N)
11th:
3 Red Admiral - Maulden Wood east (SC)
1m Brimstone - Renhold (DOM)
1 Red Admiral - Pegsdon Hills NR (GB)
2m Brimstone - Cotefield Drive, Leighton Buzzard (MB)
2 Brimstone - Kempston (JG)
6th:
1m Brimstone - Rokum Hole (KB,RK)
5th:
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Kempston (JG)
February 2018
17th:
1 Red Admiral - outside Bedford FC's clubhouse at Meadow Lane, Cardington (GW)
16th:
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Old Linslade church cemetery (JK)
1 Red Admiral - Garden, stotfold (NL)
15th:
1 Red Admiral - Garden in Stotfold (NL)
1 Red Admiral - ASDA near Luton Airport (MR)
1 Brimstone - Bradgers Hill (RK)
January 2018
26th:
1 Red Admiral - Stotfold Co-op car park (NW)
25th:
1 Red Admiral - Bromham (PA)
1 Small Tortoiseshell - Near Clophill (PS)
18th:
1 Red Admiral - Wootton (DA,AA)
2nd:
5 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Peacock - Meppershall. Found over-wintering in newly converted house. Once the heating was turned on they became very active (RK)
Recent years
If you'd like to read the summaries of recent years they can still be accessed via the following links:
2017,
2016,
2015,
2014,
2013,
2012,
2011,
2010,
2009,
2008.
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