Emma Whitfield
@emmawhitfield.bsky.social
Volunteer for Wildlife Trust BCN, butterfly transect walker at Priory Park, Bedford, interested in conservation, butterflies & all natural history
The scabious at Pegsdon was alive with thousands of Six-Spot Burnets & there were so many Chalkhill Blues flying over the slopes. The marjoram looked beautiful & was full of butterflies. Thanks to @wildlifebcn.org & the volunteers for all the work they do. @bcbedsnorthants.bsky.social
“I’ve lived through 50-odd years of good natural history... & Strawberry Hill is taking me back to my teenage years, for insect abundance and birdsong.” 🐦🦋 Our CEO @brianecambs.bsky.social on why Strawberry Hill in Beds matters for UK nature conservation: www.independent.co.uk/climate-chan...
Call for more ‘truly wild’ areas to show how nature-rich UK could be
Some rewilding sites are amazing experts and the public with how much wildlife they support, backers of projects say.
independent.co.uk
Visited Chicksands Wood - pleased to have such close views of a White-letter Hairstreak. Brief views of a worn female Purple Emperor running along leaves sucking up honeydew! Lots of Ringlets & Silver-washed Fritillaries (mostly female). Also fresh Painted Ladies. @bcbedsnorthants.bsky.social
Fantastic butterflies at Sharpenhoe today feeding on the Marjoram & Knapweed. Hundreds of Chalkhill Blues, also still a few Dark Green Fritillaries, some fresh Peacocks, Red Admirals, Painted Ladies plus one Small Blue. @bcbedsnorthants.bsky.social @chilternsnl.bsky.social @nationaltrust.org.uk
Last day of @mariposanature.bsky.social Spanish Pyrenees holiday finished on a high with unexpected find of a Dryad on the scree slopes on the Spanish/French border. Thanks to Peter & Pau for excellent guiding - a brilliant holiday with over 100 species.
5th full day of @mariposanature.bsky.social Spanish Pyrenees holiday with more spectacular views & butterflies. Finally got brilliant views of Apollo along with lots more different Blues & Coppers.
4th full day of @mariposanature.bsky.social Spanish Pyrenees holiday with increasing heat & numerous butterflies, especially puddling Blues & Skippers. The highlight was the Mountain Alcon Blues laying eggs on Gentians - easy to find as they’re white. A brief fly-by of Apollo but not for stopping!
We went up high to escape the heat on the 3rd full day of the @mariposanature.bsky.social Spanish Pyrenees holiday. Lots of Piedmont Ringlets, Blue Spot Hairstreaks & Glandon Blues. Lovely views, flowers & this beast of a male Rhinoceros Beetle from the morning moth trap.
Another very hot day visiting one of the deserted villages on the 2nd full day of the @mariposanature.bsky.social Spanish Pyrenees holiday. Lots of Arbutus trees but only fleeting views for some of Two Tailed Pasha. Many other butterflies & dramatic geology.
First full day of @mariposanature.bsky.social holiday in the Spanish Pyrenees. Lovely base at Casa Sarasa with 57 species in one & a bit days. Fantastic scenery & abundance of butterflies in the meadows.
Quite a few 2nd generation Commas (13) & first Meadow Browns on our transect at Priory Park this morning. Also a few faded Painted Ladies & a nest of Peacock caterpillars. Only 3 Whites but a couple of Common Blues @ukbms.bsky.social @bcbedsnorthants.bsky.social
12 species on transect at Priory Park including a Green Hairstreak which is new for the transect. 24 Painted Ladies so it will be interesting to see if they lay eggs on the Thistles. Also Common Blue, Brown Argus, Brimstone & a few Speckled Woods. @ukbms.bsky.social @bcbedsnorthants.bsky.social
Well, we planted the Mulleins for the Mullein moths & they are now busy munching their way through the leaves & flower spikes - I hope they leave some flowers! @bcbedsnorthants.bsky.social
Incombe Hole & Steps Hill were very hot & we weren’t sure we’d find the Marsh Fritillaries but eventually found 3. Also lots of Dingy Skippers, a few Green Hairstreak, lots of Common Blues, a few Duke of Burgundy & these Grizzled Skippers in cop @upperthames.bsky.social
Trip to Kensworth Quarry in the heat today & found 2 Duke of Burgundy & lots of Small Blues, also a female Brimstone flying around a Buckthorn bush & lots of Common Blues @bcbedsnorthants.bsky.social
Danube Clouded Yellow, one of Europe's most threatened butterfly species. A privilege to see on the @mariposanature.bsky.social holiday to Romania.
Today is the start of week six of UKBMS butterfly transects. Thousands of volunteers go out each week to walk a butterfly transect and contribute data to a fifty year-long dataset. Want to get involved..? Visit our website for all the info - ukbms.org
Our latest branch newsletter is now available, and can be viewed on our website (link in bio). We are looking for enthusiasts from Bedfordshire to get more involved in our next issue. Contact us for more info! #butterflyconservation #ukbutterflies #bcbedsnorthants #savebutterflies
Good numbers of butterflies at Pegsdon despite the strong breeze - lots of Dingy Skipper, Brimstones, Green Hairstreaks & our first Small Coppers of the season. Also Holly Blue, Orange Tip & Speckled Wood @bcbedsnorthants.bsky.social @wildlifebcn.org
An exciting opportunity for someone in Beds or Northants who has experience with numbers/finance. Full details in pics! Contact us via links in bio to discuss further.
NEW REPORT: Today we publish Unprotected Nature, a report revealing Natural England's failure to designate any new protected sites. Read about it in the Guardian here: www.theguardian.com/environment/...
England wildlife watchdog ‘has stopped designating special sites for protection’
Exclusive: Report finds Natural England has created no new SSSIs, which protect areas from development, since 2023
theguardian.com
Lovely sunny day for a walk around Bison Hill Whipsnade & we weren’t disappointed. 4 Green Hairstreaks, 3 Duke of Burgundy & 3 Grizzled Skippers plus numerous Brimstones including this very fat female egg-laying on Buckthorn. @bcbedsnorthants.bsky.social @midsandeastnt.bsky.social
Butterfly transect today at Priory Park Bedford with 42 butterflies of 7 species. Lots of Green-veined Whites & a pair of Small Whites. Orange tip egg on Garlic Mustard & moth caterpillars feeding on Hawthorn, Agriopis species, possibly Dotted Border? @bcbedsnorthants.bsky.social @ukbms.bsky.social
Our online meeting today with butterfly monitoring coordinators revealed that most EU Member States still have not decided whether to use the Grassland Butterfly Index, and many are consulting with citizens. Now is your chance to urge them to help pollinators and choose this unique insect indicator
Large tortoiseshell butterfly confirmed no longer extinct in UK
Large tortoiseshell butterfly confirmed no longer extinct in UK
Early spring sightings show colourful insect is a resident species for first time in decades, says conservation charity
theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
How an annual ‘wedding flight’ of 1,000 virgin queens is ensuring the revival of Europe’s dark bee
The Belgian ceremony attracts beekeepers from the Netherlands, France and Germany keen to boost dark bee numbers and stop the spread of the hybrid honeybee
theguardian.com
