A table of weekly butterfly counts for each species. The totals for each species after the first 14 weeks of 2026 are : 760   Brimstone 220   Comma 56   Green-veined White 47   Holly Blue 7   Large White 96   Orange Tip 740   Peacock 42   Red Admiral 43   Small Tortoiseshell 77   Small White 16   Small/Green-veined White 83   Speckled Wood

Here's a summary of the Bedfordshire butterfly season so far.

Thanks for all the records. They are mapped in iMap here: www.keithbalmer.com/bedsbutterfl...

Click on a square to see its species list. Choose other mapping options from the drop-down list.

Graphs of flight times, first and last day, and adult abundance for Comma butterfly. The first date is trending earlier and the last date later. Abundance is also rising.

I've added a first-day and last-day phenology graph to each Bedfordshire butterfly species account on www.bedsbutterflies.org.uk with a trend line showing change since 1990. This is Comma's. Global warming effect at the local level...

Yours might actually be an odd Chromatomyia aprilina

hendeliana and cornigera can only be separated by a close look at the larva or pupa or breeding. I seem to find them just after they vacate the mine which is annoying!

Superb find. One we have not seen yet - this group of moths are little stunners

@lizziebruce.bsky.social Melissa and I had a great day at Welney yesterday - lots of species inc 3 Otters. She commented on the large numbers of Shoveler we saw and I meant to ask a member of staff if that was usual for the time of year or is the water depth just right for them at present?

Melissa reminded me that in a Marple episode we saw last week set in the 1950s a Horse Chestnut was covered in mines of Cameraria ohridella despite that not occurring in the UK till 2002.

Well spotted :-)

Nice - we had a couple yesterday just east at Sandy Smith NR

Yep.eill message you when back in

Lovely walk in. Bedfordshire wood this afternoon to see the wild Narcissus and also Wood Anemones and even a couple of Bluebells out.

Received today thanks. Once I get a chance I will hopefully get an id for you

Yes please send all the bits and I will see what can be done. I need the exuvia and the case as well

Wow great find Matt

Some others too depending on food supply etc.

Melissa and I just watched the first episode of Aillte by @cormacscoast.bsky.social on TG4 - it's a really good watch. Easy to get the TG4 player on our smart TV and the programme has English subtitles. Looking forward to watching the other episode tomorrow. www.tg4.ie/en/player/ca...

Happy memories of seeing them in 2005

One of 3 cases of CV Coleophora saturatella on the same Broom plant in east Beds vc30 this afternoon the 8th county record. All the Beds records are in the same area of the county across 2 sites. #TeamMoth

It is a superb book. I often dip into it

This is Bedfordshire but there are photos of the different stages. It should have most of the species you are interested in www.keithbalmer.com/bedsbutterfl...

Some Leafmines still to be found in Bedfordshire on Boxing Day. Ectoedemia rubivora in Dewberry/Bramble, Liriomyza pascuum in Wood Spurge and the ubiquitous Phytomyza chaerophylli in Cow Parsley. rubivora had evaded us this year until now. #TeamMoth

If kept in the freezer some last and work ok for years so do try them. As others have said date, time of day and habitat are all important. Some species don't move much either. I have used the Six-belted lure at a site with nothing arriving in 15 mins, moved the lure 10m and bingo.

New study confirms that short wavelength light (UV & blue) attracts the most nocturnal insects & that intensity increases attraction for all colours. Longer wavelength & lower intensity outdoor lights should reduce biodiversity impacts resjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... #teammoth 🌍

Best id is by the shape of the antennae segments. It is dependant on the sex as males and females different but it's great for telling awkward Grey Pine and Spruce Carpet specimens apart

Not a leafminer but just damage on the leaf causer unknown

To be honest even if they did that it would pick up so much non mine dross and also many or maybe most real mines would have needed more info to id

The mine in this case is Agromyzidae but would need breeding to id.
Yes Melissa and I do look on gardening programmes and try and spot mines on plants! As to.other iRecord photos verifiers only see their species group(s) so I would only see records stated as moths for Bedfordshire and not others

Definitely a Euura species of sawfly on Salix. There are several species like this and usually the id depends a lot on identifying the particular Salix species

Phyllonorycter pastorella mine on Crack Willow and Aulagromyza heringii on Ash. Both new leafmines to site for @englishheritage.bsky.social Wrest Park. Also a few other added along with several gall species. #TeamMoth

Nice work and yes depending on the site they can take a long time to find