South Yorkshire sites.

[55bloke]

I need help!! Moved away from N Yorks to Sheffield a few years ago, and I soooooo miss being in "the countryside"! Butterfles are almost non-existant where I now live- on the Southern outskirts of Sheffield close to the Derbyshire border. Occasionally see a few Speckled Woods and Hedge Browns, and there were lots of Orange Tips 'til the coucil started mowing the meadow behind the house. I'm sure there MUST be good sites for butterflies around here somwhere, but being unfamiliar with the area I have no idea where to look. Anyone got any ideas?

[NickB]

Hi
I'm sure you probably have - but can I be so bold as to suggest you look on Butterfly Conservation's Yorkshire website for some sites and have a word with the S Yorks Recorder for some info?

The Butterflies of Yorkshire
Published 2005
Edited by Howard M Frost.

The above book (costs £20 - but with the price of petrol these days it could pay for itself quite quickly...) could also give some more specific details.
Best regards
Nick

[NickB]

HI
WADWORTH WOOD near Doncaster - White-letter Hairstreak
HELLEY WHINS & BRIDLE (Nr. Huddersfield, West Yorks)White-letter Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak
A couple of sites for this time of year from Yorks BC site
Not particularly nr Sheffield tho' - sorry; must be some in the Peninnes, surely...? Anyone else out there...?
Nick
(ex-pat Yorkshireman - had to hand-in the whippet and flat cap when I left!)

[BOO]

Theres a few more sites in the south yorks/north Notts area,,
Thorne moors > Large Heath
Lindrick Common > Silver Studded Blue, Dark Green Frit, Scotch Argus, Marbled White
Anston Stones > Purple Hairstreak, Dark Green Frit, Marbled White, Brown Argus
Eaton Woods > White Admiral, Silver Washed Fritillary

Hope that helps,,,,,,, Ste

[m_galathea]

Has the Scotch Argus been introduced to Lindrick Common? I was of the understanding that in England it could only be found at Smardale and Arnside...

[Piers]

Both the Silver Studded Blue, Scotch Argus, and Marbled White are known (but 'unofficial') introductions; apparently doing well...

[BOO]

The Dark Green Fritillary was introduced two years ago i think,, 1st year about 6 adults were seen, last year around 30 and i went there in the heatwave at the end of june this year and there must have been nearly a hundred adults,, ive never seen so many amazing butterflies all flying together. They have also colonised Anston Stones with 10 seen there. Ste

[Matsukaze]

I always wondered why the Scotch Argus did not occur in eastern England - its European range suggests it needs a continental-type climate, which would be better provided for in (say) Lincolnshire or Breckland than in Scotland. Is the British population known to have different climatic preferences?

[BOO]

I think the British Scotch Argus is a different 'race' to the european ones, preferring the more upland areas etc..,,, thats why some people think the ones that are doing well at Lindrick Common have been taken from the continent. I met someone there though this year and he knew the chap that released them and he said they were taken from the north of England and Scotland! Amazingly they seem to be holding out and hopefully they will exist there for many years to come. Ste

[Pete Eeles]

Theres a few more sites in the south yorks/north Notts area,,
Thorne moors > Large Heath
Lindrick Common > Silver Studded Blue, Dark Green Frit, Scotch Argus, Marbled White
Anston Stones > Purple Hairstreak, Dark Green Frit, Marbled White, Brown Argus
Eaton Woods > White Admiral, Silver Washed Fritillary

Hope that helps,,,,,,, Ste

Thanks for this discussion, all.

One item on my list is to allow sites to be suggested (although only open-access and non-sensitive sites would be "absorbed"!). Watch this space. When I do get around to this, I'd like to suggest a (healthy) debate on whether sites should, or should not, be mentioned and what criteria should be used to include them.

Cheers,

- Pete