Along with my good butterflying buddies, Barrie and Anita, I spent some time yesterday at Derbyshire’s first Butterfly Reserve at Hoe Grange, an abandoned limestone quarry on the edge of the Peak District National Park. The site has already recorded 26 species and also hosts several rare plants and a variety of insects. The rare Blotched Emerald moth was trapped overnight and also two Wood Tiger moth were seen, but unfortunately the weather was not so kind and few butterflies were on the wing. We did manage to see Common Blue, Small Heath and Large Skipper.
Bee Orchid – North Derbyshire – Tony Davison©
Common Blue – Hoe Grange Quarry, Derbyshire – Tony Davison©
Common Cudweed – North Derbyshire – Tony Davison©
Heath Speedwell – Hoe Grange, North Derbyshire – Tony Davison©
Large Skipper – Hoe Grange, North Derbyshire
Moonwort – North Derbyshire – Tony Davison© – Virtually restricted to the North West area of the county.
Ox-eye Daisy – Hoe Grange, North Derbyshire – Tony Davison©
Wood Tiger Moth – Hoe Grange, North Derbyshire – Tony Davison©