The first records of the year were of a Peacock and a Red Admiral on 16th January. Overwintering Red Admirals, so prolific the previous Autumn, continued to be seen regularly until 21st March. A Brimstone followed on 17th February. An early Large White (6th March) pre-dated sightings of hibernating Commas and Small Tortoiseshell by two days. The first Small White was noted on 13th March and the earliest-ever Orange Tip on 27th, a warm, sunny day when good numbers of Brimstones, Peacocks and Commas were flying. Green-veined White was recorded on 29th March.

One of the warmest and sunniest Aprils ever led to the earliest-ever county records for species not normally seen until May: Small Copper (16th), Green Hairstreak and Grizzled Skipper (19th), Dingy Skipper (21st), Common Blue, Brown Argus and Small Heath (26th). A Red Admiral larva was discovered on 7th, and the first Holly Blue on 8th, followed by sightings of it from all parts of the county. Speckled Woods had a small first brood. Sixteen species were recorded on 26th. By the end of the month, Grizzled and Dingy Skippers and Small Coppers were being seen in good numbers. A Clouded Yellow on 14th made an unprecedented nineteen species before the end of the month.

Sadly, it was all downhill after that. May was a changeable month of far fewer records, but the trend of early emergences continued with a Large Skipper at Twywell on 6th. Six Holly Blues were flying at Old Sulehay on 1st, and 5 fresh Red Admirals at Salcey on 8th. 14 species were on the wing at Twywell for our Branch field trip on 20th, including c. 30 Grizzled and 40+ Dingy Skippers, 40+ Brown Argus and egglaying Green Hairstreaks. The first Wood Whites were seen in Salcey and Yardley Chase on 20th, but, for the third year in a row, numbers were worryingly low. A freshly emerged Small Blue was present at its only county site on 25th May, but further visits on 9th and 29th June also yielded singletons only after its good showing in 2006.

The unsettled weather continued throughout June. The Black Hairstreak appeared on its earliest ever date, 8th, and, despite less than helpful conditions for our Survey, was recorded at nine locations, though numbers at Glapthorn were well below average. It had an unusually long flight period, until 12th July. Common Blues were also low in numbers, 63 at Welford Quarry (9th) being the only significant count. A small invasion of Painted Ladies took place across the county between 9th and 29th June. There was a good emergence of Marbled Whites (20), with 30 Small Heath, at Twywell on 19th, plus the first Ringlet, followed by a White Admiral in Salcey the following day. 10+ Small Skippers were flying on 21st and Smalll Tortoiseshells were more numerous than in 2006. By the end of the month, Marbled Whites and White Admirals were well into their flight periods, but numbers of both were well below average as wet and windy July took its toll.
The Purple Emperor’s flight period fitted neatly into the calendar month of July, with emergence on 1st and the final sighting on 31st. Although it was no more than an average year by Fermyn standards, a new territory was discovered by Matthew Oates, who observed three separate pairings (on 10th, 12th and 14th) in Fermyn Wood. Egglaying was noted on the 19th. The White Admiral aberration obliterae was seen in Fermyn on 8th and in Yardley Chase on 16th July. Sightings of White-letter and Purple Hairstreaks, Small and Essex Skippers and Gatekeepers were greatly diminished by the unseasonal conditions, but there were frequent views of Silver-washed Fritillary from 8th – 24th in Fermyn Wood. No records were received from elsewhere. Marbled Whites reached a peak of 40+ at Twywell on 17th July.
The Holly Blue had a good second brood, first appearing on 10th July, with a trickle of records until 28th. The wet weather in the grassland sites, however, caused a crash in numbers of second brood Common Blue, Brown Argus and Small Copper. A brief spell of more settled conditions at the end of the month brought some optimism; on 28th July, 23 species were recorded from three sites. 7 male Chalkhill Blues and 7 Brimstones were on the wing at Barnack just outside the county, and there were good numbers of Commas in Fineshade Wood. The Peacock emerged just at the right time. On 31st, over a hundred were counted in the Silverstone Woods, and 83 in Salcey on 1st August.
Migrants’ numbers were also well down on 2006. Painted Lady appeared on 11th August and was seen in small numbers for the rest of the month, by which time it was in the company of groups of Red Admirals. There were only five Clouded Yellows recorded throughout this year, two being at Bradlaugh Fields, Northampton, a female helice on 23rd August and a male on 27th. Holly Blues continued their long second brood in good numbers in Northampton during the last week of the month and, during September eggs and larvae were relatively easy to find on the local ivy.
The bizarre season continued into September, with the latest-ever Large Skipper on 2nd and a rare Small Copper aberration Schmidtiii a day later. Red Admirals were attracted to the ivy at this time, though with nothing like the population explosion of a year earlier. There was a steady showing of Speckled Woods throughout the month. Twelve species were on the wing during another mild October, and six remained in November. Most notable were third generation Holly Blues on 19th October, and, spectacularly, on its latest ever date, 2nd November, making it surely Northamptonshire’s Butterfly of the Year. There was only one December record, a Peacock, on the 11th, bringing an end to the strangest, most topsy-turvy season ever.