Other Wildlife

Use this page to record sightings of species other than birds that may be of interest to others. Please note that records submitted to this website will be shared with the RSPB Croydon Local Group and may also be submitted to the London Natural History Society wildlife recorders. Do not post records on this website unless you are happy for them to be shared with the other organisations mentioned here.
Bird sightings can be viewed and reported on the Latest News page.
Regular contributors identified below by only initials are - John Birkett (JB), Gavin Hawgood (GH), Lucinda Offer (LO) and John Watson (JW).
==Butterfly records==
You are encouraged to post all records of butterflies in Croydon on this site. We are cooperating with the Butterflies of London project, who will use our data to help monitor their distribution. Certain sites are regularly surveyed, but many of our open spaces and gardens are not. Every little helps.
== August 2024 ==
*16th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Female common darter, another southern hawker exuvia, tree bee. (JB)
*15th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): 2 Jersey Tiger moths (1 yellow, 1 orange) and a straw underwing in moth trap. (JB)
*14th - Shirley (Devonshire Way): Common Darter. (KW)
*13th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Jersey tiger (red form), male orange swift and brown house moths amongst others in moth trap this morning. (JB)
*12th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Willow beauty moth in moth trap this morning. Another freshly emerged southern hawker and one flying around garden, plus 4 exuviae. Frog. Speckled bush cricket detected at 11pm. (JB)
*5th - Happy Valley: Common Lizard, Roman Snail, Six-Spot Burnet Moth, Gatekeeper, Large White, Common Blue, Peacock, Common Carpet Moth, Speckled Wood. (LO)
*3rd - Wandle Park: Emperor Dragonfly (m), 2 Common Darter, 2 Common Blue Butterfly, 2 Small White, 8 Meadow Brown, 4 Gatekeeper, Rose Chafer, Goldenrod Crab Spider, Fox. (LO)
==July 2024==
*29th- Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): 7+ gatekeepers, 1 meadow brown, 1 brimstone, 1 large white, 1 small whute, 1 holly blue, 1 Jersey tiger. Common pipistrelle at 23:15. (JB)
*29th - South Norwood (Kings Road) 1 Jersey tiger, 1 Large White, 3 Gatekeepers, 2 Grasshoppers (common field) all in front Garden (13:00) (JW)
*27th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Both Volucella zonaria and v inanis hoverflies feeding on buddleia this morning. Jersey tiger (orange form), single Willow Emerald damselfly. Hummingbird hawk moth. (JB)
*26th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): First Hummingbird hawk moth of the year, plus another freshly emerged southern hawker. (JB)
*26th - Sanderstead (St Mary's Road): Jersey Tiger (Mike Earp)
*23rd - South Norwood (Kings Road) 2 Jersey Tiger moths (both orange variety) (JW)
*22nd - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Another freshly hatched southern hawker plus another exuvia. (JB)
*21st - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Southern hawker hatching day. 1 recently emerged adult plus 3 other exuviae and 2 larvae still in pond. 2 smooth newts, 1 frog. 1 meadow brown, 2 large white. (JB)
*18th - Heathfield: 2 Emperor Dragonfly, 2 Broad-Bodied Chaser, 1 Common Darter, Large Red Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Pond Skater, 1 Red Admiral, 2 Speckled Wood, 1 Ringlet, 3 Gatekeeper, 8+ Meadow Brown. (LO)
*14th - South Norwood Lake: 2 Small Skipper, c20 Meadow Brown, 2 Ringlet, 1 Speckled Wood, 2 Large White, 2 Small White (JW)
*11th - South Norwood (Kings Road) Red Admiral, Large White ,Small White, (JW)
*11th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Gatekeeper, small white. (JB)
*10th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Southern hawker flying around garden - no evidence of hatching from our pond, so presumably from elsewhere. (JB)
*9th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Hoverfly Volucella pellucens, 1 smooth newt, 3 southern hawker larvae. (JB)
*7th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): 3 smooth newt, 3 southern hawker larvae. (JB)
*6th - Wandle Park: Broad-Bodied Chaser (m), Meadow Brown, Marbled White, Skipper (not sure if small or large), Small Heath. (LO)
*2nd - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Regular Tuesday pond dipping session - 3 smooth newts, 4 southern hawker larvae. (JB)
*1st - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Solitary ringlet butterfly in garden. (JB)
==June 2024==
*30th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Pond dipping produced 4 smooth newts, 5 southern hawker larvae (plus a 6th seen) and a frog seen. (JB)
*26th - Lloyd Park: Pyramidal Orchids, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Yellow Shell Moth, Cinnabar Moth, Marsh Snipe-Fly, Common Red-Legged Robberfly. (LO)
*24th - South Norwood Lake: 1 Marbled White, 6 Gatekeepers, 2 Meadow Brown, (JW)
*20th - Hutchinson's Bank: Lesser Stag Beetle (sadly dead), Marbled White Butterfly, 4 Common Lizard. (LO)
*20th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Meadow brown. (JB)
*17th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): first azure damselfly in garden this year. (JB)
*14th Location undisclosed: Lizard orchid coming into full flower. (admin)
*6th - Hutchinson's Bank: 26 Common Lizard, 1 Slow Worm (juv), Orange Conch Moth, Garden Grass-Veneer Moth, Cinnabar Moth, Mint Moth, Grizzled Skipper, Meadow Grasshopper, Brimstone Butterfly. (LO)
*4th - Park Hill Park: Marmalade Hover Fly. (LO)
*3rd - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Common pipistrelle at 22:00. (JB)
*3rd - New South Quarter (near Wandle Park): Stag Beetle (male). (L Offer)
*1st - Riddlesdown: 6 Bee Orchids (J Patterson)
==May 2024==
*28th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Stag beetle found dead on hearth; must have dropped down the chimney) (JB)
*25th - Addington Hills: Broad-Bodied Chaser (female), Green Hairstreak. (L Offer)
*25th - Lloyd Park: Broad-Bodied Chaser (male), 2 Common Blue Damselfly, Red Admiral, Small Copper, Spindle Ermine Moth Caterpillars (in webs), Tadpoles. (L Offer)
*24th - Central Croydon (Chatsworth Road Conservation Area): Large Red Damselfly next to small garden pond. (LO)
*24th - Shirley (Devonshire Way): vixen suckling 5 cubs. (KW)
*23rd - Hutchinson's Bank: 21 Common Lizard, 1 Slow Worm (data being submitted to ARC/LWT as part of a survey); Thick-Legged Flower Beetle, Yellow Shell Moth, Common Blue, Small Blue butterfly. (L Offer)
*19th - Bramley Bank: Green Hairstreak butterfly. (L Offer)
*19th - Heathfield Gardens: 3 Broad-Bodied Chaser, numerous Large Red & Common Blue damselflies. (L Offer)
*12th - Beaulieu Heights: Beautiful Demoiselle (male). (L Offer)
*12th - Whitehorse Meadow pond: Numerous smooth newts, Rams-horn Snail, Large Red Damselfly. (L Offer)
*8th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (10.30pm): 1, poss 2, Common Pipistrelles feeding along back gdns (GH)
*7th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): 6+ smooth newts, tadpoles and unknown larvae in pond. brimstone, holly blue and orange-tip butterflies. Common pipistrelle at 21:00. (JB)
*7th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Drama in garden pond where a smooth newt appeared to have become prey for a southern hawker nymph! Obviously a better meal than the many tadpoles. Brimstone, holly blue, green-veined white butterflies, hairy-footed flower bee, buff-tailed bumblebee. (JB)
*4th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): First Holly Blue butterflies in garden. (JB)
*1st - Kings Wood: Brimstone, speckled wood, holly blue, small white and orange-tip butterflies. Badger sett that appears to have been tampered with. (JB)
==April 2024==
*30th - Shirley (Devonshire Way): Speckled Wood. (KW)
*30th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Forget-me-nots and white dead-nettle buzzing with pollinators. Mainly solitary wasps/bees, some hoverflies and my first tree bumblebee of the year. Hoverflies mythropa florea and helophilus pendula identified. Nomad bee species seen. First Orange-tip of the year and a couple of small white butterflies. Harlequin ladybird. (JB)
*29th - Hutchinson's Bank: 19 Common Lizard, 2 Slow Worm, 1 Roe Deer (m), Roman Snail, Green Carpet Moth, Peacock Butterfly, Comma, Brimstone. (L Offer)
*24th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Pond dipping produced 6 smooth newts, 5 southern hawker nymphs and several tadpoles (probably toad, but not sure). (JB)
*22nd - Shirley (Devonshoire Way): Vixen with 4 new cubs in garden.(KW)
*20st - Shirley (Devonshire Way): Brimstone & Holly Blue butterflies. (KW)
* 8th - South Norwood Country Park (12.30pm): Small White (2), Brimstone (1), Orange Tip (1), Comma (1), Speckled Wood (1) (GH)
* 7th - South Norwood Country Park: male Orange tip butterly. (KW)
* 5th - Wandle Park: Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly. (L Offer)
* 4th - Hutchinson's Bank: Roe Deer, Red Admiral, Comma. (L Offer)
* Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Mound from tawny mining bee, andrena fulva in lawn. (JB)
==March 2024==
*30th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Hairy-footed flower bee, 2+ smooth newts, 2 southern hawker nymphs, toad spawn still present in pond. Queen wasp in house. (JB)
*24th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road) Early bumblebee feeding on pulmonaria. (JB)
*21st - Hutchinson's Bank: Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma, Brimstone butterflies, Tawny Mining Bee, Dark Edged Bee Fly, 2 Common Lizard. (L Offer)
*17th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): 4 toads and 4 newts in garden pond. (JB)
*14th - Hutchinson's Bank: Large Tortoiseshell, Comma, Peacock, Brimstone butterflies, 3 Common Lizard. (L Offer)
*14th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Garden bursting into life - 3+ smooth newts, 2 frogs, 2 toads and a dragonfly nymph in the pond and male brimstone flying round. (JB)
*11th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (4.45pm): Wood mouse feeding on spilt bird food on back patio (GH)
*9th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): 2 male brimstones and a buff-tailed bumblebee. (JB))
*7th - South Norwood Country Park: Terrapin lurking, buff-tailed bumblebee. (JB)
==February 2024==
*29th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Checking trail cam photos, found a badger in the garden! (JB)
*20th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Queen buff-tailed bumblebee - my first of year. (JB)
*18th - Heathfield: 10+ Common Newt, 16+ Common Frog, 3 Common Toad. (L Offer)
*17th - Croydon (Dering Road): Frog calling in pond. (J Barnes)
*16th - Coombe Wood: Frogspawn in a small pond. (L Offer)
*16th - Lloyd Park: Toads mating in pond. (L Offer)
*15th - Coulsdon (The Vale): Brimstone. (S Grayson)
*15th - Purley (Manor Wood Road): Brimstone and Peacock. (Oliver Carmona)
*15th - Hutchinson's Bank: 1 Common Lizard (baby from last year), 3 Brimstone Butterfly, 1 Peacock Butterfly. (L Offer)
*12th - Littleheath Woods (Keyhole Pond): Common Frogs mating and laying spawn. (L Offer)
*12th - Heathfield: Red Admiral butterfly. (L Offer)
*6th - Park Hill (Fairfield Path/Barclay Road, 10:00): Red Admiral Butterfly. (L Offer)
*1st - Hutchinson's Bank: Red Admiral Butterfly and several Bumblebees. (L Offer)
==January 2024==
*31st - Selsdon Park: Roe deer at dusk. (JB)
*27th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Beautiful plume moth still in the house. (JB)
*19th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Foxes caught in the act this morning in our garden, then stayed stuck together for some time. (JB)
*15th - Croydon (Fryston Ave): Peacock butterfly in garden. (Peter Phillips)
*3rd - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Beautiful plume moth, first mentioned back in November, still alive in our house. (JB)
*1st - Central Croydon (Chatsworth Road): Bumblebee in flight. (L Offer)
==Archived Other Wildlife Records==
Other Wildlife 2023
Other Wildlife 2022
Other Wildlife 2021
Other Wildlife 2020
Other Wildlife 2019
Other Wildlife 2018
Other Wildlife 2017
Other Wildlife 2016
Other Wildlife 2015
Other Wildlife 2014
Other Wildlife 2013
Other Wildlife 2012
Full Archive
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