| Butterfly Conservation |
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| saving butterflies, moths and their habitats |
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I know we have some new visitors coming in this week from the Sussex Ornithological Society's website (www.sos.org.uk) - Welcome, we look forward to your records, and if you want to see galleries of 600+ species of Sussex moths and all the county's butterflies, go via the Sussex species link on the left-hand toolbar.
Thursday 24 July 2008 Meeching Quarry, Newhaven: Another visit to the disused quarry. Hot and sunny 4pm. Comma (1), Meadow Brown (many), Gatekeeper (many), Peacock (2), Small Tortoiseshell (1), Common Blue (10+), Marbled White (10+), Small Copper (1), Small Skipper (2), Speckled Wood (4), Small Heath (1)....but the reason we went was for the Small Blue which were doing very well indeed. We're talking 20+, the most common butterfly there save for maybe Gatekeeper/Meadow Brown. This time my daughter rode aloft the shoulders again all the way through the edge of the barley field. Since I was wearing shorts the barley took its revenge on the legs which were bloodied and itchy. I experienced an element of pain for the sake of the Small Blue. (Danny McEvoy) Over 200 butterflies of 15 species were seen in about two hours on Mill Hill (Shoreham) and the approaches with 37 Chalkhill Blues (including two females seen mostly on the lower slopes. Another notable was the first two of the second brood Brown Argus in amongst the long grass and herb meadow north of the upper car park. Gatekeepers led the count and Large Whites were close behind, both with over fifty seen, and Meadow Browns were not far behind. The only other species in double figures was Peacock . In the early evening I added a Comma and a Green-veined White to make seventeen species for the day and the best day tally of the year. (Andy Horton)
Wednesday 23 July 2008
News for Tues 22 Jul: Broad-barred White seen at RH20 1DS, at 21.00hrs on my kitchen window. (Linda Monck)
News for Tues 22 Jul: I am a SOS birdwatcher, but during a morning visit to Bexhill High Woods (app 09.15) I saw a butterfly I have not wittingly seen before - a White Admiral. I was able to verify my suspicions from an average photo given the dappled shade. (David Rogers)
Twenty-one species of butterfly in the vicinity of my garden in Edburton today - Dark Green Fritillary 1, Wall 1, Brimstone 1, Chalkhill Blue 5, Common Blue 4, Brown Argus 1, Marbled White 150, Peacock 12, Red Admiral 4, Comma 2, Ringlet 1, Gatekeeper 50, Meadow Brown 200, Small Heath 2, Speckled Wood 1, Large Skipper 1, Small/Essex Skipper 50 + Large, Small and Green-veined White + Hummingbird Hawkmoth and Silver Y (Tony Wilson)
Wild flowers after butterfly management on downs behind Amberley yesterday (Neil Hulme), and Purple Emperor taking sap, Southwater Woods, on Monday (Brian Henham)
Recent news: Moth trapping at Pagham Harbour: Finally the weather has changed and the number of species is increasing dramatically with 98 species trapped on 22 July behind the visitor centre at Pagham Harbour LNR making this years total 250 species, and including the first ever True Lover's Knot at the reserve. 22 July: Aethes smeathmannianci, Agapeta hamama, Barred Fruit-Tree Tortrix, Buff-tip, Chinese Character, Chocolate-tip, Cochylis flaviciana, Common Wainscot, Common Wave, Coronet, Diamond Back Moth, Dioryctria sylvestrella, Dioryctria abietella, Early Thorn, Epiblema foenella, Eudonia mercurella, European Corn-borer, Gold Triangle, Lackey, Leopard, Light Brown Apple Moth, Nutmeg, Pale Mottled Willow, Pempelia genistella, Sallow Kitten, Satin Wave, Silver Y, Small Fan Foot Wave, Southern Wainscot, Vine's Rustic, V-pug, Water Veneer, Yellow-tail, Yponomeuta Spp, Canary Shouldered Thorn, Small Rufous (see photo), Iron Prominent, Dark Fruit Tree Tortrix, Star-wort (See Photo), True Lover's Knot (First for the Reserve), Long Legged China Mark, Codling Moth, Rosy Footman, Large Wainscot, Cochylis atricapitana, Acleris forsskaleana, Agriphilia tristella, Bloodvein, Buff Arches, Burnished Brass, Clouded Border, Crambus perlella, Dark Swordgrass, Dusky Sallow, Elephant Hawk-moth, Least Yellow Underwing, Lime-Speck Pug, Pebble Prominent, Poplar Kitten, Rusty Dot Pearl, Single Dotted Wave, Trachycera marmorea, Fen Wainscot, Bright-Line Brown-Eye, Chrysoteuchia culmella, Double Lobed, Dun-bar, Knotgrass, Light Grey Tortrix, Nut-Tree Tussock, Pale Prominent, Pebble Hook-tip, Phlyctaenia coronata, Scalloped Oak, Shuttle Shaped Dart, Willow Beauty, Channel Island Pug, Grey Tortrix, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Mother of Pearl, Ruby Tiger, Thistle Ermine, Phycitodes binaeveia, Browntail, Chilo phragmitella, Orthotaenia undulana, Crambus lathoniellus, Scarce Footman, Riband Wave, Smoky Wainscot, Spectacle, Uncertain, Dingy Footman, Large Yellow Underwing, Common/Lesser Rustic, Flame Shoulder, Rustic, Common Footman and Dark Arches 21 July: Buff Ermine, Ruby Tiger, Small Magpie, Light Grey Tortrix, Channel Island Pug, Cochylis flaviciana, Dark Spectacle, Dark Swordgrass, Delicate, Dingy Footman, Dun-bar, Elephant Hawk-moth, Garden Carpet, Heart and Dart, Lime-Speck Pug, Lychnis, Nutmeg, Pepperded Moth, Poplar Hawkmoth, Diorychria sylvestrella, Rusty Dot Pearl, Lackey, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Chocolate-tip, Grey Tortrix, Buff Arches, Scalloped Oak, Bright-Line Brown-Eye, Chinese Character, Common Carpet, Crambus lathoniellus, Magpie, Spectacle, Riband Wave, Shuttle Shaped Dart, Common/Lesser Rustic, Scarce Footman, Uncertain, Flame Shoulder, Smoky Wainscot, Common Footman, Dark Arches, Large Yellow Underwing and Rustic 20 July: Agapeta hamama, Bloodvein, Bordered Beauty, Buff Ermine, Common Wave, Coronet, Crambus perlella, Dark Barred Twin Spot Carpet, Early Thorn, Nut-Tree Tussock, Pebble Prominent, Ruby Tiger, Rusty Dot Pearl, Shuttle Shaped Dart, Silver Y, Small Magpie, Snout, Southern Wainscot, Spectacle, Trachycera marmorea, White-spotted Pug, Miller, Small Fan Foot Wave, Dusky Sallow, Eudonia mercurella, Lackey, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Light Grey Tortrix, Riband Wave, Burnished Brass, Chocolate-tip, Grey Tortrix, Uncertain, Buff Arches, Mottled Rustic, Smoky Wainscot, Scalloped Oak, Common Footman, Flame Shoulder, Common/Lesser Rustic, Rustic and Dark Arches (Ivan Lang)
News for Tues 22 Jul: First the bad news. During a brief visit to Littlehampton Bridge to look for migrants, I was saddened to see that the main Wych Elm used by the White-letter Hairstreak colony here, has very rapidly succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease. The rate of 'collapse' of this tree is really quite shocking. The population here was decimated by the very strong winds and torrential rains of 6/7 July, and since then I have seen no more than the 2-3 which I recorded today. I fear this may be the 'beginning of the end' for the colony. On a happier note, I was very pleased with the state of the habitat at a site on the Downs behind Amberley this morning. Although butterfly numbers are down following last year's appalling summer, it is very clear that the management work being performed here is beneficial to the flora. The banks and meadows are currently awash with the most stunning array of wild flowers. (Neil Hulme)
News for Mon 21 Jul: At a site called Upper Bewbush (TQ2335), to the west of Crawley were the following:- Gatekeeper many, Meadow Brown many, Ringlet approx 10, Peacock 1, Red Admiral 1, Purple Hairstreak 2, Silver-washed Fritillary 3M 1 F, Comma 1, Purple Emperor 1, Small Skipper approx 7, Essex Skipper 2, Small White 3, Green-veined White 2, Speckled Wood 10, Six-spot Burnet 1. On the way I saw a Large Tortoiseshell at Ifield Mill Pond as already noted on the website. Also around the general area, I noted approx 20 Speckled Woods. (Andrew Bashford)
Tuesday 22 July 2008
My first Painted Lady of the year at Pevensey Levels today. (Roy Wells)
News for Mon 21 July 2008: from www.sos.org.uk - a LARGE TORTOISESHELL at Ifield Mill Pond at 12.30. A Hummingbird Hawkmoth in our Southwick garden this morning and one at Folkington Reservoir yesterday. (Paul & Bridget James) Crispin Holloway has sent through some fascinating stats from the transect he walks at Malling Down. He expected me to edit it for the site, but I thought many of you would be interested to read it in full: There is certainly more on the wing now - at last. Quite a few Red Admiral and I saw my first 2008 Painted Lady in my fathers garden (Kingston), Sunday 20th. I have compared recorded sightings this year with previous years at Malling Down - Peacock and Adonis Blue have done very, very well, so far, this year (see below). But the abundance of most other species is still well, well below what it should be. Malling Down transect results for week 16, Monday 21/7/8 (in brackets Wk15 results 13/7/8): 4 Small/Essex Skipper (1), 2 Brimstone (0), 7 Large White (5), 3 Small White (4), 6 Small Copper (2), 4 Brown Argus (0), 3 Common Blue m (0), 1 Common Blue f (0), 6 Chalkhill Blue m (0), 5 Red Admiral (0), 7 Peacock (1), 1 Small Tortoiseshell (0), 1 Comma (0), 1 Painted Lady (0), 1 Speckled Wood (0), 31 Marbled White (34), 26 Gatekeeper (2), 105 Meadow Brown (66), 0 Small Heath (1), 0 Ringlet (8), 5 Six-Spot Burnet. Week 16 total 21/7/08: 214 sightings, 17 species, (Week 15 total: 124 sightings, 10 species).
Totals for weeks 1 to 16 (first week in April to 21st July). 2008 Total for weeks 1 to 16: 732. 2007 Total for weeks 1 to 16: 429. 2006 Total for weeks 1 to 16: 1122 2005 Total for weeks 1 to 16: 1269 2004 Total for weeks 1 to 16: 1497 2003 Total for weeks 1 to 16: 1893 1986 - 2007 Average Total for weeks 1 to 16: 1450 The 2008 total is better than 2007 but it is still almost half that of the 1986 to 2007 average. 2007 was the worst year, for almost all species, since monitoring started at Malling Down in 1984. This year some species have recovered quite well but others are still suffering. The species which have done better this year are: Brown Argus - only a little bit better than 2007. Common Blue - I have recorded two and a half times as many as I did by this time last year but they are still well below what would normally be recorded. Adonis Blue - ten times as many as those recorded in 2007! If all is good it could be the best Adonis year since 1997! (at Malling Down). Peacock - two times as many this year compared with this time last year. 2008 could be the best year since 2001! Marbled White - fractionally better than 2007. Meadow Brown - I have recorded two and three quarter times as many as I did by this time last year! (Crispin Holloway) Broadfield Pond Crawley. No sightings of the Camberwell Beauty today. It appears to have moved on. (Vince Massimo)
Comma in Brighton garden today. Also a Clouded Yellow in Hastings country park close to the cliff edge on 16 July (Sanderson Topham)
Windover Hill - 6 Grayling on south facing hill, 6 Dark Green Fritillary, 50+ Chalkhill Blue, 2 Small Tortoiseshell, numerous Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites, Large and Small White and less numbers of Small Skipper, Peacock and Red Admiral. At High and Over there were around 50 Chalkhill Blues on one slope which is an increase from last year. Also of note at the coastguard cottages there were two Essex Skippers. (Matt Eade)
News for Mon 21 Jul: 3 Wood White (probably all males) wood near Plaistow. (Margaret Hibbard)
News for Mon 21 Jul: This morning I met up with Brian Henham to look at the now famous Purple Emperors of Southwater Woods, later being joined by David Dancy and then Susie Milbank. The Emperor season is sadly nearly over for another year and numbers are tailing off sharply. One male was present at the Madgelands Master Tree, but it was the almost constant action from two females (one still in good condition) at 'Butterfly Corner' that kept us entertained. For a whole hour the first female either sat low in sallows or gracefully wheeled in tight circles, often only a few metres above our heads, periodically visiting a hazel sap run at low level. The second female appeared about an hour later, providing both Susie and David with equally good views as she eagerly feasted. Both butterflies 'nodded' rhythmically as they pushed their proboscises deep into crevices in the bark. The effect of imbibing the sap was quite amazing. The butterflies, which had entered the hazel full of power and grace, came out fumbling, stumbling and barely capable of flight! They got caught up in branches, fell off leaves, hung upside down by only a couple of legs and generally cavorted around like a couple of drunkards! We all managed to get some photographs. Brian and I later moved on to Mill Hill, where the numbers of Chalkhill Blue seem very low this year. A good number of fresh Wall are now on the wing here, but they retained their reputation for being the most difficult species to photograph, with nonchalant ease. Pristine Peacocks were seen at both venues. (Neil Hulme)
News for Mon 21 Jul: A trip across the downs north of Shoreham yielded over 200 butterflies of 14 species, with special note of six Walls at six different locations and the first two male Chalkhill Blues on the upper meadow of Mill Hill which was dominated by Peacock . My journey took me from Slonk Hill Farm to Mossy Bottom where I saw my first Painted Lady of the year. Gatekeepers were the most numerous butterfly. (Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2008.html, Andy Horton)
Monday 21 July 2008
Warm weather ahoy! Let's hope more of you have success like Vince did today.
Chalkhill Blue male and mating pair, Kithurst Hill, 19 Jul (Polly Mair) and male Gatekeeper, Vert Wood, 20 Jul (John Williams)
Broadfield Pond, Crawley A CAMBERWELL BEAUTY was seen at 2.15pm at the northern end of the site where the stream passes through a big grating (TQ 258355). It seems to have established a small territory, returning to the same favourite perches during the afternoon and feeding on nearby Purple Loosestrife. It was quite a tatty specimen and was easily approached as it basked in the sun. It was still there when I left the site at 5pm. I will try to forward photographs next weekend. (Vince Massimo) A Hummingbird Hawkmoth feeding on Lavender in north Seaford today. (Matt Eade)
Small Tortoiseshell seen today on Buddleia at my garden in South Mundham. The first I have seen this year. (Phil Down)
News for Sun 20 Jul: On a walk round Bevendean Down this morning there were good numbers of the usual browns, skippers and Chalkhill Blues and a couple of Common Blues and lots of Six-spot Burnets, but best of all a pair of Dark Green Fritillaries in Hogstrough Bottom, the first I've seen there for several years. (Geoff Stevens)
Sunday 20 July 2008 Butterflies were common (135+) for the first time this year, with 14 species (equal most in a day this year) of which the most notable was the first second-brood Common Blue on the upper meadow of Mill Hill, three Wall on Mill Hill and a Chalkhill Blue count of 17 (including one female) on an acre of the lower slopes. Gatekeepers had the highest count of 47. (Andy Horton) Southwater Woods: 2 White Admiral (one laying eggs on shaded honeysuckle as they do), many Silver-washed Fritillaries, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White. No Purple Emperor, though a chap told me he saw one just before we came back to the car park. We missed it. 2 Peacock and a lone Ringlet. Twas basically a dull day with a smattering of sunny bits. I took my smelly shrimp paste again but no luck. My daughter, as usual, was perched upon my shoulders for most of the time, which prompted the field of cows to be extra curious about the giant human with two heads. This turn evoked fear from my child, which made the cows come even closer. I didn't run, but it was a close shave. White Admirals lay their eggs on the edge of the leaf on the top, a piece of information I didn't know. (Danny McEvoy) Impressive numbers & species of butterflies at Ebernoe Common this morning. At one time I had Purple Emperor, Silver-washed Fritillary, White Admiral & Purple Hairstreak all jostling for position on the same bramble bush. Numbers were - Purple Emperor 1, Silver-washed Fritillary 15 including one with no black markings at all, Purple Hairstreak 5, Comma 2, Holly Blue 1, White Admiral 5, Gatekeeper 50+, Meadow Brown 100+, Speckled Wood 3, Ringlet 4 & a few Large Whites. (Tim Duffield)
News for Sat 19 Jul: Had a two hour walk in the meadow, near to the car park, at Kithurst Hill - intermittent sun and cloud with quite a strong north-westerly breeze: Marbled White (4), Chalkhill Blue (6 male and 1 female) including one mating pair, Ringlet (3), Meadow Brown (14), Large White (2), Small Skipper (5), Essex Skipper (1) (Polly Mair)
Saturday 19 July 2008 Two Hummingbird Hawkmoth, nectaring on several different plants, seen together on the cliff path above Holywell (TV601970) at 4.30pm. (Carole & David Jode) Female and male Silver-studded Blue at Iping Common today (Richard Symonds)
In my garden in Edburton today my second Hummingbird Hawkmoth of the year, Dark Green Fritillary, Comma, Red Admiral, 3 Peacocks, 2 Marbled Whites + the usual browns and skippers. Nearby one Edburton Hill another Dark Green Fritillary, 2 Walls, 30 Marbled Whites and 4 Peacocks (Tony Wilson)
18 new photos in the moth galleries today including 9 new species, two of which were from Mike Snelling: Haworth's Pug, Grass Rivulet, Yarrow Pug, Scallop Shell, Minor Shoulder-knot, Dotted Grey Groundling (Athrips mouffatella), Marbled Bell (Eucosma campoliliana), Barred Marble (Celypha striana) and Diamond-back Marble (Eudemis profundana). Thanks to Colin Pratt and Tim Freed for confirming the identities of most of my photos. We now only need another seven more species to break the 600 species barrier! (Bob Foreman) Remember many of the photos are now 'clickable', revealing a larger version of each image Today I visited Iping Common (SU849219) for around an hour arriving at 13:40. The weather was warm and sunny when I first arrived but clouds soon appeared and there was light rain before I left. The numbers of Silver-studded Blues have fallen dramatically with most in poor condition. The attached photos are of two in the best condition. Count: Silver-studded Blue (4F 3M), Gatekeeper (1F 4M), Meadow Brown (2) and Ringlet (1). (Richard Symonds, Hayling Island) News for Weds 16 Jul: Littlehampton Bridge. Another visit to try to photograph White-Letter Hairstreak. 2 or possibly 3 individuals were seen flying but none landed within 10 feet of the ground. Other sightings included a lone Purple Hairstreak in a nearby oak as well as 1 Holly Blue, 4 Red Admiral, 5 Comma, 3 Peacock, 6 Small White, 2 Large White, 2 Green-veined White, 6 Gatekeeper, 3 Small Skipper and 2 Speckled Wood. (Vince Massimo) Friday 18 July 2008
In our Mill Hill moth trap last night highlights included 2 Poplar Hawkmoth, Dot Moth, Early Thorn, Blackneck, and Knotgrass. There was also one Privet Hawkmoth flying around our garden in the late evening and last night may have marked the end of our Elephant Hawkmoth season as it was the first trap since 24th May when we have not caught one. (Dave and Pen Green)
Recent news: The moth trap sightings from Pagham Harbour for the last few days have been as follows (Ivan Lang): 12 Jul:Agriphilia tristella, Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing, Buff-tip, Channel Island Pug, Clay, Common Carpet, Common Wainscot Crambus lathoniellus, Elephant Hawk-moth, Flame Shoulder, Herald, Mottled Rustic, Pepperded Moth, Phlyctaenia coronata, Poplar Grey,Poplar Hawkmoth,Purple Bar, Ruby Tiger, Snout, Thistle Ermine, Yellow-tail, Udea fulvalis, Bright-Line Brown-Eye, Burnished Brass, Common/Lesser Rustic, Dark Swordgrass, Dioryctria abietella,Pebble Prominent, Riband Wave, Rusty Dot Pearl, Scarce Footman, Small Magpie, Diamond Back Moth, Lackey, Light Grey Tortrix, Lime-Speck Pug, Smoky Wainscot,Spectacle, Grey Tortrix, Rustic, Silver Y, Uncertain, Large Yellow Underwing, Common Footman and Dark Arches 13 Jul: Agriphilia tristella,Channel Island Pug, Clay, Elephant Hawk-moth,Phlyctaenia coronata, Snout, Thistle Ermine,Yellow-tail, Bright-Line Brown-Eye, Pebble Prominent, Riband Wave, Rusty Dot Pearl, Archips podana, Bloodvein, Browntail, Buff Arches, Buff Ermine, Chinese Character, Chrysoteuchia culmella, Dot Moth, Mother of Pearl,Pebble Hook-tip, Spinach, V-pug, Euzophera pinguis, Dun-bar, Lesser Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing, Dark Barred Twin Spot Carpet, Meal Moth, Endotricha flammealis, Gold Triangle, Trachycera marmorea, Yponomeuta sedella, Yponomeuta Spp, Aethes rubigana, Flame Shoulder, Herald, Mottled Rustic, Clouded Border, Dark Spectacle, Nutmeg, Willow Beauty, Eudonia mercurella, Scarce Footman, Small Magpie, Diamond Back Moth, Lackey, Silver Y, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Scalloped Oak,Dingy Footman, Crambus lathoniellus, Grey Tortrix, Common/Lesser Rustic, Dioryctria abietella, Light Grey Tortrix, Smoky Wainscot, Lime-Speck Pug, Rustic, Large Yellow Underwing, Uncertain, Dark Arches and Common Footman 14 Jul: Agriphilia tristella, Channel Island Pug, Snout, Riband Wave, Chinese Character, Lesser Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing, Willow Beauty, Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing, Pepperded Moth, Barred Fruit-Tree Tortrix, Bramble Shoot Moth, Common Pug, Early Thorn, Emmelina mondactyla, Green Pug, Light Arches, Lunar Spotted Pinion, Royal Mantle,Schoenobius giganitella, Single Dotted Wave, Swallow Prominent, Vine's Rustic, Ebulea crocalis, Svensson's Copper Underwing, Double Square Spot, Epiblema foenella, Elephant Hawk-moth, Bright-Line Brown-Eye, Browntail, Mother of Pearl, Dun-bar, Small Magpie, Silver Y, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Light Grey Tortrix, Ruby Tiger, Shuttle Shaped Dart, Yellow Shell, Rusty Dot Pearl, Eudonia mercurella, Grey Tortrix, Common/Lesser Rustic, Lime-Speck Pug, Spectacle, Trachycera marmorea, Scarce Footman, Lackey,Agapeta hamama, Crambus lathoniellus, Smoky Wainscot, Chrysoteuchia culmella, Rustic, Uncertain, Large Yellow Underwing, Common Footman and Dark Arches 15 Jul: Barred Fruit-Tree Tortrix, Bramble Shoot Moth, Green Pug, Light Arches, Single Dotted Wave, Shuttle Shaped Dart, Trachycera marmorea, Chrysoteuchia culmella, Pebble Prominent, Bloodvein, Buff Arches, V-pug, Meal Moth, Aethes rubigana, Nutmeg, Common Wainscot, Poplar Hawkmoth, Agonopterix alstromeriana, Heart and Dart, Kent Black Arches, Scoparia ambigualis, Small Bloodvein, Bordered Beauty, Marbled Green, Poplar Kitten, Cochylis flaviciana, Pempelia genistella, Cnephasia conspersana, Snout, Riband Wave, Chinese Character, Lesser Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing, Lunar Spotted Pinion, Vine's Rustic, Elephant Hawk-moth, Dun-bar, Silver Y, Ruby Tiger, Grey Tortrix, Flame Shoulder, Mottled Rustic, Dark Spectacle, Bright-Line Brown-Eye, Mother of Pearl, Rusty Dot Pearl, Lime-Speck Pug, Spectacle, Scarce Footman, Dingy Footman, Dioryctria abietella, Chilo phragmitella, White-spotted Pug, Light Grey Tortrix, Common/Lesser Rustic, Agapeta hamama, Crambus lathoniellus, Lackey, Browntail, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Smoky Wainscot, Scalloped Oak, Uncertain, Large Yellow Underwing, Common Footman, Rustic and Dark Arches 16 Jul: Green Pug, Shuttle Shaped Dart, Bloodvein, V-pug, Common Wainscot, Agonopterix alstromeriana, Heart and Dart, Scoparia ambigualis, Bordered Beauty, Snout, Chinese Character, Lesser Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing, Vine's Rustic, Silver Y, Mottled Rustic, Dark Spectacle, Agapeta hamama, Common Pug, Early Thorn, Epiblema foenella, Small Magpie, Eudonia mercurella, Thistle Ermine, Archips podana, Buff Ermine, Pebble Hook-tip, Spinach, Yponomeuta Spp, Diamond Back Moth, Common Carpet, Brimstone, Clay Triple Lines, Crambus perlella, Light Brown Apple Moth, Red Twin Spot Carpet, Rhomboid Tortrix, Water Veneer, Agriphila straminella, Dusky Sallow, Agriphila geniculea, Southern Wainscot, Cochylis molliculana, Trachycera marmorea, Nutmeg, Kent Black Arches, Elephant Hawk-moth, Dun-bar, Bright-Line Brown-Eye, Spectacle, Dioryctria abietella, Chilo phragmitella, White-spotted Pug, Light Grey Tortrix, Crambus lathoniellus, Channel Island Pug, Dark Swordgrass, Least Yellow Underwing, Chrysoteuchia culmella, Ruby Tiger, Lackey, Browntail, Buff Arches, Dingy Footman, Scalloped Oak, Mother of Pearl, Acleris forsskaleana, Flame Shoulder, Scarce Footman, Lesser Yellow Underwing, Riband Wave, Grey Tortrix, Uncertain, Lime-Speck Pug, Smoky Wainscot, Common/Lesser Rustic, Rustic, Large Yellow Underwing, Common Footman and Dark Arches News for Weds 16 Jul: I led a butterfly hunt to Green Ridge for 30 Year 2 (age 6 to 7 years) children from Westdene School, Brighton. Green Ridge is a managed strip of downland sandwiched between the A27 and the outskirts of the city (TQ291 087) and is 5 minutes walk from the school. Species seen were Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Marbled White, Large White and loads of Small/ Essex Skipper - the most I have ever seen in the small area covered. There was also one lone Cinnabar. (Caroline Clarke)
Thursday 17 July 2008
I posted the wrong link to Michael's Grayling Festival yesterday. Please help me escape his wrath by visiting the page in your hordes: Sussex Grayling Festival 2008 A lone Marbled White in the meadows at the Loder Valley reserve, Wakehurst Place. A rare vistor to the reserve. Only the 3rd l've seen. (Steven Robinson) News for Weds 16 Jul: Birling Gap - Horseshoe Plantation 4pm. Sunny day - very disappointing butterflying! No Dark Green Fritilliaries to be seen, and no White-letter Hairstreaks on the elms at HSPlantation. In fact very few butterflies to be seen. Having said that there were 3 Commas at Horseshoe Plantation along with a pair of Marbled Whites. Gatekeepers are about as well. I would expect to see a lot more though. Where have all the butterflies gone? (Danny McEvoy)
News for Tues 15 Jul: Shoreham area. As so often happens when one butterfly species ceases (the Small Blues were not recorded) than fresh butterflies appear with a new brood. The new ones were the occasional Holly Blues in Shoreham town and the outskirts, one Wall over the A27 dual carriageway north of the Dovecote Estate, and a Brimstone on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. The occasional Peacock were fresh as well. Chalkhill Blues were just beginning on Mill Hill with 24 strong-flying males noted. The fourteen butterfly species recorded in an hour and a half was the most in a single day this year. The first female Chalkhill Blue was seen on 13 July. (Andy Horton)
News and Photo from 4th July: Neil Hulme and Caroline Clarke give staff and pupils of Downsbrook School in Worthing a few facts about butterflies and moths before setting off on a butterfly hunt around Cissbury Ring.
Wednesday 16 July 2008
The first Grayling at Windover Hill today, a day later than the earliest last year (Michael Blencowe) Bob's photo of the Large Tortoiseshell was enough to get Neil Hulme and myself scampering up Windover Hill today. Up on the hill the Chalkhill Blue numbers were building and two females were seen. There were some stunning Small Coppers and a newly emerged Small Blue as well as a lot of active Dark Green Fritillaries and Commas and the first Brimstone we have seen in a few weeks. A single Chalk Carpet was seen and another nationally rare moth, Yellow Pearl Mecyna flavalis , were seen in their hundreds - this site being one of the best in the country for this species. Peacocks were out and looking great but Bob's Large Tortoiseshell was nowhere to be seen. After the traditional butterfly hunter's lunch of pasties from Alfriston Post Office we headed into Friston Forest to find our own rarity but the weather took a turn for the worse - however we were able to confirm the presence of White-letter Hairstreaks high in the elms in the south of the forest. But the highlight of the day for me, unsurprisingly, was a butterfly sitting on a pile of chalk on Windover Hill trying not to be seen - a Grayling - the first of five. I returned home to find a message from David Burrows that he had also seen a Grayling today on his Lullington Heath transect (probably shortly after I saw mine). This species was not recorded on the reserve in 2007 so it is great to hear they are still hanging on at Lullington. So I can now declare the 2008 Grayling Festival officially open! - please check out our Grayling page for more information on this butterfly and the Grayling events lined up for the coming weeks. A day working from home meant lunch in the garden, a tiny 20 foot square yard in suburban Peacehaven that only gets sun in the middle of the day. Encouraging then, given all the butterfly-oriented planting, to see 2 Holly Blue, 1 Meadow Brown, 1 Gatekeeper, 2 Speckled Woods, 2 Large Whites, 1 Green-veined White (nectaring on Field Scabious), and 1 Marbled White. When I took over the garden in 2002, I recorded just 19 butterflies in the whole year. (Adrian Thomas)
Recent news: Moth trap over the last couple of nights at RSPB Pulborough Brooks produced amongst others: Broom Moth, Birch Mocha, True Lover's Knot, Scarce Silver Lines, Dot Moth, Festoon, Svensson's Copper Underwing, Early Thorn, September Thorn, Chinese Character, Buff Footman, Common Footman, Nutmeg, Dark Arches, Peppered Moth, Nut-Tree Tussock, Green Pug, Leopard Moth, Scalloped Oak and Ruby Tiger. (Pete Hughes)
News for Tues 15 Jul: Two Hummingbird Hawkmoths seen together in our East Dean garden (TV561985) at 6.15pm nectaring on lavender and purple sage. (Carole & David Jode)
Tuesday 15 July 2008
Below (clockwise): Kent Black Arches, Lindfield, 12 Jul (Bob Foreman); White-letter Hairstreak, Wheatley elm, 13 Jul (Dan Danahar); Gatekeeper, Small Emerald and Scallop Shell, Lindfield, 15 Jul (Bob Foreman); and Leopard Moth pair, Litlington, 15 Jul (Bob Eade)
I walked around various parts of Friston Forest this afternoon, in dull and windy but warm conditions: Chalkhill Blue (2) in very fresh condition, Marbled White (25), Small Skipper (30), Essex Skipper (1), Meadow Brown (34), Comma (3), Gatekeeper (7), Small Copper (1), Peacock (2), Ringlet (7) (Polly Mair)
A bit of warm sunshine brought nine species of butterfly into our garden in Lindfield today; numerous Small and Large White, Comma, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell (only the second one I've seen this year), an unidentified Skipper (Large I think), Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood and my first Gatekeeper of the year. It's been a fairly busy time too in the moth trap (except for Monday night - very poor catch) the main highlights over the past few nights being Kent Black Arches, Scallop Shell (new species for the galleries) and a couple of Small Emerald. (Bob Foreman)
A dull, cloudy afternoon at Park Corner Heath: 1 Silver-washed Fritillary, 1 Large White, 2 unidentified small whites, 1 Brimstone, 5 Meadow Browns, 6 Ringlets, 5 Gatekeepers 3 Speckled Woods. Half a dozen Marbled Whites on the heath at Milton Hyde. (Roy Wells)
Whilst out on a run this morning I came across a mating pair of Leopard Moths on the wooden bridge at Litlington. They were still there when I managed to get back with the camera 30 minutes later. Quite a size difference between them with the female twice the size of the male. (Bob Eade). Southwater Woods were a bit quieter today in cloudy humid conditions. Only one female Purple Emperor seen but still some White Admirals (mostly females) around and still plenty of Silver-washed Fritillaries. Ringlets continue to do well and plenty of Gatekeepers around this year. An unexpected visitor literally dropped in at the car park. It seemed to drop down out of the canopy and crash landed in a bush by the car! This is the fully winged form of Roesel's Bush Cricket and would normally be found in a grassy meadow or road verge. Possibly a migrant? (Tom Ottley) News for Mon 14 Jul: Broadfield Pond, Crawley. First sighting of Purple Hairstreak this year. 4 were seen both male and female all in good condition, and some coming down to low level for photographs. (Vince Massimo) Recent news: Single Hummingbird Hawkmoths have been seen in our East Dean garden this year on 3 & 4 April, 26 June, 2 July and 13 July. All have been entered on the National BC Survey (Carole & David Jode) The link to the survey and for Painted Lady is top of the page in the yellow box.
Monday 14 July 2008
Walked from Butchers Hole CP (Friston Forest) via Lullington Heath to Windover Hill. Nothing out of the ordinary until final location. Walking through valley to a small copse, skirted by Brambles, I noticed 3 Tortoiseshells. One of them was a LARGE TORTOISESHELL, which flew up and into the copse. During the next 2 and a half hours it flew back and forth 6 times, staying at most for a minute, but disappearing for up to 20. Took as many photos as I had a chance to, but only had a pocket digital and the wind was blowing a hooley. Hope attached photo is reasonable. (Bob Coleman).
The weather forecaster mentioned something about 'High pressure over the Azores' last night and I wondered if we would see some immigration today. So when Bob Coleman phoned me to say he had seen a Large Tortoiseshell (Thanks Bob!) - I immediately rushed out to a warm sheltered ride in Friston which at 6:30pm was still alive with butterflies - including my first two Painted Ladies of the year (Michael Blencowe)
Being really a bird survey devotee, it was with some uncertainty today that I tackled a butterfly survey along my usual Breeding Bird Survey transect route - a result of a partnership between Butterfly Conservation and the British Trust for Ornithology, and designed to help monitor butterflies in the "wider countryside". I've been surveying birds in the 1-km grid square near Albourne for nine years, but I'm usually there at 6 am in May and June, not midday in July - so I was pleasantly surprised by the numbers of butterflies present. In particular an overgrown field, that I usually curse because the chest-high grass and thistles scratch me and drench me in dew, was alive with Small and Large Skippers, a Ringlet, a Peacock, Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers, and to my great surprise and delight a Marbled White. Dragonfly and damselfly species can be recorded too, and there were plenty of these at the pond on the golf course (thankfully one is permitted to record "unidentified darter" etc), and then at the edge of the golf course, right at the end of my transect, another Marbled White and a Silver-washed Fritillary!! This was a great experience that I shall look forward to repeating. (Helen Crabtree)
News for Sun 13 Jul: The East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service kindly gave a lift to the top of one of the 'Preston Twins' (reputedly the oldest English elm trees in the world) and a 130-year-old Wheatley elm in Preston Park, Brighton. As part of the Big Brighton Bio-diversity Butterfly Count, Prof David Bellamy joined me, Dan Hoare and the event organisers - Martin Pett and Dan Danahar - and together we found 10 White-letter Hairstreaks flying high in the tree canopy. Special thanks to firemen Steve, Rick and Craig and to all who attended. (Caroline Clarke)
Below: Caroline and David Bellamy don their helmets for a spot of extreme butterflying:
News for Sat 12 Jul: pm. A single Purple Emperor seemed to like the church at Ebernoe. For about half an hour we watched it flying round and settling for long periods on the walls of the church. Botanists may be interested in some Violet Helleborines along the approach track into the carpark. (Peter Whitcomb) Sunday 13 July 2008
Comma, Small Tortoiseshell and Small Skipper at Alfriston today (Bob Eade)
As Caroline Clarke was up a tree in Preston Park I jumped in to lead her walk around the Pickwell estate near Bolney. I was joined by a group of BC members (and a cat called Muggles) as we explored the woodland, fields and lakes of this private estate. Many woodland butterflies were observed in the glades - with Silver-washed Fritillaries swooping down amongst us and White Admiral gliding through the canopy. Thanks to all who attended and to Mike Duffy for allowing access to the site (Michael Blencowe)
At least 11 Small Tortoiseshells between Littlington and Alfriston along the river bank today including 3 flying together at Alfriston. Also several Commas, Small Skippers, Meadow Browns, Red Admiral, Peacock and Gatekeepers. (Bob Eade).
Saturday 12 July 2008
My first Hummingbird Hawkmoth of the year in the garden at Edburton today. Last night a Privet Hawkmoth was nectaring at the honeysuckle at 10pm. Other moths in the garden over the last couple of nights have included Knot Grass, Peach Blossum, Brown-line Bright-eye, Dingy Footman, Common Footman, Shark, Smoky Wainscot, Bee Moth, Small Emerald, Large Yellow Underwing, Engrailed, Silver-Ys, Reddish Light Arches and Yellowtail. (Tony Wilson)
Recent news: We put the moth trap out on the night of the 10th/11th in Shoreham and had a good night for us with 48 macro moths of 19 species. The highlights included 3 Elephant Hawkmoths and a pristine Privet Hawkmoth and we also had our first ever Large Emerald, Phoenix and Blackneck. Although it is old news now we caught our first Silver-Y and L-album Wainscot for the year back on 8 July. (Dave and Pen Green)
Friday 11 July 2008 2 Ringlet nectaring on Verbena bonariensis and Lavender (photo on Gardening pages) in my Brighton garden and 1 Comma more interested in a brightly-coloured t-shirt flapping on the line in my Brighton garden. (Caroline Clarke) There seems to have been little activity on the butterfly and moth immigration front so far this year but maybe that's all about to change - there's more Red Admiral and Silver-Y activity around Friston and in the moth trap last night there was an Orache Moth. Although common on the continent this moth is a rare immigrant to Britain - last night's record being only the 7th for Sussex. It wasn't as brilliant green as it should be (see Tim Freed's photo in the Moth Gallery) but if I had just flown across the channel through a storm I probably wouldn't be looking my best either. Also in the trap last night another scarce immigrant Dark Bordered Pearl Evergestis limbata (Michael Blencowe) On a cool evening, last night's trap produced 16 macros and 4 micros: Macros - Coronet, Elephant Hawkmoth, Buff Ermine (7), Large Yellow Underwing (4), Lime-speck Plug, Early Thorn 2nd gen, Peppered Moth, Dark Arches (16), Lesser Yellow Underwing (2), Clay, Heart & Dart (2), The Flame (3), Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Riband Wave (2), Uncertain (5), Common Rustic, Micros - Mother of Pearl, Endotricha flammealis, Crambus sp (12), Tortrix sp. (John Luck) Recent news: Following trapped in my garden in Portslade over the last couple of weeks (I'm still waiting for something exciting!): Privet Hawkmoth, Elephant Hawkmoth, Large Yellow Underwing, L-album Wainscot (trapped 28/06/08), Brown-tail, Buff Ermine, Lackey, Silver Y, Mother of Pearl, Heart & dart, Double Square-spot, Scalloped Oak, Nut-tree Tussock, Dusky Sallow. (Darryl Perry) Thursday 10 July 2008
Ringlet and female Silver-washed Fritillary at Park Corner Heath today (Bob Eade)
Friston Forest, mostly sunny, somewhat windy but NO RAIN. Worrying about how the butterflies have survived the last few days and was delighted to see my first Gatekeepers of the year (of course, Michael Blencowe had seen them first!). Five were sunning in a group on a bank. Also lots of Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns, 2 fresh Commas, a fritillary (? large), Red Admiral, 2 Small Skippers, several Large Whites. (Susan Suleski) A short visit to Park Corner Heath around lunchtime saw lots of Ringlets, approx 6 Silver-washed Fritillaries, Gatekeepers, Comma, Meadow Browns, Large Skipper but unfortunately no White Admirals seen. (Bob Eade). News for 5 July: I saw my first ever White Admiral in my garden in Lewes (Wallands Area). It was resting on giant cream scabious but I also have honeysuckle on the fence nearby. (Elizabeth Thomas) Wednesday 9 July 2008
Another 30+ new moth photos added to the Galleries today (access via Sussex species tab on side menu), most are 'clickable' to give larger version, and including 10 new species of which two I caught last night in the trap: Dark Marbled Tabby Duponchelia fovealis (which is apparently an accidental import on cut flowers and first recorded in this country as recently as 1996) and White-triangle Button Acleris holmiana. New species courtesy of Michael Blencowe are Brown-line Bright-eye, Clouded Magpie, Lappet, Rough-winged Conch, Small Dotted Buff & Small Fan-footed Wave, and Wood Carpet from Ivan Lang. We now have 584 species and 1223 images (58 'clickable') listed. Can we break 600 before the end of July? You moth-ers out there hold the answer! (Bob Foreman)
Tuesday 8 July 2008
Purple Emperor, Ringlet and Silver-washed Fritillary at Southwater Woods today (Matt Eade)
Midday - between heavy showers. in field off Clay Lane Fishbourne (SU843051) - 1 male Marbled White. First one we have seen this close to Chichester City Centre. (Richard Harrison & Peter Etheridge)
Had my first Painted Lady of the year today, while doing some management work at Thorney Deeps. (Barry Collins)
Our first visit to Southwater today. There were plenty of Silver-washed Fritillaries flying beween the showers. Also seen were Red Admiral, only 2 White Admiral, Comma, Small Copper, Large White, Purple Hairstreak, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet. We had just about given up on the Purple Emperor when we spotted one feeding on something horrible that had been left behind by a dog!!!! Considering the weather it was a pretty impressive visit. (Bob and Matt Eade)
2 Green-veined Whites flying around our garden pond in Ringmer, today (John Luck)
It's Scarlet Tiger madness in Eastbourne! with more reports of this large, colourful moth coming in from across the town. The most recent being from Alan Quinton who saw 3 flying around a patio garden and Phil and Jane who found one on a willow in their back garden in Winchelsea Road. I rushed into Eastbourne to get in on the action and saw one flying along Hartfield Road! It seems this moth has established a strong population in the town. People of Eastbourne - the time has come to throw down your garden tools and let part of your garden grow wild. Nettles and Brambles will help the Eastbourne Scarlet Tiger population to grow - as well as helping other butterfly and moth species too. Keep a look out - you may have a tiger in the bottom of your garden (Michael Blencowe)
Monday 7 July 2008
Butterfly Conservation Sussex Request for help: Can you help man a Sussex BC stall at the Environmental Fayre to be held at Dorothy Stringer High School in Brighton, Saturday 12th July, 11am to 3pm, please? Sir David Bellamy is expected to be there! Please contact Caroline Clarke on caroandkevsmiled@netscape.net. Any help for any length of time appreciated, and full support given :-)
New event added: Fri 25 Jul, Butchershole Bottom. See events page for details.
Can you believe this weather?! I always check out the Met Office 15-day forecast, who today are saying, "There is a hint at the moment of a ridge building into the south for the second half of next week bringing more settled conditions." Whoopee! I have also received some advice today about this page's width, which seemed to have grown recently! Let me know if this fix works for you. - Webmaster News for Sunday 6 Jul: I was SO impressed that 19 people braved the elements and attended the BC outing to Southwater yesterday, proving that our members are a hardy bunch! We saw only 2 species of butterfly (Meadow Brown and Ringlet) and 2 species of rain (persistent and torrential). In order to add at least a little wildlife interest, we visited a Spotted Flycatcher's nest, to watch the adults feeding some very large, fluffy young. Hopefully my 'virtual tour' of the local Purple Emperors will allow others to return and see them. At least everyone now knows exactly where to look, when to look and what to look for, as I even revealed the location of my 'secret sap run'! I will be on holiday until next Saturday and any of those that attended the walk are welcome to contact me, if they are still having problems seeing the species and wish to meet up for another bash! Thanks to all for maintaining such good humour in the circumstances! (Neil Hulme) Sunday 6 July 2008 Many thanks to Neil Hume for doing the honours [at the Southwater Woods Event today]. I went with my daughter who sat on my shoulders most of the time and ocassionally poked me in the eye. It poured with rain. Oh dear. Still the main thing is I now know where all the master trees are and what folk are on about when they say "Dogbarking Trees" and "Butterfly Corner". Amazingly there was a brave Ringlet on the loose and a Meadow Brown or two. I shall return!!! It was quite a busy group BTW there were about 19 of us. Thanks once again Neil!! (Danny McEvoy) News for Friday 4 July: Male Purple Emperor on sallow at 'Butterfly Corner' in Madgelands Wood near Southwater. (Tom Ottley) 
Saturday 5 July 2008 The Brighton Fire Brigade kindly took me, Dan Danahar and our respective families up in their lift to the top of 2 elm trees in Preston Park in Brighton to look for White-letter Hairstreak. This was in preparation for next Sunday's Big Brighton Butterfly Count event when - weather permitting - I will be accompanying Sir David Bellamy in the lift to look for this elusive little butterfly. We recorded at least 4 White-letter Hairstreak on the two ancient English elms known as the Preston Twins and a further 20 or so individuals on a mature Wheatley elm. Also 1 Ringlet who wanted to get in on the act but coundn't fly high enough! (Caroline Clarke) See bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces/cities/brighton for details of next weekend's event and other butterfly walks across Brighton and Hove.
Read your [Scarlet Tiger] report in the Friday Herald and believe I may have a photo on my phone - I spotted it outside the rear of the HQ of East Sussex Fire & Rescue in Upperton Lane, Eastbourne a week or so ago. I asked colleagues and others had seen the same on several different days - mine was alive at the time, sadly others said the ones they saw were dead. (C. Brooks) Scarlet Tiger, Eastbourne, (C. Brooks) and female Purple Emperor, Southwater, 05 July, (Neil Hulme) 
Out of the wind the wooded rides of Friston Forest were alive with butterflies today; Marbled White, Small Skipper, White Admiral, Ringlet, Gatekeeper, Silver-washed Fritillary, Small White, Small Heath, Small Copper, Speckled Wood, Large Skipper, Large White, Green-veined White, Comma and Dark-green Fritillary - one of which flew up and over a high elm and as it did a small, dark butterfly shot up from the top of the tree to chase it off - a White-letter Hairstreak? I'll have to stake-out that elm on another day. There were plenty of Silver-Ys around and I saw my first Hummingbird Hawkmoth of the year too. I'll be running an extra field trip to look at the Butterflies & Moths of Friston Forest for Save Our Butterflies week on July 25th - look for details on the events page soon or contact sussexgrayling@aol.com to book. (Michael Blencowe) Today at Southwater Woods a total of 14 Purple Emperor continued to entertain the visitors. The number of males over the Marlpost car park has increased to 4 and they were active here until 18:00, by which point the treetops had become a swirling mass of Purple Hairstreaks. Alice Parfitt and I watched one chase a Wood Pigeon, adding to the list of Purple Emperor 'targets' for 2008 (Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch and Long-tailed Tit). But the stars of today's show were the females. At 14:15, after a spell of ovipositing, a fairly worn and battered female landed to probe for moisture near the Madgelands stream. Having lazed around in the sallows at 'Butterfly Corner' for some time, a second female went into 'sap-searching' mode, before locating a 'run' deep within the shade of a hazel. She gorged herself between 15:25 and 15:30, flicking her huge wings to deter a Comma from sharing her feast. (Neil Hulme) I saw a male Purple Hairstreak today along the west side of Pagham Harbour, flying around & resting on a gorse bush at about 1pm. (Andrew House) At Frog Firle up to Blatchington Reservoir I saw 1 White Admiral, 1 Small Copper, Gatekeppers, Meadow Browns, Ringlets, Small, Essex and Large Skippers, Marbled Whites, Comma, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Large and Small Whites and 2 Silver Y. (Matt Eade) The numbers of Dark Green Fritillaries between Birling Gap and Horseshoe Plantation have grown further with around 20 flying strongly over the long grass. Also seen was 1 Small Copper, many Marbled Whites, Large Skippers, Small Skippers, Small Heaths, Meadow Browns, Comma, Gatekeepers, and Small White. (Bob Eade). A butterfly hunt around Cissbury Ring with 12 pupils from Downsbrook School and their teachers in bright sunshine yielded 12 species of butterfly: Small Copper, Marbled White, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Large White, Dark Green Fritillary, Small Heath, Small Tortoiseshell, Large Skipper and Small Skipper. Also 3 species of day-flying moth: Cinnabar, Large Yellow Underwing and Silver Y. (Caroline Clarke and Neil Hulme) News for Friday 4 July: A few hours at Littlehampton Bridge produced some limited White-Letter Hairstreak activity, with 3 or 4 individuals being identified. Unfortunately none came down from the tree canopy. Other sightings included 4 Red Admiral, 3 Comma, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 2 Small White, 2 Large White, 2 Green Veined White, 2 Gatekeper, 6 Meadow Brown and a Smallish Skipper. (Vince Massimo) Silver-washed Fritillary valezina, Southwater, 03 July, (Neil Hulme) and Wood Carpet, Pagham, 04 July (Ivan Lang) 
News for Thursday 3 July: White Admiral along bridleway and woodland nr car park areas this week. Many Meadow Browns, Ringlets and Large Skippers around the trail with a few Common Blues, Small Tortoiseshells and Small Coppers today. (Pete Hughes RSPB Pulborough Brooks) News for Thursday 3 July and Friday 4 July: Following another good day at Southwater yesterday (3 July), when sightings included 13 Purple Emperor and a mint condition valezina Silver-washed Fritillary (green, female aberration), Southwater Woods was still producing well today (4 July), despite more subdued weather. Males were very active at Marlpost car park, Dogbarking Master Tree, Madgelands MT, the lane adjacent to 'Sleepy Warren', Crookhorn Lane and 'Butterfly Corner' (Tom Ottley photographed head-height, perched male). At least 3 males spent the morning 'sallow searching' along the slope down to the stream in Madgelands (total for woods 16). The highlight was a pair 'in cop' at the Madgelands assembly area. A female was pursued up the adjacent North Ride at 10:15 and copulation was immediately initiated as she alighted in the upper reaches of the ash. At 11:08 a determined effort to usurp the copulating male was made by one of the other 3 butterflies 'on station'. A violent beating of wings continued for a full two minutes, before the pretender accepted defeat. Although other males often alighted for a closer look, no other interventions were observed. They were still joined several hour later, at which point I had to leave to co-lead a school party at Cissbury Ring. Valezina was again spotted early in the morning, but continued to be camera-shy. (Neil Hulme and Tom Ottley) News for Tuesday 1 July and Friday 4 July:
Pagham Harbour: Moths Trapped on 1st July 2008: Acleris forsskaleana 1, Angle Shades 1, Archips podana 1,Broad Bordered Yellow Underwing 1, Browntail 1, Buff Ermine 1, Cabbage Moth 1, Common Pug 1 Common Wainscot 1, Common/Lesser Rustic 1, Crambus perlella 1,Cream Bordered Green Pea 1, Dark Spectacle 1, Dark/Grey Dagger 1, Diamond Back Moth 1, Early Thorn 1, Emmelina mondactyla 1, Eyed Hawk-moth 1, L-Album Wainscot 1, Least Yellow Underwing 1, Leopard 1, Light Brown Apple Moth 1, Lunar Spotted Pinion 1, Lychnis 1, Mottled Pug 1, Obscure Wainscot 1, Orthopygia glaucinalis 1, Phlyctaenia coronata 1, Pinion Streaked Snout 1, Poplar Grey 1, Ringed China Mark 1, Rusty Dot Pearl 1, Scarce Footman 1, Schoenobius giganitella 1, Shoulder Stripped Wainscot 1, Silver Y 1, Small Square Spot 1, Smoky Wainscot 1, Strawberry Tortrix 1, Swallowtail Moth 1, Sycamore 1, Syndemis musculana 1, Water Veneer 1, White Plume Moth 1, Barred Fruit-Tree Tortrix 2, Blue-Bordered Carpet 2, Bright-Line Brown-Eye 2, Chilo phragmitella 2, Common Wave 2, Dioryctria abietella 2, Flame Shoulder 2, July Highflyer 2, Lime-Speck Pug 2, Magpie 2, Mother of Pearl 2, Pebble Prominent 2, Setaceous Hebrew Character 2, Short Cloaked Moth 2, Willow Beauty 2, Agriphilia tristella 3, Common Emerald 3, Grey Tortrix 3, Heart and Dart 3, Light Arches 3, Scalloped Oak 3, Small Magpie 3, Bramble Shoot Moth 4, Brindled Pug 4, Dot Moth 4, Elephant Hawk-moth 4, Chrysoteuchia culmella 5, Tawny/Marbled Minor 5, Thistle Ermine 5, Common Footman 6, Uncertain 6, Rustic 7, Buff Arches 8, Burnished Brass 9, Flame 9, Spectacle 10, Crambus lathoniellus 11, Green Pug 11, Snout 11, Riband Wave 13, Agapeta hamama 15, Mottled Rustic 19, Large Yellow Underwing 29 and Dark Arches 31.
Friday 4 July 2008 The story of the return to Sussex of the Scarlet Tiger at Friston Forest has hit the headlines with features about the moth on TV and in local newspapers this week. Today's story in the Eastbourne Herald prompted Michael Bentley of Eastbourne to email me about a colourful moth he had seen a few days ago in his back garden - from his photo I was able to confirm it was indeed a Scarlet Tiger - so keep an eye out over the next few weeks and keep your camera handy - there's tigers on the loose! (Michael Blencowe) Scarlet Tiger, Friston Forest, (Michael Blencowe). Chalkhill Blue and Marbled White, Kithurst Hill. (Anna Allum and Jan Fisher) 
A nice range of butterflies in the flower meadow at Kithurst Hill on Friday 4 July; Large and Small White, Large and Small Skipper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Comma and Small Heath, with the highlights being at least a dozen Marbled White and a couple of Chalkhill Blues. We added a couple more species, Gatekeeper and Silver Washed Fritillary, over at Woods Mill. (Anna Allum and Jan Fisher) My first definite Gatekeeper Butterfly of the year spent a long time fluttering around the Privet on the Coastal Link Cyclepath (north of Old Shoreham Toll Bridge) and it never did settle for a close look. There were at least two more along the cyclepath to Upper Beeding which also hosted occasional Meadow Browns (6+), two Marbled Whites, frequent Large Whites, a few Small Whites, three Small Tortoiseshells, occasional Ringlets and a Cinnabar Moth caterpillar on a Ragwort plant, on a rapid cycle ride which did not involve stopping. (Andy Horton) A fleeting visit to Vert Wood, Laughton for only half an hour produced 5 White Admirals, 2 Silver Washed Fritillaries, 2 Large Skipper, 2 Comma, 5 Ringlet and 10 Meadow Brown - all within 50 metres of parking. (Tim Duffield) Had a lot of new moth species for my garden list at Friston this week - highlights have been Silvery Arches, Drinker, Brussels Lace, Leopard Moth, Lappet, True Lover's Knot, Ghost Moth, Cream-bordered Green Pea, Olive Crescent, Lackey and Brown-line bright-eye (not to be confused of course with Bright-line brown-eye) and Orange Pine Twist (Lozotaeniodes formosanus) (Michael Blencowe) Today I visited Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve (SU828103) for a total of 2 hours. The temperature was 18 degrees but towards midday a strong breeze had developed. The path heading towards the reserve was adorned with White Campion, Creeping Thistle and Welted Thistle which was popular with the Whites. I observed a female Small White oviposit and managed a photo of the egg. In the grassland areas of the site Meadow Browns and Ringlets were plentiful in addition to odd Marbled Whites. I saw my my first Gatekeepers of the year an immaculate male and female flying around Bramble blossom. Totals: Small White (32), Large White (12), Green Veined White (4), Meadow Brown (55), Ringlet (38), Marbled White (13), Gatekeeper (2), Speckled Wood (1), Comma (2), Red Admiral (1), Small Copper (2), Large Skipper (5) and Small Skipper (3). (Richard Symonds) Lappet, Friston Forest, (Michael Blencowe). Small White, Small White egg and Large White, Kingley Vale NNR. (Richard Symonds) 
News for Thurs 3 Jul: White Admiral x1, Hurstmonceux, TQ6365014018, (R P Wells) News for Thurs 3 Jul: Nine species of butterfly and skipper in as many minutes were seen from the southern side of the Slonk Hill Cutting embankment to the southern Buckingham Cutting, Shoreham, included my first Small Skipper of the year, see clearly as it settled on a flower and opened its wings. Earlier a Large Skipper had settled, but it still needed a practised eye (in the absence of the camera which was broken) to differentiate them. On the orchid-covered north-facing bank Ringlets (15+) outnumbered Meadow Browns (10+) with a few undetermined Skippers, a few Large Whites, one sparring with a Marbled White and a Comma Butterfly. On the Buckingham Cutting, south, there were the usual frequent Small Blues (15+) two Speckled Woods in the overgrown hedgerow area, with my first Silver Y Moth of the year. Later a pristine Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly settled by Old Shoreham Toll Bridge. (Andy Horton) Thursday 3 July 2008 New today! A section of the website all about gardening for butterflies and moths in Sussex. But this is where your input is going to be invaluable. We'd like your help to recommend what works here in Sussex, and what doesn't. We hope you'll really enjoy contributing. Just click the flower icon top right. Caroline Clarke/ Adrian Thomas Took my daughter to see the Small Blue at Meeching Quarry Newhaven at around 4.30 today. Saw one individual. Also Marbled White, Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown, Small Skipper and one Large Skipper. (Danny Macavoy) Last night's moth-trap produced 36 macros and 4 micros including two rare ones - Brussels Lace (below) and L-album Wainscot plus Privet Hawkmoth (below), 4 Elephant Hawkmoth, 3 Poplar Hawkmoth, Brimstone Moth, 5 Willow Beauty, 4 Peppered Moth including 1 dark form carbonaria (below), 2 Snout, 2 Early Thorn, 3 Buff-tip, 2 Buff Arches,10 Heart and Dart, 3 Spectacle, 23 Dark Aches, 3 Buff Ermine, 4 Scalloped Oak, Lychnis, 3 Common Footman, 3 Clouded Border, 16 Uncetain, Small Magpie, 2 Large Yellow Underwing, 2 Bright-line Brown-eye, Riband Wave, Setaceous Hebrew Character, 4 Dot Moth, 2 White Point, Burnished Brass f juncta, Barred Straw, Yellow-tail, Mottled Rustic, Knot Grass, 2 Common Wainscot, The Flame plus 1 Pug (to be id'd) with Micros: Apple/Orchard Ermine, 12 Crambus sp and 2 further species. (John Luck) 
Silver-studded Blue, Iping Common, (Matt Eade) 
A visit to Iping Common produced several Silver-studded Blues. Although most were past their best there were still a few in good condition. Also present was a spectacular Golden-ringed Dragonfly and also 7 Crossbills. We then went over the border to Botany Bay where we saw 6 Purple Emperors as well as the expected woodland butterflies. As is the case with Southwater the Purple Emperors seem to be doing well in Surrey as well. (Bob and Matt Eade) Wednesday 2 July 2008 Apologies to those who have been sending photos recently that haven't made it onto the site yet - we have had some problems with file transfer, hopefully close to solving. Also of housekeeping, please note that photos and sightings go to different people - if you have a sighting with photo, send it to both addresses please. And if you can write your entries as they are going to look on the page, that would be most appreciated (and thanks to all those who are already). You'll note that we never abbreviate species names - new people are logging onto the site daily, may of whom are new to butterflies and moths, for whom a SWF or LYU means nothing! Thanks :-) My wife and I plus two NZ friends had the great privilege of joining Neil and Matthew at Southwater Woods yesterday and had the awesome experience of a male Purple Emperor perched on the ground. Our friends will doubtless think that this is a fairly normal event. It was certainly or first ever sighting of this superb insect on a perfect day. Conversation at one point turned to other butterflies including Small Tortoiseshell, which is not doing very well at present. Today at home the weather was mainly wet, but when the sun shone later in the day, what should appear but this very butterfly perching on one of our Hebe bushes, being a NZ plant this reminded us of our friends. A couple of hours earlier, a Swallow-tailed Moth appeared on our kitchen floor. I took it outside and managed to take two photos before it flew away. (John Luck) Below: White-letter Hairstreak pair, Littlehampton Bridge, 30 Jun (Neil Hulme); Purple Emperors: Buchan CP, 1 Jul (Damian Pinguey), Southwater Woods, 1 Jul (Neil Hulme) and Southwater Woods (Simon and Fran Fletcher); Marbled White, 2 Jul (Bob Eade); White Admiral, Southwater Woods, 24 Jun (Suzie Milbank); Silver-washed Fritillary, Southwater Woods, 24 Jun (Suzie Milbank); Silver-studded Blue, Kingstanding, 29 Jun (Sue Robinson).
Plenty of Marbled Whites and Gatekeepers in field just off Frog Firle. Also seen Meadow Browns and between Littlington and Alfriston 3 Small Tortoiseshell, one in immaculate condition. Small Heath were also showing. Not bad considering the weather. (Bob Eade). In my garden at Kingston near Lewes this morning one Holly Blue. In Waitrose car park in Lewes this morning an unidentified black or very dark butterfly or moth fluttering around mainly at about seven or eight feet but without settling. It was about the size of a Chalkhill Blue. Appeared too dark and large for a Vapourer. Any ideas anybody? (John Holloway) News for Tues 1 Jul: Saw my first Painted Lady of the year in our garden in East Preston, near Littlehampton, about 600 metres from the sea. (Martin Mirrors) News for Tues 1 Jul: Enjoyed yesterday's trip so returned to Southwater Woods today (minus 5 year old daughter) to see if we could see more Purple Emperors. Arrived quite early (10am) on a hot sunny day and immediately noticed more butterflies than the previous day (especially White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary). Our luck was in as around 10:30 a Purple Emperor came down to the ground and proceeded to 'feed' on and around some horse dung and then disappeared back into the tree canopy. Luckily managed to get a few photos. Couldn't believe our luck when 20 minutes later we had another photo opportunity further up the track (not on dung this time). Later on at a distance we saw (probably the same individual) at ground level again! (Simon & Fran Fletcher) News for Tues 1 Jul: Male Purple Emperor at Buchan Country Park. (Damian Pinguey) News for Tues 1 Jul: This morning I met up with 'Purple Emperor Guru' Matthew Oates, Max and Fiona (filming butterflies for 'BirdGuides'), the Steedmans, the Lucks (and their friends visiting from New Zealand!) and BC Committee member Caroline Clarke. Matthew, Jim and Judith have seen many an Emperor in their time, but most were hoping for their first sight of this wonderful butterfly - and they were not about to be disappointed! If the sightings elsewhere in the woods by Chris and John Hamilton (3), and the Fletchers from Seaford (early morning 'grounded' male - congratulations on becoming 'Purple'!) are added into the equation, careful analysis of the many multiple sightings gives a total of about 20 Purple Emperor! Jim and Judith had one male down briefly and we later saw a rather worn female 'on the deck'. But the highlight was a pristine male, which we tracked through the woods between 15:45 and 16:05. It landed repeatedly, probing for mineral salts and occasionally entering the woodland, searching for sap runs. As it performed tight turns around us it flashed the most brilliant shades of vivid purple. Even for the most seasoned butterfly-hunters, a quite remarkable day! (Neil Hulme and party) News for Tues 1 Jul: A long hot and sweaty walk around Lullington Heath this afternoon yielded numerous Dark Green Fritillaries, Marbled Whites, common Skippers and a single White Admiral. On the South Downs Way leading up to the site, we saw a single Small Tortoiseshell and a handful of Speckled Woods. Had a Comma in my garden in Broad Oak later in the day - also one Small Tortoiseshell and a Cinnabar last week. (Stuart Cooper) News for Mon 30 Jun: First trip to Southwater woods with my wife and daughter hoping to see Purple Emperor. Neil Hulme kindly provided directions. Species seen (didn't count precisely so rough estimates used) include Comma (1), Small Tortoiseshell (1), Meadow Brown (lots), Large White (1), Purple Hairstreak (1), Speckled Wood (5+), White Admiral (10+), Silver Washed Fritillary (10+) and Purple Emperor (2 males). So a successful visit. (Simon, Fran & Amy Fletcher) News for Mon 30 Jun: Mini, impromptu BC field outings are breaking out all over the county! I dropped in to Littlehampton Bridge late morning, to find a group of BC 'regulars' looking for White-letter Hairstreak. Up until this point they were doing a fair job of hiding, but while chatting, I noticed an odd arrangement of silhouettes in a low ash tree. Closer inspection proved them to be a mating pair of Hairstreaks! The photograph I managed is far from great, but it certainly has rarity value. I stayed for a while and the activity increased sharply. At one point there were 9 males in the air dog-fighting. I came to the conclusion that there were about 15 in total. I was later given a very enjoyable tour of the National Trust area around Slindon by Katie Archer. Travelling along small wooded tracks in a '4x4' is a great way to see a lot of butterflies quickly! We rapidly notched up Silver-washed Fritillary, White Admiral, Marbled White, Ringlet, Comma, Large Skipper and Common Blue amongst others. Thanks to the local National Trust staff for their hospitality. (Neil Hulme) Tuesday 1 July 2008 Scarlet Tigers in Friston Forest, Jun 2008 (Michael Blencowe)
Apart from the butterflies at Cissbury Ring (see Neil's entry for Sunday), there are also some attractive moths. The Forester is usually shown in the books as green, but catch the light right and they appear a vivid iridescent blue (photo below). (Tom Ottley)
Very hot day in Brede Woods: Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Small Skippers, Large Skippers, Small White, White Admiral, Ringlets including mating pair. (Janet Richardson) Did one of my transects at Bevendean today in warm sunny weather. 6 Small Skippers, 2 Large Whites, 5 Chalkhill Blues (my first this year), 4 Speckled Woods, 50 Marbled Whites, 6 Gatekeepers, 38 Meadow Browns, 35 Ringlets. (Geoff Stevens) I have been checking daily and I'm pleased to say that the Silver-washed Fritillaries have finally emerged in Hoe Wood at Woods Mill - last year I first saw them in Hoe Wood on 19 June so they are quite a bit later this year. A couple of White Admirals also in Hoe Wood. A female Purple Hairstreak was seen just outside the main buildings here on Friday 27 Jun. Also plenty of Marbled Whites and Narrow-bordered Five-Spot Burnets in the meadows here. (Pen Green ) News for Mon 30 Jun: Saw three Small Tortoiseshell at North Acres, Streat - they used to be very common but we haven't seen any for some ten years here. Also Large Skippers. (John Eastwood) News for Mon 30 Jun: Took a fleeting trip to Ashdown Forest, skirting the perimeter of Kingstanding. 6 male Silver-Studded Blues seen, all within 12 feet of the fence. On the way back to the car, saw a seventh on the verge opposite Smugglers CP. Only other species, Large Skippers and Small Heaths. (Bob Coleman) What to look for in July Butterflies: After the lull in June, July gathers real momentum on the butterfly front. Heading for their peak are Small Skipper, White Admiral, second brood Small Tortoiseshell, the golden and less-raggedy hutchinsoni summer form of the Comma, Dark Green Fritillary, Silver-washed Fritillary, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper and Ringlet. Joining the fray are Essex Skipper, Purple Emperor, Chalkhill Blues and Purple Hairstreak, and, by the end of the month, we can expect the first Graylings, Silver-spotted Skipper, the next brood of whites, Small Coppers, Brown Argus, Holly Blues and more. By the last week of the month, 20 species on a sunny day should be easy, and 30 species in a day is possible with a bit of planning; in 2006, Michael Blencowe got 31 without using a car (achieved on 29th). Beat that! Moths: While the number of moths and the number of species recorded at traps continues to increase, it is often not quite as dramatically as the butterflies. Common and widespread species include Dark Arches, Shuttle-shaped Dart and the tail end of the Heart and Dart season. Look out for Brown Silver-line anywhere where there is Bracken - it is easily disturbed by day. And Narrow-bordered Five-spot and Six-spot Burnets can be abundant on downland flowers jostling with Marbled White butterflies.
Monday 30 June 2008 An after-work walk on a warm evening around Friston and we found hundreds of Small Skippers roosting in the long grass - sometimes 6 to a grass stalk - alongside Marbled Whites and Meadow Browns. In the forest 5 Scarlet Tigers were seen - including a mating pair - "Hey baby - fancy recolonising Sussex?" (Michael Blencowe & Clare Jeffers) Following my article in the Spring newsletter, I was contacted by BC member, Brian, who told me about a colony of White-letter Hairstreak he had seen at St Ann's Well Gardens in Hove. Brian and I met there this morning and recorded at least 6 individuals flying around a pair of immature red horse chestnut trees. They could be seen by the naked eye and we also got some very good views with binoculars. A nearby mature Wych Elm tree (foodplant for White-letter Hairstreak) was swaying in quite a strong breeze and we suspected the butterflies had decamped to the more sheltered horse chestnut trees to feed and search for a mate. Later in the day, I saw a further 3 White-letters on a mature English Elm tree on the main London Road into Brighton (a previously recorded colony). To find out more about spotting White-letter Hairstreak butterflies in Sussex, follow the links to Sussex Butterfly Galleries (via Sussex Species) and click on 'gallery' for White-letters. I also have details of elm trees with potential for supporting colonies of this butterfly in parts of East Sussex including around Seaford, Alfriston and in the grounds of Sussex University. If you have a chance to go out looking over the next month or so, Sussex BC would very much like to receive any new records of this possibly under-recorded butterfly. (Caroline Clarke, White-letter Hairstreak Species Champion, email caroandkevsmiled@netscape.net) News for Sun 29 Jun - Found a pristine White Admiral sunning on the road about 100 yards from my house and continued on to walk around north Warnham finding others blowing in the high winds along with several Purple Hairstreaks and my first Silver-washed Fritillaries and swarms of Meadow Browns and Ringlets. (Sam Bayley) News for Sun 29 Jun: Visted Park Corner Heath yesterday with 7 year old daughter. Two Red Admiral, 2 Silver-washed Fritillary, 1 White Admiral, many Ringlets, many Meadow Browns...but the highlight for my daughter wasn't the butterflies but the two Adders under the corrugated sheets! I expected to see Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries but no luck, I thought there would be more Silver-washed Fritllaries as well. (Danny McEvoy) News for Sun 29 Jun: An early morning trip up to Cissbury Ring provided me with three 'firsts' for 2008; Dark Green Fritillary (6), Essex Skipper (1) and Small Skipper (5). Marbled White (30+) numbers have started to build, including just one female. She had already been mated, and after being constantly accosted by amorous males, she finally went off to hide in thick scrub. (Neil and Eric Hulme) News for Sat 28 Jun: Today I met up with Dan Hoare (our SE Regional Officer), to show him around a couple of our currently 'hot' sites. We started off at Littlehampton Bridge, where the White-letter Hairstreak have finally begun to appear in numbers. We counted 6, either dogfighting, flittering around the top of Wych Elms, or sitting in low ash trees, constantly fidgeting to angle their wings to the sun. We then moved on to Southwater Woods to watch the Purple Emperor. 2 males were in residence at the Marlpost car park, 1 was sitting in the canopy above Crookhorn Lane, 1 was lazing in the Dogbarking Master Trees, 2 fought over the Madgelands Master Trees and I later spotted a male (with characteristic wing-tip damage) 'sallow-searching' over an adjacent ride. The first females of the year were also spotted. One was exiting a sallow at very low level as we parked at Madgelands, and a further female (post-'cop'?) rejected one, then later another male, while sitting in the crest of an ash, adjacent to the Master Trees. 9 Purple Emperors in a day can't be bad! (Neil Hulme and Dan Hoare) News for Sat 28 Jun - In my Warnham garden and the little field at back found first Purple Hairstreak which unfortunately had a dodgy hindwing (although this didn't seem to impede its flying ability), my first male Vapourer and an impressive group of four Bee Orchids up to a foot high! These are thanks to Michael Blencowe and Dave Green who spotted them. (Sam Bayley) Sunday 29 June 2008 Sightings for a walk around Cissbury Ring in bright sunshine but very windy: 30+ Meadow Brown, 2 Dark Green Fritillary, 3 Ringlet, 2 Small White, 11 Small Heath, 6 Marbled White, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Comma, 1 Large Skipper, 2 Large White. (Kevin, Caroline, Miles and Ed Clarke) My overnight moth trap produced the first garden record of Pine Hawkmoth - for a coastal tree-poor location such as Peacehaven, I presume this is either a dispersing individual, or perhaps the very few pine trees in Peacehaven support a small population. Perhaps I would have had more but for my bete noir of mothing - cats - one of which again had half collapsed the trap in the night (Adrian Thomas) Saturday 28 June 2008 In warm, sunny, yet blustery conditions on the Downs to the north of Denton & South Heighton this morning (10.30-14.30), we clocked up a very satisfying 16 butterfly species: Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Large White, Small White (inc mating pairs), White-letter Hairstreak, Small Copper, Common Blue, Red Admiral larvae, Peacock larvae, Comma (f. Hutchinsoni), Dark Green Fritillary, Speckled Wood, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet (not 100% on this one) and Small Heath. The White-letter Hairstreak were abundant in number at one of two sites found today (on English Elm) and may constitute a significant colony within the county. Well worth further investigation. (David Harris and Steven Teale) Driving from Newhaven to East Grinstead this morning means a wait at the traffic lights in Lewes. And there as I waited I spotted my first Meadow Brown of the year. Sigh. Summer is over already! (Danny McEvoy) No, see it as summer just beginning, Danny! Ed And so it was that after weeks of battling brambles and nettles and seeing nothing my hopes had started to fade. Had the caterpillars I saw previously been parasitised by an evil chalcid wasp? Were the conditions simply wrong for pupation? Had I dreamt the whole thing? And then on a windy late-June afternoon I saw before me a sight that made my heart stop. Looks like we've got a new moth in the county! Scarlet Tiger; 3 seen patrolling and at rest in Friston Forest. (Michael Blencowe) Friday 27 June 2008 Had 2 Essex Skippers and 2 Gatekeepers on the wing at Thorney Island today.(Barry Collins) News for Thurs 26 June: I walked 3 miles covering the footpaths radiating from Horsley Farm near West Marden (SU765136). Many Meadow Browns were flying along the bracken and bramble hedgerows, while in the damp woodland areas Speckled Woods were abundant. I also saw two Ringlets my first sightings for this year. Large White (1M), Meadow Brown (34), Speckled Wood (17), Ringlet (2), Comma (1) and Large Skipper (3). (Richard Symonds) Thursday 26 June 2008 Sussex is currently 'leading the pack' for the mighty Purple Emperor this year. Seven of us had fantastic views this morning, as they fought almost constantly over two of the four locations I eventually saw them in. Activity (2 males) was slow over the usually-favoured Dogbarking Master Trees. But I was delighted when Malcolm and Barbara (who I know have put a great deal of effort into seeing the species over the past few years) had to delay their departure, after discovering a further pair beating the daylights out of each other over the car park. Congratulations! This pair fought almost constantly for an hour and a half. Tom Ottley and I then went round to the Madgelands Master Trees and the action here was instantaneous. I later saw three in hot pursuit, each within inches of each other. A solitary male over 'Butterfly Corner' made a total of 8, double my best tally for the woods last year (it looks like the species is set to do well in 2008). But the grande finale was yet to come! I returned to the Marlpost car park and at precisely 15:15hrs, a Purple Emperor launched itself at a Great Spotted Woodpecker which came low over the canopy! It chased it across the canopy clearing and down the ride to the east. Having spent the most-part of the day, fighting, showing off, sunbathing and 'cleansing' the area of woodpeckers, they finally 'turned in' at 15:30hrs. A day to remember! (Neil Hulme) Plenty of photos to come from the last couple of days, but here is Olive Crescent on 22 Jun and True Lover's Knot on 19 Jun, both from Friston and both by Michael Blencowe. Oh, and if you want some challenges for photos to take for the galleries, then so far the following butterflies only have two photos each - Small White, Large White, Wall and Purple Hairstreak, with just 3 White-letter Hairstreaks.
On a long walk from Seaford to Windover Hill and return via Littlington. There were plenty of Marbled Whites at the Seaford end. Meadow Browns were numerous in some places, however in Deep Dene near Windover there was only one Marbled White. Lots of Small Heath were in this area along the bottom of the valley and a few Meadow Brown. There were probably more butterflies that were hanging deep in undergrowth to avoid the strong winds. There were 7 Small Tortoiseshell seen on the walk. No Dark Green fritillaries at all which was surprising. (Bob Eade). A single White Admiral and plenty of Silver-washed Fritillaries in woods near Warnham at lunchtime today. Nearby, one of two fields where I discovered new Grizzled and Dingy Skipper colonies this year has been sprayed, killing off a fantastic mix of wildflowers. (David Bridges) At 1430 hrs, my wife and I saw a single, fresh White-letter Hairstreak feeding on bramble flowers in warm sunshine with a moderate SE wind at Littlehampton Bridge at the location Neil took us to last Sunday. As a newcomer to Sussex this was a first ever for me, and as this butterfly fed at close quarters in the sunshine, the colours on its wings changed as it moved and I saw green as well as pale almost metallic grey, far more beautiful than the pictures in various books. It made me wonder how I could get involved planting resistant Wych Elms in this lovely county, as several of the trees close-by had succumbed. We also saw a single Comma hutchinsoni, several Red Admirals and Speckled Woods. I need some advice on a suitable camera to purchase so I can show & confirm these sightings! (Roger Martin) Be great to know what cameras people are using to get their great shots - I'm still using an 'old' (in digital terms) Nikon Coolpix 4500 because it can get me within 2cm for some great macros - Ed News for Weds 25 Jun: 1 Small Tortoiseshell at Alfriston Clergy House; 1 Small Tortoiseshell at Stanmer Park Nursery. (Caroline Clarke) Recent news: Recent Moth Trap highlights in our Shoreham-by-Sea garden included one Privet Hawkmoth and five Elephant Hawkmoths on 24 June, along with our first Small Emerald for the garden, another Cypress Carpet and our first Broad-Barred White for the garden. Whilst walking along Shoreham Beach on 24 Jun we spotted some caterpillars making light work of Purple Toadflax. They turned out to be Toadflax Brocade and on a more thorough search on the evening of 25 Jun, we found a total of 35 caterpillars feeding on Purple Toadflax on the shingle to the east of Shoreham Beach Church. Also Marbled White in the Little Meadow at Woods Mill on 25 Jun. (Dave and Pen Green) Wednesday 25 June 2008 News for Tues 24 Jun: Birling Gap - 6 Dark Green Fritillary, 4 Large Skipper, Common Blues, numerous Small Heath, Marbled Whites and Meadow Browns but still no sign of the White-letter Hairstreaks at Horseshoe Plantation. (Bob Eade) News for Tues 24 Jun: Pagham Harbour LNR moth trap: Barred Yellow, Angle Shades, Chrysoteuchia culmella, Clouded Border, Common Carpet, Common Wainscot, Dark Spectacle, Diamond Back Moth, Dioryctria abietella, Double-Stripped Pug, Lychnis, Mottled Beauty, Mottled Pug, Nutmeg, Pinion Streaked Snout, Satin Wave, Schoenobius giganitella, Single-dotted Wave, Smoky Wainscot, Square-spot Rustic, White-point, Clouded Buff (first for the Reserve), Blue-Bordered Carpet, Royal Mantle, European Corn-borer, Phlyctaenia coronata, Leopard, Short Cloaked Moth, Spinach, Barred Straw, Dot Moth, Agriphilia tristella, Peppared Moth, Chilo phragmitella, Archips podana, Bramble Shoot Moth, Brimstone, Buff Ermine, Clouded Silver, Common Footman, Common Wave, Crambus lathoniellus, L-Album Wainscot, Light Brown Apple Moth, Rusty-dot Pearl, Shoulder-striped Wainscot, Silver Y, Straw Dot, Water Veneer, Fan-Foot, Barred Fruit-Tree Tortrix, Elephant Hawkmoth, Light Arches, Small Square Spot, Common Emerald, Agapeta hamama, Buff Arches, Eudonia pallida, Flame Shoulder, Uncertain, Scalloped Oak, Bright-Line Brown-Eye, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Spectacle, Tawny/Marbled Minor, Green Pug, Riband Wave, Burnished Brass, Thistle Ermine, Willow Beauty, Heart and Dart, Dark Arches, Rustic, Mottled Rustic, Large Yellow Underwing, Snout and Flame (Ivan Lang) News for Tues 24 Jun: I spent another highly enjoyable day in Southwater Woods. The emergence of female White Admiral has swelled their numbers and a thorough sweep of Madgelands, Dogbarking and Marlpost Woods gave a total count of 26. Silver-washed Fritillary numbers are still to build, with only 6 males seen. There was a mass emergence of Purple Hairstreak (30+) and late in the day they formed swirling groups above several mature oaks. But the most exci | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
