Butterflies in Sussex

• xx species of butterfly have been recorded in Sussex.

• 45 species are regular breeders, xx species are occasional vagrants, and xx species are species that once bred but are now extinct.

• The number in brackets after each species denotes the number of tetrads in which each was seen during the 1995-99 survey.

 

Moths in Sussex

•  xx species of moth have been recorded in Sussex.

• around xx species are regular breeders, xx species are occasional vagrants, and xx species are species that once bred but are now extinct.

 

	Sussex Butterfly Species list
	Sussex Moth Species list

 

Sussex Butterfly Species List

 

Small Skipper (224): Widespread in suitable rough grassland.

 

Essex Skipper (121): Fairly widespread, but recorded from only about half the number of tetrads as Small Skipper.

 

Silver-spotted Skipper (40): Restricted range on chalk downland in east Sussex but expanding its range westwards

 

Large Skipper (221): Widespread in suitable rough grassland

 

Dingy Skipper (47): Restricted range, predominantly on chalk grassland on the Downs

 

Grizzled Skipper (70): Restricted range, predominantly on chalk grassland on the Downs

 

Wood White (4): Very restricted, now just found in a couple of wood in the north west of the county

 

Clouded Yellow (263): Annual visitor in very variable numbers from the Continent, some years seeing large numbers especially on the coast, in other years very few seen.

 

Brimstone (302): Very widespread, especially in more rural areas

 

Large White (363): Very widespread, including urban habitats

 

Small White (380): Very widespread, including urban habitats

 

Green-veined White (225): Widespread, but not nearly as much as Large and Small Whites.

 

Orange Tip (243): Widespread, especially in more rural areas

 

Green Hairstreak (51): Restricted, most but not all on chalk grassland on the Downs near scrub and shrubs

 

Brown Hairstreak (84): Restricted range, mainly in Weald, but very difficult to see

 

Purple Hairstreak (72): Fairly widely reported from oak woods, but probably much under-recorded

 

White-letter Hairstreak (17): Very restricted, although possibly under-recorded

 

Small Copper (217): Widespread, including heathland

 

Small Blue (35): Restricted to chalk grassland on the Downs

 

Silver-studded Blue (14): Very restricted, mainly on Ashdown Forest

 

Brown Argus (87): Restricted range, mainly on chalk grassland on the Downs

 

Common Blue (305): Very widespread on grassland

 

Chalkhill Blue (76): Restricted to chalk grassland on the Downs where it can be very abundant

 

Adonis Blue (61): Restricted to chalk grassland on the Downs

 

Holly Blue (233): Widespread, including in urban areas

 

Duke of Burgundy (7): Very restricted on Downs and struggling in the county.

 

White Admiral (62): Restricted, mainly to ancient woodland sites across the Weald#

 

Purple Emperor (21): Restricted to large woodland in the Weald

 

Red Admiral (412): Very widespread, including in urban areas

 

Painted Lady (327): Migrant; shows great variation between years, in some being very widespread, in others numbers are very low

 

Small Tortoiseshell (355): Very widespread, including in some urban areas

 

Peacock (380): Very widespread

 

Comma (352): Very widespread, including in some urban areas

 

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (6): Very restricted, the best colony being at the BC reserve at Park Corner Heath

 

Pearl-bordered Fritillary (18): Very restricted in Wealden woods, and very few of the existing populations are doing well

 

Dark Green Fritillary (48): Restricted to chalk grassland in the Downs

 

Silver-washed Fritillary (87): Restricted to large woodlands, mainly in the Weald and with more sites in West Sussex

 

Speckled Wood (406): Very widespread, including some urban areas

 

Wall (123): Fairly widespread, often coastal or on chalk grassland on the Downs

 

Marbled White (138): Fairly widespread, especially on chalk grassland on the Downs where it can be abundant

 

Grayling (5): Now restricted to very few sites, the best being Lullington Heath in East Sussex

 

Gatekeeper (353): Very widespread, especially in rural areas where it can be abundant

 

Meadow Brown (427): Very widespread, especially in rural areas where it can be very abundant

 

Ringlet (173): Fairly widespread, especially in damper woods

 

Small Heath (166): Fairly widespread, especially on chalk grassland on the Downs