Butterfly Conservation is a registered charity dedicated to the conservation of butterflies and moths. You can find out more about the national organisation here.
The SxBC photo competition is back!
We're inviting photographers to submit their best Sussex butterfly photographs to our annual competition. Whether it's a rare species in flight or a perfect close-up of delicate wing patterns, we want to see it.
The results will be announced at the Members Day held on Sunday the 22nd November. For more information click here.
To see the 2025 winning entries click here.
We have a busy programme of working parties all over the county starting in October into March. This has been a wonderful summer for butterflies and with your help we can make 2027 even better.
Information about all the sessions can be found here.
Anyone can post photos of butterflies they have seen in Sussex. Recent sightings include:
04 Oct: It was a perfect warm sunny day for a wander in the Lancing Ring area. It was great to bump into Kat and a couple from Hampshire, who were all interested in Long-tailed Blue. Sadly we couldn't find any in the chalkpit or up on the Ring. I did briefly see one in my garden, a middle-aged male with tails, but faded. Otherwise, 17 Clouded Yellow (including a helice), 9 Speckled Wood, 4 Wall, 4 Red Admiral, 2 Small Copper, 2 Common Blue, female Brimstone, Painted Lady, Small White (present but not counted), Humming-bird Hawk-moth.
04 Oct: Took a walk around the Horseshoe Plantation this afternoon and spotted a single Chalk Hill Blue in quite good condition for October, I thought.
04 Oct: Decided to try my luck for the Queen of Spain at Stoke Down today and got lucky. The one I found has moved into the other valley and was about half way. It was very fast and hard to spot. There were also many Clouded Yellows, a number of Small Coppers, Common Blues, Small Whites, a couple of Red Admirals and a Brimstone.
04 Oct: Val and I went up from Amberley village and on a circular walk which included the Stoke Bottom grid reference point given recently by Martin. The sun was not out all the time, but was quite warm and not too breezy. We saw 21 Small Whites, 20 Clouded Yellows, 6 Red Admirals, 3 Common Blues, 2 Speckled Woods, 1 possible Peacock, 1 Humming-bird Hawk-moth, 1 Vestal moth and a very brief glimpse (Val only) of a probable Queen of Spain Fritillary. We met a man who had seen one much earlier in the day and had a nice chat with Alan who had come from Havant to see a Queen of Spain but been unlucky. Photography was difficult - nothing would stay still!
04 Oct: On Friday (2/10) I was lucky to find four fresh, camera friendly, Red Admirals at Lancing Ring. Today at Herstmonceux Castle an immaculate Painted Lady spent ages on the Verbena while the sun shone but took to the stone path during cloudy spells. Four Clouded Yellows were seen today, but one was not flying normally. Instead of fast, purposefull flight, this one was drifting around in a relaxed manner. When I examined my shots it was clear that both antennae were partially missing.
03 Oct: Was walking past the Haven so I called in to do a transect. Not quite the excitement of last week's Clouded Yellow and Brown Hairstreak. Four Small Coppers looking very fresh including one in what we are now calling Rob's meadow, two Common Blues, two Small Whites and one Red Admiral.
02 Oct: A record shot of a rare Wall Brown on Ashdown. I saw two individuals plus Speckled Woods, Holly Blue & Peacock. Grid reference provided (apologies for my laziness)
02 Oct: Another walk around Horse Eye Level today and it was very productive. There were 30+ (probably nearer to 50) each of Clouded Yellow and Wall widely spread across the area as well as about 20 Small Heath plus odds of Red Admiral, Common Blue, Speckled Wood and Small White. There are 2 STTS colonies that I know of in this area but neither produced any today.
Click here for more sightings.
Our branch is organising many butterfly walks in the summer across the county.
Our next events are:
22 Nov: Members Day 2026 - More details to come later.
Information on all our walks and other events can be viewed here.
Photo by Graham Hubbard
New colonies of Wood White were recently discovered in West Sussex and our branch is planning to learn more about this rare butterfly.
We are organising a coordinated survey and are looking for volunteers. For more information on the Wood White Project in Sussex click here.
Photo by Graham Hubbard
Throughout the year we receive interesting sightings records. We have started an exercise to identify notable sightings and look for patterns during a month with a little help from an AI assistant.
To read more click here.
07 Aug: Annual Cotoneaster bashing on the Buckle by-pass (A259), Seaford
30 Jun: Martin Kalaher's Open Garden Sunday 12th July.
24 Jun: Scotney Castle - More opportunity to explore
27 Mar: Butterfly Recording Training at National Trust Woolbeding
22 Mar: 2026 walks now appear on the Events Page
28 Feb: Liz Williams Butterfly Haven work day
16 Jan: A summary of Sussex BC work parties in 2026
23 Oct: SxBC Members' Day - Saturday 22nd November 2025 1.30pm – 4.30pm. Latest Update
White Admiral, photo by Maurilio Tesa
Martin Kalaher has written a very interesting article titled 'Partial broods in 2025' to read the article click here.
Last month Martin published 'Second brood Dingy Skippers'. To read that article click here.
Photo from our 2025 competition.
Sussex is one of the best counties in the UK to see a wide range of interesting butterfly species.
More information on species can be viewed here.
There are many important sites for butterflies in our county.
Information on some of them can be viewed here.
Orange-tip by Gary Faulkner
The results of the 2025 SxBC photo competition were announced at the recent Members' Day.
To see the winning entries click here.
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