Butterfly Conservation is a registered charity dedicated to the conservation of butterflies and moths. You can find out more about the national organisation 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.
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.
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.
Anyone can post photos of butterflies they have seen in Sussex. Recent sightings include:
21 Sep: I spent most of the day in Stoke Bottom simply wandering around enjoying the sunshine. Still plenty to enjoy especially Clouded Yellow, there were plenty including helice. Also; Common Blue, Small White, Small Copper, Small Heath, Painted Lady, Brown Argus, Brown Hairstreak, Wall Brown, Chalk Hill Blue(1), Red Admiral, Large White, Peacock, a Hurricane fighter, Hare and Autumn Ladies Tresses.
21 Sep: Peter's Hawk-moth caterpillar, and then red hot pupa, is Convolvulus Hawk-moth. While I'm here, I'm happy to report that the Wall continues to reclaim lost ground in the Weald. Following the sighting of low numbers at Knepp in recent years, my brother and I saw four third brood females in the Southern Block over the weekend, while leading safaris.
21 Sep: On Tuesday 8th Sept. found this large Hawk moth larva in my back garden, I first though Elephant Hawk, but no eye spots, anyway I potted it up and it buries itself soon after. On Saturday 19th I thought I'd have a check on pupa, "crickey" I wasn't expecting to find a red hot looking pupa reveling itself from the soil. Does anyone know what Hawk moth it is. Thanks.
21 Sep: Val was on the school run but managed to pop into Broadwater Cemetery. She saw 5 Red Admirals and 4 Speckled Woods. I walked west from Wallace Avenue, West Worthing to behind the Sailing Club beyond George V Avenue, so just into Goring. I had the good fortune to meet Claire there. Not only did we have a nice chat but she pointed out a couple of Long-tailed Blues which were hanging out on long grass stalks and attacking a Common Blue when it got too close. She said there had been more on the tamarisk by George V but they'd already dossed down for the night when I went past - it was more sheltered behind the Sailing Club. As well as them, I saw 18 Small Whites, 10 Common Blues (only 1 female), 4 Red Admirals, 1 Small Copper and 5 Clouded Yellows.
21 Sep: Further to Martin's recent post, both male and female Brimstone seen briefly in our garden near Broadbridge Heath today in warm sunshine. First sighting of this species for several weeks.
21 Sep: Two postings from me today. This morning on the way to and from our local shops:- 6 Clouded Yellows, 3 Small Whites and 1 Red Admiral. In our back garden over lunch time, 2 Speckled Woods, briefly together, and a Comma.
21 Sep: Yesterday there was an influx of Clouded Yellow numbering 50+ on the stretch of Goring beach between the roundabout and the Sailing Club. Temperatures were high and the beach was sheltered due to the Northerly winds. Today, 21st Sept, in a mild SW wind high numbers remain sheltering between pebbles and on the Valerian. In addition, yesterday 4 Long-tailed Blue on Tamarisk and today 2 LTB holding territory in the long grass behind the Sailing Club. Also today 1 Painted Lady, 5 Red Admiral, 2 Small Copper, 3 Small White, 6 Common Blue.
21 Sep: I was very happy to find on a nice sunny morning that my Brown Argus were still present (1M and 1F), also a Small Copper, a Comma and several Small Whites.
Click here for more sightings.
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.
The 2025 edition of our magazine has just landed! Members should receive a paper copy in mid November. A digital version 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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