Sussex Branch

Silver-spotted Skipper deep in the vegetation

Another one (this one has a sex brand)

Feeding on knapweed

Comma feeding on Marjoram

I visited Chantry Hill several times last weeks to try and locate Silver-spotted Skippers (and failed miserably) but today they were reasonably easy to find (if you know where to look). I saw around 6-8 and so lots more to come (hopefully). Not the easiest butterfly species to photograph (with a macro lens) but I just about managed it. Painted Ladies are still very much in evidence with approximately 10 seen. Only a couple of Clouded Yellows. Six Humming-bird Hawk-moths on just a small part of the West Combe. I would estimate 20 for the while of the three combes of Chantry Hill. In the places I visit, they have been very common, of late. There was a nice-looking Comma feeding on Marjoram. I have seen very few Commas in the past few weeks, although there was one on the garden Buddleia this afternoon. (Martin Kalaher, Chantry Hill) - TQ082140

Visited Deep Dean this afternoon and walked the slopes on both sides of the valley. Plenty of butterflies this week which was an improvement on last week with 11 species recorded; the highlights being good numbers of Chalk Hill Blue, a Small Blue, 2 Silver-spotted Skippers and several very fresh Painted Ladies. No definite Grayling sightings but one possible which unfortunately shot off too rapidly and then disappeared before I could see where it had gone for a positive i/d. I recall a difficult July for them a few years ago when I actually saw them in August and early September so I'm hoping all is not lost yet, and maybe a bit of rain will help (which we might get on Sunday morning). Although these are worrying times I'm trying to remain positive. (Chris Hooker, Deep Dean)

The old female Common Blue

The male Common Blue

The other female Common Blue

Same female Common Blue

Second posting today, as our back garden was quite busy this afternoon. Resident were 4 or so Gatekeepers, male and female plus 3 Common Blues - a very worn female, a smart male and a good rather than pristine female. The male is spending the night on a yellowrattle stalk. In, out and round about were a few Small Whites, a Red Admiral, a Painted Lady, a Comma (better condition than yesterday's) a Holly Blue and a Meadow Brown which was nice as we get very few of them. Inspired by Martin's Gardening for Butterflies 2024 article, I am trying to nurture some clumps of Yorkshire Fog for Meadow Browns and Skippers but away from the lawn as I don't want it to take over there. (John Heys, West Worthing) - TQ131025

I saw what a believe to be a Jersey Tiger Moth on the Wall of the yellow house beside Chichester library this afternoon at around 5.30pm (Lucy, Chichester)

Clouded Yellow, female I think

Almost invisible Meadow Brown

Small White

Painted Lady, bit fuzzy

This morning Val and I walked by the sea west from The Bluebird Cafe Ferring along to the West end of The Greensward. Plenty of patches of taller grass with wild flowers. Small Whites probably most numerous, but pick of the bunch were 6 or 7 Clouded Yellows and a few more of both Common Blue and Painted Lady. There were several Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns too plus a Red Admiral. I'm hoping to attach a screen shot of a Clouded Yellow - the shot shows the same one twice. The ladies, yellows, whites and the admiral all looked in good condition - maybe mostly recent arrivals from abroad? (John Heys, Ferring)

Deep Dean

Catastrophe ! The ongoing decline of the Sussex Grayling continued today in Deep Dean with a count of zero. After many years of advice, mainly ignored, the South Downs National Park Authority now have an extinction on their hands entirely of their own making. (Patrick Moore, Deep Dean) - TQ5402

COMMON BLUE (f) WITH ONLOOKER 12.00pm thurs 23/07/2026

PAINTED LADY 11.57am thurs 23/07/2026

URBAN WALL (m) IN MY BACK GARDEN, POLEGATE. 9.57am thurs 23/07/2026

thurs 23/07/2026 ABBOT'S WOOD, E,Sx. To start the day I had a visit from a male Wall butterfly at 9.51am in our back garden, this is my forth male in back garden so far this year all males, one in April two in May. Back to Abbot's Wood butterflies seen:- 4x Small Whites, 3x Green-veined Whites, 1x Purple Hairstreak, 1x Small Copper, 30x Common Blues including fifteen females, 4x Red Admirals, 11x Painted Ladies, 7x Silver-washed Fritillaries including two females, 1x Speckled Wood, 3x Wall, 164x Hedge Browns, 114x Meadow Browns and 2x Small Heath. The fire damage was confined to an area of pines, if you wasn't looking for it you wouldn't notice it. Luckily it got caught early. Well done to all who dealt with it, it could have been alot worse. (PETER FARRANT, ABBOT'S WOOD, EAST SUSSEX) - TQ569076

I'm up from my home in Devon and spending a few days in Robertsbridge. While having coffee in a friend's garden I was surprised and delighted to see a female Purple Emperors land briefly on a holly bush. I managed a just recognisable photo with my phone before it departed. (Rob Bogue, Langham Road, Robertsbridge)

One Clouded Yellow this morning. (Mr James K bardsley, Arun riverbank near Climping Church)

Humming-bird Hawk-moth egg - Crawley

Today in my Crawley garden I had a brief visit from a Humming-bird Hawk-moth which was egg-laying on my modest patch of Red Valerian. When she had left I found five fresh eggs and a further 12 which were clearly laid earlier, with some ready to hatch. On a leaf below the flower head was the egg of a lacewing on its characteristic silk stalk. (Vince Massimo, Crawley) - TQ268353