Sussex Branch

At about 2:15 pm, Val looked up and a Speckled Wood had landed, wings spread, on the glass window of our patio door. Of course as I got ready to take a perfect picture of its underside, it flew away. (John Heys, West Worthing) - TQ131025

Some weak sun this afternoon was enough to get me out in my garden and adjoining chalk pit to see the state of play. 4 Red Admiral, 4 Speckled Wood, 2 Peacock, Wall (female), Small White, Silver Y. (Lindsay Morris, North Lancing)

I RATHER SUSPECT THAT MOST OF US (ME INCLUDED) GO STRAIGHT TO THE SIGHTINGS PAGE AND MISS OUT THE HOME PAGE ALTOGETHER. NOTHNG WRONG WITH THAT (AND I AM GUILTY AS CHARGED) BUT THAT COULD MEAN THAT MANY OF US ARE MISSING OUT ON THE LATEST NEWS ITEMS. ONE OF THIS WEEK'S NEWS ITEMS IS ABOUT ARCHIVES. UNTIL THIS WEEK, ARCHIVES ON THE MENU BAR HAS BEEN AN EMPTY SHELL BUT NOW YOU CAN PERUSE THE SUMMARIES OF THE PAST FOUR YEARS AS WELL AS REMIND YOURSELVES OF SOME VERY NICE PHOTOS. THE INTENTION IS TO GO BACK IN TIME AND REPEAT THIS EXERCISE FOR THE YEARS FURTHER BACK. IF THE MEMBERSHIP WOULD LIKE OTHER ITEMS TO BE INSERTED IN THE ARCHIVES THEN PLEASE SEND IN A POST WITH SUGGESTIONS. Martin Kalaher website editor (Martin Kalaher, Storrington wildlife garden)

The Adur Valley Transect Group currently consists of four volunteers who have agreed to share two butterfly transects at Mill Hill and Anchor Bottom in the Adur valley. Each member of the group has agreed to walk two transects a month between April and September. Because the sites are so close together it is possible to walk two transects on the same day. Following the retirement of John Gilbert after 7 years’ excellent service we are looking to recruit a new member for the 2025 season. If you are interested in helping us monitor the butterflies in the lower Adur valley please contact transects@sussex-butterflies.org.uk (Jonathan Crawford, Adur Transect Group) - TQ211073

Just following up on the theme of Wall sightings. Yesterday we saw one or perhaps two in our garden near Berwick station. They've been present on sunny days throughout their third generation. None seen today though (13th). (Chris Bird, Berwick) - TQ525066

At Pagham Harbour on Saturday we were lucky it brightened up for a couple of hours and was quite warm early afternoon. Butterflies seen were 1 Small Copper, 4 Speckled Wood, 30+ Red Admiral and around 15 or so Small White. Also seen were about 10 Migrant Hawkers and around 30 Common Darters (Jan, Pagham)

A walk around Malling Down this lunchtime was surprisingly warm but only a few butterflies on the wing. 4 Red Admiral, a couple of Small Copper and a Small White. Later in the town there were several whites enjoying the warmth and a pristine Red Admiral on the railway lands. (Martin Buck, Malling Down and Lewes town)

Female Wall Brown seen on the Adur by New Inn Farm. Also plenty of Speckled Wood and Red Admirals on the downs link. (Charlie Crump, Nrw Inn Farm Henfield) - TQ189154

A sunny morning gave way to cloud about 14.30. By then I had made my way round the sheltered parts of North Lancing, but saw virtually nothing else as I carried on round Lancing Ring. 36 Speckled Wood, 26 Red Admiral, 7 Small White, 5 Comma, 5 Large White, 2 Common Blue, 2 Peacock, Small Copper. The famous Flailbot was doing a bit of brutal scrub bashing, but only for a few hours as it in in great demand. A few Bison would do the job better, but rewilding hasn't reached Lancing yet! (Lindsay Morris, North Lancing)

This afternoon, by the community raised beds in the playing fields north of Chichester Festival Theatre, 3 Speckled Woods. Down by the Theatre, a Large White. (John Heys, Chichester)

Strong westerly movement of Red Admirals low along the top of the beach at Lancing this morning. Between 11.30am and 1pm we watched in total some 50 Red Admirals, all flying west with strong purposeful flight. A lovely Brimstone in front garden when we got back to Keymer. (Malcolm Le Grys, Widewater, Lancing)

We were waiting for our granddaughter to do her cross country training at Findon Gallops around 3:45pm when a Red Admiral dropped down into the grass nearby. I wondered if it was injured, but just as suddenly it took off and disappeared. (John Heys, Findon)

Not exactly a butterfly day, but a Red Admiral graced my garden, and so out came my camera. (Martin Kalaher, Storrington wildlife garden) - TQ082140

A lovely start to the day. Sitting on the kitchen steps into my garden at 7:15am eating my bowl of cereals a flicker of movement catches my eye. A Humming-bird hawk-moth is breakfasting on the pale flowers of the Abelia grandiflora. (Tessa Pawsey, Elm Gove area, Brighton) - TQ320051

A small window of sunshine resulted in six butterfly species being seen in my North Lancing garden. 4 Red Admiral, 2 Peacock, 2 Large White, 2 Small White, Comma, Speckled Wood. Also a late-ish Humming-bird Hawk-moth (though I have seen them in every month except December and January). Common Lizards are still basking in double figures, but what seems to be the last surviving female Wasp Spider is laying moribund by its egg case. (Lindsay Morris, North Lancing)

During several brief sunny spells in my Lancing seaside garden today, there was a Large White, Small White and a Painted Lady all on the Verbena. (Vince Massimo, Lancing) - TQ189038

I sympathise with Martin about the wind - our Red Admiral yesterday was sunning itself on the sheltered side of the conifer. I wondered what effect the rain in the evening & overnight might have today. It's still pretty mild here and quite sunny. The sun came out as we walked up Heene Road and past Heene Cemetery around 11:30am. We spotted 2 Speckled Woods in the roads before the Cemetery & over the Wall another two, spiralling together, in the Cemetery. Shortly after Val saw a Red Admiral and we both noticed a Large White fly through our back garden. There seemed to be fewer Whites around today than we'd expected. I don't know it they reverse migrate, but that might explain it. (John Heys, West Worthing)

The Amberley Downs were disappointing today, the usual late summer, early Autumn butterflies were simply missing. However Red Admiral Small White, Small Copper and Brown Argus still put in an appearance. (Patrick Moore , Amberley area) - TQ0411

Around 11:30 am, just one Red Admiral and one Speckled Wood in our back garden. (John Heys, West Worthing) - TQ131025

Two Speckled Woods, two Red Admirals and a Large White in our back garden this morning. They all arrived around 11am. The voracious spider had already claimed its second Speckled Wood within a week. I was just too late to save it. Within a few minutes only the wings were left in the web. We walked up north over the railway to St Andrews Church after that and while the sun stayed out we came across Speckled Woods everywhere - at least another 7. They are doing very well in Worthing. I dislodged 3 or 4 Common Plume moths when I trimmed the lavender. (John Heys, West Worthing) - TQ131025