The new-look forums were implemented at the start of the year and now, at last, I'm pleased to say that the new blog system is up and running. All existing blogs have been migrated. A blog is a "web log" where registered users can, in essence, keep a diary of their exploits for others to see and comment on. Click here to see the various blogs.

Following the success of previous open days at our Green Down reserve, Somerset Wildlife Trust is pleased to announce dates for 2008 – Saturday and Sunday June 21st and 22nd. Due to the sensitive nature of the site, places are limited and there will be a draw to allocate tickets for both events. This year, the cost will be £3 per adult and £1.50 per child, payable in advance.

Please apply for your ticket by sending a letter and cheque payable to Somerset Wildlife Trust, together with your name, contact details written in block capitals and a SAE to Green Down Open Days, Somerset Wildlife Trust, Tonedale Mill, Tonedale, Wellington, Somerset TA21 0AW. Somerset Wildlife Trust members should include their membership numbers.

Your application needs to be in by 5 May 2008, as any received after this date will not be included in the draw. Ticket holders will receive their tickets during June and everyone else will have their cheques returned. Please note: apart from these organised events, Green Down will be closed to all access, from 9th June 18th July 2008.

A new book, Nomads of the Wind, which is focused on the story of the migration of the Monarch butterfly, is released on 1st April. Click here to see a summary and review. From the flyer:

Perhaps the most incredible feat of all is the 2,000 mile migration of the Monarch butterfly. Once a year millions of a special long-living generation of Monarchs migrate from the north-eastern United States and southern Canada to the Oyamel fir forests of Mexico, where they survive the winter. But then, as soon as they feel the first warmth of spring they all set out on the return journey through the Rio Grande and Texas, procreating on the way, until the second and third generations arrive back at the Great Lakes to start the cycle all over again. Award-winning nature photographer Ingo Arndt has followed them on their journey while the accompanying informative text by Claus-Peter Lieckfeld and Peter Huemer explains the latest research on the migration and describes in detail the transformation from caterpillar to magnificently coloured butterfly.

Butterfly World’s £25m project plans to help reverse 76% decline in UK butterfly species.

Sir David Attenborough is marking the start of construction on Butterfly World, just off the M25 near St.Albans, a world-class pioneering project, with a stark conservation warning: “More than three quarters of British butterfly species have declined in the last 20 years, some of them very rapidly. That is worrying, not least because these declines indicate an underlying deterioration of the environment as a whole. For the sake of future generations we must take action now.”.

Click here to read the full press release.

The following updates have been made to the website and many thanks to all contributors. A full list of contributors can be found on the Contributing page.

• New photos of Brown Hairstreak, Chalkhill Blue, Large Blue, Large Tortoiseshell, Scarce Swallowtail, Speckled Wood, White Admiral from various contributors.

The Spring 2008 issue of Butterfly, Butterfly Conservation's magazine is now out. As usual, plenty of excellent articles and news! Not a Butterfly Conservation member? Click here to enter the Butterfly Conservation website where you can find joining instructions.

It's taken a while, but a trip report from Bulgaria in 2007 is now available! Click here to see the report, and thanks to everyone who contributed.

I'm delighted to announce the publication of Adrian Riley's new book, British and Irish Butterflies. Click here to see a summary and review. From the flyer:

This lavishly illustrated butterfly book is the first to cover all the adult forms found in the British Isles, including sub-species, written by a highly experienced lepidopterist. The clear directions and field tips, with added OS grid references, will assist you in finding the butterflies and also in identifying them in their habitats, guided by details of behaviour and morphology. The text is complemented with over 270 photographs of living specimens of all the taxa in full colour. This volume is supported by Butterfly Conservation in their efforts to protect the butterfly fauna of these islands, whilst at the same time, encouraging greater public awareness of their existence and beauty.

The votes have been counted and here are the results! Click here to see the full list of winners of the 2007 UK Butterflies Photography Competition. Thanks to all who entered, all who voted, and many congratulations to the winners. The overall winners as voted for by UK Butterflies visitors are shown below.

Malcolm wins an autographed copy of Britain's Butterflies by David Tomlinson and Rob Still, which has been kindly donated by UK Butterflies sponsor WILDGuides.

UK Butterflies sponsor, Anglian Lepidopterist Supplies (specifically, Jon Clifton and Adrian Wander), have produced a Beginner's Guide to Moth Trapping - click here to see the guide. And please remember that, if you want to support UK Butterflies, then please support its sponsors!

This update sees the introduction of the UK Butterflies stock photo library, which can be accessed from the Photography menu. This facility will allow photos in the library to be more-easily made available. Photos are free-of-charge to charitable and non-profit organisations. All funds generated from the stock photos will contribute to the running of the UK Butterflies website, with all profits going to Butterfly Conservation. If you'd like to consider contributing your photos then please read the contributing guidelines. My thanks to the first photographers to contribute their photos - Gary Richardson and Lisa Baker-Richardson. The library has already received its first reference from St Bridget's Primary School, Glasgow.

The Philip's Guide to Butterflies of Britain and Ireland is a new book from Jeremy Thomas, of Large Blue fame, with illustrations by Richard Lewington and Ken Oliver.

This book is a field guide to the butterflies of Britain and Ireland. Expect to carry it with you on your excursions. Expect to refer to it when examining your photos after a day’s outing. Believe me, it won’t disappoint. The book is essentially a significantly revised version of Jeremy’s RSNC (Royal Society for Nature Conservation) guide, produced in 1986. Click here to see a review, and details of a special offer for UK Butterflies visitors.

Following several requests on the UK Butterflies forums, Martin Warren of Butterfly Conservation has kindly sent me BC's policy on introductions and re-introductions. Click here to access the policy document.

From the policy document: "Most introductions and re-introductions fail. Nevertheless, there are good reasons to attempt them under certain circumstances. Moreover, many people keen to see an environment rich again in butterflies and moths want to help this happen. However, a careful approach is needed, not least because we need to learn from attempts being made. Following an attempt at introduction or re-introduction, continuity of management and monitoring are vital. The habitat requirements of the species and the reasons for its decline should be understood, while the cause of its extinction on the receptor site should have been removed. There should be a long-term management plan that will maintain suitable habitat, and the site should be large enough to sustain a viable population.

Given the amount of interest in butterfly photography, a new monthly photography competition has been set up. The competition will be run via the UK Butterflies forums where all members registered with the forums may enter, and vote. If you're not registered on the forums and wish to enter, or vote, then click on the Forums link at the top of this page, and then the "Register" link at the top of the page you're taken to. You can then enter the Competitions forum to enter, or vote, or simply peruse the entries!