In my part of Kent the "Butterflying " has been VERY hit and miss with only a couple of days where the temperature has risen above 12 degrees C. Been trying to find a few O-Tips when the weather has allowed ..........as they,re soon gone . P1020336.JPG P1020758.JPG Tried for a few close up...

Great stuff with the Adders Neil ,used to see them occasionally on the North Downs (Crundale area ) but not recently (........but then i haven,t looked for them either ) I visited Samphire Hoe ! near Dover a few days back,looking at the Early Spider Orchids and in breezy ,overcast ,but reasonably wa...

Great stuff trev ! Like yourself i also had my first Large Tort ....after many years of searching(although luckily for me i stumbled across a small group already watching one !) .........interesting times ! Well done Dave ! I had an identical situation about 5 years ago in Orlestone ,at that time i,...

Small Coppers generally emerge at Dungeness from around the second week in April ,my earliest record is the 4th April ,but i believe they have been reported in favourable years in the last week of March ,although this is exceptional . My latest is the 5th November (5no ) and i would guess (as the we...

I,ve been pretty lucky over the last few years ,and in recent times have been lucky enough to add Long-Tailed Blue ,Queen of Spain Frit ,Gorganus Swallowtail to my British list ,and more recently Large Tortoiseshell .....all species that i once felt that i,d never find in the UK. But for me my own &...

This morning at Dungeness (Kent ) in warm (15-16c) with a slight breeze ,we found our first Small Coppers of the year ,6 in all. We also had our first Large White ( a fem) and single Red Ad and Small Tort . P1010917.JPG P1010947.JPG Later ,had another visit to a few sections of Orlestone . around 20...

Looks like a Silver Y (Autographa Gramma) ,Charles .......if not something very closely related . Allan.W.

Another reported from Orlestone (Kent ),seen by the same recorder that reported one in Orlestone last season ,apparently around 2 Kilometres from the previous sightingS there (by "Shadoxhurst man" +myself ,Dave Brown and family +Josh Jones ) this one was seen on the 30th March see."Ke...

An excellent look back Jack ! ...........I,d just mention one thing............. ,here at the other end of the Island (Kent ) The weather has also been pretty naff ,certainly the wettest(and dullest)winter/Spring for some years !.........So not that lucky "down South " ! Allan.W.

A very late breakfast at "the end of the line "cafe at Dungeness earlier .Not too much about butterfly-wise but did manage 3 Peacock ,including one that looked as though it had just emerged ! and not overwintered. Lynne spotted a couple of Swallows ..........which i missed ! Driving back a...

Not a Moth Ernie looks like a Caddis fly sp;...............or similar .
Allan.W.

I think that thats an excellent (and pretty comprehensive list !) David . If i could add my "two pennyworth " re; Heath Fritillary ,we musn,t forget the excellent Blean complex in Kent ,particularly East and West Blean woods and also Clowes and Thornden (not too sure about Church wood thes...

Thanks David !.................couldn't agree more ! Allan.W.

Thanks for that information Scott ! I,m recently retired ........more time on my hands now,so we may well get out to SA .
Thanks also for the book recommendation ......much appreciated !
Regards Allan.W.

Had a couple of hours in Orlestone (Kent ) this morning in fine but hazy sunshine .There were good numbers of Peacock on the wing and Commas ,and a reasonable number of Brimstone . Best find was two Small Tortoiseshells in the Longrope section a first for the year ......never that common in the fore...

Thanks Dave ! ........I got lucky ......must have been only around 10 minutes after you,d left .......Still haven,t seen a Small Tort though . Allan.W. Thanks for pointing it out !

Thanks for the ID .Scott ! and good call Guy ! I always like to have a go ,and i,m never bothered about being wrong. Allan.W. As a matter of interest Scott is Ivor Migdoll a well known South African lepidopterist ? My field guide does seem pretty comprehensive . My wife lived in SA for about 10 year...

Paul (Bugboy ) looking at the two pics from the Kent facebook group posted by the finder Hugh Nightingale of two individuals
found in Ashford .If you look closely at the two images in my opinion they are the same insect ie; same wing damage .......quite distinct .
Allan .W.

Thanks Dave !............Very pleased !and it was in good nick too Allan.W.

A Red letter day for me today ,two lifers ! Arriving at my local patch in fine warm weather (17 d) i headed for an area where a Large Tort had been spotted by a local a few days earlier .As i sloshed (very muddy ! ) along i noticed many butterflies on the wing ,mainly Peacocks ,with a few Brimstone ...