2023 was a Black Admiral year at Alice Holt forest. This seems to happen every few years and I guess is probably a result of a frost pocket somewhere in the woods that creates conditions that cause aberrations in White Admirals. This year I saw at least four which were variants of ab.obliterae and p...

Every year I visit a small colony on the Hants/Sussex border which is high up on a north facing slope of the South Downs. The purpose is to do a count for Sussex BC and I suspect I am probably the only person to see them each year. The colony is quite small (20-30 individuals) and restricted to a re...

Living on the South coast in Hampshire I have been expecting LTB for some time. As Ben says they have been frequent visitors to our neighbours in Sussex for some years now but for me, other than a brief encounter on Hayling Island in 2013 they seem to avoid me on home soil. However this year a few w...

After a few years, and many fruitless hours of searching, I now seem to have successfully mastered the technique of finding Purple Emperor larvae by spotting their seat leaf which is left dangling by a silken thread in the autumn. This normally indicates that a larva is hibernating nearby. So far I ...

Good to see some familiar faces, and have Susie back in the fold. Some very enlightning discussion as always - sorry I had to leave early so I missed you Lee.
I am sure I will bump into one or two of you over the next 12months
Roll on next year
Kind Regards
Mark

I’ll be there all being well

After many fruitless searches I finally tracked down Long-tailed Blues on my local patch, Portsdown Hill. Seven or eight were frequently spotted in a fairly sheltered area of south facing slope that they were using as their lek. Three males and a female were extremely fresh and it ultimately resulte...

After seeing my first Long-tailed Blue at Beeding Cement works in 2013 I planted some Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea in my garden. I live in Portsmouth on the south coast, so I don’t think it was completely wishful thinking that one day my plants might be graced with a visit from this lovely butterfly...

Wow - a Marbled White in your nursery garden that’s a brilliant one to have.
Would you mind posting a picture of the garden when you have some time - my guess is that you have a nice meadow area, sounds great.
Kind Regards
Mark

Hi Quince Tree Children and Teachers, That is one of the nicest posts I have read in a long time! My lifelong interest in wildlife started at a young age and was fostered and encouraged by a teacher at my junior school. We need to get children engaged and interested in the natural world if we are to...

There have been a few White Admiral aberrations at Alice Holt Forest this year but this is the most extreme that I have seen so far - a bit faded now but no white bands at all ab. Nigrina?
Kind Regards
Mark

Hi Pauline I remember that Common Blue well and I have never encountered another as small as that since. The tiger SWF made me do a double take - stunning image! I may have found another culprit for Emperor wings on the track as well as bikes and dragonflies- as I was watching two males spar today a...

It was at Hayling for LTB - am working on the egg - saw two females laying today so fingers crossed
Kind Regards
Mark

I told you that your luck would change - hopefully you will get a few more chances and some are still very fresh like this one that Flossie found for you today
Kind Regards
Mark

A trip to Alice Holt Forest to see the Emperors is pretty normal for me at this time of the year and it all went according plan today when I had numerous encounters throughout the morning counting upwards of fourteen individuals. After lunch I walked back down the track, with Flossie my constant com...

Hi Pauline
I think you fly might be Common awl robberfly Neoitamus cyanurus
Kind Regards
Mark

Hi Pete
Couple of sightings currently on Sussex BC including larval webs
http://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/sightings/

Hi Pauline- Guess you you may have been checking for WLH but interesting you have seen Essex Skipper in the area
Cheers
Mark

Hi Ernie
Try Selsley Common for DoB - reportedly very good numbers there at the moment.
Kind Regards
Mark

What a superb looking butterfly - great find!
Kind Regrds
Mark