This year seems to be amazing for Small/Essex Skipper.

I have recorded more on the Malling Down, Lewes, East Sussex transect since 1987!
Are others recording larger than normal numbers os Small/Essex?

There have been lots of Jersy Tiger moths this year - I have possibly seen more this year than I have ever seen! Any ideas why? What exact conditions are triggering this, is it just the heat and dryness? WhatsApp Image 2022-08-16 at 12.05.42 PM.jpeg Wall and Chalkhill blue appear to be doing well bu...

I haven't posted on here for some time but just wanted to confirm my observations.
Small Tortoiseshell seems to be having an ok year, I have seen more than I would typically expect, better than the last 15 or so years.
A poor year for Small copper so far.

Is this what others have noticed?

The warm weather brought a Peacock out from hibernation on Sunday but I haven't seen a winter Red Admiral yet.
I think today was the warmest 14th December in over 25 years locally.

I wonder how the offspring of all those third-generation Wall Browns around in September and October doing?

Thanks, Tony & Guy, this is really helpful and encouraging. I hope to give it a try.
I wonder if taking eggs, on twigs, from a diseased tree and attaching to a healthy tree could result in the Dutch Elm Disease fungus being transferred?
Does anyone know?

Hello I intend to try to rear some White-letter Hairstreak, I know it is not going to be as easy as is for many other butterflies so I wondered if anyone has experience or tips? I intend to collect the eggs from a tree which is about to be cut because of Dutch Elm disease – carefully removing eggs f...

Thanks, this is really useful! I hope to practice finding some next spring. I may also collect some eggs and rear them (have to hot up on my egg searching skills). But it is just before the pupa stage, in its natural environment which I am most interested in. So I may release the larva and monitor, ...

Hello,
Does anyone have tips for finding Small Heath pupae?
I have never searched for the pupa and intend to do some preliminary research which will involve finding a few specimens.

Crispin Holloway

Interesting. How many Large Whites & Orange Tips did you rear? And any idea what % were M&F?

We all know that males emerge before the females – usually. But in warmer areas such as southern Europe is the time difference between emergence of the sexes lesser? With Chalkhill, for example, I would expect to see the first female 5 to 7 days after a male. But in warmer years that could be less w...

Two Red Admiral basking in the mid day December sun. Surprised to see there is more than one.

Crispin

Mikhail Great find! I wonder if those CY larvae are still alive? Still seeing the occasional one or even two Red Admiral 11/12/13, 16/12/13 & 26/12/13. I haven't seen them in December since 2009. This December has been the warmest in over 18 years (probably wettest and windiest too). Makes me wo...

It could be worth checking your Pelargoniums and Geraniums or take a visit to the local garden centre as Geranium Bronze has again been recorded in Sussex.

http://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/sightings.html

Where else and how many are there?
I bet there are more to be seen.

Crispin

Neil, those are superb photos! That female with the blood-red lunules sounded interesting. I guess you would have seen quite a few Silver-spotted Skippers too? Malling Down, this year, is the best it has been for a long time - it is always good but this year it is superb. Had a very fresh Painted La...

The day is starting off well!

Just seen a Red Underwing outside the back door.
Clouded Yellow fly across the bottom of the garden, 5 male common blues and many, many whites in the garden.

There are a lot of dragonflies this year. Migrants I guess? The wasp populations appear to be building after a poor start to the year (not all wasps). So I wonder what, if any, impact this will have on butterfly populations – the predators catching up after a series of poor years? Looks nice out the...

Considering that this has been such a good year for migrants I am surprised not to have seen more hummingbird hawk moths. In fact I haven't seen any this year! :shock: Has anyone else noticed a scarcity? My father and I were remarking on exactly this the other day. I have seen a few about but not t...

Many thanks.
The lack of rings on the underwing confused me and I was even wondering about a Lycaenidae, but I was finding it difficult to judge its size.

Not sure what this is.

Photo sent from my brother who lives on the Danish island of Bornholm in the middle of the Baltic sea.

Anyone recorded any Silver-spotted Skippers yet? They appear to be a little bit late. I would have expected the first sightings by now. Weather permitting, I'm going to have a good search for them on Thursday and will let you know how I get on. How is Aston Rowant? None at Malling Down, Lewes on Mon...