The immature stages of many Lepidoptera are known to fluoresce when showered with UV radiation. For the caterpillar hunter, this has little practical benefit during the day when the extra visible light that is produced is lost in the sea of daylight that already floods the area. At night, however, the use of UV torches becomes an extremely effective way of inducing fluorescence and thereby locating cryptically coloured larvae or pupae that would be very hard to find during the day. This thought-provoking article by Ben Greenaway provides a theory as to why the immature stages of many Lepidoptera are known to fluoresce and the evolutionary advantage of doing so.

Congratulations to Richard Carter, who is the recipient of the UKB Outstanding Contribution Award for 2024. Known as 'Wurzel' in the UKB forums, Richard is a long-time UKB member who runs UKB's Facebook group and also helps run the 'favourite photo' elements of the forum for each species at the end of each year. All award recipients can be seen here.

From the publisher: A Naturalist's Guide to the Butterflies of Hong Kong is a photographic identification guide to 235 butterfly species found in Hong Kong, and is perfect for resident and visitor alike. This book combines high quality photographs from a broad swath of Hong Kong's top photographers with detailed species descriptions. The text cuts through jargon, allowing readers to quickly distinguish different butterflies and see how each fits in the broader context. Click here to read the review by Guy Padfield.

Congratulations to Barry Mills, overall winner in the 2024 UK Butterflies Annual Photography Competition! Barry wins a signed copy of Close-Up: The Complete Guide to Macro Photography by Matt Doogue that has been kindly donated by UK Butterflies sponsor, Greenwings. Thanks to all the competitors - click here to see all of the winning entries.

From the publisher: This is an easy-to-use introductory identification guide to 361 species of butterfly and moth found in Aotearoa / New Zealand. High-quality photographs are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitats, and conservation information. The user-friendly introduction covers geography, habitats, moth and butterfly identification, survey methods and a glossary. The final section contains an all-important checklist of all of the Lepidoptera of New Zealand. Click here to read the review by Andy Barker.

The UK Butterflies 2024 Photography Competition is now open for entries! In keeping with the online nature of the UK Butterflies website, the competition itself will be conducted entirely over the web. The competition closes on November 30th and the winning photos will be announced in early December. The competition is supported by Greenwings, the UK Butterflies sponsor, and the winner will receive a copy of the excellent Close-Up - The Complete Guide to Macro Photography by Matt Doogue. Click here for information on how to enter.

From the publisher: Pyralid and crambid moths are amongst the most studied and readily encountered moths in the British Isles, and include some very attractive species. Whilst many are restricted in distribution within the British Isles, others are ubiquitous; they also feature prominently in migration events and occur as imports. This work represents the first comprehensive review of these moths since 1986 and brings together a wealth of knowledge about identification, distribution, flight periods and life cycle. Click here to read the review by Andy Mitchell.

From the publisher: This is a photographic identification guide to 122 butterfly species and a selection of moths most commonly seen in Borneo (covering Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan). Honor and Cosmo Phillipps' high quality photographs are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, wingspan, habits and habitat, larval foodplants and range. The user-friendly introduction covers a family tree for lepidoptera, where to see the butterflies, the Bornean environment, life cycle, parts of a butterfly, wing patterns and butterfly behaviour. Egg sizes, common larval food plants and nectar plants are also described and illustrated. Click here to read the review by Guy Padfield.

From the publisher: This book showcases the extraordinary range of colors and patterns of the world's butterflies while exploring their life histories, behavior, habitats and resources, populations, seasonality, defense and natural enemies, and threats and conservation. With remarkable photography, graphic illustration, and profiles of thirty-five selected species, this comprehensive and inviting book discusses dozens of key topics, including eggs, caterpillars, and chrysalids; flight, feeding, courtship, and mating; migration and hibernation; concealment, mimicry, and predators; habitat loss and fragmentation, climate change, and pesticides; and farming and gardening to support and attract butterflies. Click here to read the review.

Congratulations to Mark Searle, overall winner in the 2023 UK Butterflies Annual Photography Competition! Mark wins a signed copy of British & Irish Butterfly Rarities by Pete Eeles that has been kindly donated by UK Butterflies sponsor, Greenwings. Thanks to all the competitors - click here to see all of the winning entries.

From the publisher: This book documents, celebrates and shares the many successes the Warwickshire Branch of Butterfly Conservation has had in conserving our rarer butterflies over the past 25 years. It is a manual of techniques, tips and ideas that will help and hopefully inspire others to create and manage habitats and to conserve butterflies. In addition, the book outlines the fieldcraft that is required to provide the best chance of finding adult butterflies and their immature stages, provides tips on how to identify the difficult species and suggests how to get the maximum enjoyment from your butterfly encounters. Click here to read the review.

From the publisher: The app contains detailed descriptions of the 168 butterfly species found in northern Europe, from northern France in the south to Greenland in the north. Written by butterfly experts Lars Andersen and John Vergo, the meticulous content covers everything from a species' appearance to its distribution and habits, illustrated with photos of the male, female, eggs, caterpillars and host plants, together with flight period charts and distribution maps. Click here to read the review by David Moore.