UK Butterflies
Building a Community of Responsible Butterfly Enthusiasts in Britain & Ireland
Building a Community of Responsible Butterfly Enthusiasts in Britain & Ireland
The UK Butterflies Outstanding Contribution Award is given each year to the individual(s) that are deemed to have made the most significant contribution of UK Butterflies' goal of "Building a Community of Responsible Butterfly Enthusiasts". Past winners are listed below.
The UK Butterflies Outstanding Contribution Award for 2022 has been awarded to Ben Greenaway, which was presented while co-leading a Greenwings tour in the Italian Alps with UKB team members David Moore and Pete Eeles. Ben is known for the incredible field work he has undertaken regarding the lifecycle of the Purple Emperor butterfly, as well as his studies on parasitoids, especially those related to the Small Tortoiseshell, and the use of UV light in detection of immature stages. You can appreciate Ben's work in his personal diary.
Ben Greenaway (L) receiving the 2022 award from Pete (R). Photo © Caroline King.
The UK Butterflies Outstanding Contribution Award for 2021 has been awarded to Will Langdon, a PhD student at Oxford University. Will is well-known for his work on leaf-mining micro-moths (with several new county records to his name) but he has almost single-handedly proven that the Large Tortoiseshell is breeding on our shores once again, after several decades of absence. While the origin of these finds is hotly disputed, Will's tenacity and persistence is in no doubt. His work has encouraged many enthusiasts to look out for the Large Tortoiseshell on Portland in particular, thereby ensuring that this scarce butterfly is no longer overlooked and that its true status is better understood.
Dr. James Hogan (L), Collections Manager at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, presenting the 2021 award to Will Langdon (R).
The UK Butterflies Outstanding Contribution Award for 2018 has been jointly awarded to David Simcox (Habitat Designs Ltd.) and Sarah Meredith (Butterfly Conservation), who coordinate and implement the Large Blue reintroduction programme, and with whom UK Butterflies has had a long and healthy relationship. Aside from the general advice provided to UK Butterflies over the years (David, for example, sits on the Advisory Board of Dispar, the UK Butterflies publishing arm), David and Sarah went out of their way in 2018 to help UK Butterflies study the Large Blue life cycle (a significant gap in the UK Butterflies species description and image library) in detail by obtaining the necessary permissions and helping with the livestock. The results have been amazing, and includes a rarely-seen sequence of a first instar larva burrowing into a Thyme flower bud. Both David and Sarah also provide excellent feedback on UK Butterflies from time to time and this is always very welcome and helps to steer things in the right direction.
Tri the Collie, Pete, Sarah and David at Daneway Banks, a Large Blue reintroduction site in
the Cotswolds
The UK Butterflies Outstanding Contribution Award for 2017 has been awarded to Richard Fox, Head of Recording at Butterfly Conservation. UK Butterflies has a long history with Butterfly Conservation and interacts with many of the staff in various capacities. It was therefore a pleasure to recognise Richard for the support he has provided to UK Butterflies; he provides regular updates of species distribution data (used on species distribution maps), ensures that all statements regarding species conservation status (in terms of abundance and occurrence) are accurate and provides general advice that symbolises the partnership that UK Butterflies has with Butterfly Conservation. A very deserving winner.
Pete and Richard
The UK Butterflies Outstanding Contribution Award was not awarded in 2016. However, UK Butterflies founder, Pete Eeles, was presented with the Marsh Award for the Promotion of Lepidoptera Conservation at Butterfly Conservation's AGM and Members' Day in Nottingham. Peter was recognised for developing the UK Butterflies website and its associated community, for his contribution to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight branch of Butterfly Conservation and for creating Butterfly Conservation's Garden Butterfly Survey website.
Peter Eeles
Mark has been instrumental in getting the Dispar website (UK Butterflies' publishing arm) up and running, contributes his images to the stock library, and has taken on the unenvious task of bringing together almost 3,000 known aberrations descriptions from various sources and making them available on UK Butterflies. This work has included original research into the set of descriptions of Long-tailed Blue aberrations, which is possibly a "first" since no such summary can be found in any historic or modern work.
Pete and Mark
The second of two Outstanding Contribution Awards for 2014 has been awarded to Vince Massimo, a long-serving member of the UK Butterflies core team. Vince has been instrumental in helping build the community aspects of UK Butterflies and actively engages with the membership by selecting images to be used on the various species pages. Given the level of contribution by UKB members, this is no small task. Vince is also known for his superb studies of the early stages of species that are local to him. This was recognised by several individuals as Vince received his award from Pete Eeles and Richard Lewington at the 2014 AES Exhibition at Kempton Park Racecourse, where Vince was presented with a signed Richard Lewington print of his favourite butterfly: the Orange-tip.
Richard, Vince and Pete
The first of two Outstanding Contribution Awards for 2014 has been awarded to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. This is in recognition of the incredible amount of support and encouragement that the Hope Department of Entomology and Library, in particular, have provided to UK Butterflies over recent years. This support includes access to the historic specimens housed in the museum, access to the rich library of publications, input to a variety of articles now found on UK Butterflies and general advice and guidance. The four individuals of note were (unusually!) available for a group photo as shown below. They are Katherine Child (who has gone out of her way to create high-quality images of specimens specifically for UK Butterflies), Kate Santry (Head of Archives and Library), Dr. James Hogan (Collections Staff) and Darren Mann (Head of Life Collections). This is the first time that the award has been given to an organisation, rather than an individual, and is in special recognition of the role that this team of committed individuals has played in helping bring the UK Butterflies website to a whole new level.
Katherine, Kate, Pete, James and Darren
The UK Butterflies Outstanding Contribution Award for 2013 was presented to Neil Hulme by Pete, Gary and Lisa at the 2013 Butterfly Conservation National AGM where Neil was also presented with a BC Outstanding Volunteer award. Neil received a Richard Lewington print of Long-tailed Blues and a UK Butterflies / BC calendar. Neil does a tremendous amount of conservation work in his home county of Sussex, and has also made a significant contribution to UKB's aim of Building a Community of Responsible Butterfly Enthusiasts through his regular and popular postings in the UKB forums. A very deserving winner.
Lisa, Gary, Richard, Neil, Pete at the 2013 BC National AGM
Photo (c) Colin Knight
The UK Butterflies Outstanding Contribution Award for 2012 was presented to Seth and Sami Gibson (by 2010's winners, Gary and Lisa). Seth and Sami were an obvious choice, having walked the length of the country in aid of Butterfly Conservation for their honeymoon! Just amazing. Seth and Sami received a copy of Richard Tratt's "Butterfly Landscapes", the "Video Guide to the Butterflies of Britain and Ireland" kindly donated by BirdGuides, and a UK Butterflies calendar. Very worthy winners.
Seth, Sami, Gary, Lisa at the 2012 Winter Social Event
The UK Butterflies Outstanding Contribution Award for 2011 was presented to Guy Padfield. Guy was presented with his award in his adopted country of Switzerland by last year's winners, Gary and Lisa Richardson. Guy received a copy of "Ecology of Butterflies in Europe" in recognition of the specific contribution Guy has made in fostering an interest in European butterflies through both UK Butterflies and his superb personal website at http://www.guypadfield.com.
Gary, Lisa, Guy in Switzerland
Gary and Lisa undertake the 1.5km transect at Danebury Hill each year, organise the annual photography workshop, organise the UK Butterflies / BC calendar, and attend several events where UKB has a stand and sell their selection of greetings cards and prints. Of the monies donated to BC, the vast majority can be put down to their efforts. All in all - extremely dedicated to fostering the UKB community and thoroughly-deserving winners.
Lisa, Gary, Pete at the 2009 AES Exhibition
