For info, Norfolk Swallowtail now reported from RSPB Strumpshaw and Sutton Fen (I guess I have to specify britannicus these days).

I've now had two reports of Duke of Burgundy in Norfolk, one with a photograph. One at Cley reserve, the other just north of Norwich. I presume they're out of a cardboard box, since it's never been recorded here before and there's no nearby colonies. I was wondering if anyone else has had unusual st...

Grizzled now only found at Foulden Common and the Cut-off Channel in Norfolk. Swallowtail are best at Hickling, Strumpshaw and How Hill, but if you want a solitary experience, park at Potter Heigham church (not on a Sunday) and walk down to the back of Hickling Broad. The footpath to the right takes...

Thanks - didn't realise Large used willow.

My attention's just been drawn to this tweet by the national trust https://twitter.com/East_England_NT/status/1399267818424750081 which claims to show a Large tortoiseshell and eggs in Sheringham, Norfolk. Only it looks a bit Scarce/Yellow-legged to me - particular as the eggs were apparently on Wil...

A second-brood Map has been reported in Norfolk. Seen at the entrance to Pentney Park caravan site (TF742141) on 28th September. The observer inquired at the park and a Dutch family in a camper van confirmed that they had found a black and white butterfly flying around their van the previous evening...

A second photographed at Fowlmere RSPB in Cambs on 21st March

and a third photographed at Holme village in Norfolk on the 23rd March

Norfolk BC had a good relationship with the original extraction company and have done scrub clearance there for the skippers. We're hopeful for the new owners: the skippers are mainly in two small discrete areas, so they should be able to co-exist with everything else, given good will.

Someone posted in a local forum that they thought they might have seen a speckled wood fly past them in Norwich yesterday. Too fast for a formal report though.

Having studied the photo with your comments in mind, I'm inclined to think you're right, it's the pupal case itself . In this case the pupa completely encloses the abdomen - no openings at all (along the top at least) It looks as if it simply didn't withdraw the abdomen before inflating the wings. T...

I've been sent a photo of a small tort - looks recently emerged. The top of the abdomen clearly has two rows of spines running down it, a pair to each segment, exactly like the chrysalis does. It looks like the body had grown into the inside of the spines and retained the shape. I've not seen any re...

Let's assume that the Wall population is genetically isolated from the continent and has been since the development of the channel. (Ie no Walls are immigrating along the south coast). So if anyone has records of migrant Walls this falls apart. If the original colonisation was relatively small and o...

hi Liz There's a bunch of lightship records in the New Naturalist volume "Insect Migration" (C. B. Williams 1958). He also lists all* the species for which he had records of migration into the UK, and there's no PE in there. But then he has no records of Silver-washed Frit - and yet two we...

Oh dear. the divide between entomologists who are into butterflies and birdwatchers who are into butterflies rears it's head again. As someone who always has a net with me, let me put the case for the defence. 1 Insect nets are used for all flying insects, not just butterflies. Correct identificatio...

HarassedDad has seen .....a photo of a Purple Emperor taken in a garden in Sheringham yesterday. To put this context, the nearest emperors are in Suffolk, we haven't had a proven record since the early 60's. I am far from convinced that should automatically be considered suspicious. There is plenty...

The problem is that the firms are not the one's who would be prosecuted. It would be the bereaved relatives, entirely innocent of the law (and who have been most helpful in finding details of the supplier for me at a very difficult time for them), who actual released them. Frankly the legality is an...

A web posting reports a YL in Sheringham yesterday. I also have a photo of a Purple Emperor taken in a garden in Sheringham yesterday. To put this context, the nearest emperors are in Suffolk, we haven't had a proven record since the early 60's. It's tempting to think that it's a migrant; However, I...

Anyone coming to Norfolk at the weekend is welcome to ring me for an update on saturday - 07759892597

YL may not be the only species coming over.

I have another. Report with photo's of a YL in a garden in Hoveton, Norfolk yesterday.

So now the question is: how long before we get photos of one ovipositing?