Hi David - I know what it's like when you want to get out and see some butterflies but bad weather keeps you indoors! It's a case of making hay while the sun shines - tho I think the rain you had today is on it's way down to me for tomorrow!

Lydden Nature Reserve at Temple Ewell in Kent is a beautiful place, full of wild flowers and teeming with Butterflies. Whoever manages it knows what they are doing and many thanks to them! P1000508.JPG I went along this afternoon and saw many Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns and Small Heaths. P1000505.JPG...

Work finished early today so I had the chance to visit Wye Downs Nature Reserve this afternoon while the sun was shining. There were quite a few Gatekeepers on the wing with Meadow Browns too.The Small Heaths seem to be doing very well up there ( I counted over 12 in a short time ) and some posed to...

I found this little chap in the field near my house this weekend P1000420.JPG P1000417.JPG Otherwise it has been very quiet. The flowers look rather empty and although i've been out looking the only Painted Lady i've seen this year was a single on Collard Hill back in June when I was surrounded by L...

P1000377.JPG I had an hour at Lydden Nature Reserve this afternoon before a hail storm moved in :I saw at least 7 Adonis Blues on the wing- l hope they escaped the deluge. P1000378.JPG P1000380.JPG Quite a few Silver Spotted Skippers were buzzing around too and I managed to take a photo on crash la...

Just home from a Brown Hairstreak hunt at Steyning. I arrived ahead of the pre-arranged meeting time and as the sun was shining I made my way on to the reserve and down to what i guessed might be the ' Master Tree '. There i found a fellow BH Hunter, Leigh , and in short time we were watching Brown ...

I made my first ever trip to Arnside Knott on Wednesday 17th to see my first ever Scotch Argus! It's a long drive from here in Kent but well worth it as I saw lots of the Mc Argus ( over 50 at least ) and they are gorgeous creatures. I didn't see much else, a few Grayling,Common Blue,Peacock, Red Ad...

Went to Cumbria for a two day outing from Kent and saw : On 12th July - Three Mountain Ringlets at Fleetwith close to the Drum House ; On 13th July - At Meathop Moss, approximately 12 Large Heaths; and at Whitbarrow, 7 High Browns, many Dark Greens, two Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, 6 Northern ...

My first Clouded Yellow of 2011 flew by me on my Patch this afternoon ( In Ashford, Kent )

Went to Lydden Down Nature Reserve ( Kent ) this afternoon and a few steps from the car park found myself in a meadow full of Chalkhill Blues - Glorious!

A sunny two hours at Warehorne by the Royal Military Canal in Kent this afternoon brought me my first Gatekeepers ( 2 ) of the year. I also saw three White Letter Hairstreaks in the Elms ,a single Purple Hairstreak, Marbled White, Comma,Meadow Brown and a Holly Blue. A lovely place and well worth vi...

Great day out at Bookham Common ( today 26th June ) - Three Purple Emperors put on a wonderful display of acrobatics ; Silver- Washed Fritillaries and White Admirals almost everywhere we looked; and some very accommodating Purple Hairstreaks posing for photographs. Many thanks to Gibster who showed ...

Thanks Liz, I will give it a go!

I'm visiting Surrey this weekend ( Leatherhead area ) : are there any good sites for WLH's there-abouts?

Hi - if it's any help I saw them on 27th May 2011. I walked from Lulworth Cove to Durdle Door ( early afternoon on a sunny day ) and found a small group of them on the cliff top right In front of the Ice Cream Van which was parked very near to Durdle Door itself. I bought myself a ' 99 ' to celebrat...

Dave, thanks for your reply - I will definitely read your diary entry and organise myself better next year too!
And thanks for the Tick warning - I got savaged by one in Norfolk a couple of years ago - Unpleasant!
Cheers

That's very helpful Gibster thank you for such a detailed answer- I've noted the site and I emailed the BC branch too - many thanks

Thanks Mike, I will visit the sites that you mention but I think I'm too late this season so will try for the Skippers next year. I am planning to visit Scotland this summer so will try for other butterflies that I haven't seen, Mountain Ringlet and Large Heath for example.

Hi everyone, I'm told that Glasdrum Wood is THE place for Chequred Skippers - is it worth me making the trip there ( from Kent ) before the end of June or am I too late for 2011 ? Thanks.

Hi everyone I have never seen a White Letter Hairstreak and I wonder if anyone knows a good place to find them in Kent ( I live in Ashford ) ? I read that North Hill RSPB has a colony but I don't know if it's still there or not. Any help will be gratefuly received!