Plenty of Silver Spotted Skippers and Chalkhill blues at Aston Rowant and two Brown Hairstreaks and a white admiral at Whitecross Green Woods. Mark I think Silver-spotted Skippers are having their best year ever at Malling Down, Lewes. They are on every part of unimproved grassland at the reserve, ...

Silver-spotted Skippers appear to starting off well. I notice the first sighting in Sussex was 11 July which I believe is the earliest since 2002. On my transect I recorded 6 SSSk and many others off transect - despite the wind and cloud. This one was very obliging, allowing me to take photos: Silve...

How really interesting. Judging from what you describe I suspect Silver-spotted Skips this year will be more successful on the grasslands that are not directly south facing. Since colonising Malling Down in 1999 Silver-spotted Skipper were always a bit more numerous on the north side of the reserve ...

The range of species and number of individuals is increasing after the June gap. But it is certainly dry. The sheep's fescue is brown and crunchy under foot on the south facing slopes. I was pleased to record a Dark Green Fritillary at Malling Down, Lewes as it is the first to be recorded (on transe...

Hi I occasionally see these on my transect at Malling Down, Lewes and they are almost always in the same place. Today was the first I have seen this year and managed to get a photo. But I am still not sure if it is Cistus Forester Adscita geryon , Scarce Forester Jordanita globulariae or The Foreste...

Hi
A friend posted this caterpillar on my facebook and is wanting to know what it is.
It is feeding on thyme, looks very similar to pictures of the brown tail moth in later instars.
Is it a dark arches?

Any ideas?

Crispin

I first noticed this back in 2004, but thought I would give it a bit of time just to see if it followed the same pattern as the previous years - and it has at Malling Down, Lewes. Some people have suggested the apparent cycle is coincidence and just related to weather conditions. If that is the case...

Hi I have noticed an apparent 7 year cycle with Small heath (see attached chart), 5 poor years, 2 good years, 5 poor, 2 good...... Has anyone else noticed this? Any thoughts? I cant find any literature about any such cycle. What is causing it? I presume a parasite, but what other species does it use...

Mark Senior wrote:Camberwell Beauties to get over to Sussex from France occassionally . I saw one in Newhaven 2 years ago and some years ago , now , there was one in Woodingdean present for several days .

One in Woodingdean! When? Surly not this year?

How about this Adonis?
Polonus Zeller?
Recorded 11 June 2000

Small White - University of Sussex, Falmer.
Also a Brimstone (m) Kingston near Lewes, E Sussex

In my fathers garden at Kingston near Lewes, East Sussex on 16 November.

1 Hummingbird Hawkmoth passed through fairly quickly sampling possible nectar sources without satisfaction.
Also 1 Red Admiral and 1 Comma, both on cooking apples apples.

Crispin

I saw a pristine condition Peacock today on my transect at Malling Down, Lewes, East Sussex.
It even wondered if it could have been a freshly emerged 2nd brood?
There were reports of a possible second brood last year.



Crispin

Very interesting report. What the report doesn't mention is how and why the tiny parasitoid fly, Sturmia bella, has managed to spread from southern Europe. This link suggests it is either the result of climate change, or an unwitting introduction from across the Channel. http://www.independent.co.uk...

Does anyone know of any good reports, articals in journals about arable reversion? Ex-arable to chalk grassland. Habitat Management News in British Wildlife? I am doing some research for my BA, about an area of ex-arable land at the foot of the South Downs. The 50 acre field has been bought by local...