Plenty of butterflies in the meadows + woodlands of the outer west London area. Plenty of browns with lots of Meadow Browns, Ringlets + Marbled whites (the latter two making big advances in recent years) + the first Gatekeepers now appearing. Both White-letter + Purple Hairstreaks, especially the la...

CONTINENTAL SWALLOWTAILS I am surprised not to have seen any reports (maybe I have missed them). This weather (warm easterly winds in south England) would seem to provide the perfect opportunity for enough to come across to enable colonisation. Maybe the storms expected in SW England on Sunday will...

Is there anyway of getting here by public transport? Depends where you're coming from but I get the train to Stroud and you can catch a bus, the 54a, to Sapperton (The Glebe stop) from where it's a short walk to the pub and site. Check the bus times though as you don't want to miss the last one, yo...

Is there anyway of getting here by public transport?

After no butterflies in March (awful weather even in the south) I've followed up February's 2 Red Admiral sighting s with 2 male Brimstones in Barnes today along with my first Tree Bumblebee of the year.

Saw a Red Admiral today at Walthamstow Wetlands when I went to see the Little Bunting that;s been present for over a month.

This was my second Red Admiral this year as I'd seen one two days ago near Battersea Park.

Think the pyralid isn't a Pyrausta but is Aporodes floralis, which can be quite variable.

Phil- your ice plant looks like Aptenia cordifolia than Carpobrotus; a much smaller plant.

Think the mantid is Iris oratoria + the cricket is Southern Field Cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus, so different to the field Cricket, rare in the UK.

Think the assassin bug is a Rhynocoris sp + the grasshopper a Calliptamus.

Yes Phil- I did see Epaulet Skimmer- but only a few. Late in the season, I guess?

Great present for you- lovely moth. I've only seen one which was trapped at the London Wetland Centre.

Red Admiral on the ivy in my back garden yesterday- my only sighting so far this month.

The first place we stayed was near Benalup but the Monarchs were closer to the sea, nearer Cadiz from memory.

Managed 30 species of butterfly during my 9 day visit to southern Spain- the first few days based at Benalup + the rest of the trip at Grazalema. Until the last 2 days the weather was dry, mainly sunny often with a strong breeze. In the last couple of days there was a big thunderstorm with intense r...

Still quite a few Red Admirals around here. Saw 5 today.

Also at least 15 Common Darters.

Been enjoying these Spanish adventures as I'm off there next week. The ornamental bush the Long-tailed Blue is on isn't Fabaceae though; it's Polygala myrtifolia; a type of shrubby milkwort.

At least one of the Queen of Spain Fritillaries showing very well all morning at least by Halcombe Farm, north of Peacehaven. I arrived at 10 + was showing as I got there + had been since at least 9 am despite a chilly night. Clouded Yellows also showing well plus Small Heath, Small Copper, all 3 co...

I was leading a trip for the London Natural History Society to Denbies, Surrey + we managed 16 species. Highlights were a single Clouded Yellow (my first in UK this year), good numbers of Adonis + Chalkhill Blue, quite a few Brown Argus, at least 10 Silver-spotted Skipper + a very tatty Silver-washe...

Smart moth- they are becoming pretty common around London these days. More likely to see one of these than Garden Tiger that seems to have virtually disappeared around here.

Sure is one- nice photo!