First Emperor at Knepp I had the pleasure of spending today (or yesterday, as I belatedly post this) at Knepp in the company of Matthew Oates and Paul Fosterjohn. The morning proved fruitless, Emperor-wise, although we saw a Purple Hairstreak, a possible White-letter Hairstreak, numerous Meadow Bro...

Knepp still in the June Gap This is a mainly negative report, I'm afraid. I spent yesterday morning searching Knepp for Purple Emperors, or even His Imperial Majesty's acolytes, the White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary, but with no luck. Conditions were marginal, averaging about 18C and with ...

Having a Butchers at Butchershole (aka Friston Gallops) I went to my favourite South Downs site today and wasn't disappointed. Common Blues and Adonis Blues were everywhere, together with myriads of Small Heaths and a few Dingy and Grizzled Skippers. The Adonis Blues are doing particularly well thi...

Rowland Wood and Park Corner Heath - Take 2 I visited Rowland Wood and Park Corner Heath for a second time yesterday afternoon. The temperature was about 20C, with the sun shining out of a cloudless sky. Pearl-bordered Fritillaries were seen in reasonable numbers and it was good to see that they ha...

I live about 15 minutes drive from Park Corner Heath and the neighbouring Rowland Wood BC reserves, so I hope I was keeping to Government guidelines when visiting there. With the weather forecast to collapse for the next few days at least, I was keen to get there this afternoon. I saw about 6 Pearl-...

In the 1970s this would have been considered unimaginable. Exciting as Long-tailed Blues are, we should be very worried for the sake of our children and grandchildren. I read this and the comments of other people with great interest. I would just add a few points: Climate change is a fact. It is ha...

Bring it on! I've still got a few species to add to my UK list. Pale Clouded Yellow, Bath White... all are welcome

A late Silver-washed Fritillary During a walk today in the Friston Forest area of the South Downs, it was a surprise to encounter this poor old male Silver-washed Fritillary, who looked well past his sell-by date. Other species seen were Painted Lady (dozens of them), Common Blue, Brown Argus, Mead...

Hehe, I wish But I understand they have been seen in Devon and Cornwall.

Great stuff, Neil! I feel a bit disloyal to Sussex having travelled to Kent yesterday to see them, but they seem to be turning up all along the south coast at the moment. I'm looking forward to the next generation in a few weeks time, touch wood!

Good shots - that tailless male looks a lot like one I saw. :) Just found the pic you posted and I think you're right. The pattern of damage on the forewings is very similar, so it could be the same individual. It was around a patch of Hemp Agrimony that has some BLEP mixed in, only about 50 yards ...

What criteria actually qualify a species for the British list? I don't think there are any "official" criteria. This web site itself is a resource that many people use, but the species listed in dark blue on the home page include such things as Mazarine Blue, Large Copper and Black-veined...

Long-tailed Blues in Kent I've read reports of Long-tailed Blues from Cornwall to Sussex recently, but I had a fruitless search for them last week at Newhaven Tide Mills. However, today I was given a strong recommendation to leave my home county of East Sussex and "Go East, old man!". So ...

This is excellent news about the last remaining chalk Grayling site in Sussex. I hope to get down there soon.

Thank you for all the management work that is being done and we live in hope that the colony will expand and disperse more widely in the South Downs.

Not all that much difference from the scientist’s view and my own. I had been unhappy with the implication in David’s comments that an army of ants had “attacked” a lively healthy Purple Emperor. You observed that the ants finished off a sick (or immobile) insect: I suggested that they dealt with a...

Yet another visit to Knepp I'm lucky enough to live only 45 minutes from Knepp, but at this rate, I need to move nearer! Having said that, with family commitments coming up, this morning may possibly be my last visit this year. I parked at the north end of Green Lane and almost immediately scored m...

Caught Knepping Again! I bagged a total of 16 Purple Emperors at Knepp yesterday, far less than the real experts but it was good to see them starting to emerge in decent numbers. All were at high level, apart from one I saw briefly come to ground but flew up again quickly. I got one heavily cropped...

A hot day at Botany Bay and Knepp I visited Botany Bay yesterday morning. No sign of Emperors and this was confirmed by a local enthusiast who had been there since 9 am. However, in the heat of the day, Silver-washed Fritillaries and White Admirals were coming down to the ground in Emperor fashion,...

Silver-studded Blues on Ashdown Forest I was pleased to find some Silver-studded Blues out on the Ashdown Forest this afternoon. This was just west of the B2026, near the Smugglers car park. 4 individuals were seen, including 2 males that were having repeated dog-fights low down over the Bell Heath...

Yesterday (21 June) I saw a real rarity at the Knepp Wildland - a Small Tortoiseshell... I live in inland East Sussex, between the South Downs and the Ashdown Forest. Small Tortoiseshells have been a rarity here for several years. I've seen none in and around my village this year, and last year I s...