Took a day off working from home and walked with my daughter down to Ditchling Common. There were thousands of young frogs (or possibly toads) on the paths, meaning a need to tread very carefully. Despite sunshine being very intermittent I managed to bag my first ever Black Hairstreak on the way out...

This was the Brown Argus from yesterday. Shame to leave it out just for being a bit worn (*reminder to slot self-deprecating line in here*).

It brooked no nonsense from passing skippers, heaths, browns, bees or flies.

No Swallowtails in our fields today unfortunately.

As well as the ones shown below, there was a Brimstone, lots of Small Heaths and a single Brown Argus looking a little worn but very active.

No one does wide-eyed innocent excitement tinged with wonder and a hint of jealousy over something like Howard Molson's new shovel quite like Palin. All to line up the killer line about where Howard's going to put it. Mind you, I'm getting a bit like that when talking about my new hobby of butterfli...

As Eric Olthwaite might have put it, it were a bit over- cast this afternoon. However that didn't stop a good few Meadow Browns bobbing about around our local fields. Very little else though bar Large Skippers and a few moths. Swallows were having a field day though. I did spot a bit of interesting ...

I am absolutely no expert on this sifenn, but seeing that picture closely reminded me of one in Thomas/Lewington I'd been looking at yesterday. I quote the great book: "Female: Aberrant form semi-ichnusoides" produced by high temperature during the pupal stage" Just a coincidence I wa...

Left the fields behind our local pub for a wander to Wolstonbury with my son yesterday.

If anyone in the mid Sussex area hasn't seen a Small Blue, get yourself to Wolsty - they're out in very good numbers at Base Camp level.

Meadow Browns rapidly expanding in numbers in our local ...er...meadow.

Now rivalling Large Skipper and Small Heath numbers.

Took this snap of one just after 7pm today. Had a bit of a wing issue but didn't stop it flying around merrily.

Cheers for that bugboy (as always).

It was from my local field, and I've a decent idea where it was, so I might try and see how it's doing now.

I was very taken by how golden the thread was. I think the glorious sunshine helped.

Hi All, Saw this one whilst out and about last Sunday. Single small brown/yellow grub in a golden woven mesh cocoon on underside of a blade of grass. The caterpillar was still in wriggle mode, maybe still creating the cocoon ? Beautiful structure - probably very common, but don't think I've ever see...

Blimey thanks a lot bugboy... that was quick !!

Totally agree, beautiful little moth, but it's so satisfying to be able to put a name to these things.

So cheers again, this site is such a great resource - amazing.

Hi all,

If anyone can help me ID this one I'd be very grateful.

Very small. In a mid Sussex hedgerow on my lunchtime walk.

Taken in a bit of trademark shade, but hopefully distinctive enough for ID.

Thanks in advance for any help as always.

Thank you for your informative snakes post Zigzag. I was really interested in your mat story. It made me think about doing likewise. However, my cats like sitting on anything that I put on the lawn so that might not work. :lol: No problem Otep. We have 2 cats too. In fact (unfortunately) the ginger...

Thanks David. Yes - I've just seen there's a FAQ - I should have looked at that re. editing posts. Mind you, what I don't know about editing posts, and IT in general you could fit in very small writing along the sides of a moderate aircraft carrier fleet ! I went out with the intention of going a bi...

Damn my copy/paste skills !

Top one isn't a mother CB....hopefully he'll be a father CB

Have not strayed any further than the fields behind our pub this week. Might do today if sun pops out. Yesterday saw Peacock, Comma, Small White, GV White, OT, Speckled Wood, Small Heath, Small Copper, Holly Blue, Common Blue, Brown Argus. However, behind Small Heath the largest numbers for any spec...

Think we'd all like to be 15 again Otep...actually maybe not ! Not sure where you live but you may have snakes and not know it. We've put a couple of small mats down by our compost heap and at the moment are pretty much guaranteed to see a grass snake if we lift one up in the late afternoon. Took th...

This week in the field behind our local - Small White, Green Veined White, OT (still reasonable numbers), Peacock, Brimstone, Speckled Wood, my first Small Coppers and Heaths (latter really up in numbers now), Holly Blue and a single fresh Common Blue yesterday. I lost it and hung around for ages ho...

Apologies for dropping an "l" there Allan.

Many thanks to both of you for this.

I've just checked online Alan and I make you right on both of those...even with the second picture being in the shade and out of focus !

Cheers for the confirmation bugboy - the 16 spot looked the best fit in terms of the two rows of spots, but I wasn't sure.