10 October - 5 November 2023 The 2023 Long-tailed Blue season started to gradually wane over this period, with counts generally being in single figures from sites including Lancing Ring, Seaford and Eastbourne (several seafront locations). My last really fruitful day with this species occurred on 2...

4 - 9 October 2023 This period saw a continuation of the Long-tailed Blue festival on Lancing Ring. On 4 October, I started the day at Pagham beach, where a modest 6 adult males were patrolling over the extensive stands of Broad-leaved Everlasting-pea. On the journey back to Lancing Ring, I stopped...

Thanks, David. It was simply perfect. I went home very happy that day.
BWs, Neil

30 September - 3 October 2023 During this period I spent many a happy hour observing the Long-tailed Blue on Lancing Ring, often in the company of Lindsay Morris. Butterfly enthusiasts were visiting from far and wide and I doubt that very few, if any, went away disappointed. Day counts hovered arou...

Thanks, Paul. That first image is my all-time favourite of this species. Thanks, Trevor. I recall that magical day very well; loads of stunning butterflies, lots of lovely people and, perhaps most importantly, great fun - that's what it's all about! Hi Ben. I'll have to be fairly brief in my reply, ...

26 & 28 September 2023 Having found so many Long-tailed Blue eggs in the allotments at West Worthing, and knowing how rapidly the life-cycle develops under different temperature regimes, it wasn't too difficult to predict when the adults would be emerging. I would have liked to spend more time ...

Thanks, Paul. After 10 years of observing this species on British soil (with much help from many observers, most notably Dave Harris of Newhaven), all has become pretty clear. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Long-tailed Blue's migratory behaviour has much in common with the Painted Lady, these being two...

4 - 11 September 2023 During the period between this and the last post (17 August - 3 September), the numbers of Long-tailed Blue reported daily across Sussex were generally in single figures, although they were spotted far and wide across both the West and East vice-counties. However, during this ...

I wouldn't place a bet on what comes next, David. There are now numerous contenders and we may get the unexpected before the expected.
BWs, Neil

10 - 16 August 2023 I was too busy with work to go looking for the early-arriving primary immigrant Long-tailed Blues this year. In the past, I would have made time, but I've seen so many since 2013 (I stopped counting UK individuals at 200) that the species no longer has the rarity value it once c...

The 2023 Long-tailed Blue Season In Sussex And Beyond I've already posted much of the following text in another UKB thread, but it bears repeating here, as the Long-tailed Blue is reacting so rapidly to a warming climate that even Pete's latest offering ( British & Irish Butterfly Rarities ) wi...

Thanks, Rob Swapping threads - try to get one of these https://uvbeast.com/products/uvbeast-new-v3-365nm-black-light-uv-flashlight-filtered-ultraviolet-rechargeable-18650-high-power-and-long-range-professional-grade-beam-best-for-professional-commercial-use-usa-stock . You'll be able to spot all Hai...

Brown Hairstreak 2023 Brown Hairstreak enjoyed a pretty good season in Sussex. Following a couple of poor years on the Steyning Downland Scheme (much of the Blackthorn is now protected from the Dexter cattle, which had been munching on it, rather than doing their job to restore the chalk grassland)...

Many thanks, Paul (selbypaul), Jack, Allan, Paul (bugboy) and David. Yes, Jack, I'm still using my Panasonic Lumix FZ38; it's nearly an antique now. I'm very fortunate to have the South Downs National Park Authority (and its forerunners, the South Downs Joint Committee and Sussex Downs Conservation ...

21 July - 1 August 2023 With the best of the Purple Emperor season over, it was back to the mad rush to monitor butterfly populations over as many sites as possible, covering one or two a day. However, while in the area on 21 July, I managed a half-day visit to see how the Grayling of Deep Dean (Wi...

Yes, David. I'm sure that weather favourable to rapid development during the late larval period, and particularly over those vulnerable few days when the process of pupation actually takes place, is highly influential in driving good adult numbers. I suspect this applies to most/all species.
BWs, Neil

Thanks, David - indeed it was! It was easily the second-best year since the species colonised Knepp (probably from the nearby Southwater Woods), but still someway short of the 2018 deluge. Only time will tell if I'm ever to see Purple Emperor in such superabundance again (I doubt it), but the memory...

Remainder Of The 2023 Purple Emperor Season Good numbers of Purple Emperor were seen almost daily at Knepp until 18 July, after which sightings dropped away sharply. I collated the day counts recorded by either Matthew or me, using the higher personal tally whoever that was achieved by. This amount...

I bet we both feel better after that, Paul.
Catch up for Orange-tips - no need to wait for the rarities.
BWs, Neil

Thanks, Ben. To be honest (and being a proud New Luddite, who would gladly travel back to a time when we relied upon red phone boxes - even though they always smelled of wee - and when mighty Elm trees dotted the landscape), I regret relinquishing the peace and quiet afforded by having a tiny, primi...