Congratulations to www.ukbutterflies.co.uk for its picture of a comma on the introduction to the weather forecast! ( And mention of web address too!) on Meridain TV.

If anybody i sgoing "Oh no I missed it", the good news is it can be viewed on bbci player try http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00cskdd/ or if that does not work out Born to be wild in search on the BBC4 section. It was great to see Andy Barker & Magdalen Hill Down and its Chalkhil...

I visited Longstock on 26th July - buddleia collection & the herbaceous border were looking great. Saw a few Peacocks, Red Admirals and Brimstones. Hummingbird Hawkmoth had been seen the previous day.

July and August are good months for seeing a lot of species at Magdalen Hill Down, Winchester, in particular Chalkhill Blue butterflies. Hampshire & Isle of Wight Branch of Butterfly Conservation have arranged a series of special walks on the Down during July and August starting on Sunday 27th J...

I have recently discovered that a number of the walks on the National Trust web site have been written by Matthew Oates with a view to helping people see those special butterflies. This one is a good example to see Adonis Blue http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-butterfly_walk-calstone.pdf Maybe ...

Buddleias take a lot of beating! But other plants are good too. Yesterday I saw my first Hummingbird hawkmoth of the year. It spurned ny expensive Purple Emperor buddleia & favoured the centranthus rubra growing next to it. Rain is puring down as I write - the chances of seeing anything today ar...

Rosie, Matthew Oates saw wonderful PEs in Alice Holt at the end of the afternoon after a day of rain - he says they like flying after a shower once it is sunny again. I have had a look at BC's Millennium Atlas published in 2001. The map shows that PEs certainly favour west Kent, Sussex Hampshire Sur...

My buddleias are just starting to come into flower. I bought a new one in May from Longstock nursery in Hampshire. It’s rather appealingly called Purple Emperor & is a dwarf one. I will report on how it does for butterflies shortly. But will the butterflies appear before it finishes flowering? T...

Hi Rosie Can't remember whereabouts in the country you are but I am sure there is one near you a Purple Emperor that is! ( I could say they are like rats but that would bring down the wrath of the people of purple disposition down upon me. Visit http://www.thepurpleempire.com for emperor news and ma...

Hi thepostieles,

What a long time it took me to reply!

It wa sok but no where near as good as teh FSC one by Richard Lewington.

Also there was a moth one the next day.

Today I was recalling the first occasion I saw a Purple Emperor. I remember the occasion well. My excitement as it glided down from the tree top, circled in a clearing displaying the majestic purple & then zooming off to lofty heights. What I do not remember is when it was - the late 70's I gues...

I too have had wonderful dreams of butterflies. I shall start writing them down - they are so special As a child I remember dreaming I was a butterfly! And that reminds me of some little story of whether he was a man dreaming he was a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming he was a man. Anyone come acros...

Bit late to tell you this but quite a good chart free with Gauardian today Monday 9th June.

Another nice plant just coming into flower is valerian Centranthus rubra. Good nectar source &, for me, a reminder of wonderful trips to Isle of Wight where the clliffs are covered in it and butterflies! The true wild valerian is also just blooming and again is loved by butterflies. Other sugges...

hello to you. I am just enjoying reading Robert Thompson & Brian Nelson's book "The butterflies and moths of Northern Ireland". I do hope that you have it as it is jam packed with information and wonderful photos. It is pretty expensive on Amazon now! but I got a copy for £25 +pp from ...

Even ordinary hogweed can cause blisters if sap gets on skin in the sunshine. And another one to watch out for is wild parsnip! These problems can occur when vegetation is being strimmed down.

Down here in Hampshire we so take Speckleds for granted! They are a lovely butterfly & seem to thrive well in many varying habitats. It is so exciting that they are moving north - makes butterfly watching so interesting. In an old book a friend has lent to me they were also known as Wood Argus.

The lilac is just coming into flower - never seen butterflies on it but I will keep looking. However, it is useful to pick a bunch & take it out when visiting habitats where Narrow-bordered bee hawk moth might be present. I tried this yesterday - but no joy.

Just a reminder that on the BC web site http://www.butterfly-conservation.org there is a place to record HBHM ( & Painted Lady )sightings as part of a migrant watch iniative with Radio4 "World on the move". Its dead quick & easy to do. I just looked at it 28 - HBHM sightings report...

Hi Kipper

Well a certain mutual friend of ours will NOT be impressed with the standard of your verse!!