Hello, Since this message an unidentified Fritillary has been identified from Lancing Ring Nature Reserve in 2010 and a suspected Fritllary from Mill Hill, and a suspected Brown Hairstreak from Mill Hill, and a confirmed Brown Hairstreak from the Buckingham Cutting. Also a report of a a White-letter...

Hello, 3 April 2011 A pristine Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly was seen on straw on the southern part of Mill Hill and at least two more were seen on the lower slopes, again choosing straw as favoured landing spots. A few Peacock Butterflies (at least two) visited Dog Violets which were now the domina...

Painted Lady. My old cousin says that he saw two Painted Ladies last Saturday in his garden in Cawsand. Since his garden is the first at about sea level on the estuary and he is 95 and an amateur naturalist he should know one when he sees it! Bit early if you ask me but then the grockle season gets...

NickB wrote:

marmari wrote: ... and what must be a bee of some sort

....A Bee Fly - Bombylius major - rather comical creatures - but cute

I had a Bee-fly today as well.

Andy Horton
Mill Hill, Old Shoreham

Hello, 22 March 2011 It was my second butterfly sighting of the year but I suspect that the Peacock Butterfly at the footpath entrance to the Waterworks Road by the Steyning Road was the same one seen two days ago. A minute later a Comma Butterfly was seen at rest on the verge of the Waterworks Road...

Posted before me: Nabokov Theory on Butterfly Evolution Is Vindicated Vladimir Nabokov may be known to most people as the author of classic novels like “Lolita” and “Pale Fire.” But even as he was writing those books, Nabokov had a parallel existence as a self-taught expert on butterflies. And in a ...

Hello, Wall Brown is on my November list http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterflies1X2009.htm Ten butterflies on this list. I expect the Wall Brown was an early in the month sighting in a previous year. Red Admirals seem to be less this year, but I have not been out and about so much. Adur Butterfly &...

Hello, My records seem to indicate that the late Red Admirals in Shoreham, Sussex are immigrants, there are more of them nearer the sea. They also seem to be looking for somewhere to hide and on sunny days in all the winter months they have been seen. The reports are on the web pages. Adur Butterfly...

A few bumblebee species have started to become continuously-brooded in recent years. Winter-flowering exotics, particularly Mahonia, appear to be essential for this. Could garden plants be an essential ingredient in allowing adult Red Admirals to overwinter here? http://www.bwars.com/Files%204%20do...

Hello, 19 November 2010 On the cleared scrub area of Mill Hill (north of the path) a Peacock Butterfly basked on the dewy large leaves of a Great Mullein plant. Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2010.html Cheers Andy Horton Adur@glaucus.org.uk Adur Valley N...

Hello, 24 October 2010 After a spell of inclement weather I did not expect any butterflies in the brief interlude of sunshine, but there was at least one Speckled Wood on the Nettles over the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham. On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, I saw a large butterfly amongst the Clemati...

Hello, 26 September 2010 After five days of inclement weather, the cool chill wind from the north gave an autumny feel. Butterflies were discouraged, had died or hibernated, and only on the lower slopes of Mill Hill were any to be seen in flight visiting the few nectar plants available on the downs....

PS: The north facing site is less disturbed and better draining.

Reference for local information on Chalkhill Blues:

viewtopic.php?p=8761

My transect are covers an area of 1.2 acres and takes about 20 minutes or 30 minutes if I stop for photographs. More later when I have time. Andy Horton Mill Hill and its Butterflies http://www.glaucus.org.uk/MillHill2009Article.htm Virtually all the possible answers have been ruled out. It is optim...

Hello, 12 September 2010 A cloudy day with ample sunshine made a visit to the lower slopes of Mill Hill obligatory. The female Adonis Blues now outnumbered the males with 25 and 36 respectively giving a total of 61 on the 1.2 acre transect with more on the steeper slopes. Almost all the females were...

Jack Harrison wrote:http://www.butterflyireland.com/Gorti_m ... rtoise.jpg

Jack

Interesting

My first guess (with little to back it really!) was that they were actually all Adonis. Definitely the bottom left one, and almost certainly the top right. I looked at definite Chalkhill pictures I had from sites where Adonis is not present, and the others did not look very like Chalkhills either. ...

My first guess (with little to back it really!) was that they were actually all Adonis. Definitely the bottom left one, and almost certainly the top right. I looked at definite Chalkhill pictures I had from sites where Adonis is not present, and the others did not look very like Chalkhills either. ...

In my experience, which is no doubt more limited than some users on UKB, the Adonis underside is cleaner in ground colour than the Chalkhill, which in most females I've seen is normally chocolate brown or grey ish. By cleaner, I mean it lacks the grey blue dusting you see in Common Blues around the...

Hello, Underwings are identical. I cannot see how it is possible to tell the difference? All photographs taken in the last few days. I know the answers because of mating behaviour. Adur Butterfly & Large Moth List http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Butterfly-list2010.html Cheers Andy Horton glaucus@hotma...