Been some nice sightings in my garden during the recent prolonged warm spell of cloudless blue skies and unseasonably high temperatures. Commas, Speckled Woods ( still resident despite removal of four substantial ornamental conifers ) Peacocks, Red Admirals and a single Painted lady. Highlight for m...

Down here in sunny Kent I've seen three female Holly Blues since last sunday and all in beautiful condition. Over the next week or so, have a closer look at the local Ivy flower buds or flowers. Holly Blue eggs are usually easy to spot on them. They like the mature Ivy that grows up larger trees or...

Really beautiful day in Gloucestershire today. two highlights in my garden. about 11.30 in the morning sunshine, a Hummingbird Hawk moth over the Red valarian which are giving a good showing of flowers late in the season. Then at 6.30 pm when the sun had moved to the side so my back garden was now i...

Thanks, Neil, she was a lovely butterfly. What are the characteristics that give it away from the underside? Dave More generous and rounded wing areas ~ built for carrying the egg load. The males have sharper wing angles and a more built for speed and agility needed when chasing off rival males and...

The females have been doing this for as long I can remember in my local Cotswold grasslands. The first female I ever saw as a schoolboy was doing just that. I check in to the Gloster Birder website frequently and there's a picture of a well marked female in a similar postion there. Here's the websit...

If no joy here, suggest you contact ELG ( Entomologists Livestock Group ) via his email

Paul Batty(pwbelg@clara.co.uk)

He can include a line or two in the next list issued and that could turn up some folks who may be able to help.
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April 2011 was the finest April for butterflies I've ever know in my lifetime. One day I counted 20+ Hoily Blues passing through my garden, the females checking the various shrubs suitable for the ova. Next door have a mature female Holly Bush, it's the females which have the berries the Holly Blue ...

Reverdin wrote:Looks like Poplar Hawk to me, or possibly Elephant Hawk.

I'd go for Elephant Hawk ... one of the most beautiful moths on the whole planet to my eyes. Superb shape and colouring.

One of my favourites and sometimes, their distictive larvae can be found on Fuschias even in ordinary small gardens.

Hi Trev, Thanks for your reply. The only difference I know about moths and butterflies is, at rest a butterflies wings are up together and a moths lie down. This one had its wings up together at rest. It was so tiny, just so baffling, wish I had had my camera with me, will take it next time I go do...

Although only a few miles from my home and I can see it from my south facing bedroom window, local Gloucestershire beauty spot Painswick Beacon I now rarely visit. So far the butterflies passing through my garden this exceptional April has seen the highest numbers ever in all the thirtynine years I'...

March sems to be a time for strange contrasts...I saw 16 Waxwing on the way back from shopping yesterday and then I had 2 Brimstones and a Comma in my garden in Salisbury that same afternoon - even though the Waxwings were ace I wish spring would make it's mind up and finally arrive. I mean I've co...

I feel suitable chastened by Neil’s comments about not having looked at the BC Annual Report. Perhaps the most significant piece of enlightenment was on page 56: “No employee earned £60,000 per annum or more (including taxable benefits but excluding employer pension contributions) during the period...

I photographed a female Holly Blue in my garden in South Somerset this afternoon, feeding on an ivy flower: DSC03424_edited-1.jpg I also saw a Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell. I have never seen a Holly Blue so late in the year. Chances are she may have also been egg-laying. I have found their eggs ...

I have been observing UK Butterflies ( and butterflies elsewhere ) for over sixty years... :). On more than two occasions, I have seen Chalkhill Blues far removed from their Upland Chalk. Even seen them in lowland Broadleaf Woodlands whilst looking for woodland Butterflies such as Apatura iris . Onl...

My daily check of the Gloster Birder website often turns up interesting butterfly sighting in Gloucestershire. Yesterday's sightings included a Clouded Yellow in the Fretherne area. The recent weather mix has sometimes been almost a case of all four seasons on one day locally. Today and one or two o...

I didn't know British Swallowtails had a second brood. It depends mostly on the weather doesn't it? The same applies to some of our smaller fritillaries (hmm...I now wait for the real explanation to come up!) :wink: No explanation from me except that any natural variations in any species could be a...

Out of interest Gary, where in London was that? I can't imagine seeing any Walls in the big smoke now.... Cheers Lee They were certainly there in Walthamstow E17 in the 1940s..... :)... Saw them in my garden there when I was very small. Plus Comma larvae on the massive Elm at the botton of the gard...

I shall do Pete! Every stage of the purple emperor is magnificent, isn't it - even the egg! As you know, I'm off back to England on Tuesday so I can only hope there is a tiny caterpillar somewhere on the bush when I return ... Guy Lets hope so ~ that egg is certainly fertile ~ when first laid they ...

I think until 'we' can put our biodiversity above profit, then we will always be fighting a losing battle. That in a nutshell is the whole problem. Profit is the only true God ... far too few folks really care which doesn't help. Few want to be accused of being a tree hugger... no way, now where's ...

It could be a Birds-nest Orchid. http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/scottish/www/d&g/st2orchid.htm Interesting plant that ~ one of the ones that came to mind when I first saw the white example :~ The only time you are likely to see a Bird's-nest Orchid is in early summer when it puts up its pale y...