www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

As the 2020 butterfly season comes to an end the year was certainly challenging and not for all the right reasons.

After a successful trip to Florida at the beginning of March, pre lockdown (although a bit twitchy towards the end of the holiday) I thought this year would be a bit of a wash out. As it happens, I managed to connect with seven British lifers (photo wise) which far exceeded my limited expectations for the year.

Three European trips were cancelled this year so nothing to add there but fingers crossed for next year, never say never!

Anyway, below are my British lifers for this year, taking my photographic records to a nice round 50.

Many thanks to you the UK Butterflies community for all your help, information, and thoroughly enjoyable forum posts throughout the year.

Bring on 2021.

Kind regards

Steve

Just the one this year, my first 'new' UK species for many years - Silver-spotted Skipper, in numbers on the downland at Watlington Hill this August. I have seen the butterfly in southern France, but only singly and in much taller grassland; it was very enjoyable to watch the butterflies flying low over the short turf and interacting with each other.

Nice to see those lifers, Stevie. Always a good feeling to pick a new species up for the first time.

I've seen all the resident UK species but I was able (largely thanks to you) to have my own domestic 'first' this summer in the shape of Large Tortoiseshell. I don't think it will be too long before this one goes back in the books as a British species, and maybe alongside Long Tailed Blue, which is progressively transforming itself into a regular migrant species, very much like Clouded Yellow.

If I could live actively until I was 100, I reckon our domestic count would be approaching 70 by then, although quite what the implications would be for the wider climate and environment I'm not sure.

Only 4 new lifers for me in 2020. Grayling, SPBF, NBA and Chequered Skipper.

Very nice, Bertl. I suppose the artaxerxes form of Northern Brown Argus is the last 'mainstream' UK butterfly I've yet to see. Only ever observed the salmacis form, which is far less attractive than its Scottish cousin.

I finished 2019 on 23 species snapped
I'm up to 38 species snapped at the end of the 2020 season

Of the 15 new ones this year, Brimstone and Orange Tip were "easy" - I just hadn't taken photos of them last year.

The 13 others were: Adonis and Small Blue, Dingy, Grizzled, Essex and Silver Spotted Skippers, Black, Green and Purple Hairstreaks, Dark Green and Silver Washed Fritillaries, White Admiral, Clouded Yellow.

In some ways I benefited from enforced WFH - because I wouldn't have seen my Grizzled or White Admiral if I hadn't trod that path day in day out at lunchtime. The Grizzled was literally a corner of my eye view of something small as I was walking round - I had the chance to take one snap and it was off. Not seen one before or since....so got very lucky.

All of my 38 species have been seen on walks from my house. I will struggle to add more species next year unless I make special journeys by road/rail to do so. I suppose the two I might possibly get lucky with on a local walk to take me to 40 would be a White Letter Hairstreak or a Purple Emperor.

It's a pity Wolstonbury and Newtimber have lost their Graylings....that would have been another relatively easy one c. 20 years ago I think.