www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I have a day off on Monday to go butterfly spotting and the weather forecast is good (at the moment). I live in West Sussex but normally end up going to Denbies Hillside in Surrey to view butterflies. I fancy trying somewhere new and would be grateful for any recommendations you may have.

Many thanks,

Susie

I too live in W.Sussex (for part of the year!) - there are many fantastic places for butterflies. The Butterfly Conservation website for Sussex you will find is a great resource: http://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/

There is a section with maps for the distributions of all of our resident species, although much of Sussex is underecorded (especially in the North), so by looking in appropriate habitats at the right time of year will produce results.

I'll send you a PM too
Alexander

Many thanks, Alexander. I have replied.

Hi Susie - only just found your message. I guess you will have decided by now where you are heading for today. You have certainly chosen a bright, sunny day for it. Let us know how you get on (some of us have got to work )

Polly

Hi Susie,
If you pick this up at some point during the day, a late afternoon/early evening trip to Iping Common near Midhurst would be worthwhile. Silver-studded Blues have just emerged and make a pretty sight as they 'hang up' for the night. Later in the week, an early morning visit would be good to see coupled pairs. White-letter Hairstreak should emerge in the next few days. If you fancy a trip down to the coast let me know - on some of my local sites you can get eyeball-to-eyeball views very easily. Scorchio out there, so hope you have some luck somewhere today.
Neil

Well, it ended up with my only having half a day free to go butterfly hunting to I went over my local fields to shoot dragonflies instead.

All was not lost though cos apart from the dragonflies (which I won't bore you with but were MARVELLOUS!) there were four Large Skippers, 20 Meadow Browns, a couple of Holly Blues and half a dozen Speckled Wood. Also a large patch of Peacock caterpillars.

Thanks for the suggestions, I shall bear them in mind for when I next get some spare time.

Sussex Kipper wrote:Hi Susie,
White-letter Hairstreak should emerge in the next few days. If you fancy a trip down to the coast let me know - on some of my local sites you can get eyeball-to-eyeball views very easily. Scorchio out there, so hope you have some luck somewhere today.
Neil

That would be grand at some stage. I have only seen WLH once, which was at Horsenden Hill, and then it was so high up in the tree tops it could have been just about anything!