Thursday, 8 Oct 2026
The first morning with a truly autumnal feel to it. I put on a light sweater rather reluctantly, but it was definitely needed when the wind blew. In my last report I posted an image of a female, while today it is a male Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus). It seems to be the most abundant […]
Thursday, 10 Sep 2026
Even fewer butterflies about today. Only 2 Small Copper, 2 Small Heath and a single Meadow Brown were seen. Three weeks ago, I encountered a female of what was a new species for me on the Downs and today I found a male Common Darter dragonfly (Sympetrum striolatum). Another first today was an ichneumon wasp […]
Friday, 21 Aug 2026
A pleasant day for walking, with the maximum temperature forecast at the lowest for at least a month, only 20°C, and a cool northerly breeze that helped to reduce the effect of the high humidity. Insect numbers were again poor, even the butterflies well down on two days ago. Meadow Brown is still the most […]
Wednesday, 22 Jul 2026
Another 11 species of butterfly seen today, a somewhat different mix to Monday, though Gatekeeper and Chalk Hill Blue (Lysandra coridon) still dominate numbers. A few each of Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Small Blue and Common Blue were noted, with single Green-veined White, Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and two surprises. The first was a […]
Thursday, 16 Jul 2026 – Winkworth Arboretum
Paid a visit this morning to the National Trust property at Winkworth Arboretum, near Godalming in Surrey. As I have done previously with visits to localities other than Banstead Downs, I am only posting images of species that I have not yet seen or photographed, or which I am unlikely to see on Banstead Downs. […]
Friday, 10 Jul 2026
Not quite as hot as yesterday and a little more insect activity. Another good day for butterflies too. The Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) remains the most abundant, but a sudden surge in numbers puts the Chalk Hill Blue (Lysandra coridon) in second place. Meadow Brown and Ringlet are still fairly prominent and I noted maybe a […]
Friday, 3 Jul 2026 – New Forest and adjacent areas
Just back today from a week away, based in West Wellow, Hampshire, on the north-eastern edge of the New Forest. It proved a good base for walks not only in the New Forest and locally along the River Test, but also on the Dorset coast and near Salisbury in Wiltshire. As I have done previously […]
Tuesday, 16 Jun 2026 – London Wetland Centre
Something different today. I spent a few hours at the London Wetland Centre, exactly a year to the day since my last visit there. I’m only posting a gallery of the species that you are very unlikely to see on Banstead Downs. […]
Saturday, 13 Jun 2026
The butterflies are back, in such large numbers that I counted species today, not individual butterflies. Meadow Brown and Marbled White are the most numerous, with dozens of each. Other species noted were Speckled Wood, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Small Blue, Small Heath, Red Admiral, Large Skipper, Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), my first Dark Green Fritillary […]
Friday, 1 May 2026
The month of May began with the hottest day of the year so far and the grass on the Downs starting to take a bit of strain from the lack of recent rain. The ‘May blossom’ on the Common Hawthorn is starting to add a splash of colour to the trees, albeit white. Still the […]
Saturday, 23 Aug 2025
There are two reliable locations for seeing the Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) dragonfly and I was fortunate to see it at both this morning. It is such a strong, fast flyer and rarely seems to settle anywhere that getting photos is extremely difficult. The larvae in the Buckthorn Bent-wing (Bucculatrix frangutella) leaf mines are now leaving […]
Sunday, 17 Aug 2025
New insects added were the caterpillar of the Fox Moth (Macrothylacia rubi) and a female Willow Emerald Damselfly (Chalcolestes viridis). This is my first species of damselfly recorded on the Downs and together with the Southern Hawker dragonfly only the second member of the Odontata. I discovered an Apple Leaf Miner moth (Lyonetia clerkella) leaf […]
Monday, 16 Jun 2025 – London Wetland Centre
Something different today. I spent the morning at the London Wetland Centre. I usually go there for birdwatching, but decided this time to leave the 300 mm lens at home and concentrate instead on insects. I won’t give details of everything I saw, just post a gallery of the insects (and some snails) that you […]
Friday, 23 May 2025
Garden Chafer (Phyllopertha horticola) beetles are out in large numbers and I have my first sighting this spring of Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) dragonfly. I have not seen this dragonfly too often over the past decade but there are two spots in particular where they are most likely to be seen. It looks like this […]
Tuesday, 13 May 2025 – Warnham Nature Reserve
Something different today. I spent the morning at the Warnham Nature Reserve, near Horsham in West Sussex. I will just post a gallery of some of the things that you cannot or may not see on Banstead Downs. […]