Thursday, 21 May 2026
A much hotter day today, increasingly sunny through the morning, but still very windy. While still not present in large numbers there was a noticeable increase in butterflies on the wing. Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Brown Argus, Holly Blue and Common Blue made up today’s sightings. It was a good day for new sightings of other […]
Monday, 18 May 2026
Rain was forecast for lunchtime, so I headed for the Downs early. Perhaps too early. Another cool morning, largely cloudy and yet again some gusty wind. Total butterfly count was 4, with 3 Common Blue and a single Brimstone, all disturbed from their place of rest. The rest of the insects were also mainly at […]
Saturday, 16 May 2026
With weather conditions the same as yesterday I was again expecting to see very few insects on the wing. Unsurprisingly most were seen at rest on leaves. The total number of butterflies did not exceed 10, but 6 species were seen, 4 Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus), 2 Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), and one each of […]
Friday, 15 May 2026
A largely overcast, cool day with a fresh breeze, not boding too well for insects on the wing. Nor did I see a single butterfly on the wing yet oddly found two at rest on a patch of Cow Parsley, each the first of its species that I have noted this season. They were Common […]
Tuesday, 12 May 2026
Despite it being a warm, sunny day with only light winds there were still not many butterflies to be seen. For the first time Brimstone was not the most numerous, that honour went to Holly Blue. Apart from these two I saw just one each of Speckled Wood, Green Hairstreak and Small Heath. One day-flying […]
Tuesday, 5 May 2026
A bit more sunshine today, so the butterflies are back, but not many. Just a handful of Brimstone, Speckled Wood, and Holly Blue, and one each of Green Hairstreak, Painted Lady, and Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages). Like yesterday, it was leaf searching that provided most of my photo opportunities from a variety of different plants. […]
Saturday, 2 May 2026
Yet another warm sunny day and hardly a breath of wind. The Brimstone butterflies were out by the dozen, but only a handful of Holly Blue, a pair of Orange Tip, and single Red Admiral and Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages). It was a day for beetles. Most of the Garlic Mustard flowers and many […]
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 […]
Thursday, 30 Apr 2026
Weather very similar to yesterday, but the wind not quite as strong. Butterfly numbers still not responding to the warm weather. Brimstone still the most numerous, then Holly Blue, a few Green Hairstreak, a single Small Copper, and the first Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages) of the season. Oak trees yet again provided quite a number […]
Monday, 27 Apr 2026
The weather very much the same as my last walk on the Downs two days ago. Disappointingly still no increase in butterfly activity. Brimstone still dominate, with a supporting cast of Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria), Holly Blue and Green Hairstreak. I did get glimpses of what might have been one of the Skippers and an […]
Saturday, 25 Apr 2026
Another cloudless, very warm day, but just a light breeze, so butterfly sightings should have been better. Sadly, they were much like yesterday. Brimstone still dominates, with a few a few Speckled Wood, Holly Blue and Green Hairstreak, and just a single Orange Tip. The second moth on the wing of the season, after hundreds […]
Wednesday, 22 Apr 2026
Not a cloud in the sky but quite windy. Despite the wind a better day for butterflies with dozens of Brimstone on the wing. Surprisingly the next most abundant, I stopped counting at 10, was Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi), along with 5 or 6 Holly Blue, a pair of Speckled Wood and a solitary Painted […]
Tuesday, 21 Apr 2026
Weather was similar to yesterday but gradually clouding over while I was out. Total butterfly count was 7, yet oddly there were 6 species seen. There were 2 Green-veined White (Pieris napi) and 1 each of Brimstone, Small White, Holly Blue, Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi) and a first of the season Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas). […]
Monday, 20 Apr 2026
A lovely sunny day, but a chilly wind keeping the temperature down a few degrees on the past week. Total butterfly count was a dismal 1, a single Speckled Wood. An adult Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) of the rufous form was circling low over the northern part of the main grassland, surprisingly unbothered by the […]
Saturday, 18 Apr 2026
A warm, sunny day with little wind. Yet still no great numbers of butterflies, and still the usual suspects, Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni), Peacock (Aglais io), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) and Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus). The Green Longhorn moth (Adela reaumurella) seemed to be out in even bigger numbers today and swarming again too. The Common Spindle (Euonymus […]
Thursday, 16 Apr 2026
A cloudy morning with intermittent showers, so I waited until after lunch to get onto the Downs. At least the sun was shining, but it was quite windy. Butterfly numbers well down on two days ago with just a few Brimstone and Speckled Wood about, and a single Peacock. Last year was a bumper year […]
Tuesday, 14 Apr 2026
Butterfly numbers are increasing. Good variety today, too. Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) is still the dominant species, but several Peacock (Aglais io), Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) and Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) were seen, as well as single Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi), Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines) and a first of the season Small White (Pieris rapae). Doing my […]
Monday, 13 Apr 2026
Perhaps I headed to the Downs a bit too early this morning. A very cold night again and a heavy dew, so not too many insects on the wing as they need to warm up before becoming active. Not too surprising that I only saw two butterflies, both Speckled Wood. Sycamore leaves were the chosen […]
Wednesday, 8 Apr 2026
Another beautiful, cloudless sunny day with only a light breeze. Likely to be hotter than yesterday. Surprisingly though, fewer butterflies around. Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) still the most numerous, but Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) has reappeared in reasonable numbers. Like yesterday a few Peacock (Aglais io) and Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines) about too. A Common Buzzard […]
Tuesday, 7 Apr 2026
A beautiful, cloudless sunny day with only a light breeze. Heading for over 20°C and the hottest day of the year so far, and the first day that I have ventured out in short sleeves without a jacket or sweater. These conditions have brought out the butterflies again after 12 days absence, not that there […]