Butterfly Conservation is a registered charity dedicated to the conservation of butterflies and moths. You can find out more about the national organisation here.
Members' Day is on Sunday 22 November at 11:30 at the Adastra Hall in Hassocks ///furnish.bordering.suppose.
Our Chair Dave Brown will start with an introduction to the AGM followed by talks from Gareth Tilley with his "Shining a New Light on Butterflies". Ash Walmsley will talk about the history, ecology and conservation of Ashdown Forest. There will also be an update on the Wood White Project.
For more information click here.
The SxBC photo competition is back!
We're inviting photographers to submit their best Sussex butterfly photographs to our annual competition. Whether it's a rare species in flight or a perfect close-up of delicate wing patterns, we want to see it.
The results will be announced at the Members Day held on Sunday the 22nd November. For more information click here.
To see the 2025 winning entries click here.
We have a busy programme of working parties all over the county starting in October into March. This has been a wonderful summer for butterflies and with your help we can make 2027 even better.
Information about all the sessions can be found here.
Anyone can post photos of butterflies they have seen in Sussex. Recent sightings include:
14 Oct: Not expecting to see any butterflies, Stuart and I set out for Pulborough Brooks. Before leaving, a lovely big and fresh-looking Red Admiral on my Buddleia in Tarring, then another at Pulborough South Brooks. Drove up to Chantry Post for a cuppa and stroll to the dew pond where we saw six Clouded Yellows on the scrub just beyond. I think a mix of male and female, well camouflaged when in the yellowing Clematis, often under the leaves. Also one White in the distance.
14 Oct: I was lucky to circle Cissbury Ring in warm sunshine today, the rest of my walk was in rather dodgy looking weather. Seen today; Clouded Yellow 22, Small White 4, Common Blue 2, Wall Brown 2, Small Copper 3, Speckled Wood 1 and Red Admiral 2. Photos 0.
14 Oct: When not quite sure as to what to do, I walk up to the top of Chantry Hill, and back again. It gives me a good work-out. I hoped for some butterfly sightings but had just one positive ID, a male Clouded Yellow. A big contrast to the Amberley Downs, right now. The latter is largely south-facing and it still has plenty of available nectar and a reasonable number of butterflies - well, mostly Clouded Yellows and Small Whites. I shall re-visit the Amberley Downs over the weekend.
14 Oct: No walks today, but we did see a Small White and a Red Admiral in Marine Gardens, plus a brief glimpse of a large-ish mystery butterfly in our back garden which might have been a Painted Lady.
13 Oct: Red Admiral fluttering around the front environs of the station...1pm.
13 Oct: A nice surprise to get a Red Admiral and a fresh male Holly Blue in the garden today.
13 Oct: Walked the penultimate leg of the Ouse Valley Way from Lewes to Newhaven. Drizzle kept the butterflies away till the sun emerged at Rodmell when there were Red Admiral and Speckled Wood. Later there was Large White and Small White and at Newhaven Clouded Yellow and Holly Blue. Nice to see six cattle egret just north of Rodmell
13 Oct: After the morning rain it was warm and sunny in the afternoon and I headed for the Amberley Downs. Unfortunately it was a little too breezy but I did manage around 20 Clouded Yellows, 2 female Brimstones. 6 Small Whites and 1 Small Copper. Plenty of wildflowers to provide nectar.
Click here for more sightings.
Photo by Graham Hubbard
New colonies of Wood White were recently discovered in West Sussex and our branch is planning to learn more about this rare butterfly.
We are organising a coordinated survey and are looking for volunteers. For more information on the Wood White Project in Sussex click here.
Photo by Graham Hubbard
Throughout the year we receive interesting sightings records. We have started an exercise to identify notable sightings and look for patterns during a month with a little help from an AI assistant.
To read more click here.
07 Oct: Branch MEMBERS DAY update
07 Aug: Annual Cotoneaster bashing on the Buckle by-pass (A259), Seaford
30 Jun: Martin Kalaher's Open Garden Sunday 12th July.
24 Jun: Scotney Castle - More opportunity to explore
27 Mar: Butterfly Recording Training at National Trust Woolbeding
22 Mar: 2026 walks now appear on the Events Page
28 Feb: Liz Williams Butterfly Haven work day
16 Jan: A summary of Sussex BC work parties in 2026
23 Oct: SxBC Members' Day - Saturday 22nd November 2025 1.30pm – 4.30pm. Latest Update
Our branch is organising many butterfly walks in the summer across the county.
Our next events are:
22 Nov: Sussex BC Members Day 2026
Information on all our walks and other events can be viewed here.
White Admiral, photo by Maurilio Tesa
Martin Kalaher has written a very interesting article titled 'Partial broods in 2025' to read the article click here.
Last month Martin published 'Second brood Dingy Skippers'. To read that article click here.
Photo from our 2025 competition.
Sussex is one of the best counties in the UK to see a wide range of interesting butterfly species.
More information on species can be viewed here.
There are many important sites for butterflies in our county.
Information on some of them can be viewed here.
Orange-tip by Gary Faulkner
The results of the 2025 SxBC photo competition were announced at the recent Members' Day.
To see the winning entries click here.
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