Butterfly Conservation is a registered charity dedicated to the conservation of butterflies and moths. You can find out more about the national organisation 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.
Our branch is organising many butterfly walks in the summer across the county.
Our next events are:
01 Aug: Martin Kalaher will lead a walk in Stoke Bottom and Medley Bottom, near Amberley
07 Aug: An Introduction to Castle Hill NNR its butterfly and plant species with Graham Hubbard.
Information on all our walks and other events can be viewed here.
Anyone can post photos of butterflies they have seen in Sussex. Recent sightings include:
25 Jul: The day opened with a female Common Blue on our lawn and closed with a male Common Blue on our yellowrattle, but in between we walked from Patching village up the hill as far as the Angmering Estates woods. We saw 16 species with a likely 17th being a high flying Purple Hairstreak. The others roughly in order of numbers were Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Small Whites, Common Blues, Small Heaths, Brown Argus, Silver-washed Fritillaries, Holly Blues, Painted Ladies, 2 Red Admirals, 2 Commas, 2 Green-veined Whites, 2 Clouded Yellows, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Brimstone, 1 Large White.
25 Jul: With a tip off I spent the morning at Firle Point, walking from Bo Peep Car Park. When I arrived at the Trig Point I saw a flash of yellow, because of the strong wind I thought at first it was a Clouded Yellow, but no it was infact a Swallowtail Gorganus. Wow!
25 Jul: This is my first sightings post. I've not seen a Brown Hairstreak before and so very happy to find one at the lovely RSPB Pulborough Brooks reserve. There were several nectaring on Hemp Agrimony. Also spotted Painted Lady, Red Admirals, Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Brimstone, Large Whites, and Common Blue. And Wasp Spiders! (Photos taken by my husband).
25 Jul: It was warm, sunny and breezy at Lancing Ring and Steep Down. 18 butterfly species comprising 71 Common Blue, 63 Chalk Hill Blue, 51 Small Heath, 17 Painted Lady, 15 Wall, 9 Red Admiral, 5 Holly Blue, 4 Clouded Yellow, 2 Comma, Essex Skipper, Adonis Blue, Brown Argus, Speckled Wood. Present but not counted were Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White. Also 5 Humming-bird Hawk-moth. The two target species were missed, but as John Lennon put it "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." Long-tailed Blue, Silver-spotted Skipper, I will hunt you down another day!
25 Jul: A walk from the Summers Lane Pagham across to Sidlesham Quay produced a good variety today, including 12 Painted Lady, 8 Red Admiral, 6 Common Blue, 2 Clouded Yellow, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Comma. Good numbers of Meadow Brown, Small White and Gatekeeper were also about. The highlight for me was a very accommodating Brown Hairstreak. One other thing of note was a Vestal moth.
25 Jul: My second visit to Whitehawk Hill in the past few days, so many species to be seen, including, Wall Brown, Brown Hairstreak, Clouded Yellow and many Common Blues. Also loads of lovely Broadleaf Pea. If by chance you do visit, there’s already a small walkway to the specific LTB area and there really is no need to trample the pea there. Just please look where you put your feet. Anyway I managed to see atleast 3 male LTB today, very happy indeed.
25 Jul: Quite a stiff breeze today, but it didn't put off the Humming Bird Hawk Moth (3 pictures from different angles), and a nice fresh looking Red Admiral.
25 Jul: At least twelve Clouded Yellows on the grassy meadow either side of the public footpath from the car park (Triangle, SU879114) to the top of the Trundle. Also seen were Meadow Brown (almost countless), Small Heath (2), Green-veined White (1), Common Blue (4), Large White (1) and Marbled White (2).
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.
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
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.
The 2025 edition of our magazine has just landed! Members should receive a paper copy in mid November. A digital version 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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