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.
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:
28 Oct: I know it's not a butterfly but .... weeding a border yesterday, we unearthed this H Convolvuli larva about 4cm deep obviously thinking about pupating. Sadly it was slightly damaged before it was noticed. I can only think a bird must have dropped the larva a short while ago, there is no suitable foodplant anywhere near where it was found. I last saw a convolvuli here about 3 years ago.
28 Oct: Two Red Admirals and a Holly Blue on a morning stroll round Shoreham
28 Oct: The fine weather today produced a female Small Copper, two Red Admirals and a non stop Clouded Yrllow at Herstmonceux Castle gardens. I must thank the Lady Gardener for not only drawing my attention to a Red Admieal in a flower border. but also allowing me to step among the plants to photograph it !
28 Oct: A walk around the eastern sections of North Lancing was warm, sunny and breezy. I was surprised to find eight butterfly species, including a late third brood Small Heath. 10 Clouded Yellow (including a helice), 3 Holly Blue (females), 3 Red Admiral, 2 Peacock, 2 Small White, Small Copper, Speckled Wood, 2 Silver Y, Humming-bird Hawk-moth.
27 Oct: A walk from north-east Sompting to St Mary's churchyard was warm and sunny, but breezy. 15 Clouded Yellow, 6 Red Admiral, 3 Small White, Holly Blue, Small Copper, Humming-bird Hawk-moth. We seem to have gone so quickly from counting heatwaves to counting storms! It was lovely to read Neil Hulme's interesting and positive reports.
27 Oct: The Clouded Yellow season continues.....two seen today on Shoreham Beach including a nice helice...
27 Oct: Well martin i went back today to the valerian patch by the yacht club and to my surprise i found 4 Clouded Yellow! I would surmise that none of them are the same ones that i saw prior to the storms but it cheered me up anyway. Thanks for the suggestion of yours recently.
26 Oct: Hopefully, some of you may have already read or heard of the Halnaker Hill Farm BNG project, given the wide media coverage - e.g. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/oct/22/thousands-of-butterflies-surprise-experts-on-restored-west-sussex-farmland Although this project is not open to the public, it does demonstrate just how rapidly nature recovery can be achieved, via a number of different routes. When I look at the wide range of habitat restoration projects breaking out all over our county at the moment, including large-scale and ambitious ones (Mill Hill and Friston Gallops immediately spring to mind, but there are many more), I'm filled with optimism and hope for the future.
Click here for more sightings.
Photo by Graham Hubbard
New colonies of Wood White were recently discovered in West Sussex and our branch is seeking to learn more about this rare butterfly.
Our 2026 Survey Report is now available click here.
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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