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:
24 Jul: I got nice pictures of a Speckled Wood and Holly Blue on the way up to Steyning Rifle Range at about noon today. Down at the Rifle Range itself, I saw loads of Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Common Blues and a Brown Argus but no Brown Hairstreaks.
24 Jul: Just one Brown Hairstreak at Brooklands today.
24 Jul: A glance up from my paper and I was dropping my sandwich and rushing carefully across the garden. 2 or 3 Gatekeepers were drifting around, a Painted Lady was nectaring on buddleia and last night's roosting male Common Blue was sunning itself on a grass stalk. But this butterfly had appeared from around from our green-leaved plum cherry and looked darker at rest with its wings open. There, 21 days earlier than previous years, was our first definite Brown Hairstreak, in butterfly form, of 2026. It flew and crawled into the depths of the plum cherry to do some egg laying. I went to get Val and it had emerged for a little rest. It disappeared back to do a bit more egg laying, came out, rested briefly, flew around a bit and then was off and away. Very similar behaviour to the one I saw last year, which also did 2 egg laying forays. That was the 17th butterfly species of 2026 in our garden. Not very likely we'll have any more.
24 Jul: found dead butterfly, 23 July at 8 pm could not identlfy but looks like what Lucy chichester found yesterday a jersy tiger
24 Jul: On 22 July, I reported a sighting of a Jersey Hawk moth in my garden, although I was unable to get a photo. Fortunately the moth decided to turn up again yesterday, landing on my porch, and I was able to get photographs which I now attach for completeness of the report
23 Jul: I visited Chantry Hill several times last weeks to try and locate Silver-spotted Skippers (and failed miserably) but today they were reasonably easy to find (if you know where to look). I saw around 6-8 and so lots more to come (hopefully). Not the easiest butterfly species to photograph (with a macro lens) but I just about managed it. Painted Ladies are still very much in evidence with approximately 10 seen. Only a couple of Clouded Yellows. Six Humming-bird Hawk-moths on just a small part of the West Combe. I would estimate 20 for the while of the three combes of Chantry Hill. In the places I visit, they have been very common, of late. There was a nice-looking Comma feeding on Marjoram. I have seen very few Commas in the past few weeks, although there was one on the garden Buddleia this afternoon.
23 Jul: Visited Deep Dean this afternoon and walked the slopes on both sides of the valley. Plenty of butterflies this week which was an improvement on last week with 11 species recorded; the highlights being good numbers of Chalk Hill Blue, a Small Blue, 2 Silver-spotted Skippers and several very fresh Painted Ladies. No definite Grayling sightings but one possible which unfortunately shot off too rapidly and then disappeared before I could see where it had gone for a positive i/d. I recall a difficult July for them a few years ago when I actually saw them in August and early September so I'm hoping all is not lost yet, and maybe a bit of rain will help (which we might get on Sunday morning). Although these are worrying times I'm trying to remain positive.
23 Jul: Second posting today, as our back garden was quite busy this afternoon. Resident were 4 or so Gatekeepers, male and female plus 3 Common Blues - a very worn female, a smart male and a good rather than pristine female. The male is spending the night on a yellowrattle stalk. In, out and round about were a few Small Whites, a Red Admiral, a Painted Lady, a Comma (better condition than yesterday's) a Holly Blue and a Meadow Brown which was nice as we get very few of them. Inspired by Martin's Gardening for Butterflies 2024 article, I am trying to nurture some clumps of Yorkshire Fog for Meadow Browns and Skippers but away from the lawn as I don't want it to take over there.
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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