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:
22 Nov: Members Day 2026 - More details to come later.
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 Aug: First ever visit to this reserve and got to see plenty of species such as, Small White, Clouded Yellow, Speckled Wood, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Silver-washed Fritillary, Painted Lady, Comma, Common Blue and Hummingbird-hawk Moth. Sadly weather was murky most of my visit so photography was quite poor.
23 Aug: Had a surprise yesterday when I disturbed a yellow butterfly in my garden. Not a place I would expect to see a Clouded Yellow but I was lucky that it returned this morning, briefly, witnessed by a friend as we had coffee. Not quick enough to grab the camera unfortunately. I would have liked a record for my garden. I did manage a female Common Blue yesterday and a male today. He waited around in the sun but the female didn't return, as far I know! My first sighting of a Hummingbird Hawk Moth in a few days was very interested in my Lady's Bedstraw. It appears to be a female ovipositing, rather difficult to see in my photos. If it's ok I've added in a Pearly Underwing moth. A change from my usual Yellow Underwing or Silver Ys.
23 Aug: sun 23/08/2026 to the west of Shepham Lane, Polegate where I've found BH eggs before (four in total), today I located 1x Brown Hairstreak egg at 1.23pm and marked with yellow ribbon, (TQ 5919 0543) after randomly searching blackthorns, I couldn't believe it, as you never know if your going to find any in a given year as they in such low numbers? I shall do a more thorough search later on when all of the eggs have been laid. Fantastic!. butterflies seen : 1x Small Heath, this got my attention on the dark background, 1x Red Admiral and 4x Small Whites. It was nice to be out in the sun and not and not get fried?
23 Aug: There were lots of butterflies on the zigzags where there is plenty of fleabane and ragwort but it wasn't till nearly at Nettleys that I spotted a very worn Brown Hairstreak. Clouded Yellow was the most populous butterfly but also saw Peacock, Comma, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Brown Argus, Small Copper, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Painted Lady. Just curious if it's a female Brown Hairstreak?
23 Aug: My third attempt to see a Long-tailed Blue at Whitehawk Hill was successful with at least 6 flying around the Sweet Peas near the phone mast. I also saw Small Copper, Small White, Clouded Yellow, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood.
22 Aug: Today i visited Findon cricket club and took the opportunity to climb up the hill behind the club house. Plenty to see when the sun was out, mostly Meadow Brown, Small Heath and Common Blue but also a few whites at least one of which was a green veined. Also singles of Brown Argus, Small Copper, Holly Blue and Clouded Yellow. Great views from the bench near the top over the downs to cissbury and chanctonbury rings but there were a few wasps chewing on the bench to make paper for their nests so beware before sitting down!
22 Aug: Today was a big contrast to yesterday in our back garden. Before 10:30am Val saw 2 Painted Ladies and a Red Admiral, which were around all day, also Small Whites in and out and a Hummingbird Hawk-moth. When I was there in the afternoon, a Clouded Yellow passed through heading north and a Small Copper spent 5 minutes on the Buddleia. They were the 18th and 19th species in our garden in 2026 with the Small Copper being a first in our 6 years here. Then the first Large White for ages came, paused on the buddleia and headed north. Just after, a bright orange butterfly went through, heading north too speedily for identification. More likely a Comma than a Q of S Fritillary, although Commas usually pause or come back later, which this didn't. However, no obvious flash of a silver-spotted underside. Not done yet, a male Common Blue and a female appeared from nowhere and spent time in the wild bit of lawn. A Vine's Rustic moth and a Common Purple and Gold mint moth plus a few dragonflies made up the day's tally.
22 Aug: Had a look in the section from the Steyning Chalk Pit and up high, for the Downland Scheme. There were Chalkhill, Adonis, Common and Argus Blues. Always a tricky id situation, but hopefully I’m ok. Also a Clouded Yellow, several Small Heath and Meadow Browns. Very little nectar up there, some Hemp-agrimony for the butterflies and blackberries for the spotters.
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 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
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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