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:
29 Aug: Thank you everyone who have sent in records of second brood Dingy Skippers in the past couple of days. As a reminder, the second brood total for 2025 was a new county record of 15 different locations, and already I have records for 38 different locations, this year. Neil Hulme is going to add to this list, next week, and I'm sure we will comfortably exceed 40 locations. It really isn't just about new records, but highlighting the effect of a warming climate on our native insects. In Sussex, we are blessed with a wonderful variety of habitats, a wonderful variety of butterfly species, and more than a few, of some very talented naturalists. I have a deadline for my article, so please send in your records, soon.Alfriston, Arundel Park, Ashcombe Bottom, Belle Tout (Eastbourne), Bevendean Down, Birling Gap, Castle Hill, Chantry Hill, Cissbury Ring, Cradle Valley (Seaford), Blunts Wood and Paiges Meadow (Cuckfield), Deep Dean, Etchingham, Friston Gallops, Greenway Bank (Seaford), High and Over, Horseshoe Plantation (Eastbourne), Knowlands Wood (north of Barcombe), Lee Farm chalk pit, Levin Down, Mayfield College, Medley Bottom, Mill Hill, New England Wood (Cuckfield), Newtimber Hill, Nuthurst, Peacehaven, Seaford (Bob Eade’s garden), Seaford Head, Steyning Rifle Range, Steep Down, Stoke Bottom, Storrington garden, Stump Bottom, Washington Chalk Pits, Whitbread Hole (Eastbourne), Well Bottom, Wolstonbury Hill.
29 Aug: Many thanks to Bob for his company during a fantastic day at his local patch on the Downs behind Seaford on 28 August - one to remember, as summer sadly draws to a close. Every Queen of Spain Fritillary seen on British soil, whether fresh or worn, is an absolute joy to experience, and this year has surpassed all others. I have a suspicion that we're not done yet; if the weather is kind, further Queens may be seen in late-September. I wonder how many have gone unseen, or unrecognised, at multiple locations along the Downs between Harting and Eastbourne.
28 Aug: A windy walk yesterday morning at Rowland Wood. I had the whole reserve to myself, which was very nice. 5 Clouded Yellows, 1 Wall, 4 Small Coppers, Brown Argus, Common Blues, Small Heaths, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood & Red Admiral.
28 Aug: Just after 1pm today, a Brown Hairstreak visited my Crawley garden, staying for a few minutes. One side had wing damage, but the other side looked quite tidy.
28 Aug: It was mainly sunny but annoyingly windy for a walk with old friend Scott. I found my first Autumn Ladies Tresses of the season and an intriguing Clouded Yellow in Anchor Bottom. It was a pale lemon colour and immediately made me think Pale/Berger's Clouded Yellow. Unfortunately it scarpered (and could not be relocated) before I could get a record shot, but my cheap phone was never going to get the upper wing shot necessary for identification anyway. One that got away, or just wishful thinking on my part? I do have experience of seeing Berger's Clouded Yellow and Clouded Yellow flying together in France, but there is no way I can claim it! Otherwise it was great to see a handful of Hornet Robberfly, Adonis Blue in profusion, Clouded Yellow, Wall, Common Blue, Small Copper, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Small Heath, Meadow Brown, Small White.
28 Aug: My new chalk garden has been found by Mr Mole and my patience is wearing a bit thin. Oh well. Other than that, a couple of third brood male Common Blues and one of the big hoverflies. This one is Volucella Inanis (mimics a Queen Wasp), so very big, but not huge. I photographed this species in 2022 and 2024 and checking the dates, they were in late August. It is a species that is besotted with Devilsbit Scabious. For those of you who like to ID hoverflies, Volucella Inanis is around 2/3 the size of V. Zonaria (mimics a Hornet), and it has a very neat appearance, with an off-yellow band on the upper abdomen (Chestnut brown for Zonaria). There are other ID pointers, but as this is a butterfly website ....
28 Aug: Neil came over today to do a survey for SDNPA on my patch and asked me if I could join him. It was well worth making the effort as we saw that the Adonis Blue population had grown nicely on Greenway Bank. We also had a major surprise of a Lesser Emperor dragonfly patrolling on the hill. However, even that was surpassed when we came across another Queen of Spain Fritillary near where Lisa found one a week ago. Another had also been seen by James last Saturday, but we could see that this was yet another individual. A great day and brilliant to see Neil mega excited!! (even though he has now seen around 20 of them this year).
27 Aug: Walking the Comp today with Bob, Lisa and Joan we were surprised (and not least, by 15 or so naturists emerging from the bushes to our left), but very pleased to find a second brood White Admiral relaxing at the side of the track and completely un-phased by the goings on. Other blushing species included Adonis Blue, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Small Copper, Clouded Yellow, Meadow Brown, Comma, Small Heath, Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Speckled Wood, Large and Small White, Hornet robberfly, Hummingbird hawk-moth, Vestal, and Migrant hawker dragonfly. Black cap, Spotted Flycatcher, Whitethroat and Goldfinch.
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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