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:
07 Aug: An Introduction to Castle Hill NNR its butterfly and plant species with Graham Hubbard.
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:
06 Aug: I have been trying to sort out my garden this week, and have made some progress, but I thought it was time to have another foray on Chantry Hill. With all this heat, the Silver-spotted Skipper colony is already on a steep decline and I only found 15, or so. At this location, you need to get out there, if you want to see them this year. On Chantry Hill, the butterfly numbers are in free fall, but I still managed two interesting observations, on my walk. The first, was on the way to Chantry, when I watched a Painted Lady inspect a number of large Red Bartsia plants, and then I think, lay an egg. There was a large patch of thistles nearby (Meadow Thistles, I think, I didn't bother to inspect and ID), and these were ignored. I'd be interested to know if there have been any records (ever) of egg-laying on Red Bartsia. I should also add there was a large clump of Common Fleabane nearby, which was providing nectar, and so it wasn't feeding. The second interesting observation (not butterflies, I'm afraid), were yet more Bee-wolfs. I have been trying very hard folks not to bore you too much (this year) with non - butterfly stuff, but this is interesting. Bee-wolf burrows into sandy soil, but last week at Stoke Bottom (chalk soil) and today, at Chantry Hill (chalk soil), I saw 4 female Bee-wolfs ( and my target species was Silver-spotted Skippers). So, are Bee-wolfs foraging miles away from sandy soil, or, are they colonising chalk turf ( and using the rabbit scrapes, on steep slopes). Next time you look at a rabbit scrape on a steep slope, see what I mean. A female Bee-wolf is incredibly easy to identify. It's a very wasp-like creature, that has a creamy-white face, a black thorax, a yellow abdomen (that positively glows), and that checks flower, after flower, just looking for the next victim. Incidentally, in my three hour walk over Chantry, I didn't see a single Honeybee. I'm thinking they go after Common Carder Bees or Drone Hoverflies (both common on my local Downs). I need to see a kill, to support my claim. Anyway, folks, do look out for them!
06 Aug: This morning I had a couple of hours at the brooks for some fresh air & to stretch the legs. On the walk round there were plenty of Meadow Brown & Gatekeepers probably 9:1 ratio. 10 plus Small Heath (1 mating pair) & 3 Common Blue male Overall very quiet for birds being August but I did have good views a small group of Willow Warblers & a female Marsh Harrier as it flew over. The zigzag path back to the visitor centre is flanked by fleabane at the moment & held numerous Meadow Brown & Gatekeeper, 2 Comma, 3 Painted Lady, 1 Brown Argus, 1 Common Blue female & 2 flyby Clouded Yellow. The Fleabane also attracts my favourite bee - The Green-eyed Flower Bee. I'm pleasantly surprised when one of my photos produces something extra & this time it's a Lacewing egg (so I believe) underneath the Bee Wolf (Wasp). Not strictly butterflies but cute & interesting I think
06 Aug: Quite a few flying about this morning, Small Copper,& this Painted Lady.
06 Aug: Jersey Tiger moth found resting on glass of back door
05 Aug: As well as yesterday's Painted Lady, we found there were still 2 Gatekeepers in our back garden, both females. Maybe because of the wind, they tended to keep in the wild bit of lawn. One of them perched on a large lump of chalk which I found in the garden when we moved here and put on the lawn. It's the first time I've seen a butterfly on it. It's got a less brilliant, more weathered surface now which might make it more appealing. A Red Admiral made a brief, late appearance.
05 Aug: Took our lunch to the Haven today. Bit windy but a great break from a day working at home. Saw a few Haven firsts for this year: a Clouded Yellow, a Chalk Hill Blue and a Brown Hairstreak. Lots of Common Blues, Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers. Peacocks, Small Whites, Comma, Small Copper and Brown Argus too. Photos by Cathy. Tony Gould visited later and found an Adonis Blue - another Haven first for the year.
05 Aug: A Clouded Yellow was laying eggs on the upper leaves of tiny strands of Birdsfoot Trefoil. That's 10-11 Clouded Yellows seen in the garden this year, a record by a country mile. It's the first time I have have this species breed (or attempt to breed) in the garden. That takes the garden tally to 30 "breeding butterfly species". That does include "attempting to breed", for example in August 2020 I had a very good year for Wall Browns, with at least five different individuals recorded, with one distinctive male setting up territory for five consecutive days. Now I didn't see him pair up but he was clearly giving it his best shot, and he was very easy to re-locate, as he always perched on the ground, in the same square metre.
05 Aug: On the zigzag path at Pulborough Brooks, along with with several 'normal' Clouded Yellows, there was a very distinctive f.helice form. It was frequently dipping between the Fleabane and along the path margin until driven off by a Small White.
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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