Red Admiral in our East Dean garden. Report of 80 Pearl-bordered Fritillaries in Abbots Wood received via a friend from Forest Enterprise. (David Jode)

Weds 31 May Cissbury Ring: 1 Painted Lady (very battered), 5 Holly Blues, 1 Grizzled Skipper, 1 Small Copper. Also, had a slow worm in my garden Mon 29th May - first one I've seen in about 10 years. (Caroline, Miles and Edward Clarke)

Three pics submitted in recent days: a Cinnabar on Ditchling Beacon from Chris Green, mating Adonis Blues at Mill Hill by Andy Horton, and Pearl-bordered Fritillary at Abbots Wood from Andrew Burns

More Shoreham Butterfly Firsts: On an overcast day, I thought the rain would arrive before I saw any butterflies. As I decided to rush for cover I nearly fell over my first two Small Blues of the year on the northern bank of the Slonk Hill Cutting. Ten minutes later I saw my first Common Blue, a male on a Buttercup. (Andy Horton www.glaucus.org.uk)

Sussex Butterfly Conservation Field trip – Birling Gap

We set out in poor sunshine and a fresh cool breeze, but conditions steadily improved, especially when we got past Horseshoe Plantation. Butterflies were few in number, but we saw at least one of nearly all the species expected. The missing ones were Adonis Blue (not out yet) and surprisingly Painted Lady. Most numerous were whites, followed by Dingy Skipper of which we saw about 6, then Grizzled Skipper (3 or 4). Singles of Common Blue, Green Hairstreak, Wall, Orange-tip, Speckled Wood, Small Copper, Brown Argus, Brimstone, and Small Heath. Also seen, larvae of both Brown-tail and Yellow-tail Moths. (Graham Parris)

Ebernoe NNR 2 Common Blue, 1 Small Heath, and not much else!! (Margaret Hibbard)

Sightings in garden in Kingston near Lewes 4 male and 1 female Adonis Blue (which is no change from yesterday - why all five yesterday and no fresh emergers today?), 1 Small Blue ovipositing on Kidney Vetch flower head (photographed), 1 m. Common Blue, 1 Holly Blue, 2 Painted Lady, 1 female Brimstone, 1 male Orange-tip, whites. (John Holloway)

Pollard Transect @ Malling Down, Lewes, East Sussex (TQ 428 117)
On transect, 32 sightings & 12 Species Dingy Skipper 3, Brimstone 1, Large White 2, Small White 8, Green Hairstreak 2, Brown Argus 1 (first one I have seen this year), Common Blue 1(male) (first one I have seen this year), Adonis Blue 6 (5 male & 1 female), Painted Lady 3, Wall Brown 2, Small Heath 1 (first one I have seen this year),several Silver Y moths Mother Shipton moths. No Small Coppers today. Lots of Rose Chafer and a Beautiful Demoiselle damselfly. Horseshoe Vetch late - not in full bloom yet. Looking back at previous years data I realise we may start seeing the first Meadow Browns soon! (Crispin Holloway)

In garden in Kingston near Lewes today 4 male and 1 female Adonis Blue, the first this year, 1 Small Blue, Painted Lady, 1 Red Admiral, Large & Small Whites, 1 Silver Y moth (John Holloway).

1 Painted Lady, 1 Holly Blue nectaring on holly flowers, and a couple of whites in our East Dean Garden (David Jode)

One Clouded Yellow at the southern end of Thorney Island this morning (Barry Collins).

Between Southease and Piddinghoe: 4 Painted Ladies and 2 Small Heath (Michael Hawkins).

Late afternoon on the scarp slope by my house in Edburton produced a nice male Common Blue, 2 Dingy Skippers, 2 Red Admirals, Speckled Wood and the first Cinnabar Moth of the year (Tony Wilson)

Chailey Common: 1 Brimstone butterfly despite the awful weather (Michael Hawkins).

I bet everyone is "tearing their hair" about the weather !! However, sightings on decent day in Ashpark Wood, near Plaistow 3 Dingy Skippers, 4 Grizzled Skippers, 1 Painted Lady, 4 Small Heath and 1 male Wood White. (Margaret Hibbard)

Today in our garden at East Dean...9am - 1 Painted Lady and 1 Holly Blue

pm - 1 Painted Lady - 1 Holly Blue - 2 Red Admiral - 1 Hummingbird Hawkmoth and our first dragonfly sighting of the year a female Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa)

Park Corner Heath Reserve sightings between 10am and Noon...10+ Painted Lady, 5 male Brimstone, 1 female Orange-tip, 2 Red Admiral

Referring back to the Large Tortoiseshell sighting at Horseshoe Plantation on 6 April, they do of course use Elm as their foodplant (David Jode)

Butterflies on a walk from Edburton to Tottington Wood today were 7 Painted Ladies, 2 Red Admirals, Small Copper, Holly Blue, Large, Small and Green-veined White + 8 Silver Y Moths (Tony Wilson).

1 mint Small Blue, 1 Holly Blue, 2 Painted Ladies, 1 male Orange Tip, Large & Small Whites and 2 Silver Y Moths in a private garden at Kingston (John Holloway).

Sat 20 May

An extremely breezy afternoon walk produced only 3 species:- 3 Painted Lady, 4 Small Copper and 1 male Wall Brown (my first of the year) (Mike Snelling)

A Holly Blue bravely came into the wind-tossed garden in Peacehaven today in what so far has been a very good year here for the species. It nectared on Garlic Mustard, which is grown in hope for Orange-tip and Green-veined White caterpillars, but good to see it being used in this way too. (Adrian Thomas)

Abbots Wood, overcast, very windy with sun intermittent. At least 20 Pearl-bordered Fritillaries and minimum 15 Painted Ladies, some with very damaged wings, in the cleared area referred to in previous reports. Most of Pearl-bordered wings were quite worn. (Andrew Burns)

FIELD TRIP TO SPRINGHEAD

The weather forecast was scattered heavy showers, fresh westerly winds with some sunny intervals in the afternoon. When we left home the rain was torrential, the wind was strong and the temperature 8 c.What a day for a Butterfly Field Trip – we thought we would be the only ones there!

However it was not raining as we approached Springhead and it was warmer and to our delight there were a number of members already there. We were informed that our target species, the Duke of Burgundy, had already been spotted and this was before the walk had started.

The butterflies were not active in the cool temperature but with the number of people looking (17) a good number were found, mainly resting, giving ideal photographic opportunities.

The Dukes were seen in several places as were 10 other species including freshly emerged Small Blues. A Painted Lady, Red Admiral, Green Hairstreak, Orange-tip, Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, Large and Green-veined Whites and Speckled Wood made up the numbers.

Reg Hinks delighted us with finding tiny caterpillars of the Chalkhill Blue and Dingy Skipper which completed a very pleasant and successful visit. (David & Molly Dancy)

Fri 19 May

In my garden at Kingston, near Lewes this afternoon (19th) one Painted Lady, rather small and pale with a bird peck on left hind wing. Orange-tips have been in quite good numbers since 22 April but they have suddenly disappeared with none since 15th. Yesterday (18th) in a garden in The Avenue, Lewes, at a distance of about 30ft was what at first glance I took to be a Comma or Painted Lady but when it flew up over the roof tops it looked too big for a Comma and far too orange for a Painted Lady. I'd love to think it was a Large Tortoiseshell but I'll never know. (John Holloway)

Thurs 18 May

Seems like there's been a large arrival of immigrant moths and butterflies in the last few days with many Painted Ladies and Striped Hawkmoths reported. Here in Edburton my paltry share today was 4 Painted Ladies, 4 Red Admirals and 2 Large Whites (Tony Wilson)

Immigrant butterflies appear to be coming in, mostly Red Admirals, but early in the afternoon, my first Painted Lady of the

year landed on Wallflower in a north Shoreham garden. A Silver Y Moth was also noted. (Andy Horton)

A good day.... In our East Dean garden around midday in dull weather our first Hummingbird Hawkmoth of the year nectaring on Nepeta (Cat Mint). These moths are seen almost daily here during mid-late summer! Also our first Painted Lady and our first Large White plus a Red Admiral were seen an hour later when it brightened up! Between 4 and 5pm on the sheltered side of Horseshoe Plantation at Belle Tout I saw another two firsts of the year for me - 8 Dingy Skipper and 3 Grizzled Skipper (David Jode)

Springhead: Although the weather was not ideal today, there were warmer spells and we saw several butterflies :- 4 Small Blue ( all male) very fresh, 4 Duke of Burgundy (all male) plus 6+ Dingy Skipper, 1 Holly Blue, 1 Painted Lady, 2 Orange-tip, Red Admiral and Green-veined White (Mike Snelling and Neil Hulme)

Painted Lady seen in my Brighton garden (TQ3007) despite cool wind. Also, pleased to report have seen numerous Holly

Blue in my garden since first sighting on 22nd April. (Caroline Clarke)

Between the 10-17 May our East Dean garden sightings have been:

4 Holly Blue, 6 Orange-tip (including one female), plus a few assorted Whites.

Out and about locally: 3 Speckled Wood, 2 male Brimstone, 2 Small Tortoiseshell

1 Red Admiral, several Orange-tip and other whites (David Jode)

Weds 17 May

An understandable lull in records as the weather decides to go autumnal for a while! A chance for a little addendum to the Large Tortoiseshell story of earlier in the season - the Dorset Butterfly Conservation website reports sightings on 8 April at Worth Matravers, 4 May at Boscombe Cliffe (Bournemouth) and 5 May at Branksome Deep Chine (Poole), so perhaps it is still worth keeping an eye open once spring returns!

Mon 15 May

Yesterday's mystery moth has been identified by both Michael Blencowe and Andy Horton as Pyrausta aurata, a micro moth known colloquially as the Mint Moth on account of its larvae's taste for garden mint plants. Day-flying as well as coming to light, and with two broods, it may also be seen on wild Marjoram which if you don't have in your garden is also a must for attracting nectaring adult Gatekeepers. The UK Moths website as usual gives an excellent reference and further photos to the moth.

My first two Silver-Ys of the year flew from Frampton's Field, Old Shoreham. My first two Wall Brown and my first Brimstone moth were seen on a brief visit to Mill Hill. (Andy Horton)

Although clearly not within the remit of Butterfly Conservation, you may wish to use the time when you are out searching for Pearl-bordered Fritillaries and other butterflies and moths to also take note of any sightings of Banded Demoiselle damselflies for this year's national survey. Check out www.brc.ac.uk/demoiselle for how to submit sightings, and for more information about this distinctive insect.

Sun 14 May

After being stuck in a hot room in Brighton all day yesterday and reading the reports on the website last night I was looking forward to a butterfly packed sunday out in the county. The lack of sunshine certainly put an end to that. Nevertheless , I visited 3 sites in East Sussex and was rewarded with one butterfly; a Small Heath at Park Corner Heath which seemed as impressed with the weather as I was. However, 12 Speckled Yellow moths there added a splash of colour (photos below). Driving home, the sun came out! (Michael Blencowe)

Small Heath Speckled Yellow

Can someone put a name to, and give a little bit of info about, this micromoth, photographed today at Seaford allotments? (Bob Brown)

An attractive Eyed Hawkmoth was discovered on a Daffodil in a garden in Mill Hill Gardens (per Andy Horton - photo at www.glaucus.org.uk/moths)

The Butterfly Walk on the lower slopes of Mill Hill produced just two Small Heath and a handful of small Pyrausta nigrata moths. The Horseshoe Vetch was just beginning, only about 5% of its full splendour. The sun struggled to come out in the afternoon and I recorded my first male Adonis Blue of the year on the Shoreham Bank with 13 Dingy Skippers, five Grizzled Skippers and three Small Heath. A Red Admiral landed on the path at the top of the steps on the southern part of Mill Hill. Two Small White were seen in a north Shoreham garden and a Large White at top of Chanctonbury Drive, near (SE) of Mill Hill. (Andy Horton www.glaucus.org.uk)

On my allotment at Sutton Drove Seaford, an Orange-tip and freshly emerged Holly Blues. (Bob Brown)

See Events page for new butterfly walks at Mill Hill (Shoreham) led by Andy Horton on 14 and 21 May.

Garden, Kingston Nr Lewes. 1 male Common Blue, 2 Small Coppers, 1 Holly Blue, several Orange-tips, 1 Painted Lady, I Speckled Wood, Large, Small, & Green-veined Whites. (John Holloway)

Garden, Peacehaven. Ten species in the actinic moth trap overnight, including Nut-tree Tussock, new for the garden (Adrian Thomas)

TARGET SPECIES: Abbot's Wood - TQ 563083 - 55 Pearl Bordered Fritillaries recorded at 1430 hrs by Stuart Sutton ( Forest Ranger), Dan Hoare and myself in 30 minutes. Ideal conditions, 25c 100% sunshine and no wind. (Alan Holden)

Chailey Common: at least 13 Brimstones, plus Large and Small Whites, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood. Also a number of Common Swift moths (Michael Hawkins).

Beacon Hill LNR - Rottingdean TQ 364028 1 Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Alan Holden)

News for May 10th: Ashpark Wood, near Plaistow 3 Grizzled Skipper and 1 Small Heath.

Some 25 Pearl-bordered Fritillaries were seen on the walk through Rewell Wood, near Arundel (Rob Thurlow).

First Speckled Wood, a Holly Blue and 4 Small Whites in a private garden in Seaford (Roy Neeve)

Sightings in our East Dean garden for the last seven days were still disappointing: 4 Orange-tip (one female), 1 Red Admiral, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Green-veined White (David Jode)

Private garden in Kingston Nr Lewes, 1 Small Heath, 1 Small Copper, 1 Speckled Wood, 2 Orange-tips, 1 Large White (John Holloway)

Crispin Holloway reports the following on his Malling Down (near Lewes) transect: 4 Brimstones, Large White, Orange-tip, Small Copper, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma and 2 Red Admirals, with 2 Dingy Skippers off the transect route.

I was in Abbot's Wood again today today and can confirm that the species I have seen over the last few days is indeed the Pearl-bordered Fritillary. Today I saw at least half a dozen. I will try to describe the area of Abbot Wood where I have seen them. If you park opposite the Old Oak pub and go into the wood in the nearby entrance, you go through a beautiful area of bluebells where the wood has been thinned out a bit recently. Carry on down the path until you reach a fairly wide ride. Turn right and walk approximately 100 yards. You will notice quite a lot of fairly young Silver Birch trees and then you come to a fairly large cleared area. I have seen the PBFs on the left-hand side of the clearance, where some bracken has been cut down. I almost managed to get a photograph of one specimen with my cameraphone but unfortunately I wasn't quite quick enough! (Graham Smith)

Beachy Head (Birling Gap to Belle Tout) - numbers of butterflies still very low - just 1 Red Admiral, 1 Small Tortoiseshell, 1 Small Copper, 1 Peacock, 1 Comma, 5 Speckled Wood, 1 Grizzled Skipper, + 1 fab male Emperor Moth (photo taken today below, on Traveller's Joy) and two Dotted Bee-flies (Adrian Thomas)

This year it took me until May 1st to see any butterflies at all around Seaford. However Friday afternoon at the entrance of Malling Down (Lewes) I saw a blue (I think Common rather than Adonis) and what I'm certain was a Grizzled Skipper (the first ever for me!). Then an Orange-tip flew past. Further up the valley I saw Brimstones, another Orange-tip and a Peacock. Finally at the top on the south side there is a glade leading towards the golfcourse, here were many Speckled Woods. Many whites were also seen, but can't say if were Green-veined. Conditions were sunny and warm I would think 60F.

In contrast in a five-mile walk this lunchtime over the Wealdway between Horsebridge and East Hoathly only one butterfly - a Speckled Wood - was seen, conditions were very dull. (Bob Brown)

Most unusual butterfly I've seen this year was a Painted Lady (99% sure, it zoomed off fast & as it was overcast it didn't keep flying) at Castle Hill, Brighton on Friday 28 April. I can't recall ever having seen one so early before. I am aware that 10 or so Painted Ladies which been reared at Goldstone School (Hove) were released before the Easter holidays (31 March) to give them a chance of survival so there may have been a few in the area by unnatural means!

Can tell it's been a bad start to the year as the first Holly Blue in our garden (New Church Road, Hove) was only seen by my wife on 4 May.

On 2 April we saw quite a lot of butterflies when we were on holiday at the Palatine Hill & the Forum in Rome including a Nettle Tree Butterfly, so I can recommend Rome at that time of year. (John Heys)

My apologies that on some nights, such as last night, I am out at various committee meetings and do not get to post the sightings onto the website until the following morning. The vast majority of days I am able to post the sightings between 9-10pm, and at weekends often twice daily.

Thanks for all the interest in the site so far and the kind words about it - there were 568 unique visitors in April alone visiting the site 1299 times, in a year when the spring weather has made butterfly and moth watching for most part 'difficult'!

1 Duke of Burgundy - male, 2 Green Hairstreaks, 4 Dingy Skippers, 5 Holly Blues, 3 Peacock, c6 Red Admirals, 2 Orange-tips plus a few Silver Y moths (Mike Snelling, Nigel Elliot and Neil Hulme)

A few more butterflies around Edburton late afternoon today - 1 Painted Lady, 2 Red Admirals, 2 Speckled Woods, Brimstone, 2 Orange-tips, Large White and 2 Green-veined Whites. (Tony Wilson)

Numerous Orange-tips and Brimstones, male and female, Peacocks and two Holly Blues, Speckled Wood, one Comma. SOUTHWATER West Sussex w/c 01.05.2006 (Sarah Knott)

In Abbot's Wood this afternoon, 3 Fritillaries, thought to be Pearl-Bordered. Two flew past me, very low to the ground, but did not settle. One settled on a path in the sun, and I also got to briefly see the underside of its wings. I also saw a very swift Painted Lady fly past, high up into the trees. (Graham Smith.)

A pair of Grizzled Skippers were mating in a small depression on the lower slopes of Mill Hill (Shoreham Bank) (Andy Horton www.glaucus.org.uk) - click here for pic

First Small White, also first Holly Blue in my Seaford garden (Roy Neeve)

6 Brimstones, 1 Speckled Wood, 1 Orange Tip, Adder and Common Lizard seen at Park Corner Heath today ( Peter and Sandra Solly)

Just one male Orange Tip, 2 Peacock and 2 Comma at Laughton Common Wood - no Pearl-bordered Fritillaries yet (Adrian Thomas)

Latest records in reveal how difficult it has been to find butterflies lately:

Individually we each saw a butterfly on 1 May: I saw a Speckled Wood on Lancing Ring TQ 182062, my wife Jan saw a Small Tortoiseshell near Lancing Hill at Cowbottom TQ188070, and my daughter Kath saw a Holly Blue nearby at TQ 186048 (Ray Hamblett, Lancing Nature)

Pollard Transect @ Malling Down, Lewes, East Sussex (TQ 428 117) 2.45pm - 3.45pm. 14^oC, 50% sun. On transect, 7 sightings & 5 Species: Green Hairstreak 2, Grizzled Skipper 1, Small Copper 1, S. Tortoiseshell 1, Peacock 3 Off transect: Pells area, Lewes, East Sussex: 1 Speckled Wood (TQ413 109) (Crispin Holloway)

A Red Admiral nectaring on Blackthorn at RSPB Pulborough Brooks was the only butterfly seen in 5 hours in the field today (Adrian Thomas)

With temperatures still struggling to get above 13^oC, it is still an effort to find any butterflies out. An afternoon walk up Cissbury Ring produced just one male Brimstone and one Holly Blue (Adrian Thomas)

Overnight actinic moth trap in Peacehaven produced Common Quaker, Early Grey and Hebrew Character (Adrian Thomas)

Pollard Transect @ Malling Down, Lewes, East Sussex (TQ 428 117), 12.45pm - 1.45pm. 17^oC, 100% sun.

On transect, 8 sightings & 7 species: Brimstone 2, Orange Tip 1, Small Copper 1 , Holly Blue 1, S. Tortoiseshell 1, Peacock 1, Comma 1

Off transect: 1 Holly Blue (TQ413 114), 1 Green Hairstreak, 1 Green-veined White, 1 Small White, several Brimstones.

Sightings around Edburton today on a much better day were 10 Brimstones, 7 Peacocks, 4 Green-veined Whites, Comma and Small Tortoiseshell (Tony Wilson)

After being stuck in Brighton all day on what felt like the warmest day so far this year, a 5pm trip to Park Corner Heath was the perfect remedy. A fine Speckled Wood was soaking up the sun next to the path by the hut, but flew up and away when I reached for my camera. Also 5 Comma and 1 Peacock on the reserve. (Michael Blencowe)

It was only today I recorded two firsts. I spotted my first Small White and my first Speckled Wood of the year in a garden in north Shoreham and on the Slonk Hill Cutting (south bank) path respectively. The Small White is a month late and the Speckled Wood a week later than usual. (Andy Horton)

My first Orange Tip of the year in my garden in Edburton + plenty of sightings of Brimstone and a Peacock. A drive to Henfield produced 3 Small Whites from the car + another white which was presumably a Green-veined White as it was in a wood. (Tony Wilson)

2 Commas and 1 Peacock at Peacehaven today but things remain very slow on the butterfly and moth front - despite the sunshine, the temperature only just reached 13^oC with a chill wind (Adrian Thomas)

Sightings today from my garden in Edburton - 2 Brimstones in a bright spell and last night at my outside light Small Quaker, Twin-spotted Quaker, Shoulder Stripe and Hebrew Character (Tony Wilson)

Some recently received records from earlier in the year have been inserted chronologically so as to lay out a clear picture of the year so far.

Also received is a photo forwarded by David Jode of the Beachy Head Large Tortoiseshell (see 6th April below). David has commented about the white marks along the leading edge of the forewing, which are not usually a feature of Large Tortoiseshells and which also were shown on the Ashcombe Bottom individual. My theory is that these are worn patches of scales where the wing is lighter in fresh condition, and that book illustrations don't reflect the changes that can occur to more vulnerable parts of the wing with wear. Can anyone confirm this?

2 male Brimstone, Heyshott Common near Midhurst (SU908191 and SU911192) (Adrian Thomas)

Skinner trap/actinic light in Peacehaven garden produced just one Early Grey (Adrian Thomas)

A walk along The Cuckoo Trail from Polegate towards Hailsham on Wednesday morning 12 April produced one Comma at 10.15am (TQ585060) (David Jode)

We still await the first Sussex records this year of Speckled Wood, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, and Green-veined White.

Seeing the recently hibernated (presumably) Large Tortoiseshell picture reminded me of the one found and photographed (click here) by Philip Newton at Three Oaks, nr Hastings. It was found on 16 July (when I was fortunate to be called over too confirm the ID), and again the next morning only. This is the same pic as published in Atropos recently.

Reminds me of the great Camberwell Beauty year when the opposite happened - I missed the summer arrivals, then was lucky enough to find a post-hibernation example in Sussex the following spring - on blackthorn blossom!

Well worth everyone looking out specially for more Large Torts anywhere over the next few weeks!

The grid references on the two sightings this year are Horseshoe Plantation TV562957, and Ashcombe Bottom TQ373120 (accessed most 'easily' (it's a bit of a slog up) from the B2116 at TQ378130). Note another Large Tort was seen on 3 July in Shoreham last year. (Adrian Thomas)

Butterflies seen today by work party at Park Corner Heath: Brimstone, Comma, Peacock, Red Admiral, Painted Lady.

Lancing Ring LNR Near Cemetery: 1 Brimstone. Near the Brian Old Seat: 2 Small Tortoiseshells Near Main Car Park: 1 Red Admiral (Ray Hamblett)

Peacock in Edburton and Shoulder Stripe and The Engrailed (Tony Wilson)

Large Tortoiseshell (photo below) and 3 Comma at Ashcombe Bottom. The Large Tortoiseshell was in a sunny glade on the public footpath through this south-facing downland wood, basking on the ground and regularly jostling with a markedly smaller Comma. It was quite wary, and getting photographs took a considerable amount of belly crawling! (Adrian Thomas)

2 Peacock and 1 Comma at Mill Hill, Shoreham nectaring on Sweet Violets (Andy Horton, per www.glaucus.org.uk)

2 Brimstone and 3 Comma, Ebernoe Reserve [SWT] SU 978 276 (Margaret Hibbard)

A Brimstone butterfly flew past me as I worked in St Bernards Court, central Lancing (Ray Hamblett)

Report of 10-20 Brimstone, mostly male, at Burton Mill Ponds in West Sussex (per David Jode).

First sightings, this year, in my garden in central Eastbourne - a Small Tortoiseshell and a Comma. (Bob Coleman)

12 Commas, 10 Brimstone (all male), 2 Peacock, Laughton Common Wood TQ 50 13 (Adrian Thomas)

My first Sussex butterfly sightings of the year today: Peacock in our back garden at Upper Beeding; Small Tortoiseshell elsewhere in the village; and male Brimstone on Downslink path near South Downs Way footbridge north of Beeding Cement Works. (Jim Steedman)

Male Brimstone today in Edburton and a March Moth last night (Tony Wilson)