Blog Archives

Late-season shifts on transect 21

29/8/2025

Butterfly numbers on this week’s walk were a little below the late-season average, reflecting the natural slowdown as summer draws on.
Despite the decline, Meadow Browns still dominated with 139 recorded. Interestingly, the usually modest Small Copper took second place with 14 individuals – an unusual and welcome rise for this fiery little butterfly. In third place were the hardy Small Heaths, holding on with 11 sightings.
Our hoped-for Silver-spotted Skippers were absent this time, after their exciting appearances on the past two transects. Fortunately, they had already shown themselves just days earlier, when UKBMS experts Bill Downey and Gail Jeffcoate joined us on Stagbury Field and successfully located their eggs – a promising sign for the future of this rare species on our patch.

Count details:
139 Meadow Brown
14 Small Copper
11 Small Heath
10 Common Blue
8 Brown Argus
8 Chalkhill Blue
8 Large White
5 Small White
5 Speckled Wood
Count summary:
208 butterflies from 9 species.

For more info on these species visit
butterfly-conservation.org

In flight entertainment

Small Copper, Fames Rough - Brian Gardner

Brown Argus, Fames Rpugh - Graham Kenward

Hoverfly, Coneyboro Hill - Brian Gardner

Survey by Brian Gardner, Graham Harris and Graham Kenward
submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS).
Report by GK, BG & AI.

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Silver-spotted Skippers – the next generation?

26/8/2025

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Silver-spotted Skipper, Stagbury - Graham Kenward

After our recent sightings of the rare Silver-spotted Skipper on Stagbury Down, we wondered: could this be the start of a brand-new colony on our patch?
To find out, GH, BG, LN and GK teamed up with butterfly experts Bill Downey and Gail Jeffcoate for a closer look. The mission? To search for the Skipper’s eggs – tiny treasures that are laid only on its caterpillar food plant, sheep’s fescue (Festuca ovina), see pics below. This fine, wiry grass already supports other species such as the Gatekeeper, Small Heath and Meadow Brown.
But the Silver-spotted Skipper is choosier than most. Females will only lay eggs on short clumps of fescue, usually beside patches of bare, sun-baked ground with a warm, south-facing aspect. And they like it hot – they won’t get out of bed if it’s less than 20°C!
On this sunny visit, conditions were perfect. Before long, Gail had spotted egg after egg – 18 in total – carefully tucked onto fescue blades. Each one could be the start of a new generation.
Whether these eggs will lead to a thriving colony remains to be seen, but the discovery is hugely encouraging. If successful, the Silver-spotted Skipper could once again become a regular jewel of our chalk downland, brightening our transect walks in years to come.

Silver-spotted Skipper egg photos by Liz North

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Silver-spotted Skippers sighted again on Stagbury Down

20/8/2025

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The weather for this week’s transect was kind to GH, LN and BG – warm sunshine with a refreshing breeze to take the edge off the heat. GH had seen several Brown Hairstreaks on his local butterfly transect and we were therefore on the lookout for them on our circuit too. Sadly, we didn’t see any BH this time around, but we were more than compensated by seeing two rare Silver-spotted Skippers on Stagbury Down, where we saw a single individual last week. We’re very much hoping that these late-season celebrities will, in the future, become established on our patch.

Butterfly numbers this week were down on those of last week, so although the count of Meadow Browns and Common Blues were very similar, there were reductions in the Chalkhill Blues, Gatekeepers and Small Heaths, and no Purple Hairstreaks or Brown Argus. Even so, the discovery of those Silver-spotted Skippers ensured the transect was far from ordinary.

Count details:
232 Meadow Brown
45 Common Blue
15 Small Heath
14 Chalkhill Blue
7 Small White
6 Gatekeeper
5 Small Copper
4 Large White
2 Holly Blue
2 Silver-spotted Skipper
2 Speckled Wood
Count summary:
334 butterflies from 11 species.

For more info on these species visit
butterfly-conservation.org

Finds of the week

Chalkhill Blue (Polyommatus coridon) – the subtle beauty of the Downs.

Unlike the sky-blue males, females are brown with delicate orange spots, making them trickier to spot on chalk grassland slopes.
They rely exclusively on Horseshoe Vetch as their caterpillars’ food plant, making them specialists of chalk and limestone habitats.
Though locally common in large colonies, their entire flight season lasts just a few short weeks in high summer.

Female Chalkhill Blue, Stagbury - Liz North.

Plump sloes in Hill Wood Field - Graham Kenward.

Survey by Brian Gardner, Graham Harris and Liz North
submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS).
Report by GK, BG & AI.

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Rare Skipper steals the spotlight

12/8/2025

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GH, LN and BG tackled Transect 19 under a blazing sun on the first day of the summer’s fourth heatwave. Despite the heat, butterfly activity was lively, led once again by the ever-reliable Meadow Browns – 243 were counted, an unusually high tally for this late in the season. They were joined by strong showings of Common Blues, Chalkhill Blues, and Small Heaths, while Gatekeepers, so abundant last week, fell sharply from 233 to just 41.
But the real excitement came in the form of a tiny, fast-flying rarity: a single Silver-spotted Skipper. This little gem is a scarce species in our area, and its appearance marks only the second time we’ve recorded one in ten years of transects – proof that even on the hottest days, the unexpected can happen.

Count details:
243 Meadow Brown
54 Common Blue
41 Gatekeeper
26 Chalkhill Blue
24 Small Heath
11 Small White
7 Large White
5 Small Copper
4 Speckled Wood
3 Brown Argus
3 Purple Hairstreak
2 Brimstone
1 Silver-spotted Skipper
Summary:
424 butterflies from 13 species.
For more info on these species visit
butterfly-conservation.org

Butterfly of the week

Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma) – the rare speedy sunlover

A scarce UK butterfly, found only on a handful of warm, south-facing chalk grassland sites in southern England.
One of the fastest butterflies in the country, able to zip away in a blur before you can blink.
Its caterpillars feed exclusively on sheep’s-fescue grass, and the ‘silver spots’ are actually pale gold, best seen when the wings are closed in bright sunlight.

Survey by Brian Gardner, Graham Harris and Liz North
submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS).
Report by GK, BG & AI.

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Breaking records despite cloudy skies

2/8/2025

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GH, LN and BG set out for this week’s transect under muggy, overcast skies – conditions that eventually gave way to bursts of hot sunshine. While the overall count of 436 butterflies was lower than the bumper totals of recent weeks, it still stands well above the average for late July.
Species diversity remained largely unchanged from last week, although numbers were down across the board – perhaps a sign that some of our summer stalwarts are beginning to wane. Still, there’s plenty to celebrate: with 5,809 butterflies recorded so far in this 2025 season (up to week 18 of 26), we’ve officially surpassed the brilliant benchmark set in 2019 (5,783 butterflies) – and we still have weeks to go.
Who knows what surprises August will bring?

Count details:
172 Meadow Brown
137 Gatekeeper
46 Common Blue
19 Small Heath
16 Small White
13 Large White
9 Purple Hairstreak
6 Chalkhill Blue
5 Speckled Wood
4 Silver-washed Fritillary
2 Brown Argus
1 Comma
1 Dingy Skipper
1 Holly Blue
1 Red Admiral
1 Ringlet
1 Small Copper
1 Small/Essex Skipper
Summary: 436 butterflies from 18 species.
For more info on these species visit
butterfly-conservation.org

Out there this week

Small White (Pieris rapae) – more than just a garden guest.

Sometimes called the ‘Cabbage White’, this butterfly is a common sight in gardens and allotments, where its caterpillars feed on cabbages, kale, and other brassicas.
Although often mistaken for the Large White (pictured right), the Small White has subtler wing markings and is more delicate in flight – think of it as the stealthier sibling.
It’s one of the most successful butterfly species globally, found from Europe and Asia to North America and Australasia, thanks to its adaptability and global appetite for leafy greens.