A slow night (to windy) saved by my 2nd Striped Hawk-moth, also pic of Gypsy Moth by torchlight & Coleophora versurella for lovers of the small & obscure, NFY was a brief visit from a Clouded Yellow during the day
Butterfly Conservation Suffolk
@bc-suffolk.bsky.social
The official Suffolk Branch of Butterfly Conservation - the national charity aiming to save butterflies, moths, theirs & our environment! https://www.suffolkbutterflies.org.uk/
We estimate we will need at least £500,000 for the initial response and two years of intensive work. Recovery will focus not only on what has been lost, but on creating a more resilient landscape that can better withstand future climate change, drought, wildfire and coastal change.
After the devastating wildfire at Dunwich Heath, plans for recovery are underway and your donations are helping make that possible. We've raised over £350,000 already thanks to your generosity.
From Landguard, First site record of Clay Triple-lines which is a common species in areas of Beech Woodland that has not visited before.
Landguard Bird Observatory @landguardbo.bsky.social · 8h ago
Its week 19, August already! If you're off on your hols and someone is covering your transect, make sure they are linked to it on the UKBMS website so they can enter data and are signed up to Assemble. UKBMS website: buff.ly/ndO4Aob Assemble: buff.ly/LIF7yMF
Common Blue on Birds Foot Trefoil on Gallows Field, Dunwich, Suffolk #Butterfly #Butterflies #wildlife #ukwildlife #wildlifephotography #nature #naturephotography @bc-suffolk.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social
Landguard bird Observatory this morning little bird wise but it was pleasing to see 2 of the 3 Spurge Hawkmoths and best a Striped Hawkmoth. At Marsh Lane Felixstowe 3 Southern migrant Hawkers were patrolling along the track with 1 Brown Hawker 1 Southern Hawker and several Ruddy Darters seen
Meadow Brown lift-off. My first ever in-flight photography session with butterflies. Yesterday at Lound Lakes in Suffolk. Some tweaks needed for the next time but I am very happy with how the Olympus pro-capture mode worked. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bc-suffolk.bsky.social
Its been another record year for Silver-studded Blue at Studland NNR with total count of 2164, just beating 2024. That's nearly a 12 fold increase over 16 years. The huge rise with little management is a puzzle and is explored in our paper dispar.org/reference.ph.... @ukbms.bsky.social
We launched a war on nature. Now we are in a climate warzone | Rebecca Solnit
We launched a war on nature. Now we are in a climate warzone | Rebecca Solnit
Summer is not what it once was. We have been robbed of one of life’s great joys
theguardian.com
Sub-surface Pacific temperatures are now warmer than ever recorded having exceeded 1997's peak by 0.36°C. Further warming is still likely before they peak, little doubt now that this will be the strongest El Nino event in recorded history.
Southern England experienced its "driest month ever recorded" in July, the Met Office said, noting that records dated back to 1836. England saw 6.5mm of rainfall 10% of its usual average and less than half of the record of 13.4mm, set in 1911 www.euronews.com/my-europe/20... #ClimateEmergency
England and Wales record driest July on record, Met Office says
Southern England experienced its "driest month ever recorded" in July, the Met Office added, noting that records dated back to 1836. #EuropeNews
euronews.com
A rather faded and tatty purple hairstreak in Pipers Vale, Suffolk today. Only gave me a second or two perched.. #ukbutterflies
Landguard: 38 Species in our 3 moth traps last night, certainly numbers we would expect to see in October let alone in the middle of summer, mainly due to this extended drought. This is the rather bright looking Ruby Tiger, we get around 6 each year, for what is quite a common garden species.
Landguard Bird Observatory @landguardbo.bsky.social · 2d agoI think Gatekeeper had a good year down here, less so Meadow Brown and even lease so Ringlet which likes damper conditions. Ditto Green-veined White which have been more or less non existent. We lost Small Tortoiseshell years ago due to the hotter summers (I assume)
James CBR@jamescbr.bsky.social · 2d agoIt is sobering, isn't it? Many of my local browns are surviving well, except Speckled Wood and Ringlet but I fear for Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral larvae. Just as ST started to pick up following last year's good numbers, the drought is looking set to wipe many out, even on the marshes.
We look back at the 2026 Butterfly season with less than 20% of season remaining in terms of butterfly numbers. 11 species had their best or 2nd best summers ever with representatives from every family. Gatekeeper for the Browns but it was also very much a Vanessid, Lycaenid and Pierid summer.
It is sobering, isn't it? Many of my local browns are surviving well, except Speckled Wood and Ringlet but I fear for Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral larvae. Just as ST started to pick up following last year's good numbers, the drought is looking set to wipe many out, even on the marshes.
We're recruiting a Transect Coordinator for Suffolk. Help support and inspire local Transect Surveyors while gaining experience in monitoring methods and local butterfly populations. More info here - volunteer.butterfly-conservation.org/opportunitie... @bc-suffolk.bsky.social
Transect Coordinator (Suffolk)
Transect Coordinators help to support and promote butterfly transect recording in their area as part of the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS). They help us to understand butterfly populations loc...
volunteer.butterfly-conservation.org
Over 3000 observations this year though large whites very low @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bc-suffolk.bsky.social 1500 more needed to equal 2025 @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social
Brown Argus seen on Westleton Heath, Suffolk #Butterfly #Butterflies #wildlife #ukwildlife #wildlifephotography #nature #naturephotography @bc-suffolk.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social
From Landguard, Shore Knot-horn (Gymnancyla canella) is a Nationally Scarce species living on Prickly Saltwort. Numbers here vary greatly year to year.
Landguard Bird Observatory @landguardbo.bsky.social · 3d ago
Apologies if Norfolk/Suffolk/Cambs moth websites are running slow. It’s very busy on the websites at the moment, and unfortunately the CPU on one of the server banks has had enough! Not helped by Googlebots spamming the site (now blocked) hopefully things should improve. Thanks for your patience.
New paper out 😊 besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Plant species richness is key for restoring grassland butterfly assemblages
The results indicate that successful restoration of grassland vegetation and butterflies is strongly linked. To fully restore target butterfly assemblages, future grassland restoration should aim to ....
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
My final survey of the spring/summer was a WCBS visit to Brantham this morning. 94 butterflies of 12 species, both personal August highs. Highlight a helice female Clouded Yellow. Spent the afternoon with my mum then saw Black Stork at Hemley on my way home!
Banana Moth Opogona sacchari - New for Norfolk Trapped by David Bratt at Fakenham 2025, but not verified until a second specimen trapped by Steve West at Walpole Highway in July 2026. (Gen. Det. Male. D. Appleton) #norfolkmoths More Info… applewildlife.co.uk norfolkmoths.co.uk/micros.php?bf=2780
Painted Lady on blackberry flowers in a hedgerow near Dunwich, Suffolk #Butterfly #Butterflies #wildlife #ukwildlife #wildlifephotography #nature #naturephotography @bc-suffolk.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social
Bordeaux, France, has now recorded more days above 40°C in 2026 alone than during the entire 105-year period from 1920 (when observations began) to 2025. This is deeply shocking.
REPORT: Long-tailed Blue, 1st Aug 2026. Holland-on-Sea, Essex. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social @jamescbr.bsky.social