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

Always happy for extra excuses to spend time enjoying butterflies - thank you #BigButterflyCount! Did a 15 min count at my allotment - 7 species seen. Large & Small White, Gatekeeper, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Peacock & (too quick for pic) Silver Y moth. Lovely. 🦋 @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

Lesser Emperor & Clouded Yellow at Silverlake, Knighton Reserve (Dorset) 28/7/26 #ukdragonfly #ukbutterfly #ukwildlife #uknature @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social

Durlston today - Probably one of the last Lulworth Skippers we will see this year, and 1 of several Clouded Yellows @savebutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

Great day on our Southbourne Seafront transect supporting @savebutterflies.bsky.social Big Butterfly Count. Nice to show visitors the Clouded Yellows zipping along the undercliff. Thanks to all who helped with the display 😀 @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @ukbms.bsky.social

My 2 Wider Countryside butterfly recording squares on Lulworth Army ranges felt like the end of days, with brown grass and very few butterflies left. Just the odd Meadow Brown, Wall, Small Heath +whites in 4 km. And one very worn Lulworth Skipper @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @ukbms.bsky.social

Jersey Tiger Moth in central Bournemouth yesterday @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

I 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 ago

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.

A nice mix of migrants amongst the 222/88 in the Upton garden traps this morning, incl'g Ni Moth, a striking Small Marbled, Vestal, Bordered Straw, Turnip Moth, 4 SM Willow, 11 Silver Y, 6 RDP, 6 Rush Veneer, Diamondback & Euro Corn-borer #TeamMoth @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

Clouded Yellows were abundant at last weeks open day at Alners Gorse, over 25 seen, including this helice (white form) female laying eggs on tiny Bird’s-foot-trefoil plants in an area we cleared of conifers a few years ago @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Butterflies around Throop, Dorset yesterday Holly Blue | Brown Argus | Small White | Comma Caterpillars @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

A Lulworth Skipper in Clayton Meadow, Dorset. The Field Scabious are still flowering and providing feeding spots for butterflies despite the heatwave. #butterflies #BigButterflyCount #wildflowers @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social #DorsetWildlife #conservation #meadows

One less Gatekeeper thanks to this dragonfly, which may be a female Keeled Skimmer (but it was quite black as opposed to normal yellow colour). Taken on Studland Heath, Dorset @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

My moth trap was massively out-competed by the moon but a fluffy Sallow Kitten made up for low numbers. Fun unexpected visitors were a gorgeous green non-biting midge (? ID welcome) & LOADS of adorable Lesser Water Boatmen. @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social #teammoth #insects

If you haven't already, there's still plenty of time to let us know how butterflies and moths are faring where you live. Already done a count? Do another! There is no limit to the number of counts you can do between now and Sunday 9 August. Get counting 👉 butrfli.es/3SVFepj

An incredible 60,000 citizen scientists have taken part in the #BigButterflyCount so far. Thank you! 💚🦋 Together, you have recorded over 900,000 butterflies and moths across the UK, with the Gatekeeper currently in top position. 📷: Megan Lowe

Fab to see lots of Silver Y moths at my allotment nectaring on Dianthus - the long proboscis probing deep. Not an unusual moth but often only seen as a blur with its speedy flight & buzzing wings. Was a treat to get such good views. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social #teammoth

Clouded Yellows are almost a daily event in our inland Dorset garden. This one on buddleia 'White Profusion', really lovely to see.

A second brood Dingy Skipper on south Dorset coast. It will be interesting to see how many took the risk of a second brood, especially as most food plant is now very shrivelled and surely cannot support their larvae? @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

Excellent Marvellous Moths event at Sandy Hill Arts at Corfe Castle this morning. Highlight was a Rosy Underwing and an Old Lady enjoyed by one of the many children who were wowed by all the moths @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

STOP PRESS (again): first Silver-spotted Skipper sighting of the year at Fontmell, breaking the previous early record by 2 days! 2026 will go down as an exceptional year, but is this the new normal with the climate crisis? www.dorsetbutterflies.com/2026/07/silv...

Silver-spotted Skipper at Fontmell Down

24/07/2026 A wonderful photo of a Silver-spotted Skipper feeding on a Field Scabious. This is the first sighting of the year in Dorset and 2 days earlier than ever before. 24/07/2026 Same butterfly…

dorsetbutterflies.com

Dingy mocha in a friends house in Colehill yesterday. Not the best pic as didn’t have my camera to hand, but encouraging to see one here, I’m guessing probably from the nearby Cannon hill plantation or Holt Heath? @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social #teammoth

Lepidoptera were much in evidence at St Aldhelm's Head this morning, with 4 Clouded Yellows noted (incl'g an almost pure white 'helice' ind), plus several Wall & Marbled White, amongst a horde of browns & whites, whilst 9 Hummingbird Hawkmoths was a patch record count @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

Plenty of chalkhill blues at Badbury Rings in Dorset today. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Loads of hummingbird hawkmoths at in the gardens @nationaltrust.org.uk Kingston Lacey today. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

Bordered Straw, Scarce Bordered Straw and my first Eastern Bordered Straw last night - West Dorset (VC9). Other migrant species included Olive-tree Pearl, Small Mottled Willow and more. @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social #TeamMoth

Fantastic mothing on our Alners Gorse reserve. Several new species to the reserve which holds 800+ sp. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

STOP PRESS: Queen of Spain seen near Wareham www.dorsetbutterflies.com/2026/07/quee...

Queen of Spain Fritillary near Wareham

24/07/26 A very rare sighting seen in a private field near Wareham of a Queen of Spain Fritillary feeding on clover.

dorsetbutterflies.com

Don’t forget the Alners Gorse reserve open day is coming up this Saturday with @martinswarren@btinternet.com. Lots of Clouded Yellows have been seen as well as 3sp Hairstreak. Booking essential www.dorsetbutterflies.com/events/

Events

Please book with the event leader in advance – anytime up to the afternoon before the event. Please include your mobile phone number and email address, as we may have to contact you if number…

dorsetbutterflies.com

Thrilled to find marsh fritillary larval webs at Lyscombe today! Confirmed breeding at the reserve 😀 @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social