James CBR
@jamescbr.bsky.social
🦋 County Butterfly Recorder (Suffolk) 🦋 Suffolk Naturalists' Society and Butterfly Conservation (Suffolk Branch) 🦋 Committee member BC (Suffolk Branch) 🎓 Former photographer, scientist and teacher, now enjoying early retirement 💍 Happily married
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
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 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'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
REPORT: Long-tailed Blue, 1st Aug 2026. Holland-on-Sea, Essex. @migrantmothuk.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social @jamescbr.bsky.social
Meadow Brown have held up well to the heat where I live. They have a variable number of eyespots on the hindwing - this male has just one. Lesser Knapweed is deep rooted, stays green and has large nectaries, which helps butterflies refuel. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bc-suffolk.bsky.social
So many local butterflies were concentrating on Marjoram in July. Now that it's going over the attention has switched to Ragwort. Here's a recent selection from the wild space in our local cemetery in Lowestoft. @bc-suffolk.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Suffolk Branch is run entirely by volunteers. If we do not have enough volunteers to fulfil various roles then the Branch will cease to exist after 35 years. We now have vacancies in two key roles Branch Chair & Transect Co-ordinator Please see suffolkbutterflies.org.uk for details
Went to Landseer Park in Ipswich hoping to see a Brown Hairstreak. I have never seen Brown Hairstreak before so was very pleased to find one. It showed briefly, long enough to get a quick picture but soon disappeared under leaves and appeared to be ovipositing. #suffolkbutterflies
As my better half was needing a hair trim at her Daughter's in Ipswich I decided to look at Pipers Vale for Brown Hairstreak but it being overcast i tried Landseer Park, Ipswich and got a pristine female on some Blackthorn bushes there whatever the provenance they are my favorite butterfly
There are reports for the south coast of a significant influx of Clouded Yellows. So keep an eye out
@bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social Clouded yellow Brampton Cambridgeshire.
Wall Brown butterflies have been seen recently in Sudbourne Churchyard.
Butterfly Conservation Suffolk@bc-suffolk.bsky.social · 3w agoLast field event of the year Wednesday 22nd July 2026 To look for Wall & Grayling At Sudbourne Church & SWT Captain's Wood Meadow
While numbers for some species are up, this does not seem to be a good year for butterflies where I am ... but perhaps numbers will increase during August @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bc-suffolk.bsky.social
Hot spring may lead to bumper year for butterflies, charity says - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Hot spring may lead to bumper year for butterflies, charity says
A hot and dry spring means a greater variety and more butterflies across the UK, a charity says.
bbc.co.uk
The Big Butterfly Count 2026 is here and butterflies need our help! 🦋 From now until 9 August, spend just 15 minutes outside counting the butterflies you see and help us take nature's pulse. The best part? Anyone, anywhere can take part. Count yourself in 👉 https://butrfli.es/3SVFepj
The Large White had its best year on record in last year’s #BigButterflyCount with a whopping 396,510 records 🥇 Will it be number 1 again this year? Find out by taking part in the Big Butterfly Count from tomorrow! Count yourself in 👉 https://butrfli.es/3SVFepj
3 days until #BigButterflyCount 2026 lifts off! 🦋 The Gatekeeper took third in last year's count with 236,425 sightings. Despite a slight increase from 2024, this butterfly has seen a 22% decline since the count began. With over 80% of UK butterfly species in decline, every single sighting counts.
Small Skipper on blackberry flower buds in a hedgerow on Dunwich Heath, Suffolk #Butterfly #Butterflies #wildlife #ukwildlife #wildlifephotography #nature #naturephotography @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bc-suffolk.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social
Scarce Chaser teneral, photographed recently in the heat. Made a change from butterflies, which were not sitting still anyhow. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social #Dragonfly
Brimstone are emerging. We have 3 buckthorns and, curiously, we seem to have more females hatching than males. They're in no hurry to get going and they seldom return, despite us growing their favourite flowers (violet, purple and pink colours). @bc-suffolk.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Today is the start of the Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey! This volunteer scheme monitors butterflies across 1900 randomly allocated 1km squares across the UK. The core survey runs from now until the end of August, providing crucial data on butterflies. Get involved ⬇️ buff.ly/YLnZSVB
The Pieris-whites have a good year on Dutch Butterfly Monitoring transects, esp. Large White (photo), Small White and Southern Small White have higher than average numbers at the end of June. The combination of enough rain a few weeks ago and Sunshine benefits these widespread butterflies.
Fresher than a daisy! From today's @suffolk-nats1929.bsky.social visit to Creeting St Mary #Suffolk here's the required photo of a Painted Lady #butterfly, this one on Ox-eye Daisies. Other butterflies on other plans were also available. @bc-suffolk.bsky.social
Hopefully they will come over to us in the UK. It hasn't been a good year for them - yet. Lots of Painted Lady though, one of the best years for them.
Chris van Swaay@chrisvanswaay.eurosky.social · last mo.Good numbers of Red Admirals (V atalanta) on Dutch Butterfly Monitoring transects. The combination of enough rain in spring and hot weather now is clearly positive for this nettle feeder.
A joy to join in with #PollinatorPals for #WildFlowerHour tonight as I spend much of my time recording and reporting on insect pollinators, particularly butterflies. @bc-suffolk.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Well, we all knew our Swallowtail was special but this confirms it. Unique to the world. Let's protect it some more. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bc-suffolk.bsky.social
Swallowtail and Birdwing Butterfly Trust@sbbtrust.bsky.social · 2mo agoA Whole genome study of the British Swallowtail (Papilio machaon britannicus) has been completed for the first time. The analyses demonstrates that the British Swallowtail butterfly is genetically isolated and distinct from other Papilio machaon populations. doi.org/10.1111/icad...
This week’s challenge is #PollinatorPals! Find a flowering wild or naturalised plant with a pollinating visitor & snap away. Of course it’s not just about bees! Butterflies, moths, wasps, flies & beetles can be #pollinators too! Share your pics for #Wildflowerhour Sunday 8-9pm 🪲🦋🪰🐝
We would love to receive any reports of White-letter Hairstreaks. They are a hard species to find but we feel they may be under recorded. Populations were badly effected by Dutch Elm disease as it feeds exclusively on that tree but some Elm does remain mostly in hedgerows. 📷 Iain Leach BC
Ban butterfly-killing pesticides for good ❌ Despite repeated promises to ban them, the UK Government has quietly granted yet another 'emergency' license to spray butterfly-killing pesticides across our fields this summer.
