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| Welcome to UK Butterflies! The UK Butterflies website provides information on all of the butterfly species found in the British Isles, including those that are extinct or migrants. This website is open to anyone wishing to contribute - click here to find out how you can help! Finally, the many website features can be accessed using the drop-down menus found at the top of each page. "www.ukbutterflies.co.uk is the essential and most comprehensive website on British butterflies. Its inspiring pages provide beautiful images, news and information about butterflies for everyone who is interested in them." - Jeremy Thomas and Richard Lewington, The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland. "How do you start butterfly-watching? The website UK Butterflies is a great help on identification." - Simon Barnes, Times Online
| UK Butterflies Outstanding Contribution Award | Posted: 12-Jul-11 | |  | I'm delighted to announce that Guy Padfield is the recipient of this year's UK Butterflies Outstanding Contribution Award. Guy was presented with his award in his adopted country of Switzerland by last year's winners, Gary and Lisa Richardson. Guy received a copy of "Ecology of Butterflies in Europe" in recognition of the specific contribution Guy has made in fostering an interest in European butterflies through both UK Butterflies and his superb personal website at www.guypadfield.com - Pete Eeles | | | Big Butterfly Count | Posted: 07-Jul-11 | | The Big Butterfly Count is about more than just counting butterflies – we’ll be taking the pulse of nature. - Sir David Attenborough, Butterfly Conservation President. Yes folks, the Big Butterfly Count is back, and we encourage you to take part. Butterflies are disappearing at an alarming rate. Their decline reveals the poor health of our environment. Take part in this nationwide survey and help Butterfly Conservation revive the countryside. Click here for more information.  | | | Insects of the New Forest - a Review | Posted: 19-Jun-11 | |  | From the publisher: Packed with over 1600 stunning images, this unique photographic guide is the first book on the fascinating range of insects in the New Forest and surrounding area. The New Forest National Park is one of Britain’s richest areas for insects, with an estimated 63% of the UK species. This guide will appeal not only to experts and wildlife-enthusiasts of all ages living in or visiting the New Forest, but also those throughout the UK and abroad. The photographs include behavioural images and are accompanied by a concise text with key information and locations in which to identify, enjoy and photograph these insects. Around 1300 species are included, with full coverage of butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies, shieldbugs, grasshoppers and related insects, amongst others. Sections on the history of entomology in the New Forest and information on different habitats are also included.. Click here to read the review. | | | The Large Blue Blog is Back! | Posted: 30-May-11 | |  | As we run up to the start of the Large Blue season, visitors should take a look at the Large Blue Blog which provides regular updates of activities, sightings and other information from Collard Hill in Somerset, the only open access site. Over 30,000 eggs were laid at Collard Hill last year and a good emergence is expected. Also note the excellent article by Dave Simcox which provides some background on the introduction. Finally, the Large Blue hotline is back on 07824 820193 which also provides regular updates. | | | 2011 Photography Workshop | Posted: 23-May-11 | |  | Another excellent day that brought many UKB members together. Thanks to Roger Buchanan, Gary Richardson, John Bogle, Brian Fletcher and Chris Manley for presenting. The event raised £433.50 for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight branch of Butterfly Conservation. Also, a big thanks go to John Rees for donating a copy of Photoshop Elements 9 which was raffled off. | | | UK Butterflies on Twitter and Facebook | Posted: 01-Apr-11 | |  | Regular visitors to the website might have noticed that UK Butterflies is now on Twitter and Facebook. In simple terms, these are additional mechanisms that will allow us to reach out to a broader community. Rest assured that there is no information posted on these media that isn't on the main UK Butterflies website. However, a real benefit is that it's much easier to make minor announcements, which you'll find in the "Recent Tweets" listing on the UK Butterflies home page. Consider this enhancement to be moving with the times! | | | New Calendar Facility | Posted: 01-Apr-11 | |  | UK Butterflies now includes a calendar facility that allows members to plan events where we can meet up. It also allows us to publicise events where UK Butterflies will be in attendance. This facility is part of the forums mechanism, so you'll need to sign up here before you can join in. All events are summarised on the UK Butterflies home page in the "Upcoming Events" listing. | | | Trip Report from North East Spain | Posted: 30-Jan-11 | |  | This report provides a summary of the butterflies and moths observed on a trip made to north-east Spain from 19th to 26th June 2010. Click here to read the report. | | | The Guardian Recognises a Butterfly Classic | Posted: 13-Dec-10 | |  | On Saturday 11th December, Stephen Moss of the Guardian lists several notable natural history books from 2010. An eclectic mix ranging from birds to weeds to hares to, of course, butterflies. Patrick Barkham's excellent The Butterfly Isles receives a notable mention, with the Nature Book of 2010 being awarded to the classic The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland by Jeremy Thomas and Richard Lewington. If you weren't sure what to buy your loved one for Christmas, you do now! | | | A Butterfly Year - a Review | Posted: 08-Dec-10 | |  | From the author: I spent six months in 2010, travelling from the south coast of England to western Scotland, capturing the fifty eight breeding butterfly species of mainland Britain on film. This personal account shows these fascinating and colourful insects, all filmed on location in Britain, using a broadcast quality digital video format. Click here to read the review. | | | Butterfly Conservation Donation | Posted: 07-Dec-10 | |  | Due, once again, to the hard work of Gary and Lisa Richardson, UK Butterflies has donated £1436.56 to Butterfly Conservation. This figure represents the profit made through the sale of the UK Butterflies calendar, books and prints. Thanks also go to UK Butterflies sponsor, WildGuides, who allowed us to sell some of their books at a tremendous discount, as well as Richard Lewington who also provided books and prints for us to sell. This is an impressive sum given the economic climate and many thanks to everyone that parted with their cash! | | | 2010 Annual Photography Competition | Posted: 04-Nov-10 | |  | Congratulations to Phil Corley on winning the 2010 UK Butterflies Photography Competition with an amazing shot of a newly-emerged Silver-studded Blue attended by ants. The entries were judged by Pete Eeles, Gary Richardson and Maurice Pugh. Phil wins an autographed copy of the new edition of Britain's Butterflies, kindly donated by UK Butterflies sponsor, WildGuides. Congratulations also to the winners of each category as well as those in 2nd and 3rd places, and thanks to everyone who entered. Click here to see all of the entries and winning shots. | | | New Biology Section! | Posted: 20-Oct-10 | |  | A new biology section has been added to the UK Butterflies website, accessed from the main menus! The first article focuses on Variation in British Butterflies and covers all manner of subject. Click here to read the first article. This particular article has taken quite a while to produce so we hope you enjoy it and, of course, all feedback is most welcome. | | | Great Spangled Fritillary - a new British record! | Posted: 17-Oct-10 | |  | An article in the British Journal of Entomology and Natural History corrects a misidentification of an historic record. A specimen of the Aphrodite Fritillary (Argynnis aphrodite) that was caught in the UK in 1833 has recently been confirmed as being the similar-looking Great Spangled Fritillary (Argynnis cybele). This is an American species that has not previously been recorded in the British Isles. This correction effectively replaces one species on the British list, represented by a unique adventive specimen, with another species. Click here to go to the species page where a PDF of this article can be downloaded. | | | The Butterfly Isles - a Review | Posted: 17-Oct-10 | |  | From the publisher: Butterflies animate our summers but the 59 species found in the British Isles can be surprisingly elusive. Some bask unseen at the top of trees in London parks; others lurk at the bottom of damp bogs in Scotland. A few survive for months while other ephemeral creatures only fly for three days. Several are virtually extinct. This bewitching book charts Patrick Barkham's quest to find each of them - from the Adonis Blue to the Dingy Skipper - in one unforgettable summer. Wry, attentive, full of infectious delight and curiosity, written with a beautifully light touch, The Butterfly Isles will become a classic of British nature writing. Click here to read the review. | | | Britain's Butterflies - a Review | Posted: 17-Oct-10 | |  | From the publisher: A comprehensive photographic field guide to the butterflies of Britain and Ireland. This completely revised second edition covers in detail the identification of all 59 butterfly species that currently breed, as well as the four former breeders, nine rare migrants and one species with unknown status. The innovative easy-to-use format aims to help the butterfly-watcher – beginner or expert – to identify any species they encounter. Click here to read the review. | | | Geoff Martin Interview | Posted: 03-Oct-10 | |  | An interview with Geoff Martin, Lepidoptera Collections Manager, British Museum of Natural History, is now available. The interview provides insights into Geoff's background and, especially, the work of the museum in preserving our national heritage. Click here for details. | | | A Brief History of British Butterflies | Posted: 24-Aug-10 | |  | Every now and again I re-read a favourite butterfly book, the most recent being E.B. Ford's classic Butterflies, first published in 1945 as part of Collins' New Naturalist series. The first chapter of Butterflies is dedicated to "The History of British Butterfly Collecting" and traces the first mention of various species in the British Isles. Much has been learned since Butterflies was first published and more-recent works have brought new discoveries to light in terms of the first mention of British species. The purpose of this article is to bring together, in chronological order, the information that can be gleaned from these publications. - Pete Eeles | | | British Butterflies - a History in Books, a Review | Posted: 08-Aug-10 | |  | From the publisher: This book is the first to trace the 400-year history of books about British butterflies. From Thomas Moffett’s The Theatre of Insects of 1634, through to the mass of modern-day guides and scientific works, some 600 titles are featured. The whole spectrum of butterfly-related literature is covered, from the earliest discovery and naming of butterflies in the British Isles to contemporary scientific works on ecology and conservation. The book is illustrated with reproductions of fine prints from old butterfly and insect books, many in colour, along with photographs showing styles of typical bindings and book design. Click here to read the review. | | | Butterflies - Messages from Psyche, a Review | Posted: 29-Jun-10 | |  | From the publisher: Butterflies – Messages from Psyche explores the phenomena of visual perception, illusion and reality, unveiling the tangled web that insects weave as they employ colour and pattern to deceive and confuse their predators. Philip Howse explains how these living tapestries have been designed by evolution to protect insects from their principal predators, which include birds, lizards, monkeys. There are features of owl eyes, snake heads, caterpillars, lizards, wasps, scorpions, birds’ beaks and feathers to be found there. Many butterflies and moths have bizarre combinations of images on their wings and bodies which prompt comparison with the works of art of the surrealists, such as Magritte and Dali. Many of the signs and symbols also resonate within the human psyche, surfacing in our art, architecture, stories and legends. Click here to read the review. | | | The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland - a Review | Posted: 04-May-10 | | | | From the Publisher: The Butterflies of Britain & Ireland is an authoritative account of our butterflies, accessibly written and beautifully illustrated. First published in 1991, it sold out in the early 1990s and was never reprinted. This completely revised edition includes substantially revised species accounts, all including the latest information and research. It also contains nearly 100 new artworks painted by Richard Lewington. It provides comprehensive coverage of all the resident and migratory butterflies found in Great Britain and Ireland, including the latest information on newly discovered species such as Réal’s Wood White and the Geranium Bronze. Click here to read the review. | | | UK Butterflies Outstanding Contribution Award | Posted: 04-May-10 | |  | I'm delighted to announce that Gary and Lisa Richardson are the recipients of the first UK Butterflies Outstanding Contribution Award, as announced at the UK Butterflies Photography Workshop. They receive an autographed copy of Richard Tratt's wonderful "Butterfly Landscapes". Gary and Lisa undertake the 1.5km transect at Danebury Hill each year, organise the annual UK Butterflies photography workshop, organise the UK Butterflies/Butterfly Conservation calendar, and attend several annual events on behalf of UK Butterflies (such as the AES Exhibition and Butterfly Conservation AGM) where they sell their selection of greetings cards and prints. Of the £1709.46 donated by UK Butterflies to Butterfly Conservation last year, over £1500 of that was down to their efforts. All in all, very deserving winners. - Pete Eeles | | | Richard Lewington Interview | Posted: 07-Apr-10 | |  | Unless you've been hiding in a cupboard for the last 20 years, you can't have failed to come across Richard Lewington's artistic talents in a plethora of natural history works, including The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland (with Jeremy Thomas), the Collins Butterfly Guide (with Tom Tolman), The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland (with Maitland Emmet and John Heath) and the Field Guide to the Moths of Great Britain and Ireland (with Paul Waring and Martin Townsend). I met up with Richard at the end of March and asked him several burning questions of my own, as well as those from the UK Butterflies community. Click here to read the interview. - Pete Eeles | |
|  | Recent Tweets |  | RT @savebutterflies: More sunshine. If you've got 15 minutes to spare today get outside and count some butterflies #butterflycount
24-Jul-11 1:41 PM GMT@hen4 Definitely Dark Green Fritillary (and a male at that!).
24-Jul-11 1:36 PM GMT Great trip report by Michael Field from south west Bulgaria. http://t.co/cQWbWSr
21-Jul-11 9:11 PM GMT Congrats to John Bogle, Andy Brown and Phil Bromley - the top 3 in the June 2011 photo comp. http://t.co/5lS1d21
21-Jul-11 2:23 PM GMT New species of wood white (the Cryptic Wood White) discovered, replacing Réal's Wood White found in Northern Ireland. http://t.co/HP5R2Rc
13-Jul-11 5:04 PM GMT |  | |  | |
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