Finding Heath Fritillary larvae feeding exclusively on Foxglove was another highlight of the recent Greenwings butterfly tour in northern & central Spain. We didn't see any adults (too early) but all attendees really appreciated this dimension to butterfly-watching!

A superb finale to the Greenwings butterfly tour in northern & central Spain with the butterflies 'playing ball', especially Iberian Scarce Swallowtail that seemed particularly fond of Blackthorn blossom, with a few females found egg-laying.

I've been hoping for a side-by-side photo of an Orange-tip and Provence Orange-tip (Anthocharis euphenoides) on the Greenwings northern & central Spain tour, but this will have to do for now - a male one one if its larval food plants - a species of Biscutella!

Guests on the Greenwings northern & central Spain tour also enjoyed watching a Swallowtail 'sniff out' some Fennel before laying, with 6 eggs found in total.

An emphasis of the Greenwings northern & central Spain tour is helping guests understand the ecology of the species they're seeing, including the food plants being used. Finding Spring Ringlets laying on Sheep's-fescue has been a particular highlight.

Really enjoying co-leading the Greenwings butterfly tour in northern & central Spain with Dr. Simon Spencer and Max Anderson. Lots of specialties seen, including Spanish Greenish Black-tip, Spanish Festoon, Iberian Scarce Swallowtail, Iberian Sooty Copper and Panoptes Blue.

Peter Eeles UK Butterflies talking about British & Irish Rarities.
Black-veined white butterfly now extinct & likely a victim of climate change. Mild wet winter conditions causing disease in highly susceptible overwintering caterpillars.
BENHS
ukbutterflies.co.uk/index.php

Bookings are open for the Butterfly Conservation 🦋 UK Butterfly Recorders' Meeting. The programme is being finalised and will be published soon! In the meantime you can book your place here butterfly-conservation.org/butterflies/uk… image courtesy of Peter Eeles UK Butterflies

Admiral, Vanessa atalanta. Here you can see the wing underside including a wing vein. A little softer this time due to even more diffusion of the light, but hard enough to see that the vein has a smooth shiny surface.

#wingscale #wingscale s #butterfly #lepidoptera …

It's good to know that, even in this awful weather, larvae are very resilient. Here's a Marsh Fritillary batch seen at North Bull Island, Dublin in 2014 - congregating on grass stems above their submerged foodplant. As Matthew Oates says, 'Never underestimate a caterpillar' 😀

Now is also a good time to locate sallows (broad-leaved willows) with Salix Caprea (Goat Willow) a preferred food plant of the Purple Emperor. The plant is 'dioecious' - yellow male flowers and green female flowers are found on separate trees. Purple Emperor larva in the photo!

Now is a good time to find elms, the larval food plant of the White-letter Hairstreak, as they start to show their distinct flowers and seeds. And yes, there is a caterpillar in this photo!

Sightings of Large Tortoiseshells (Nymphalis polychloros) have increased in the UK in recent years, leading to hopes that this species might be making a comeback. My recent article in Atropos Journal and Books summarises these changes and considers what could be driving them 👇

We have exciting news. Not just one, but *2* brand new & exclusive butterfly tours for summer 2025! 🦋🦋

Serbia 15- 23 June. Serbia’s nature is amongst the most intact in Europe with breathtaking scenery & many superb butterflies, including the much sought-after False Comma!

Congratulations to Mark Searle, winner of the 2023 UK Butterflies Annual Photography Competition! Mark wins a copy of British & Irish Butterfly Rarities, donated by Greenwings . Thanks to all the competitors - all of the winning entries can be seen at ukbutterflies.co.uk/competition_al…

If you haven't got a copy of Peter Eeles' new book British & Irish Butterfly Rarities bit.ly/3kBpx5w check out this great review from the Royal Entomologic Society - see the review here bit.ly/3Nb60EH BC Upper Thames Butterfly Conservation 🦋 UK Butterflies BBO Wildlife Trust

The competition will now close this Sunday, December 3rd. Good luck!

Order our 2 best-selling butterfly books before January and save £££s - See @Naturerbureau's special Christmas offer on Peter Eeles' Butterfly Life Cycles & his new Butterfly Rarities bit.ly/3QJ4WZl Butterfly Conservation 🦋 Zoe Randle BBO Wildlife Trust BC Upper Thames UK Butterflies

Just finishing up a presentation I'll be delivering soon at BC events for Upper Thames & Sussex branches. I couldn't resist including these quotes from the great E.B. Ford. Published in 1945, it answers the questions around migrants arriving unscathed, and remaining in one area.

Phillip wells Great find - there have been several sightings of American Painted Lady in the UK over recent years, mostly in Sept/Oct. This rare migrant is featured in Peter Eeles recently published Butterfly Rarities book bit.ly/3kBpx5w UK Butterflies Butterfly Conservation 🦋 Cornwall Butterfly Conservation