All observations by Andy Horton, unless stated otherwise.

Sussex Butterfly Reports (Butterfly Conservation Society)
UK Butterflies: Sightings
Adur Moths
Adur Butterfly Flight Times
Adur Butterflies: First Dates
Adur Skippers

WILDLIFE REPORTS
(Narrative):
 

Butterfly List 2010

10 -13 November 2009
Continual poor weather with rain means I think we have seen the last of the butterflies for the year, the complete demise after the first few days of November as in previous years since 2003.

9 November 2009
As expected it was almost a complete miss for butterflies on Mill Hill, but in the north-west corner of Mill Hill Nature Reserve I almost stumbled over a Clouded Yellow Butterfly which fluttered on to the Old Erringham pasture and when I almost trod on it it flew over the Hawthorn scrub in the direction of the lower slopes of Mill Hill. It was only positive butterfly sighting of the day and the last butterfly of the year.

7 - 8 November 2009
After the torrential rain starting in the afternoon and continuing throughout the night and into all the morning with a few remissions, I would not be surprised if I do not see any more butterflies this year, unless a spell of sunshine or disturbance entices out a Red Admiral. It was too damp for a visit to Mill Hill.

7 November 2009
A Red Admiral flew around the eaves in West Street in Shoreham town centre and I assume that this was the one seen before on three or four occasions. Another Red Admiral flew over the Dovecote Estate, north-west Shoreham.

5 November 2009
I found  60+ Large White Butterfly caterpillars feeding on four Brussels Sprouts and Broccoli plants in a garden near Mill Hill. There were a wide range of instars but it seems rather late in the year.

A Red Admiral flew near some Ivy on the Bridlepath to the west of Hoe Cottage, Lancing (on the way from the Sussex Pad to Lancing Ring).

4 November 2009
Another white butterfly flew near St. Michael's Church, Southwick, but again it was too far away to determine which out of three possible species (it wasn't large enough for a female Brimstone). Later there was just the one Clouded Yellow was seen at the northern end of the lower slopes of Mill Hill, visiting Devil's Bit Scabious in the early afternoon, before the black clouds produced a torrential downpour. This Clouded Yellow was very lively and flew rapidly over the Hawthorn scrub to the brow of the hill.

2 November 2009
It appeared to be a Large White Butterfly that fluttered over the top of Buckingham Road, Shoreham (in front of White Lodge), but I could not get close enough to see for sure to make it the first time this species has been recorded in November in these Nature Notes pages. When the sun emerged from from behind the frequent clouds a Peacock Butterfly emerged from hibernation by the Ivy on the edge of the Pixie Path, looking slightly tatty and this was the first time this species has been seen in November. There was also a possible Speckled Wood flying high over the path.
 

On Mill Hill, a Clouded Yellow was the first butterfly to be seen. There were three on the lower slopes including a yellow one mating with a helice type (female) which was white with black markings on the upper wing and creamy yellow on the underside. The was the first time I had seen this butterfly actually copulating, which occurred over the Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa, slopes just over the path. The Clouded Yellow Butterflies usually appear with their wings closed, but it has been reported that the wings actually open and close faster than the human eye can observe, and in the photograph above, I surmise pre-mating sequence of about a second, that the wings open and close at a slower rate. A further Clouded Yellow was seen on the upper slopes by the Reservoir, the last butterfly seen in the afternoon. This one was teased on to my finger as it appeared slightly lethargic.
Clouded Yellow Butterfly (Link to a recommended photograph by Dave Appleton)

Pre-mating, female Clouded Yellows (as well as Berger's and Pale Clouded) may hold their wings open for some considerable time (up to a minute) and males will attend them with wings half-open.

A few minutes afterwards the first female Common Blue visited a Hawkbit and then the single Devil's Bit Scabious flower. This was the first of three females and a tatty male (or indeterminate) Common Blue. This species was another first for November. The Adonis Blues were not seen.
Adur Butterfly Flight Times
Three species plus a probable

30 October 2009
A Red Admiral flew over the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham.

29 October 2009
The Indian summer resumes (15.5 °C at midday) and I visited Mill Hill directly through the Dovecote Estate, where at the top of the estate in Chanctonbury Drive (SE of the Mill Hill Bridge) amongst the fallen Sycamore leaves on the grass patch, a damaged Painted Lady Butterfly seemed incapable of flying long distances but was able to flutter out of camera range. With the exiguous supply of nectar flowers on Mill Hill, the seven other butterflies were very lively indeed fluttering from Devil's Bit Scabious (two flowers) to Hawkbits and away on the breeze. There were two male Adonis Blues, two Common Blues (one faded male and a very faded female), and a bright yellow Clouded Yellow on the lower slopes, and another Clouded Yellow (last butterfly of the day) above the ridge on the top of the hill. A Red Admiral flew strongly over the Hawthorn scrub.
Five species

27 October 2009
Two Red Admirals were seen in the Shoreham residential area.

26 October 2009
I was in an absent-minded reverie enjoying the brief sunshine and not thinking about butterflies when exactly the same Holly Blue Butterfly of the previous day fluttered along the Pixie Path and was later seen in the Butterfly Copse with the slightly aberrant spot or damage on the forewing. A Red Admiral flew over Frampton's Field, and after I turned the corner on the west-east stretch of the footpath that runs parallel with the A27, a very faded pale Clouded Yellow Butterfly flew past. Less than a minute later on the same part of the Pixie Path an extremely bright Clouded Yellow flew over the chestnut fencing into Frampton's Field. I thought I was going to draw a complete blank on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, when a pure white black lined Clouded Yellow fluttered rapidly past. This was the first time I had seen a completely white one and I have identified this as a female Clouded Yellow var. Helice, which would be a first for Mill Hill. (It could have been a rarer Pale Clouded Yellow or even a Berger's Clouded Yellow?).
2006 records of Helice variants

Then to my surprise a nearly new iridescent male Adonis Blue was spotted on a single Devil's Bit Scabious flower its presence preventing a female Common Blue from landing. This particular Common Blue was marked very much like a Brown Argus, and I chased it around until it settled with its wings closed so I could confirm its identity from its spots. A few minutes later a completely brown, tatty, and more obvious female Common Blue showed. The Adonis Blue was seen to visit the sparse collection of nectar flowers favouring a Stemless Thistle but also landing on the small Hawkbits and one Lesser Centaury. Then another bright Clouded Yellow flew northwards.
 

The iridescence was quickly noticeable when the Adonis Blue was first spotted	The Adonis Blue repeatedly returned to the Stemless Thistle	The Holly Blue had distinctive markings and would not settle for a second

The Waterworks Road added a Red Admiral and a Small White. The Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath in the early afternoon, after the sun had disappeared behind the clouds, produced just the one Painted Lady on Ivy. There were three Red Admirals in Shoreham town, the last butterfly of the day rising high into a Fir tree in St. Mary de Haura Churchyard in the fading light of approaching dusk..
Seven species plus the variant

25 October 2009
A Holly Blue Butterfly fluttering around the Holly and Ivy in the Butterfly Copse next to the Waterworks Road surprised me. As I attempted to get a photograph before the numerous Common Wasps disturbed the butterfly a Speckled Wood appeared. Three Red Admirals were seen in Shoreham town and a Small White along the towpath to Cuckoo's Corner. The Red Admiral in West Street, Shoreham, was the last of the day in the early afternoon.
Four species

23 October 2009
With the first mushrooms after the rain and an autumnal feel under a cloudy sky, I was already looking for the last butterfly of the year, and one was not found until the very last Ivy bush next to the Pixie Path bordering on Mill Hill Road before the bridge over the A27. It was a good condition Red Admiral.

21 October 2009
No butterflies were seen in Old Shoreham on a cloudy day, but there was a Vapourer Moth fluttering at low level over the towpath just north of the Toll Bridge.

18 October 2009
Just after midday on a sunny but cool day under a blue sky of cumulus clouds, two male Common Blues fluttered between the small Hawkbits that decorated the northern part of the lower slopes of Mill Hill. It was a passage trip and I only stayed for long enough to discover that the Devil's Bits Scabious was no longer in flower and I could not even find the remnants of the last flowering clump. The first Clouded Yellow flew by. On the verges of the path as it entered the Hawthorn scrub a Speckled Wood fluttered over the short grass, and above a Peacock Butterfly glided over the Clematis covered shrubbery. By the gate to Old Erringham, another Clouded Yellow visited a Small Scabious that had turned white and the third one of the day fluttered over the unoccupied pasture. The middle slopes and top meadows and plateau were devoid of butterflies until I cycled down trip on the Pixie Path and disturbed a Red Admiral.
In Shoreham town I examined the Ivy in the twitten between Ropetackle and Victoria Road and found it covered in Drone Flies (a hoverfly) and no butterflies seen in the first two minutes and I only spotted a good condition Painted Lady resting on an Ivy leaf at the last moment. Over the central town area I added a Red Admiral and later a Large White Butterfly over residential Shoreham.
Seven species

16 October 2009
I had a quick walk around Mill Hill at lunchtime and I saw three Clouded Yellows, one Painted Lady, one Red Admiral and several Small Coppers that were all were flying purposefully and did not land.

A Speckled Wood fluttered in the churchyard of St. Mary de Haura in central New Shoreham. A Large White was seen over Shoreham town.

15 October 2009
Three Large Whites, a Peacock Butterfly and a Vapourer Moth seen in Windlesham Road, fluttered over Shoreham town. A Red Admiral fluttered over the mud flats at Old Shoreham, with another one along the towpath to Cuckoo's Corner with the first Clouded Yellow of the day, a Small White and a Large White. Butterflies were few and far between in the afternoon with two Speckled Woods and another Red Admiral seen on the bridlepath to Lancing Ring from the Sussex Pad. In the main part of the Nature Reserve I spotted a Clouded Yellow flying over the fringes of the dewpond, and just the Red Admiral flying over the unshorn meadows.
Six butterfly species

14 October 2009
Butterflies seen over Old Shoreham on a cloudy afternoon were one Clouded Yellow and four Red Admirals all seen near the River Adur at low tide.

13 October 2009
Butterflies seen over Southwick and Shoreham in the morning were one Clouded Yellow, three Large Whites and two each of Speckled Woods, Painted Ladies and Small Whites. The Clouded Yellow was seen flying across the western approach to Southwick Square and the two Speckled Woods were courting over a Yew sapling in St. Julian's Churchyard, Kingston Buci.

12 October 2009
Life for the declining number of butterflies was beginning to becoming more difficult. The Ivy was still an attractant but everywhere the bushes were dominated by swarms of wasps, bees and flies with the occasional bumblebee and the butterflies if they were able to find a perch it was an even chance that it would be right at the top of the bush. Predatory dragonflies were frequently seen, mostly Common Darters, but also at least one Southern Hawker which I have seen prey on large butterflies (in previous years). A few Garden Orb Spiders, Araneus diadematus, cast their webs amongst the Ivy and Garden Privet hedges. On Mill Hill, nectar plants were few and far between, and for this reason the numbers of each butterfly were problematical and it may have been the same butterfly seen on two occasions and the excluding of these is reflected in the lower number count than actual sightings.
 

Painted Lady	Comma	Clouded Yellow

The first butterfly seen was a Comma amongst the Ivy on the Pixie Path in the late morning before the sun had shined. The first Clouded Yellow of the day flew over the northern part of Frampton's Field and the same one may have been seen at the southern end an hour later. On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, the half dozen male Common Blues visited the small Hawkbits, and quarrelled with the Brown Argus and Small Copper Butterflies over a single clump of Devil's Bits Scabious. On the top meadow of Mill Hill, a Clouded Yellow or two visited a few remaining flowering Greater Knapweed, Hardhead and the flowers of Creeping Thistle. Just the two Meadow Browns; they were not seen until I was about to leave Mill Hill. The Ivy and Buddleia on the railway embankment next to the twitten between Ropetackle and Victoria Road in Shoreham town hosted three Painted Ladies, five Red Admirals, three Large Whites and a Comma.
 

Small White	Dolphin Road in Shoreham 1 (the last butterfly seen in the afternoon)
Large White	Shoreham Town 4  Waterworks Road 1  Pixie Path 1  = 6
Red Admiral	Shoreham Town 6  Downs Link Cyclepath 3  Pixie Path 2  Mill Hill 2 or 3  New Erringham Pasture 1  = 14 or 15
Painted Lady	Shoreham Town 3  Downs Link Cyclepath 1  Pixie Path  5   = 9
Clouded Yellow	Pixie Path  1 or 2  Mill Hill  2 or 4  Old Erringham Pasture 1 New Erringham Pasture 1  = 5 to 8
Speckled Wood	Pixie Path  3  Mill Hill  2  = 5
Meadow Brown	Mill Hill  2 (south of the Reservoir on my return)
Common Blue	Mill Hill  6+  (males on the lower slopes)
Brown Argus	Mill Hill  lower  1 or 2
Wall Brown	Mill Hill upper   1
Small Copper	Mill Hill  1 or 2  (lower slopes)
Comma	Shoreham Town 1  Pixie Path  2  = 3

 Red Admirals were the only butterfly that were numbered in double figures with 14 or 15.
 Twelve species

11 October 2009
On a cloudy day with spots of rain the only butterfly seen was a Painted Lady in Ham Road, Shoreham.

10 October 2009
A quick walk with the dogs this morning up to the top of Mill Hill around 10:00 am, I spotted five Painted Ladies, one Comma, one  Common Blue, one Red Admiral, one Specked Wood, and two Clouded Yellows.

8 October 2009
I was curious to discover how much the inclement weather of the last four days and the rain deluge of the previous day had affected the butterfly populations and if I would see any at all. As I opened my gate in Corbyn Crescent, Shoreham, an unexpected Clouded Yellow Butterfly flew past, skirting the Garden Privet hedges. A promising start was followed by the first of occasional Large Whites seen in the early afternoon, about 15 minutes later by a Red Admiral flying high over Old Shoreham Road, north of the the Swiss Gardens. And then a few minutes after that, the first of three Clouded Yellows and another Red Admiral flying over the Sea Purslane and mud flats at low tide on the River Adur south of the Toll Bridge. Over the Pixie Path, five more Clouded Yellows were seen quite quickly with two courting over some Creeping Thistles in Frampton's Field. The Ivy attracted swarms of wasps, bees and flies and just a few butterflies including two out of four Red Admirals and a Peacock Butterfly. At the top of the Pixie Path the lazy flight of a Small White Butterfly enabled it to be easily identified.
 

Painted Lady	Devil's Bit Scabious	Small Copper

By the time I had reached Mill Hill, the weak sun was beginning to shine out of a blue sky, with the first Speckled Wood and another Red Admiral seen on the steps leading down to the lower slopes from the south. A Silver Y Moth was quickly seen followed by the first of 13 more Clouded Yellows. I ambled down to the northern end of the lower slopes without seeing anything apart from the first of just three Meadow Browns. I sat down by a small patch of Devil's Bit Scabious and waited for the butterflies to come to me. From this vantage point the first Painted Lady of the day settled followed by three Common Blues, two males and a pretty bluish female, two old but intact Small Coppers and two positive views of Brown Argus Butterflies. Another Clouded Yellow was the first one seen to settle this year, but only for a couple of seconds on the Devil's Bit Scabious. Two further Clouded Yellows were seen over Old Erringham pasture from the gate. The Ivy in the north-west of Mill Hill Nature Reserve again attracted swarms of wasps, but also two Peacock Butterflies, three Red Admirals and a Painted Lady. The Hawthorn scrub area added three further Speckled Woods. The top meadows were devoid of butterflies but the breeze-swept open grassy areas added two more Clouded Yellows and a Wall Brown fluttered past and was seen clearly just north of the Reservoir.

On the Downs-Coastal Link Cyclepath in Old Shoreham (south of the Toll Bridge) a single patch of still flowering Buddleia attracted two Painted Ladies, a Peacock, a Large White and a transient passing Holly Blue Butterfly. The Holly Blue was a surprise third brood butterfly. Shoreham town added another Red Admiral and a Large White.
Thirteen species including two not seen before this month

3 October 2009
Returning (from the last car boot sale of the year in a field on the Adur Levels west of Mill Hill) along the Downs-Coastal Link Cyclepath from the Old Erringham layby to Shoreham, I noted at least two Comma Butterflies, frequent Speckled Woods, and at least one each of a Painted Lady, Small White, Red Admiral, Vapourer Moth, and in Shoreham town a Large White Butterfly.
Six butterfly species

2 October 2009
As the sun was still shining, I thought I would make a detour through the outskirts of Old Shoreham where two Clouded Yellows graced the towpath just north of the Toll Bridge. Over the Pixie Path and the top of Chanctonbury Drive in the vicinity of the Ivy, Red Admirals (20+) and Painted Ladies (12+) were both frequently seen, with one Comma, one surprise Peacock, one Speckled Wood and a handful of Large Whites. Under the blue sky I could not resist the temptation for a quick cycle ride up to the upper car park on Mill Hill, where there were about fifty Common Darter dragonflies over the tarmac path next to the meadow to the north but very few butterflies seen in a ten minute foray with just two Wall Browns, a Clouded Yellow and a male Common Blue. The small brown moths seen over the hedgerows and for the last few days were thought to be Vapourer Moths, Orgyia antiqua.
Adur Moths
Nine butterfly species
 

Comma Butterfly	Painted Lady	Red Admiral

1 October 2009
A pleasant (17.3 °C) beginning to October with a Light Breeze (Force 2) blowing form the NNW (N veering to NW) brought butterflies out to visit the few remaining nectar flowers. The Ivy on the Pixie Path and Mill Hill attracted the Red Admirals (2+2), Painted Ladies (3+0) and Meadow Browns (0+3).
How Painted Butterflies Navigate (BBC Web Site)
 

Small White	Mill Hill lower slopes 2
Large White	Occasional over urban Shoreham, outskirts and Mill Hill  3
Red Admiral	Pixie Path 2  Mill Hill  5
Painted Lady	Pixie Path  3  Mill Hill  1
Clouded Yellow	Mill Hill  3
Speckled Wood	Mill Hill  2
Meadow Brown	Mill Hill  13
Common Blue	Mill Hill  8 (including two females) (lower 4 upper meadow 4)
Small Heath	Mill Hill  lower  1
Wall Brown	Mill Hill upper   2
Small Copper	Mill Hill  1 (lower slopes)
Comma	Pixie Path  1  Mill Hill  1

 Twelve species
 

28 September 2009
A Painted Lady Butterfly flew into some still flowering Buddleia next to the Eastern Avenue railway crossing gates in Shoreham.

27 September 2009
I visited Mill Hill in the afternoon on a sunny day (on the route from the Waterworks Road and along the Pixie Path), visiting the lower slopes and returning by the second ridge route. Butterflies were widespread and scattered, the only congregations were 19 Meadow Browns, five Common Blues, three Small Heaths and a Wall Brown at the northern end of the lower slopes of Mill Hill, and a mixture on the Ivy in the north-west of Mill Hill Nature Reserve (to the south of the gate to Old Erringham pastures) of two Red Admirals, two Meadow Browns, one Painted Lady, a Speckled Wood and a Large White.
 

Small White	At least one on the Downs Link Cyclepath in Old Shoreham
Large White	Occasional over urban Shoreham, outskirts and the downs
Red Admiral	Old Shoreham  3  Pixie Path 1  Mill Hill  3
Painted Lady	Old Shoreham  1  Pixie Path  7  Mill Hill  1
Clouded Yellow	Pixie Path 1  Mill Hill  2
Speckled Wood	Old Shoreham  3  Mill Hill  4+
Meadow Brown	Mill Hill  27
Common Blue	Mill Hill  5 (including one female)
Small Heath	Mill Hill  lower slopes  1
Wall Brown	Mill Hill  upper meadow 2
Small Copper	Mill Hill  (above the ridge)  1

 Eleven species

25 September 2009
Large White Butterflies were frequently seen everywhere. A Red Admiral and a Painted Lady were seen over the Ivy on the western verge of the cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge. On a cycle ride along the towpath to Upper Beeding added a Comma Butterfly and a Speckled Wood over the cyclepath part. The vast grass downland expanses of Anchor Bottom were almost devoid of butterflies although a Red Admiral flew high overhead further up the slope, and a Large White was seen in the distance. The south facing Horseshoe Vetch field is the most promising area, but it was a few minutes before a Meadow Brown Butterfly fluttered in a lopping lackadaisical manner before briefly (a second or two) landing on a Devil's Bit Scabious (which was my first report of this plant on this site) and then Sow Thistle.  As I followed it, a the bright yellow of a Clouded Yellow Butterfly distracted my attention. The return by the Downs-Coastal Link Cyclepath to Old Shoreham added a few more Speckled Woods and to my surprise a definite Wall Brown on the path verges about about 100 metres north of the Toll Bridge.
Eight species

24 September 2009
Five Clouded Yellow Butterflies were seen on another nearly warm (>18.9 °C) day, all in the first 30 minutes and although the butterflies settled very briefly (> 5 seconds) on yellow flowers, notably Dandelions in Gordon Avenue, Shoreham, their stay was much too brief for a clear photograph. The second one was seen fluttering across the eastern end of nearby Rosslyn Road. The other three (possibly five) were seen on the west side of the cyclepath by Widewater Lagoon and mostly chose Ragwort to visit. Other butterflies seen on the beach route were frequent Large White and frequent Small White Butterflies, at least one Red Admiral over Lancing. Only Large Whites flew over a mown McIntyre's Field, north-east Lancing, with occasional Speckled Woods by the trees and on the bridlepath at the top of the field. Next to the ploughed field north of Cuckoo's Corner, the orange vanessid was probably a Painted Lady (the habitat did not seem right for a Comma).
Six species

23 September 2009
A few Large White Butterflies were seen on my travels on an overcast afternoon with one Painted Lady Butterfly and about twenty Speckled Woods on a cycle ride up the Downs-Coastal Link Cyclepath from Old Shoreham halfway to Upper Beeding and a return by the towpath.
Three species

21 September 2009
I had a quick walk around the top part of Mill Hill at lunch time and saw two Wall Browns, a pristine Small Copper and a Common Blue.

In contrast to the previous day, it was the Small White and Green-veined White Butterflies that were frequently seen along the cyclepath from Weald Dyke, Shoreham Beach, going eastwards towards Lancing Beach Green where a Clouded Yellow Butterfly fluttered northwards across the mown grass. Large White Butterflies were only occasionally seen. On a hurried passage route along the cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge, another Clouded Yellow was conspicuous.
Four species (personal tally)

20 September 2009
On an energy sapping humid morning, both hoverflies and butterflies were active around one large clump of Ivy on the Pixie Path (near the NW corner of Frampton's Field) and it was a flash of orange I saw first which I thought was a Comma, but it turned out to be one of five pristine Painted Ladies and a Red Admiral seen immediately followed by a Comma Butterfly seen in less than a minute and another duller Comma spotted about three minutes after the initial sighting. Two Large White Butterflies were spotted over Frampton's Field and this butterfly was frequently seen in widespread places on the downs, outskirts and over Shoreham streets and allotments. Almost all of these were the larger species, but at least two Small Whites were also noted on passage.
 

Painted Lady	Small Copper	Red Admiral

A Meadow Brown Butterfly visited a Hardhead next to the southern steps down to the lower slopes of Mill Hill. But it was a few minutes before the next butterfly, one of two Small Heath Butterflies over my one acre transect, three Large Whites, two Meadow Browns, three male Adonis Blues, and just as I was about to leave the lower slopes, a sparring Clouded Yellow and Small Copper Butterfly. The Hawthorn scrub area added three Speckled Woods, two more Painted Ladies and at least one more Meadow Brown. The middle slopes mixed scrub and open spaces hosted two good condition Wall Brown Butterflies. The upper meadows of Mill Hill again seemed almost devoid of visible butterflies with only a Red Admiral spotted.  South of the Reservoir there was a Large White Butterfly and in amongst the dying herbs a Silver Y Moth fluttered about.
The Butterfly Copse hosted two Speckled Woods, and the Waterworks Road a further two and a Large White.
Twelve butterfly species.

18 September 2009
A Red Admiral was seen over Shoreham streets and white butterflies over the allotments.

14 September 2009
A Clouded Yellow Butterfly was spotted on the shingle between the beach huts at the eastern end of Lancing Beach Green and a Red Admiral at the western end. Over the town and allotments frequent white butterflies were spotted, both Large Whites and Small Whites.
Four species
 

10 September 2009 This brightly coloured caterpillar was spotted crawling across the tarmaced approach to Tarmount Public Hard in Shoreham. It is the larva of the Sycamore Moth Acronicta aceris. The moth varies in colour from pale grey to dark sooty-grey. The caterpillar feeds on the leaves of Sycamore or Horse Chestnut.  What's this Caterpillar?

9 September 2009
An anticipated decline in butterflies was noted: the Pixie Path recorded six Speckled Woods, two Red Admirals and a Holly Blue. The one acre transect on the lower slopes of Mill Hill produced ten Adonis Blues (seven males and three females), seven Meadow Browns, three Small Heaths, one female Common Blue and a Treble-bar Moth. The Hawthorn scrub on Mill Hill added at least eight Speckled Woods and four Meadow Browns plus two more in the clearing on the middle slopes known as the Triangle, where three male Common Blues were also seen.
 

Speckled Wood	Adonis Blue	Holly Blue

The top meadows and plateau were almost devoid of butterflies with just the one Speckled Wood in the shelter of a Hawthorn bush and a few Silver Y Moths and a Treble-bar Moth in the meadow north of the upper car park. In Shoreham town and outskirts there were frequent Large Whites, occasional Small Whites and another Red Admiral.
NB: Holly Blues have been very few and far between this year. The only time one opened up his wings, I was disturbed by a passer-by.
Nine butterfly species

8 September 2009
On a warm day with a midday air temperature at 20.8 °C, a Comma Butterfly fluttered across Buckingham Park with a Speckled Wood Butterfly under the trees at the top and a few more at the top of The Drive, Shoreham-by-Sea. A Silver Y Moth but no butterflies was seen on the verges of Buckingham Cutting south. Frequent Large White Butterflies were seen flying over the allotments and gardens in Shoreham town.
Four species

6 September 2009
A Red Admiral Butterfly rested on a white wall in West Street, Shoreham. A long aching walk to Mill Hill was rewarded by frequent butterflies on the lower slopes, under fifty were seen. Adonis Blues were first to make an appearance with nine males and four females seen, two Large Whites and a reduction in the numbers of Meadow Browns with an estimated only about fifteen all at the northern end of the lower slopes, where I noted one Small Heath Butterfly and a Common Blue. I returned by the ridge route and added three Speckled Woods from the Hawthorn tunnel. Amongst the Ivy on the verges of the cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge in Old Shoreham, the hoverflies and bees would not give the butterflies any rest and three pristine Red Admirals and three faded Painted Ladies were disturbed.
Eight species

5 September 2009
Great Butterfly Hunt (Independent) Article

3 September 2009
On another overcast rainy day, just the two butterflies were seen; a Comma Butterfly nearly underneath the A27 Flyover on the western bank of the river where a patch of Fleabane and Ragwort were still in flower*, and a Small White on the cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge in Old Shoreham. (*The bicycle broke down here and I proceeded no further.)

2 September 2009
After the deluge and on a cool cloudy breezy day, I visited Mill Hill to check out whether any Gatekeepers were still around. I must have looked at over fifty Meadow Browns but even the brown and orange butterflies in the hedgerows were Meadow Browns. They were divided about equally between male and females. On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, there were at least 21 Adonis Blues (16 males and five females), a slightly greater number of Common Blues of both genders, 40+ Meadow Browns, one Speckled Wood and three Small Heath Butterflies. It is was very difficult to put the brown females to species and there may have been up to a dozen Adonis Blue females and some of these could even have been Chalkhill Blues. Some of the male Adonis Blues were very tatty and there could have others identified as Common Blues. I returned by the ridge route and another 20+ Meadow Browns and three more Small Heath Butterflies were spotted. On the Devil's Bit Scabious on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, a very large grey butterfly was tilted over in a peculiar way. These butterflies have been seen in most years on the exposed ridge flying off so rapidly as to elude positive identification. I have always dismissed them as Meadow Browns. There is a possibility that this was a Grayling Butterfly which has not been recorded on Mill Hill since 1968. On a second look I think it was a Meadow Brown.
In Shoreham town there were Large Whites, Small Whites and one Speckled Wood.
Grayling in Sussex
Seven definite species

30 August 2009
After several days of inclement weather I noted a Red Admiral Butterfly visiting Buddleia in the twitten between Corbyn Crecent and Adelaide Square in Shoreham town. Large White Butterflies were frequently seen courting.

29 August 2009
I returned to Steyning Rifle Range expecting to observe a downward trend in Brown Hairstreak numbers, but got a rather nice surprise! There was also a visit of a Purple Emperor. We saw a total of nine female Brown Hairstreaks, along with the 'usual suspects' including Wall and Clouded Yellow. There had clearly been a 'second wave' of emergence, as all nine of the Brown Hairstreaks were in better condition than the brown I saw during my last visit on 21 August 2009. Some were very fresh and probably only a day or two old.

24 August 2009
On a passage cycle ride through Lancing and Old Shoreham, Large Whites were frequent everywhere, with occasional Small Whites and Painted Ladies, and at least one Holly Blue, Green-veined White, Red Admiral and Comma Butterfly. The Comma Butterfly fluttered amongst the Stinging Nettles along the footpath section of the Waterworks Road.
Seven species

23 August 2009
In the afternoon (3:00 pm) of the second day of the Shoreham Air Show, the sun was still out and the butterflies noted as I negotiated the crowds in Old Shoreham and on the Pixie Path were all the usual ones: Large Whites, Small Whites, Common Blues, Meadow Browns, Painted Ladies, Chalkhill Blues (Mill Hill Cutting SW), Holly Blues, Speckled Woods, two Red Admirals (not seen since the 17 August 2009), but no Gatekeepers were observed.
Nine species

Anchor Bottom (TQ 210 0930)
Two Clouded Yellows, Large Whites and Small Whites, Brown Argus, Adonis Blues, Common Blues, Small Heaths, Speckled Wood, Meadow Browns, and a glimpse of a possible Wall Brown.

21 August 2009
Much too breezy for butterflies, but I needed some fresh air so I visited the upper part of Mill Hill where I saw most of the expected butterflies: scores of Common Blues, frequent Large Whites, Meadow Browns, Painted Ladies and Speckled Woods, occasional Small Whites and Silver Y Moths, at least one Brown Argus and one male Adonis Blue. The Mill Hill Cutting added three of each sex Chalkhill Blues, the females both courting the attention of the good condition males as well as crawling through the Horseshoe Vetch to discharge their eggs. Holly Blues were occasionally to be spotted amongst the Ivy on the Pixie Path. A Gatekeeper was not spotted.
Only ten butterfly species

19 August 2009
As the sun was out I could not resist another visit to Mill Hill to see if I could capture the Brown Hairstreak on my camera. Alas, as was usually the case a brief search was unsuccessful. I only visited the upper part of Mill Hill where Common Blues were frequently seen everywhere, with an estimated twenty Meadow Browns, frequent Painted Ladies, six Wall Browns, two Adonis Blues, a few Speckled Woods, just the one definite Gatekeeper, one Small Heath and one smallish skipper that looked and behaved like an Essex Skipper.
 

The route to Mill Hill went through the Mill Hill Cutting (SW) where there were a dozen Chalkhill Blues, including four females, all seen at the same time. The four female Chalkhill Blues were rather worn and ragged, but at least two of them crawled in amongst the prostrate leaves of Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa. A Green-veined White landed on a Bramble leaf and I thought that the triangular shape of the wings was most pronounced and this would help with the practical difficulties in identifying the white butterflies. There were three Wall Browns and two Holly Blues on the northern stretch of the Pixie Path with Meadow Browns and Common Blues in Frampton's Field. In Shoreham town both Large Whites and Small Whites were frequently seen with occasional Painted Ladies, Speckled Woods and Holly Blues.
Thirteen species

On a brief visit to Mill Hill where there was up to three Clouded Yellows and also a second brood Dingy Skipper as well as plenty of  Adonis Blue.

18 August 2009
Steyning Rifle Range was still producing the goods and getting quite busy! No less than six different female Brown Hairstreaks down low, differentiated on the basis of wear and tear (although one was fresh and scale-perfect). Some appeared several times during their wanderings around the site. I watched quite a lot of egg-laying today and I reckon they are just about at peak. I was surprised at how readily they flew over several 100 metres of open ground to get to new stands of Prunus (they prefer to lay on bullace here), rather than hugging the hedge-lines.

The Brown Hairstreak spends most of its time around the tops of tall mature trees (Oak and Ash) where mating takes place, and so tends not to be seen, except for the female when she comes down to lay her eggs on fairly low Blackthorn bushes.

Other species of butterfly seen on the day on Mill Hill and its approaches and the Downs-Coastal Link Cyclepath from Old Shoreham to Upper Beeding (by the Cement Works), were 54 Adonis Blues, an estimated 75+ Painted Ladies, an estimated 100+ Common Blues, an estimated 80+ Meadow Browns (including frequent females), frequent Gatekeepers, 13 Chalkhill Blues, frequent Speckled Woods, frequent Large Whites, frequent Small Whites, occasional Wall Browns, occasional Brown Argus Butterflies, occasional Green-veined Whites, occasional Small Heath Butterflies, occasional Holly Blues, one Small Tortoiseshell, one Red Admiral, two Comma Butterflies and one Peacock Butterfly*. Larger moths noted included a few Shaded Broad-bar Moths, occasional Silver Y Moths, at least one Carpet Moth, one Brimstone Moth and occasional Treble-bar Moths.
(*The sudden disappearance of most of the Peacock Butterflies was probably because of early hibernation.)
Full List by Location
Adur Butterflies: First Dates
Eighteen or Nineteen butterfly species

Notes:
The Brown Hairstreak Butterfly you saw at Mill Hill may well have come as a surprise to you, but I very much doubt that it was either a 'vagrant' or has been introduced. Brown Hairstreak is our most elusive species 'by a country mile' and many sites are known solely from egg surveys. The eggs are much easier to see than the adults. Steyning is throwing them up with impressive regularity (once you know where to look and when), but until I discovered eggs here in January 2008 the colony was unknown. Similarly, it was only when I discovered eggs on Cissbury Ring (January 2007) that Brown Hairstreak was added to the species list for the site - despite being transect-walked for decades and visited by butterfly-watchers on a very regular basis. They can be living on 'your patch', undetected, for donkey's years! Now you know they're there and will be watching out specifically for them, you will start to see more - but great patience is required!

After escaping from work, I trundled up to Mill Hill above the delightful A27 for some total escapism. The delights this evening on offer were a single Clouded Yellow, a single Gatekeeper, two Wall Brown, two Painted Lady, several Common Blue, Chalkhill Blue, Adonis Blue, Small Heath and Meadow Browns. Far fewer than earlier on in the day, but it was near the butterflies bedtime!

16 August 2009
On a breezy overcast day, an appointment meant the cycle ride was a passage one through Buckingham Cutting (south) where occasional Large Whites and Small Whites, a Holly Blue and a few Common Blues and at least one Silver Y Moth were noted. Down to the Mill Hill Cutting (SW) where more Common Blues, one Chalkhill Blue, a Painted Lady and a Speckled Wood were seen. The Pixie Path route was then due south to the Waterworks Road noting another Painted Lady more Common Blues of both sexes and a few Speckled Woods with more Large Whites. On the cyclepath in Old Shoreham south to Ropetackle, there were more Common Blues and a Brimstone Moth.
Seven butterfly species

13 August 2009
A cycle ride was originally just going to the Old Fort on Shoreham Beach and back but it extended along the towpath past the houseboats, across Adur Recreation Ground and along the towpath adjacent to the Airport and over the Toll Bridge up the Pixie Path to the top and a detour to Buckingham Cutting south.
 

Common Blue	Common Blue (female)	Brown Argus	Brown Argus

The following butterflies were seen on route: frequent Large Whites, Small Whites, Painted Ladies, and Common Blues, occasional Green-veined Whites, Speckled Woods, Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns, three Wall Browns, three fresh Comma Butterflies, two Red Admirals, one Small Tortoiseshell, five Chalkhill Blues (including one female at the Mill Hill Cutting south-west), two Holly Blues, and a confirmed Brown Argus and a Small Blue (both at Buckingham Cutting). Many of the female Common Blues are entirely brown on the upper wings with orange spots and no trace of blue colour.
Brown Argus Identification Notes
Seventeen species of butterfly  (including three not seen the previous day)

12 August 2009
On an overcast afternoon, I decided to cycle along the Downs-Coastal Link Cyclepath from Old Shoreham to Annington Sewer (north of Botolphs). I had no plans to count the butterflies, only to note the species. The inevitable Painted Ladies were frequently seen everywhere, less frequent were Large Whites, Small Whites and in the shady areas Speckled Woods and a few Green-veined Whites. Gatekeepers were occasionally seen, many less than a week previously, with two Red Admirals, two Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock Butterfly noted along the cyclepath. Despite the unpromising breeze, I explored Anchor Bottom from Dacre Gardens where Meadow Browns 35+ were frequently disturbed on my trek to the main Horseshoe Vetch slopes and back. An estimated twenty Common Blues (including one female) were mainly amongst the floristically poor longer grass on the southern slope and were only seen when disturbed so the actual numbers were much larger. Two Small Heath Butterflies were seen at the foot of the Horseshoe Vetch as usual, where after about ten minutes when I had given up all hope of any blue butterflies, a bright blue Adonis Blue was spotted amongst a few flowers near the Stinging Nettle patch followed by a male Chalkhill Blue and another one of each. On the return trip across the foot of the southern slopes of Anchor Bottom I spotted a Wall Brown, a Small (or Essex) Skipper and another Small Heath. Later in the afternoon, I went blackberrying and almost the only butterfly on the path running along the south of Frampton's Field, Old Shoreham, was a Holly Blue over the hedgerow. For a second, I thought I saw a Clouded Yellow, but it was a Brimstone Moth.
Seventeen species of butterfly

11 August 2009
A Red Admiral was seen on the southern path of Frampton's Field, Old Shoreham, a species not seen the previous day. In the same general area I counted five Holly Blues in the hedgerow together. The trip was a brief one to pick some apples, and the Slonk Hill south route in the afternoon was not very productive: the species were frequent Large Whites, Small Whites and Painted Ladies in town and country, Speckled Woods in the linear wood, frequent Common Blues and a few Meadow Browns in the verge meadows. On Mill Hill Cutting south-west, the Chalkhill Blue count was ten including one female and the plant they stayed on longest for nectar was Carline Thistle, but they made fleeting visits whilst I was watching to Autumn Gentian, Bird's-foot Trefoil and Eyebright.
Nine species

10 August 2009
Painted Lady Butterflies were everywhere in town and country with over fifty an hour seen. Both Large Whites and Small Whites were frequently seen as well.
 

Meadow Browns were frequently seen on the lower slopes of Mill Hill including mating pairs.

Lower Slopes of Mill Hill
Just a little too overcast and breezy for butterflies to be out, but there were just 13 Chalkhill Blues (including two females) and 41 Adonis Blues (including a female, although it was possible that this was a Chalkhill Blue) with an estimated ten Common Blues in flight on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. Meadow Browns were frequently seen including mating pairs. The lower slopes also recorded occasional Painted Ladies, occasional Gatekeepers, two Wall Browns, at least one Small Heath Butterfly, one Speckled Wood, at least one Treble-bar Moth, one Shaded Broad-bar Moth and frequent pyralid micro-moths of both Pyrausta purpuralis and Pyrausta nigrata. There was a Cinnabar Moth caterpillar on a small Ragwort. Only later when examining the photographs, I discovered I had seen a very faded Dingy Skipper that looked like a moth.

Common Blue	Adonis Blue	Chalkhill Blue

Upper Meadows of Mill Hill
There must have in excess of 200 Common Blues of both sexes in the long herb meadows at the top of Mill Hill, but even this is a fraction of what can be seen of this butterfly in peak years when the numbers runs into thousands. There were a few Brown Argus as well but it is difficult to be sure how many when there were scores of female Common Blues. One Small (or Essex) Skipper was noted on the southern part of the hill. Painted Ladies were frequently seen almost everywhere but before it began to rain I did not spot any Peacock Butterflies. A Green-veined White Butterfly was identified amongst the scrub.

Approaches to Mill Hill:
Pixie Path and Frampton's Field
Common Blues were conspicuous in the north-west corner of Frampton's Field with a few Meadow Browns. By the hedges there were two Holly Blues and two Speckled Woods as well as Small Whites and the omnipresent Painted Ladies.
Mill Hill Cutting (south-west)
After a few minutes the Chalkhill Blues appeared with nine spotted including a female with at least four Common Blues.
Buckingham Cutting (south)
Not nearly as many as the previous day and it was a minute or two before the occasional Common Blues and at least three Small Blues and Meadow Browns were noticed.
Buckingham Park
A passage trip across Buckingham Park encountered a Gatekeeper. The vegetation was regrowing under the trees at the top where a few Speckled Woods were seen.

Seventeen species of butterfly in an hour, excluding three or four common species

9 August 2009
Lower Slopes of Mill Hill
The lower slopes of Mill Hill were more crowded with butterflies than the previous week but the one acre transect still only recorded a meagre total of 35 Chalkhill Blues (including two females) with 30 Adonis Blues (including one female*) and slightly less in number of Common Blues of both sexes. Meadow Browns were about the same in numbers with a handful of huge females, and I noted at least one Gatekeeper and I expect there were many more. At least three Small Heath Butterflies showed and three or more Large Whites fluttered about and a bright yellow Brimstone Butterfly emerged from the central Tor Grass area on the lower slopes. The lower slopes also hosted the inevitable Painted Ladies, (just a few; there were many more in Shoreham town), a Green-veined White (there were two more of these on the Waterworks Road), three Wall Browns, at least one good condition Dingy Skipper (i.e. not the tattered one seen on 29 July 2009), at least three Treble-bar Moths, a few Silver Y Moths and frequent pyralid moths with Pyrausta nigrata noted. With time pressing, I retraced my route along the path and only visited the southern part of Mill Hill where a Small (or Essex) Skipper was spotted amongst more Common Blues and frequent Painted Ladies.
(* It is not easy to separate female Chalkhill Blues from the slightly larger Adonis Blue females.)
Adur Skippers
 

Wall Brown	Female Common Blue	Female Chalkhill Blue	Female Chalkhill Blue

Buckingham Cutting (south)
This small area of herbland was notable for 25+ Common Blues with the blue males and both very small brown females and a few much larger brown and blue females. It would be easy to mistake the smaller females for Brown Argus Butterflies, but none of the latter were positively identified. At least two Small Blues were noted with frequent Meadow Browns and a few Large Whites in the verge meadows. Amongst the hedgerows and linear wood there were occasional Gatekeepers and a few Speckled Woods.

Mill Hill Cutting (SW) and the Pixie Path
About ten Chalkhill Blues were noted including two females on the Mill Hill Cutting (SW) with three Treble-bar Moths. On the Pixie Path there were three Wall Browns and four Speckled Woods.

A Red Admiral, Holly Blue and a occasional Small Whites were seen in Shoreham town.

Seventeen butterfly species in an hour, excluding two common species

8 August 2009
The usual gamut of butterflies were seen around the outskirts of Shoreham including five Comma Butterflies, not seen two days previously, the first one the houseboats on the River Adur and the second one at the western end of the Toll Bridge, Old Shoreham. Painted Ladies were everywhere especially on Buddleia and there were occasional Red Admirals.
 

I visited Steyning Rifle Range (map) in warm sunshine, almost immediately seeing four male Brown Hairstreaks flitting around the Master Trees above the spring-fed ponds. After getting no more than a brief glimpse of a female Brown Hairstreak heading across the open fields, I was about to change venue when a second one appeared, giving a small group of us superb views as she sat in the hedge-line for a while, before heading off on an egg-laying run. I then moved on to Steyning Round Hill, where the very steep slope allowed head-height viewing of two male Brown Hairstreaks in the Master Tree above the quarry. My ninth of the day was a female, again on a mission to lay eggs along the blackthorn scrub-line. The Wall Brown is certainly having its best year in Sussex for a very long time and I counted 22 here without searching exhaustively. A female Clouded Yellow provided a nice bonus.

7 August 2009
Strictly a blackberrying trip, but I did see a Red Admiral on the south side of Frampton's Field, Old Shoreham, a species not seen the previous day.

6 August 2009
On a humid sunny morning the Chalkhill Blue Butterfly count in a 15 minute transect on the lower slopes of Mill Hill was a paltry 37 with just one pristine female seen. There were frequent Common Blues including males courting with very small females. The first male second brood Adonis Blues* were recognised when they settled, as in flight they could not separated reliably from Common Blues. There could have been up to a dozen of them. Four Clouded Yellows were notable, with one on the lower slopes and at least three on the upper slopes with a pair courting. Small Heaths* are back and at least two were seen one on the lower slopes and another in the upper meadows. There were at least four Wall Browns on Mill Hill. Painted Ladies were present everywhere with over a hundred seen in an hour as well as frequent Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Large Whites, Speckled Woods and Peacocks. One bright yellow Brimstone Butterfly was seen in the meadow north of the upper car park where Common Blues were frequent including mating pairs. A faded Small Skipper was spotted amongst the Greater Knapweed south of the Reservoir. The purpose of the visit to Mill Hill was to count the Chalkhill Blues in flight and the visit was hurried. In the Butterfly Copse near the Waterworks Road, a Holly Blue flew amongst the Buddleia. On the Waterworks Road itself, two Green-veined Whites fluttered past. Small Whites were seen over the allotments in Shoreham town.
Seventeen butterfly species including four not seen the previous day and two* of these not seen before this month

5 August 2009
I spent a very enjoyable day with Guardian journalist Patrick Barkham, who is touring the UK in an effort to see every species of British butterfly, and whose experiences along the way will provide the material for a book. With only three species to go we had high hopes of bagging Brown Hairstreak, Adonis Blue and Silver-spotted Skipper to complete the set. The sun refused to show over Steyning, denying us the opportunity of seeing the first on our list, but by heading a few miles east we managed the others without difficulty, getting a few bonus species along the way. The highlights of our tally of 26 species were 25+ pristine Adonis Blue (including a mating pair) and a second brood Dingy Skipper at Mill Hill, Shoreham (also Wall Brown, Chalkhill Blue, Common Blue, Small Heath).

Wall Brown Butterflies could turn up virtually anywhere as one on the western towpath underneath the A27 Flyover indicated. Over the bridlepath from the Sussex Pad to Hoe Cottages there were at least four more and another one in the Chalk Pit on Lancing Ring Nature Reserve. Painted Ladies were present everywhere with over fifty seen in an hour. On the approaches to Lancing Ring there were the expected few each of Speckled Woods, Gatekeepers, Common Blues, Large Whites and one Red Admiral. In the meadow at the top of McIntyre's Field the first butterfly was a tattered Green-veined White and both Common Blues and Meadow Browns were frequently seen with one Brown Argus identified and more suspected although some turned out to be female Common Blues. A Brimstone Butterfly and Yellow Shell Moth were seen at the entrance to the eastern car park on Lancing Ring Nature Reserve with frequent Speckled Woods under the trees.

		Pyrausta purpuralis Photograph by Alec Trusler
Holly Blue	Hemp Agrimony	Mint Moth, Pyrausta aurata

The large meadows to the south-east of the main clump of trees was much more overgrown than in previous years (because of the rain) and the dense and varied grasses and herbs hosted frequent Common Blues but not nearly as many as seen in the best years when thousands were actually seen. There were frequent Meadow Browns and frequent Silver Y Moths with a few Brown Argus Butterflies and a few Large Whites. Hemp Agrimony bordering the hedgerow that can be found along the south side of the main meadow is a nectar plant visited by numerous butterflies, but there was not as many as previous years although the small patch was visited by a few Peacock Butterflies, the inevitable Painted Ladies, a few Common Blues and at least two each of Meadow Brown, and Gatekeeper and a single Small Tortoiseshell. Two Clouded Yellow Butterflies flew strongly over the short grass immediately to the east of the main clump of trees. There was single Wall Brown flying around near the dewpond.
A visit to Ray Hamblett's back garden in south Lancing, produced half a dozen Painted Ladies, two Red Admiral, a Common Blue, a Speckled Wood and on the washing stand a Comma Butterfly repeatedly landed. In Shoreham town there was at least one Small White and a Holly Blue Butterfly landed amongst the Ivy in the twitten between Ropetackle and Victoria Road.
Seventeen butterfly species

4 August 2009
The most notable observation of the day was a markedly-patterned Magpie Moth amongst the Stinging Nettles on the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham.
A Wall Brown Butterfly fluttered across Middle Road, Shoreham through the wire fencing and into the trees in Middle Road Open Space. Later on the afternoon there was another one on the towpath of the River Adur, north of Cuckoo's Corner. elsewhere on the outskirts of Shoreham, I noted frequent Common Blues, occasional Gatekeepers, a few Meadow Browns, occasional Large Whites, a definite Green-veined White and a few Small Whites. And of course, frequent Painted Ladies that fluttered around  almost anywhere. At least one Speckled Wood was seen in the residential area of Southwick during my travels.
Nine butterfly species

3 August 2009
Mill Hill
In the sunshine at the peak period for Chalkhill Blues, Mill Hill registered a mere 46, 44 males and just the two females seen in the one acre transect walk taking 15 minutes on the lower slopes. Again they were concentrated at the northern end which means that the number of the Chalkhill Blues in flight on Mill Hill were probably around 150 which is a disastrously low total. Chalkhill Blues were not seen on the upper or middle part of Mill Hill, but there was one in the Old Erringham pasture fluttering over from the scrub. Other butterflies were exiguous too;  Meadow Browns were estimated at about 30 on the lower slopes, Common Blues at about 20, with a few Gatekeepers and Large Whites.
 

This Chalkhill Blue appeared to be ill or poisoned and it could he handled. This has been seen before in previous years.	This skipper was thought to be a fresh first of the year Essex Skipper (but it could have been a Small Skipper).	Brimstone Butterfly on Buddleia on the Downs-Coastal Link Cyclepath

There were well over a hundred Common Blues on the meadows to the north of the northern car park on Mill Hill with frequent Painted Ladies all over the hill, about ten Peacock Butterflies, a surprise Brimstone Butterfly, and just two fresh first of the year Essex Skippers (but they could have been Small Skippers). Female Common Blues were frequent and it was only on the Triangle are of the middle slopes where I was able to separate a few Brown Argus Butterflies. In the middle and scrub area I noted frequent Gatekeepers, just one Wall Brown, occasional Speckled Woods, a few identified Small Whites, occasional Large Whites, a Yellow Shell and occasional Silver Y Moths and Six-spotted Burnet Moths. A Red Admiral flew over the plateau. In the hedge by Mill Hill Road (north of the bridge), I noticed a Comma Butterfly as I cycled slowly past.
Adur Butterflies: First Dates
Fifteen butterfly species

Approaches to Mill Hill
Buckingham Cutting South
This small area still hosted a few Small Blue Butterflies, occasional Common Blues of both sexes, a few each of Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, Speckled Woods and Large Whites.

Mill Hill Cutting (south-west)
This small area hosted even fewer Chalkhill Blues than the end of July with just six seen after a few minutes chased around with three Common Blues, a Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Painted Lady and a Treble-bar Moth.

Pixie Path and Frampton's Field
The northern part was visited on the way to Mill Hill when a Painted Lady, Peacock, Large White and a Silver Y Moth were seen  on the path with occasional Meadow Browns in the taller vegetation of Frampton's Field. On the return trip, I cycled past spotting three male Common Blues dancing around in F-rampton's Field with three Meadow Browns. On the section of the path running north-south a Small Tortoiseshell flew out of the Stinging Nettles.

Downs-Coastal Link Cyclepath from Old Shoreham to Botolphs
I cycled the route without stopping and picked out the noteworthy two Comma Butterflies, a Green-veined White, a definite Small White as I checked the identifications, a Brimstone and two Red Admirals. I made a detour to Anchor Bottom, but it looked so bare that I just sat on the southern hill and had a rest. I was pleased to see my first Small Copper of the year settled in the grass briefly.

Shoreham Town
A Holly Blue Butterfly fluttered amongst the Ivy in the twitten between Ropetackle and Victoria Road.
 
 

2 August 2009
A trek along the Bridlepath from Slonk Hill Farm to New Erringham under a cloudy sky recorded 9+ Common Blues, 5+ Painted Ladies, 2 Wall Browns, 2 Large Whites, 8+ Gatekeepers, 2 Small Whites, a Peacock and a Red Admiral.
I planned to visit the whole of Mill Hill, but I only had time for the upper meadow which was alive with butterflies. Over one hundred Common Blues were seen amongst the tall herbs, with frequent Painted Ladies, eight Wall Browns, frequent Gatekeepers, at least four and probably many more Brown Argus Butterflies, with at least one Large White, frequent Peacocks (including seven seen altogether on Greater Knapweed), at least two Meadow Browns and a Red Admiral. A few Six-spotted Burnet Moths were seen before I had to curtail my visit.
On the underside hind wing of the Brown Argus two of the spots line up to form a colon.
Brown Argus Identification Notes
Ten butterfly species
 

Common Blue	Brown Argus	Green-veined White

1 August 2009
About a dozen Green-veined White Butterflies flew around the Stinging Nettles and White Deadnettles etc on an earth bank at the north-east corner of Adur Recreation Ground by the Railway Viaduct. Two were about to mate when I disturbed them. This species may have been seen in the previous few days but were not positively identified. A Painted Lady landed on a Stinging Nettle. Around the towpath adjacent to the Airport there were frequent Common Blues, at least one Gatekeeper seen and a Large White fluttered strongly before it began to rain after midday.

Five species on passage only

31 July 2009
Mill Hill
The weak sun sun shone through the white cumulus clouds in a bright blue sky on what should have been a peak day for the Chalkhill Blue Butterflies, but only 51 were counted in in the one acre transect on the lower slopes of Mill Hill and one extra just out of the transect area. Two females were noted and included in the above total. The spread was uneven with concentrations below the winding path in the central area and at the northern end and absent from the southern part of the slopes. Not all the Chalkhill Blues were flying so I may have missed half of them. Many had to be disturbed. I returned by the shortest ridge route so I omitted to visit the scrub area, middle slopes or plateau of Mill Hill. Other butterflies of note on the lower slopes was ironically a Speckled Wood at the southern end amongst the invading Privet, a fresh Wall Brown, ten Common Blues (including a much smaller female, not a Brown Argus though), five plus Gatekeepers, seven plus Meadow Browns, a Peacock Butterfly and at least one Silver Y Moth. On Mill Hill by the return ridge path above and down south of the Reservoir were four more Wall Browns (three on Field Scabious near the northern gate to New Erringham pasture), one more male Chalkhill Blue, nine more male Common Blues, at least nine more Gatekeepers, only two Meadow Browns actually noted down, another Chalkhill Blue, a Small White, two courting Large Whites, a Painted Lady and another Silver Y Moth. The Meadow Browns had more females than males. A Six-spotted Burnet Moth flew across the bridge over the A27 and a Holly Blue flew over the hedge at the top of the Pixie Path. The Chalkhill Blue count was very poor as in a poor year 200 would be recorded in the transect acre and 750+ in a good year. This would compute to 500 and 3000+ on Mill Hill as a day count.

Approaches to Mill Hill
Buckingham Cutting South
This large garden-sized verge on the edge of the A27 carriageway is rich in meadow herbs and attracts numerous butterflies and on a passage trip lasting about five minutes, I listed a Small White, at least ten Common Blues, at least five Meadow Browns, just the two Small Blues and the four Silver Y Moths was certainly underecorded as they remain hidden unless disturbed.
I also noted four Speckled Woods, at least one Gatekeeper, a Red Admiral and two Peacock Butterflies in the wooded area arriving from The Drive in north Shoreham.

Mill Hill Cutting (south-west)
This is another slightly larger garden-sized verge plot carved out of chalk with Cotoneaster and Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa.. At first there were no butterflies to be seen, but after about three minutes the first Chalkhill Blue fluttered up from the Horseshoe Vetch where the first mating pair of the year was seen. There were six males and two females which was still an extremely low count at the peak period when between 20 and 50+ would normally be expected. There were also two Common Blues, a Large White, a few Gatekeepers and a Speckled Wood. A Red Admiral flew over my head.

Pixie Path and Frampton's Field
This path leads from the Mill Hill Cutting, south-west, to Mill Hill Road at the top. No butterflies were seen at first on the northern stretch until a Meadow Brown showed in the horse pasture field, followed by three Gatekeepers and two Common Blues in the partitioned field as I walked by bicycle past. A Wall Brown settled on the path itself and there was a Speckled Wood at the top. A Small Tortoiseshell wasn't a definite as it flew too quickly to be sure.
On the return from Mill Hill, I cycled down the route at much greater speed noting two Painted Ladies on passage. In the Butterfly Copse (leading to the Waterworks Road which was not visited) there was just a Holly Blue and on the southern section of the path just a Speckled Wood and a Gatekeeper.

Speckled Woods were seen in Shoreham town with a Painted Lady that flew across Buckingham Park and Small Whites seen on passage.

Thirteen definite butterfly species and a possible

30 July 2009
An inclement morning followed by heavy rain in the afternoon excluded butterfly observations.

29 July 2009
Second brood Wall Brown Butterflies have emerged with the first one clearly seen on the breezy lower slopes of Mill Hill and the second one was a surprise sighting on the verge of the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath between Upper Beeding and Old Shoreham as the first drops of rain were felt. On Mill Hill, the Chalkhill Blues count was even more disappointing with only 30 seen when even in a poor year over a hundred would be expected. A single worn second brood Dingy Skipper was spotted at the extreme northern end of the lower slopes of Mill Hill. It was nearly overlooked. Common Blues were the most frequent butterfly on the brief visit to Mill Hill.
 

Species:	Buckingham Cutting	Pixie Path & Butterfly Copse	Mill Hill Lower Slopes	Mill Hill Middle & Upper	TOTAL
Chalkhill Blue		1	30+	1	32+
Meadow Brown	Few	Few	1+	Few	Frequent
Gatekeeper	Occasional	Few	Frequent	Few	Frequent
Large White			1+	Few	Frequent
Small Blue	Few				Few
Painted Lady		Few	1+	Frequent	Frequent
Dingy Skipper			1		1
Speckled Wood	Few	Few		3	Occasional
Red Admiral			1	1+	2+
Peacock		3	1	Occasional	Frequent
Holly Blue		1			1
Common Blue	Occasional (incl. females)	3+	Occasional  (incl. females)	30+	Very Frequent
Small White			1+	2+	Occasional
Wall Brown			1		2
MOTHS:
Silver Y Moth				Occasional	Occasional
Six-spotted Burnet Moth				Frequent	Frequent

The butterflies on the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath were not counted, but as well as the Wall Brown included Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Large Whites, Small Whites, a Red Admiral, Painted Ladies and a few Peacocks.
Adur Skippers

Fourteen butterfly species

28 July 2009
On the towpath adjacent to the Airport, there were occasional Painted Ladies and Gatekeepers and at least two male Common Blues, and elsewhere in Shoreham there were both Large Whites and Small Whites and Green-veined Whites. In the late afternoon the path from the Butterfly Copse on the southern side of Frampton's Field, Old Shoreham, to The Street, yielded a probable Holly Blue Butterfly and a Red Admiral sparring with a Painted Lady.
Eight species

27 July 2009
In under three minutes on the path from the Butterfly Copse on the southern side of Frampton's Field, Old Shoreham, to The Street, a Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, Painted Lady, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, a Large White and two Speckled Woods appeared.
Seven species

26 July 2009
Mill Hill was continually found to be disappointing for butterflies with just over fifty Chalkhill Blue males being disturbed on the one acre transect, and a female spotted crawling amongst the Horseshoe Vetch leaves. The breezy cool conditions were far from ideal for butterflies. It seems it is going to be another poor year for the blue butterflies. One bonus was my first Brown Argus of the year seen clearly on the upper Greater Knapweed meadow south of the copse on the top of Mill Hill Nature Reserve. Female Common Blues were also spotted and the Small Blues were still frequently seen, notably on the southern bank of Buckingham Cutting.
 

Small Tortoiseshell	Common Blue (female)	Chalkhill Blue	Small Blue

Adur Butterflies: First Dates

Fourteen butterfly species

25 July 2009
A fresh batch of Holly Blues were out as four were seen on a breezy day on the outskirts* of Shoreham with frequent Painted Ladies, Gatekeepers  and Large Whites, and a few each of Small Tortoiseshells (two on Frampton's Field south), Small Whites, Red Admirals, Peacock Butterflies, Speckled Woods, with one Comma and at least one male Common Blue (Mill Hill Cutting SW). (*Adur Recreation Ground > towpath adjacent to the Airport > Pixie Path)
Nine species

23 July 2009
Under a cloudy sky my first female Chalkhill Blue Butterfly of the year was blown about in the breeze, with a count of 24 males in unfavourable conditions on the lower slopes of Mill Hill. The highlight of the day, as the sun and vanessid butterflies came out along the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath between Upper Beeding and Old Shoreham, was the first Hummingbird Hawk-moth since 2006 whirring away amongst the meadow herbs on the edge of the verges, its orange rear and vibrating wings most distinctive.
Greater Knapweed Meadow (Image)
Knapweed Studies
 

Species:	Buckingham Cutting & the Dovecote Bank	Pixie Path & Butterfly Copse	Mill Hill	Coastal Link Cyclepath & Shoreham Town	TOTAL
Chalkhill Blue			25+1		26
Meadow Brown	5	1	25	4+	35+
Gatekeeper	11	5	26	4+	46+
Large White	1	2	6	4+	Frequent
Small Blue	6+				6+
Painted Lady	1	5	29	26+	61+
Small Tortoiseshell				4	4
Speckled Wood	4	2	1		7
Red Admiral	1			12+	13+
Peacock	1	1	8	14+	24+
Small Skipper			2		2
Common Blue	5		10		15
Small White	1	1		2+	Occasional
Comma				3	3
MOTHS:
Silver Y Moth	3	1	6	1	3
Pyrausta nigrata			Occasional		Occasional
Six-spotted Burnet Moth	2	1	1		4+
Hummingbird Hawk-moth				1	1

 Fourteen butterfly species

21 July 2009
Both Painted Lady Butterflies and Large Whites were seen on passage in Shoreham.

20 July 2009
The weather was still too inclement for butterflies after a wet and breezy weekend, but despite the poor conditions Painted Ladies were frequently (25+) to be seen on the outskirts of Old Shoreham (Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath & Pixie Path and Buckingham Cutting south), with frequent fresh Red Admirals (10+) and Peacocks (10+).
 

A Ringlet was recorded on the Waterworks Road for the first time in this location on these web pages and it flew towards Mill Hill to just about make a first inclusion in Mill Hill Nature Reserve. It was joined by a Comma and a Meadow Brown and frequent (20+) Large Whites. On Buckingham Cutting (south) this undisturbed (by passing humans) piece of roadside verge instantly revealed three male Common Blues, a Small Skipper, courting Gatekeepers, a few Speckled Woods, mating Small Blues plus handful of solitary ones, a Six-spotted Burnet Moth and a Burnet Companion Moth. Over the hedgerow at Buckingham Cutting a blue butterfly flew and I very much suspect that this was a Holly Blue, but it was much too restless and disappeared towards even denser foliage.
Twelve confirmed butterfly species and one probable

17 July 2009
On a day too breezy and overcast for butterflies, the usual July species were seen on the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath to Upper Beeding: frequent Red Admirals, occasional just about everything else listed, Painted Ladies, Speckled Woods, Large Whites, Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, two Comma Butterflies (both at Dacre Gardens) and one Peacock Butterfly (at Old Shoreham).
Nine species  (including the Comma not seen the day before)

16 July 2009
My first Clouded Yellow Butterfly since 2007 flew over Frampton's Field, Old Shoreham, and disappeared from sight amongst the Creeping Thistles. On Mill Hill in the early afternoon the count of male Chalkhill Blue Butterflies was 30. As expected at this time of the year, Large Whites, Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers were all frequently seen. At least five Small Blues, most in good condition were seen on the southern bank of Buckingham Cutting and this must be a second brood.
 

Species:	Buckingham Cutting & the Pixie Path	Lower Slopes	Scrub & Copse	Plateau & South, Middle Slopes and Top Meadow	TOTAL
Chalkhill Blue		30			30
Meadow Brown	3	6	11	1	21+
Gatekeeper	5	14	5	3	27+
Large White	1+	1+	1+	1+	Frequent
Marbled White		2		1	3
Painted Lady			1	3	4
Clouded Yellow	1				1
Speckled Wood	2		6		11
Red Admiral		1			2
Peacock			2		2
Small Blue	5+				5+
Small Skipper				2	2
Common Blue	2	3		1	6
Small White	1				Occasional
Brimstone Butterfly		1			1
Silver Y Moth	1	1		1	3
Pyrausta nigrata		Frequent			Frequent
Six-spotted Burnet Moth	Frequent		Frequent	Frequent	Frequent

In Shoreham, including Buckingham Park, there were three Speckled Woods at the top (where all the vegetation under the trees had been mown and disposed of), frequent Large Whites and occasional Small Whites and another Red Admiral added up in the above totals.

Painted Lady	Six-spotted Burnet Moth	Peacock Butterfly

In the early evening there were further Small Skippers (2+) frequent Meadow Browns, occasional Gatekeepers on the southern bank of the Slonk Hill Cutting, and on the bridlepath north of Slonk Hill Farm there were three Painted Ladies (two pristine and one badly mauled) and a Peacock Butterfly. These are not included in the table above. Six-spotted Burnet Moths were frequently seen both on Buckingham Cutting (south), north Shoreham, and on Mill Hill.

Fifteen butterfly species (the most in a day this year by one)

Adur Butterflies: First Dates
Adur Burnet Moths
Mill Hill & its Butterflies Article

In the last good year in 2003 the numbers of Chalkhill Blue Butterflies recorded on Mill Hill were:

Date
11 July 2003	First visit
11 July 2003	50
20 July 2003	1200+
21 July 2003	200+
30 July 2003	2000+
2 August 2003	3000+
7 August 2003:	120
20 August 2003	30

 UK Butterflies Chalkhill Blues 2009

14 July 2009
A visit to Tottington Woods, Small Dole, with Jan Hamblett, resulted in the sightings of two butterflies not recorded personally in the Lower Adur Valley area before.
 

Silver-washed Fritillary	White Admiral	White Admiral

There were frequent flights under the canopy of Oak and Willow of the large and splendid Silver-washed Fritillaries flying up to about five metres above the ground vegetation and wood piles and occasionally landing for a photograph. Two splendid White Admirals were spotted, the first one slightly worn and intact, and the one that landed in front of us was damaged with two chunks missing out of its left forewing. Other butterflies seen in the woods were frequent Large Whites, occasional Small Whites, frequent Peacock Butterflies, frequent Speckled Woods, frequent Gatekeepers, occasional Meadow Browns, occasional Comma Butterflies, a few Small Skippers, at least two Large Skippers, at least one Red Admiral, frequent Ringlets, and on the mown field immediately outside of the woods to the south-east a Marbled White fluttered amongst the shorn grass.
Adur Butterfly Flight Times
Fourteen butterfly species  (equal most in a day this year)