Butterflies and Moths

Butterfly and Moth watching

Some of the best places to see butterflies in the UK
Butterflies - By Matthew Oates of the National trust - Highly recommended
5 ways to attract moths to your garden
Moth watching - The lazy man's guide
Monarch butterfly migration
Wildlife gardening - What plants should we plant to encourage wildlife into our gardens?
Photographic guide to British moths and butterflies

Online guide to British moths

If you need some help identifying a British moth, please see www.ukmoths.org.uk

Butterfly Conservation Nature Reserves

Butterfly Conservation is the UK's leading charity that works to save butterflies and moths. They own and manage more than 30 nature reserve for the benefit of butterflies.

Click here to read more about Butterfly Conservation, and to see their Nature Reserves.

The UK moths count website is a useful resource for beginners and experts alike, it is packed full of information about moths and moth recording, and includes a list of County Moth Recorders who collate moth records locally, and online distribution maps of the UK's macro-moths.

Online guide to British Butterflies

If you need so me help identifying a British Butterfly, we suggest you look at www.britishbutterflies.co.uk/, a good clean and easy to use online guide.

Recent Butterflies & Moths news

More Butterflies & Moths news

Sixty per cent of UK species in decline, groundbreaking study finds
Scientists working side-by-side from 25 wildlife organisations have compiled a stock take of our native species - the first of its kind in the UK. The report reveals that 60% of the species studied have declined over recent decades. More than one in ten of all the species assessed are under threat of disappearing from our shores altogether.
Read more »

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Painted lady migration secrets unveiled - 9000 miles to Africa and back
One of the longest standing mysteries of migration has finally been solved after scientists discovered where the UK's Painted Lady butterfly population goes each autumn.
Read more »

England's forests to be saved for the nation
The public forest estate is the single largest provider of outdoor leisure and recreation in England. And it is also the single largest timber producer, as well as being a vital habitat for wildlife. Research shows that these elements are producing annual returns on investment estimated at £400 million.
Read more »

Planet Earth Live - What is the point?
BBC is considered the best in the world at making wildlife programmes, and rightly so. They have set the standard with pioneering techniques, the best presenters and innovation. Planet Earth Live has none of these qualities, and there appears to be little live about it either.
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Winners of The UK Wildlife Photography Awards 2011

The Wildlife Extra UK Wildlife Photography Competition 2011 has been won by Peter Denness with his stunning image of a hare. We don't usually go for black and white images, but Peter's hare was just too good.

CATEGORY WINNERS

- Agnieszka Dymek - Bugs

- Peter Denness - Mammals

- Howard Booty - Birds

- Matthew Oxley - Reptile, Amphibian & Marine Life

- Martin Sothcott - Landscapes

- Lisa Clyma - Under 16s

New butterfly species discovered in Ireland

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Fierce fire destroys Upton Heath wildlife
On what will be remembered as a black day for wildlife, an estimated one third of one of the most important wildlife sites in England was devastated by fire. Dorset Wildlife Trust's Upton Heath nature reserve, recognised internationally for the extreme rarity of habitat and wildlife, was engulfed by the biggest heath fire in decades just at the peak of the bird and reptile breeding season.
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Monarch butterflies boost as numbers could reach 200 million this year
The area of trees that are spread between about 12 sites where they hang, or what is termed festoon, for warmth has increased from about five acres last year to 10 acres this winter. Recent studies show their numbers this year could be about 200 million butterflies overall.
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Leaked US memo discloses that pesticide may be responsible for bee decline
In a leaked memo US government scientists warn that bees and other non-target invertebrates are at risk from a new neonicotinoid pesticide licence and that tests in the approval process are unable to detect environmental damage.
Read more »

Insects of Britain and Western Europe

Now you can tell the difference between a bed bug and a pine cone bug.

The new 2007 edition is the answer to all parents glazed looks when little Johnie/Janey asks what sort of caterpillar/beetle is this? Over 2300 illustrations and an instant guide as to whether you might see them in the UK or not.

Read the full review.

Top ten National Trust properties to see butterflies.

The National Trust is the largest and most important landowner for butterflies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. All (but two) of the resident British butterfly species live on National Trust land. It has many of the best UK sites for individual butterfly species, and many of the rich butterfly sites are home to scarce species.

See the ten best sites.

Enjoying Moths - All you need to know about Mothing.

This is a hardback book all about 'Mothing', the increasingly popular pastime of studying moths. 96% of all British Lepidoptera species are moths. That is 24 moths for every butterfly.

This book tells you how to collect them, where to find them, how to identify them, where to look for their caterpillars and pupae, and how to help conserving them.

Although packed with photos and tips on how to identify them, this is not a identification guide (There are good ones available), but it does tell you pretty much everything else you need to know about how to study moths in the UK.

Available from Alana Ecology for £29.95.

5 ways to attract moths to your garden

Andrew Green, expert lepidopterist and owner of Wild Britain (formerly known as Bedford Butterfly Park) is actively supporting the campaign by outlining 5 sure ways to attract moths to gardens.

1. Plant night-scented flowers (eg Nicotiana, Sweet Rocket and honeysuckle).

2. Plant mixed native hedging like Privet, hawthorn, buckthorn.

3. Don't be too precious about a few weeds. Moths need things like docks, nettles and grasses to lay eggs on.

4. Moths and other insects need hiding places. Crevices in tree bark and under window sills are good places to look. Try pinning old egg boxes onto the garden fence and see what you get.

5. Remember that although Moths are attracted to light, bright light bulbs can confuse moths so don't over illuminate your garden.

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Large blue butterfly ‘open day’

On Sunday 20 June staff and volunteers will be showing visitors round taking them to the best places to see these little blue beauties during their short life.

More details »

British Moth ID

British Moths and Butterflies - A photographic guide

The book covers 1420 species of moth, 850 macros and 500 micros, as well as 314 caterpillars, pupae and eggs and 74 butterflies.
Read full review »

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Butterflies of Britain and Europe: A Photographic Guide

Good photos and maps make this book easy to use, you will struggle with caterpillar ID though.

Read full review »

Britain's butterflies

Comprehensive photo field guide to the butterflies of Britain.

Click Britain's Butterflies to find out more.

Why British wildlife lovers have such a soft spot for butterflies

By Matthew Oates - The National Trust's specialist on invertebrates
A surprising number of people responded to the National Trust's competition on butterflies with tales of 'epiphany moments'

Read the full article by Matthew Oates

Butterflies

This isn't just a guide to British butterflies, it is a lot more. Matthew Oates is the National Trust's, and one of Britain's, leading experts. He fell in love with butterflies, and particularly the purple emperor, at an early age, and has been following them all around Britain ever since.

Highly recommended.