Fully funded PhD working on insectivorous bird declines with a broad range of stakeholders. Starting ASAP #ornithology #zoology #biodiversity #science #ecology www.exeter.ac.uk/study/fundin...

Very firm statement on releases of captive-bred Turtle Doves, from Operation Turtle Dove inc @rspb.bsky.social & @naturalengland.bsky.social: *Doesn't meet IUCN guidelines *Risk of disease/genetic pollution *Irresponsible aims operationturtledove.org/captive-rele... 1/2 #ornithology #ukbirding

The #BigButterflyCount results are in and it's official... 2025 was an average year for butterflies. See the full results and what can be done to help butterflies and moths 👇 https://butterfly-conservation.org/big-butterfly-count-results-2025

Delighted to see my first Basking Sharks in the Moray Firth off Nairn yesterday. We reckon there were at least three individuals feeding on the outgoing tide.

I last visited Craigellachie NNR nine years ago to survey Scotch Argus for the University of York's Refugia Project. As I was staying in the adjacent Aviemore Hostel last night, it was only fitting to call in on them this morning!

A new study from Lund University shows changes in land use reduce number of insects and increase risk of inbreeding among Swedish butterflies. Particularly true for species with specific habitat requirements, with serious consequences for long-term survival. portal.research.lu.se/sv/publicati...

A couple of Clouded Yellows around Helston this afternoon.

Autumn Lady's-tresses in the dunes at Upton Towans yesterday. #WildflowerHour

Back at Goonhilly Downs today continuing with our Marsh Fritillary survey plots. Two new larval webs found and mapped ahead of habitat management this winter.

Following the discovery of Southern Small White laying eggs in Sussex I checked the Candytuft growing in my garden. Sure enough I found a couple of creamy white bottle shaped eggs - time will tell if it is the newest species to arrive in the UK

American Painted Lady (Vanessa virginiensis), on my garden Buddleja this morning. St. Mellion, SE Cornwall.

Grey Seal pups on the north coast today!

🦋 New UKCEH research with @naturalengland.bsky.social and @btobirds.bsky.social shows the positive impacts of agri-environment schemes (AES) on butterflies. Paper: besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @jappliedecology.bsky.social 🧵🧪 1/

UK Butterfly abundance Indicators for 1976-2024 have been released, showing an 18% decline in overall butterfly abundance for the UK. Habitat specialists have fared worse, declining by over a third. Check out the full statistics here ⬇️ buff.ly/1AIDB3J

New PhD position: Butterfly Conservation Genomics 🦋 The project focuses on threatened butterflies in Czech dry grasslands and steppes. Deadline: September 12, 2025 More info: pavelmatos.wordpress.com/join-us/

On the hunt for Marsh Fritillaries at Goonhilly Downs today! We were delighted to find five larval webs (which will help to inform habitat management this winter).

Two more fresh Silver-studded Blue males, this time on Hartland Moor. Suggests they are having a second brood, unless someone has a better idea. There are still a few faded individuals around too! @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @marcusrhodes.bsky.social @richardfoxbc.bsky.social

Happy hour at the sap run on Penryn Campus.

Interesting paper using @ukbms.bsky.social data to examine extreme weather impacts on butterfly populations. Winter heatwaves and periods of high rainfall appear bad for many species. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... 🌍

The nearest Wood White population to Cornwall is just 3km across the border into Devon. We live in hope of a similar recolonisation.

Grayling out in their hundreds on Goonhilly Downs yesterday.

A Lang’s Short-tailed Blue, Leptotes pirithous, was seen today in a garden just south of Brussels. This migratory #butterfly species with mainly an African distribution reaches the Mediterranean area each year in number but it is the first sighting for Belgium: waarnemingen.be/observation/...

Happening this evening! 👇

The UK Government's proposed amendments to the planning bill are good news for nature. But there's more work to do. Our experts break down what it means for England's wildlife 👇 www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...

I'm giving a talk for the Trevithick Society this Friday! Jewels in the Cornish Mining Landscape Come hear about the butterflies of Cornish mining sites and the work that Butterfly Conservation is doing to protect them. 19:30 Friday 8th August King Edward Mine, Troon £2 admission for non-members

Autumn Squill (Scilla autumnalis) and Cornish Heath (Erica vagans) from the Lizard yesterday. #WildflowerHour

A marvellous day of late summer butterflying down on the Lizard yesterday. Lots of Graylings about on Lower Predannack Downs, Dark Green Fritillaries at Windmill Farm and Soapy Cove, and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries flying at Kynance.

Britain has gained a new butterfly! The long-anticipated arrival of Southern Small White (Pieris mannii) has been confirmed.

The incredible Goblin's Gold Moss in the fogou at Carn Euny last week. It's been long on my bucket list to see!

A full report of our latest European Grassland Index has just been published. It gives individual species trends as well as the overall decline of 50% since 1991-2023. Another update will be coming soon to include 2024 (which was not a good year for many butterflies) doi.org/10.5281/zeno...

Graylings, Choughs and Wheatears along the coast path between Porth Chapel and Nanjizal this afternoon.

A recording of our nature recovery tools webinar is now available to watch on the RENEW Project YouTube channel. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hoof...

I'll be on @chaosradio.bsky.social‬ in a few minutes time talking about #BigButterflyCount and the conservation work that @savebutterflies.bsky.social are doing in Cornwall.

On the hunt for Glow-worms at Upton Towans last night! We found eight little beacons shining brightly amongst the Marram Grass!

Long-tailed Blue Lampides boeticus Seen today at Beth Chatto Garden in North East Essex along with Comma, Gatekeeper, Painted Lady, Red Admiral, L&S White Thanks to @chrismothman.bsky.social for the heads up. @bc-cambs-essex.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @lepimann.bsky.social

One week left for these *two* Peatland Project Officer jobs with @savebutterflies.bsky.social ! Please share to help someone find their new role helping save the Large Heath

There is still time to sign-up for our nature recovery webinar happening tomorrow! Particularly relevant if you are in the early stages of planning habitat creation or Landscape Recovery projects.

Just rescued this Large Tortoishell from my garage window, surrounded by spiderwebs! VC15 @savebutterflies.bsky.social

A day of firsts for me at Beth Chatto's today. My 1st Jersey Tiger in the garden, 1st Adonis Ladybird and 6 spot Burnet for the garden, and one of two Long-tailed Blues, my first ever in UK, probably blown over with last week's Ladybird Blizzard. What a day!

The #BigButterflyCount is underway! Between now and the 10th August: - Download the app - Spend 15 minutes looking for butterflies - Submit your sightings Find out more at bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org Happy counting! 🦋

Silver-studded Blue numbers tailing off quickly now at Studland NNR in Dorset Its been a top year but probably not quite the peak of last. Lets see how the tail wags! @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @ukbms.bsky.social

Are you involved with nature recovery, land management or planning? Join us next Tuesday (22nd) for our Partner Forum webinar introducing Ebrel and ReBio: decision-support tools for evidence-based planning and delivery of nature recovery in real landscapes. renewbiodiversity.org.uk/introducing-...

With the Silver-studded Blue flight season so early this year, there could be a partial second brood later in the summer. It would be worth keeping an eye out for them in late August/September!

Over the last year we've been doing lots of work with @uniofexeternews.bsky.social to protect landscapes - from nature recovery and carbon storage to supporting health, food justice and heritage storytelling. Find out more at researchandinnovation.co.uk/creating-rea...

Back home in Cornwall and a visit to the Towans today. It was a joy to watch the Dark Green Fritillaries racing about, but the Silver-studded Blues are now pretty much over - just two females seen during my four hours at Upton and Gwithian Towans.

Yesterday evening we visited the wonderful Warham Camp. Much of the day had been overcast so the Chalkhill Blues were out enjoying the late sunshine - a lovely end to my time in Norfolk.

Three Grayling in the vegetated shingle behind Cley Beach this afternoon. It always amazes me how they manage to thrive in such an exposed and seemingly inhospitable environment! @norfolkbutterflies.bsky.social

A White Admiral has joined us for breakfast in the garden this morning.

A magical encounter at Foxley Wood today with three Purple Emperors all feeding from sap runs on the same Oak tree! @norfolkbutterflies.bsky.social

Our false head work is out! By analysing ~1000 #butterflies, we found many traits at posterior end of hindwings evolved correlatedly, likely forming a trait complex w/adaptive function to dupe predators into thinking these traits together are actual head!! royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/...