Out on the Southbourne transect this morning before the cloud rolled in. Only two butterflies seen , one Small White and this tatty looking Clouded Yellow. Presumably one that's overwintered as a caterpillar ? Southbourne Dorset

17c humid with intermittent 🌞. Good count of butterflies with Clouded Yellow still present. Highlight 3x Green Hairstreak in one spot. Surprisingly no Painted Lady seen @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

Yay, Corfe Common is alive with Painted Ladies! Here are 4 of 20+ in 30 mins at 17:45, several getting stuck into Bluebell as the only nectar source! Assume these have come direct from Africa seeing as my car is covered in Saharan dust! @savebutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

It's week 4 on the Southbourne Butterfly Transect and in the brisk wind and bright sunshine there was plenty to see on the Undercliff. The highlights: 3 CY ,2 Sm Cop, 2 Grn Hairstreak and a Silver Y moth. Southbourne Dorset

From lunchtime transect walk of note - 3 active Clouded Yellow zigzagging along undercliff. First Painted Lady of the monitoring season seen. Very lively individual so poor quality in flight shot .

👏 Hurray the cycle is complete. Adult Clouded Yellow x3 on our Southbourne transect today. All stages monitored overwinter to demonstrate successful overwintering. Thanks to all who helped 👍 @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

I was out at Southbourne Undercliff this lunchtime with Andy M, for our first week 1 transect walk of the season. In reasonably warm, calm conditions we saw Small Whites, Peacock and this lovely Small Copper. Plus a Common Lizard (according to A.I.) sunbathing without its tail !

We're enjoying the UK Butterfly Recorders meeting today! Fascinating talk on using UV torches to monitor Black Hairstreak larvae. More great talks to come... If you couldn't make it today the recording will be up on YouTube in a week or two. 📷: Iain H Leach

🦋 First Small Copper emerging on Southbourne Undercliff - reported Sunday 22nd March 😀

A great way to start the month of March down at the Undercliff today. Met up with Andy M and saw my first Peacock of the year 4 in total. Male Kestrel displaying well, plus another Clouded Yellow caterpillar found. Southbourne Dorset

I met up with fellow transect walker Andy M at Southbourne today to see if we could find any Clouded Yellow caterpillars. We found one, its great to see this individual is still surviving well into mid February. Fingers crossed there are more in the areas of the cliff which are inaccessible 🤞🐛

I found the first Clouded Yellow caterpillars of 2026 today on the transect. Only 2 seen, but clear evidence that they continue to overwinter at Southbourne despite what the British winter weather is throwing at them. Southbourne Dorset

Lesser Celandine beginning to show on the underciff today plus few brave bees nectaring in sheltered spots.

Yikes, a Boxing Day Speckled Wood in Boscombe. The 2025 season will certainly break some records with flight periods! www.dorsetbutterflies.com/2025/12/spec...

Many thanks to @bcpcouncil.bsky.social for completing the pre Christmas planned transect land management. Nice suprise of 3 Painted Lady (Library pic) on the Undercliff lunchtime. Maybe migrants after recent warm southerly winds. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @migrantmothuk.bsky.social

After a tip off from @cloudedyellows.bsky.social I went down to Southbourne Undercliff hoping to see (presumably) my last Clouded Yellow on the wing for the year. In the lunchtime sun it popped out, briefly nectaring for a while before disappearing. My first British CY seen in December, amazing.

🎅 December Clouded Yellow on the transect today👏

Another cold but sunny day in Southbourne. But in the lunchtime window the Undercliff had warmed up sufficiently to see 8 Clouded Yellow and 1 Red Admiral on the wing. Plus more CY caterpillars seen. It's been an amazing November. Southbourne Dorset.

4 Clouded Yellow on the wing along the seafront at lunchtime. Looks promising for adults flying locally into December. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

A very cold but sunny lunchtime walk at Southbourne Undercliff today, with air temperatures only 6C but probably warmer on the promenade. Yet there was still "Butterfly" activity to see. 4 Clouded Yellow eggs plus 2 caterpillars found and amazingly a Red Admiral out basking. Southbourne Dorset.

Finally a sunny day at Southbourne Undercliff and it was great to meet up with fellow transect walkers Sue, Andy and Mike G. Highlights 7 Clouded Yellow on the wing with eggs and caterpillars found. Will these survive as we move into winter ? Only time will tell. Southbourne Undercliff Dorset

It's November and despite a stiff westerly breeze and an air temperature of 12c there were still 3 Clouded Yellow on the wing and evidence of egg laying down at Southbourne today. It seems the butterfly season isn't quite over yet on the coast🦋 Southbourne Dorset

A count of 12 Clouded Yellow at lunchtime on the transect. Mostly fresh so weather permitting should have adults in November 🤞 @ukbms.bsky.social

Great news. When the weather is good there are still several adults on view along the transect.

Generally dull overcast day at Southbourne today. However, a brief 10 minutes of sun had a few butterflies emerging, including this fresh Small Copper. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

STOP PRESS: Long-tailed Blue see at Southbourne on 9th October. This remarkable season keeps on going www.dorsetbutterflies.com/2025/10/long...

Down at Southbourne today to meet up with fellow transect walker Andy M and the weather was glorious ☀️ 20+ Clouded Yellow, 4th gen Small Copper(?) plus whites still flying. Highlights, a mating pair of CY and 1st instar caterpillars. Also reports of Long Tailed Blue towards Hengistbury.

I was down at Southbourne today and there was plenty of action from at least 20 Clouded Yellows seen along a mile long strip of the undercliff and getting photos of the females whilst they were egg laying was a top highlight. Fantastic. Southbourne Undercliff Dorset

Final week of @ukbms.bsky.social monitoring season - Clouded Yellow numbers greatly increased on the transect, also nice to see fresh Common Blue. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

Week 25 and it was nice to be out on the Southbourne Transect today on a sunny warm day. Butterflies seen. 2 Clouded Yellows, 2 Painted Lady's, an increase in Red Admirals, Whites and a Small Heath. All very flighty perhaps due to the lack of flowers for nectaring ? Southbourne Dorset 📸🦋

Unfortunately, due to predicted poor weather conditions at Southbourne on Tuesday, we are cancelling the guided walk. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

🌬 Windy for the start of week 24, so 🦋 numbers reduced. Better forecast for next week when we are hosting a guided walk on the transect. Please click the link for more details www.dorsetbutterflies.com/events/ 😊

Week 23 and out on the Southbourne Transect today. The butterflies were sometimes hard to spot but they were there. Clouded Yellows emerging with Small Coppers, Small Heath, Large and Small Whites plus Painted Lady. Southbourne Dorset

Its week 23 of the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme! September is here and we're into the last month of the survey. Some summer species may no longer be on the wing, but as we're having a bumper year, keep an eye out for second (or even third) broods of some species.

Happy to complete a rain free transect walk this morning. 2 Small copper seen on section S4 one being common aberration caeriuleopunctata (row of blue spots on hind wing) @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @ukbms.bsky.social

It was great today to catch up with fellow Southbourne Transect walkers and find Clouded Yellow eggs layed on Common Bird's-foot-trefoil this afternoon. Fingers crossed they are laying all over the transect and hopefully in other areas along the South coast of Dorset.

Our first Southbourne transect Jersey Tiger this morning. A flash of bright colours as it flew by, then settled for a photo. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

I was down at the Southbourne Butterfly Transect this morning for a quick look to see what was about. Despite the early start it was great to see 3 Clouded Yellows around 9am before the cloud rolled in. 2 females and one male seen. Presumably there are more about. Southbourne Dorset

Happy to report Clouded Yellow flying again on our Southbourne transect. Pictures courtesy of @cloudedyellows.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

Week 17 and out on the Southbourne Butterfly Transect today, good to see Mike O out there aswell. Fairly quiet, mainly Gatekeepers, Whites, the odd Small Copper and a solitary Common Blue seen. Small Skipper still about and Six-spot Burnet Moths. Very dry conditions with insects jossling for nectar.

The Big Butterfly Count 2025 is here and butterflies need our help 🦋🚨 This isn't just a survey, it's a rescue mission, and we need everyone to get involved. No lab coats. No science degrees. Just 15 minutes of your time. ⏱️ Get out for the count 👉 bigbutterflycount.org

☀️ Drought conditions noticeable on some parts of the transect this morning. However enough nectaring remains on uncut meadow. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @ukbms.bsky.social

Great to meet up with fellow walker Andy M on the Southbourne Butterfly Transect today. Stand out moments from this morning were this stunning Common Blue and this "darker" Small Copper. No Clouded Yellows seen since the solitary migrant was recorded back in mid June.

☀️ 24c at 10.30 for the start of todays Southbourne transect walk. Lots of butterflies recorded, including this beautifully marked Green-veined White. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @ukbms.bsky.social

A few pictures from the uncut overcliff meadow on Southbourne 🦋 transect this morning. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @bcpcouncil.bsky.social

Week 14 and out on the Southbourne Butterfly Transect this morning. Gatekeepers now on the wing with 2nd brood Common Blue and Six-spot Burnet moths now appearing. Plenty of Whites, Small Skipper and Large Skipper about plus the usual Meadow Browns.

Week 12 and out on the Southbourne transect walk today. First migrant Clouded Yellow of the season seen, 2nd brood Small Copper emerging and Small Skipper also now on the wing. Plus well done BCP Council for not cutting the grass its making a real positive difference for biodiversity in the area.

I had a good morning at the Southbourne Butterfly transect today meeting up with fellow walkers. We saw Small Heath, Whites, Meadow Brown and 2 Painted Lady's. Dartford Warbler was also showing well plus a Wall Lizard on top of a Hebe bush "nectaring" or eating pollen ? Never seen that before !

☀️ Lovely morning on transect - Meadow Brown now emerging on our uncut Meadow. Surprised by what I assume is a deceased Dogfish on the S4 Undercliff section.

I walked the Southbourne Butterfly transect this lunchtime. Only Painted Lady's were strong enough to be on the wing in a moderate sea breeze (8 in total), with a solitary Small Heath tucked in low, into the grass. No other species seen. I think the "June gap" is well under way .