Andy Martin
@andos13.bsky.social
π€ 56
π₯ 61
π 27
π Wildlife sightings from Dorset & beyond mainly π¦
A few more sightings from this morning at Ulwell including my first Adonis Blue & 20+Brown Argus π
24 days ago
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At least 2 Marsh Fritillary on the hillside at Ulwell nr Swanage this morning. I did see one last year in the same spot. Assume continued release in same area. π€
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
@martinswarren.bsky.social
24 days ago
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A great start to Spring for the Holly Blue π¦ 6 in my small urban garden this afternoon. Also had 2 Painted Lady Zoom past. π @BC_Dorset @savebutterflies
26 days ago
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Andy Martin
Drew Cooper
28 days ago
Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina) have finally emerged in Dorset.
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A few Spring butterflies seen at a blustery Martin Down this morning. Nice to see my first Green Hairstreak of the year π
about 1 month ago
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Andy Martin
martinswarren.bsky.social
about 1 month ago
Yay, my first Wall of the year, but the big surprise is that itβs a female. They usually come out a bit later to make sure there are plenty of males around to mate quickly. Seen on chalk ridge near Swanage
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
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Andy Martin
West Midlands Butterfly and Moth Society
about 2 months ago
Looking like one of the best Springs in recent years but we can only be sure if you record the butterflies seen. We encourage the use of iRecord, an app you can download to your phone. Its free and simple to use. Do give it a try & thanks if you already use it
@savebutterflies.bsky.social
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Andy Martin
Southbourne Seafront Transect
about 2 months ago
π 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 π
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
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Would you believe it my first visit to Ulwell this year rewarded with a Large Tortoiseshell. Unfortunately did not see the upper wing until it flew off. Second sighting locally this week I believe π
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
about 2 months ago
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Andy Martin
Butterfly Conservation (Dorset Branch)
about 2 months ago
Another Dorset sighting of Large Tortoiseshell. Perseverance pays!
add a skeleton here at some point
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Andy Martin
martinswarren.bsky.social
2 months ago
My first Orange-tip and Holly Blue of the year along the Purbeck Ridge between Corfe Castle and Swanage. Too flighty for photos so here is a more obliging Peacock amongst gorse flowers!
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
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Andy Martin
garyh-56.bsky.social
2 months ago
The "Southern Cousin" of our Orange Tip. The Provence Orange Tip was in big numbers on the hills and mountain slopes in Spain last week. Mijas Spain
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Andy Martin
Butterfly Conservation (Dorset Branch)
2 months ago
First Holly Blue sighting in Dorset, plus first Small White, courtesy of @
[email protected]
www.dorsetbutterflies.com/2026/03/holl...
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Holly Blue, Hambledon Hill
Shona sent in this photo telling us: I was at Hambledon Hill watching some Peacocks nectaring on Blackthorn yesterday, 18/03/2026, when something small and blue shot past me and joined in.Β I was sβ¦
https://www.dorsetbutterflies.com/2026/03/holly-blue-hambledon-hill-2/
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Andy Martin
martinswarren.bsky.social
3 months ago
Canary Island Large White now in crisis following likely extinction on Tenerife
add a skeleton here at some point
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First garden butterfly of 26 for me Peacock sunbathing on the wall. Spring is round the corner π
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
3 months ago
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Andy Martin
Portland Bird Observatory
5 months ago
Painted Lady on the wing in the Obs garden just now
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Andy Martin
UK Butterflies
6 months ago
A refreshingly positive 'good news' story by M.S. Warren, S. Rich, and N. Haywood regarding the fortunes of the Silver-studded Blue over 50 years at Studland Heath National Nature Reserve, Dorset, UK. Detailed article at
www.dispar.org/reference.ph...
@martinswarren.bsky.social
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Andy Martin
Southbourne Seafront Transect
6 months ago
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
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Andy Martin
Mike Gibbons
6 months ago
Saw 9 Clouded Yellows with
@garyh-56.bsky.social
and
@andos13.bsky.social
along with 3 larvae. Amazing day for late November. Also 2 Red Admirals.
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Andy Martin
martinswarren.bsky.social
7 months ago
Rather bedraggled helice form of Clouded Yellow at Chapmans Pool in south Dorset just now. This remarkable long season goes on
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
@savebutterflies.bsky.social
@richardfoxbc.bsky.social
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It may be late October but still have a couple of Speckled Wood in my Poole garden π
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
7 months ago
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Still penty of Clouded Yellow on the wing at a βοΈ Southbourne today. Also seen lightly marked Small Copper. Sightings reported to
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
7 months ago
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Andy Martin
garyh-56.bsky.social
7 months ago
I was in Southbourne today so took the chance to have a look at the undercliff where I had previously seen Clouded Yellow caterpillars earlier in the month. After a bit of a search, I found one. Very low down and battling the elements (wind and rain showers) I hope it makes it adulthood.
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A rather small helice form of Clouded Yellow at Southbourne today. This individual had a delecate lemon flush on the wings. π
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
8 months ago
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Andy Martin
Steve Gale
8 months ago
Denbies Hillside, Surrey: a sign of our times - October 9th, stood in a t-shirt watching Redwings and a Brambling at the same time as this Chalkhill Blue butterfly!! Itβs all over the placeβ¦
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Though windy at Fontmell Down today, it was nice to see a few very fresh butterflies on the wing.
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
9 months ago
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Enjoyable walk at Ulwell near Swanage at lunchtime. Good numbers of insects on the wing despite very dry conditions. Picture of very cooperative Migrant Hawker (f) π
@britishdragonflies.bsky.social
9 months ago
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Only 2 dedicated transect walkersπ seen at Alners Gorse reserve at lunchtime. Temperature peaked at 33c so didn't stay long. Of note a very active lemon coloured female Clouded Yellow patrolling the meadow. π
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
10 months ago
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Andy Martin
Chris van Swaay
10 months ago
As a true climate opportunist the Short-tailed Blue (C argiades, staartblauwtje), which arrived in NL in 2009, profits from hot and dry summers caused by climate change. Numbers on Dutch Butterfly Monitoring transects now higher than ever.
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Andy Martin
Butterfly Conservation Suffolk
10 months ago
Congratulations to William Brame
@landguardbirder.bsky.social
for realising this was a different white butterfly. Now confirmed by
@chrisvanswaay.bsky.social
as a Southern Small White - the first seen in England. As it is a female let's hope it has been laying eggs.
@matthewberry.bsky.social
add a skeleton here at some point
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Some Copper butterfly sightings from my central European Campervan holiday so far π
@europebutterfly.bsky.social
11 months ago
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Visited Portland today to see the Silver-studded Blue. 8 in total, seen from 2 separate locations. Reported to
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
12 months ago
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Andy Martin
Butterfly Conservation (Dorset Branch)
12 months ago
Wow, both White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary are out. Both seen at Badbury Rings on 2nd June. I assume these are records dor earliness
www.dorsetbutterflies.com/2025/06/whit...
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White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary, Badbury Rings
James tells us: I found not only a very early White Admiral BUT also a Silver-washed Fritillary in the space of about 10 minutes in a glade near to Badbury Rings on 2 June. I could not quite believβ¦
https://www.dorsetbutterflies.com/2025/06/white-admiral-and-silver-washed-fritillary-badbury-rings/
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Silver-studded Blue from visit to
@rspbengland.bsky.social
Arne Nature Reserve yesterday.
about 1 year ago
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21c βοΈ At Ulwell this morning, Adonis Blue numbers building with more females emerging. Count recorded at
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
π
about 1 year ago
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Andy Martin
Butterfly Conservation (Dorset Branch)
about 1 year ago
They are coming but still rather low numbers, late May is usually when we see first big influx, if itβs going to be a good PL year
add a skeleton here at some point
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Andy Martin
martinswarren.bsky.social
about 1 year ago
My first manically flying Painted Lady, presumably a migrant, seen near Corfe Castle, Dorset at 19:00. Anyone else seeing any?? I heard reports of good numbers in S Europe a few weeks ago
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
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Andy Martin
Richard Fox
about 1 year ago
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary (Boloria selene) on
#Dartmoor
yesterday
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Andy Martin
Edward Pollard
about 1 year ago
Double digits Dingy Skipper on Devil's Dyke (Newmarket) today. I've never had more than 4 before. But the highlight was this Small Copper found by Paul Fisher
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Last day of April βοΈ 23c at Ulwell lots of π¦ including a suprise Marsh Fritillary. Probable release as MF does not occur at this site.
about 1 year ago
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Spent an enjoyable hour watching several Green Hairstreak this morning. It doesn't seem to matter how they settle head up or down. This one completed a full 360 π
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
about 1 year ago
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Andy Martin
garyh-56.bsky.social
about 1 year ago
No butterfly better symbolizes the arrival of spring in the British Isles than this species, the Orange-tip. I had a great weekend watching them and saw plenty of their little orange eggs being laid on Cuckooflower. Plus a Snake's head fritillary to boot, marvelous! Alderholt, Dorset. πΈ
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Andy Martin
martinswarren.bsky.social
about 1 year ago
Duke of Burgundy reported by Matthew Oates from the other place, near Stroud in Glos, his second earliest. And it was a female!!
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Green Hairstreak in a sheltered βοΈ spot at Martin Down Hampshire today. My first of the year π
@britishnatureguide.bsky.social
about 1 year ago
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Andy Martin
Southbourne Seafront Transect
about 1 year ago
The signs are up on section 1 of the Southbourne transect. Many thanks once again to BCP Council for agreeing to make S1 a no mow area encouraging π¦ to flourish π
@dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
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Counted 11 Speckled Wood this afternoon at Ulwell none last week. π
about 1 year ago
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Andy Martin
Butterfly Conservation Suffolk
about 1 year ago
An early Small Copper seen and photographed by Daniel Cable-Davey in Ravenswood Ipswich on Mar 29. Earlier than most years although our earliest record is Mar 20
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Andy Martin
Butterfly Conservation (Dorset Branch)
about 1 year ago
STOP PRESS 2. Large Tortoiseshell seen at Studland by Phyl England. One of a several sightings along the south coast, suggesting it may be a genuine migrant
@richardfoxbc.bsky.social
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Andy Martin
Craig Jones
about 1 year ago
First Speckled Wood of the year today at Puxton Marsh, Worcs this afternoon
@bc-westmids.bsky.social
@savebutterflies.bsky.social
@worcswt.bsky.social
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Andy Martin
martinswarren.bsky.social
about 1 year ago
I love the southern form of the Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria, looks so different from the yellow form we get in Britain. Just a few emerging now in Sicily to go in my 15 minute counts
@europebutterfly.bsky.social
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