The Sussex Wildlifer

Sussex Butterfly Identification Photo Gallery
Grayling to Large Skipper
All images on this web site are copyright © Paul Lister/The Sussex Wildlifer 2010

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Species Name
Location and Date
Dimensions
Normal Main Flight Period
Distinguishing Features and Comments

Grayling
Windover Hill: 11 August 2007
Wingspan 50mm
June-August 		Easily dismissed as just another Meadow Brown,
this species favours bare patches of chalk on
Downlands and readily comes to people.
Meadow Brown
Windover Hill: 11 August 2007
Wingspan 50mm
June-October 		This Meadow Brown is shown here in an attempt to
show just how easy it is to confuse it with a Grayling
if you don't look hard. It sat on bare chalk,
readily came to me, not flying off as most MBs do.
Grayling
Windover Hill: 11 August 2007
Wingspan 50mm
June-August 		See above. Not the easist of subjects to photograph,
it tends to rest on the ground with wings angled to
cast a minimal shadow.
Grayling
Windover Hill: 11 August 2007
Wingspan 50mm
June-August 		See above. The upper wings are soon folded under
the back wings, so the spot disappears. Note the
subtle underwing patterns.
Grayling
Windover Hill: 26 August 2007
Wingspan 50mm
June-August 		This was my second visit to what is possibly the only
reliable location in the whole of Sussex where it is
possible to see this county rarity. Mind you, the
chalk downland wild flowers are also a real bonus.
Grayling
Windover Hill: 26 August 2007
Wingspan 50mm
June-August 		See above.
Grayling
Windover Hill: 2 September 2007
Wingspan 50mm
June-August 		A third and final visit to this location in very windy
conditions gave me three specimens, an excellent
result considering the weather and the fact that they
were right at the end of their lives.
Grayling
Windover Hill: 2 September 2007
Wingspan 50mm
June-August 		There is something really good about travelling to see a rare species to show a friend and then delivering
the goods!
Grayling
Windover Hill: 2 September 2007
Wingspan 50mm
June-August 		The bright red splodge appears to be a mite of some
description.

Green Hairstreak
Bedelands: 1 May 2007
Wingspan 25mm
April-June

 An utterly bewitching little beauty! I was simply
entranced with my first view of them this year and
unmistakable in terms of identification.
Green Hairstreak
Bedelands: 1 May 2007
Wingspan 25mm
April-June 		See above.

Green Hairstreak
Blunts Wood: 23 May 2010
Wingspan 25mm
April-June

The first ever recorded on this reserve.
Green-veined White
Bedelands: 4 May 2007
Wingspan 50mm
March-October

Very like a small/large white, that is until you get
close enough to see the veins on the underside
of the wings. Just see how these transform this
beauty.

Green-veined White
Bedelands: 11 May 2007
Wingspan 50mm
March-October 		See above.
Grizzled Skipper
Mill Hill: 22 April 2007
Wingspan 20mm
April-June 		A small butterfly with beautiful wing markings make
this an easy one to identify.
Grizzled Skipper
Mill Hill: 24 April 2007
Wingspan 20mm
April-June 		See above.
Holly Blue
Bedelands: 25 July 2008
Wingspan 30mm
June-July 		A really difficult one to get close enough to to get a
good macro image. I had just the one chance - then
it flew!
Large Skipper
Blunts Wood & Paiges Meadows: 5 June 2007
Wingspan 28-30mm
May-September 		This richly coloured butterfly carries a conspicuous
sex branding on its forewings and kinked tips to
the antennae. There should really be no confusion
with the smaller small skipper.
Large Skipper
Blunts Wood & Paiges Meadows: 5 June 2007
Wingspan 28-30mm
May-September 		See above.
Large Skipper
Warnham Nature Reserve: 9 July 2007
Wingspan 28-30mm
May-September 		I came round this corner and there on a patch of
brambles were 11 species of butterfly, of which this
was just one. I have never seen so many in one
location like that before in my life. A special and
magical moment!
Large Skipper
Bedelands : 20 June 2008
Wingspan 28-30mm
May-September 		See above.

Large Skipper
Bedelands : 20 June 2008
Wingspan 28-30mm
May-September

See above.
Large Skipper
Haywards Heath Garden: June 2009
Wingspan 28-30mm
May-September 		See above.
 
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