Purple Hairstreak. Photo: Mark Pike
White Admiral. Photo: Mark Pike
Two photos from Mark sent in telling us:
Plenty on the wing at Piddles Wood this afternoon, 08/06/2026 including Red and White Admirals and this nice fresh Purple Hairstreak basking on a fern, would have been churlish not to take its picture!
Silver-studded Blue. Photo: Francesca Surrey
Francesca sent in this photo telling us:
I saw this lovely Silver-studded Blue butterfly at Sopley Common yesterday, 07/06/2026 – it was cloudy but we still saw a few of them. We also saw an Adder on the path!
Common Blue. Photo: Mark Pike
Peacock Butterfly Larvae. Photo: Mark Pike
Two photos from Mark sent in saying:
A mass of Peacock larvae on a stinging nettle and a perfectly fresh Common Blue at Motcombe Meadows yesterday morning, 05/06/2026 before the cloud rolled in once again.
Small Tortoiseshell. Photo: Jane Smith
Jane sent in this photo telling us:
Saw this fresh Small Tortoiseshell nectaring on Corky-fruited Dropwort in our Sherborne garden this afternoon, 05/06/2026 – the first one I have seen since 2024. It was accompanied by a Ringlet, with lots of flower heads available to them.
Lulworth Skippers. Photo: Brian Arnold
Brian sent in this photo telling us:
Numbers are now on the up for Lulworth Skippers at Durlston. This pair – male and female were busy nectaring on a knapweed today, 05/06/2026.
Painted Lady. Photo: Donald Simcock
Large Skipper. Photo: Donald Simcock
Two more photos from Donald taken on the BC Walk at Alner’s Gorse on 30/05/2026.
Large Skipper. Photo: Lucy Dalzell
Grizzled Skippers. Photo: Lucy Dalzell
Following on from the posting of photos taken by Lucy (age 9) added to the Gallery yesterday, here are two more of the images taken by her at Compton Down on 29/05/2026.
Skippers are a personal favourite of hers and she was delighted to see the Grizzled Skipper, Large Skipper and Dingy Skipper all at one location but as so often happens the Dingy was camera shy.
Glanville Fritillary. Photo: Lucy Dalzill
Adonis Blue. Photo: Lucy Dalzill
These two photos were taken on 29/05/2026 by Lucy and were sent in by her mother, Natalie – Lucy age 9 is almost certainly our youngest contributor of photos for the Gallery.
Natalie told us that at Compton Down there were numerous Adonis Blues and this image of one is Lucy’s favourite shot.
Natalie also told us that they could not believe their luck when they stumbled across (almost stood on) a newly emerged Glanville Fritillary with wings not yet fully set. After some time they eventually watched it take to the wing.
Marbled White. Photo: John Woodruff
White Admiral. Photo: John Woodruff
Two photos from John sent in telling us:
After a fruitless trip to Slop Bog on 29/05/2026 in the hope of seeing some Silver-studded Blues, I made a quick visit to Badbury Rings and there found this beautiful Marbled White.
In Piddles Wood three days later on 01/06/2026 during a brief period of hazy sunshine, I found 6 White Admirals in various parts of the Wood basking in the vegetation.
Marsh Fritillary. Photo: Donald Simcock
Marsh Fritillary Eggs. Photo: Donald Simcock
Two photos sent in by Donald telling us:
I went to the Dorset BC moth trapping and butterfly walk at Alner’s Gorse last Saturday, 30/05/2026 and with a temperature of 26c nice and warm for flying insects and just right for the walking.
Besides the hundreds of moths studied when opening the moth traps, we also saw a good variety of butterflies.
Martin Warren brought alive the story of the life cycle of the Marsh Fritillary from egg, parasites, larval web and onto adults. We saw a couple of Marsh Fritillaries at Alner’s and more at the next door site of Rooksmoor. A very enjoyable day.