Dorset butterfly updates
2026 is turning into a very good year for Clouded Yellow butterflies.
Nick Galer alerted us to his sighting of more than 40 at Lydlinch Common (North Dorset) on 27 August. Continue reading
Following the press release from Butterfly Conservation HQ, suggesting the Large Tortoiseshell may be going to be counted as a UK species again, we have been looking at our data. Continue reading
To our suprise, we’ve had not one, but two reports of Large Tortoiseshells, both on 5 March, but some way apart. Continue reading
Dingy Skipper. Photo: Shona Refoy on 9 April 2025
Watching the butterfly sightings reports and photos coming into this website is always fascinating, and this year’s recent good weather seems to be having its effect. Looking at the statistics, we currently have 27 species on the wing and 20 of those are earlier than last year. Continue reading
Butterfly Conservation is again running the Big Butterfly Count: an easy way for you to help our butterflies by spending just 15 minutes recording them. Continue reading
We’ve had two photos sent in recently showing Marsh Fritillaries in Purbeck. One was on Godlingston Heath (grid ref SZ 016810), whilst the other was on Ballard Down (SZ 033811) where the butterfly was described as Continue reading
Brian Arnold writes: I led the Durlston Guided Walk for butterflies on 7th July for Dorset Butterfly Conservation. We had a good turnout with 15 people including me and my wife Lerida. This included 2 who travelled from Somerset, plus 2 from North Wales who were here on holiday in Swanage. Continue reading
A dozen of us met in the Dorset Council Hillfield car park to walk to the northwest facing slopes known as Telegraph Hill on a search for the Duke of Burgundy butterfly. Continue reading
We had reports of 104 Painted Ladies to this website yesterday (19 May), which makes it seem possible that we are getting a large influx of these butterflies, so we are asking you whether you could do a timed count Continue reading
Painted Lady butterflies are visitors to this country. Some years they only turn up in small numbers, but once in a while we get huge numbers. Continue reading