Early Autumn on Pevensey Levels

 The hot sunny summer continued into early autumn. The weather during September and early October was beautiful with temperatures still hovering in the low twenties (degrees centigrade).

2026 has generally been an excellent year for butterflies and moths, especially with regard to the numbers of migrants arriving from the near continent. The star butterfly of the year has to be the Queen of Spain Fritillary (Issoria lathonia), one of our rarest migrants, which arrived in southern England in  unprecedented numbers and certainly produced a British generation. I spent many hours visiting promising sites in my local area but lathonia did not make an appearance for me. 

Regarding our more regular migrants, the Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady also arrived in huge numbers but my impression was that the Red Admiral had a very average year.

Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus)

I fell in love with croceus in my youth when I first encountered it in large numbers in 1969, when I saw it everywhere on the downs around Brighton. Even now, my heart jumps a beat when I see it and in recent weeks I have enjoyed watching croceus in large numbers on Pevensey Levels.

Females.

This female seemed unable to relax the wings on her left side. I watched her for some time feeding and in flight and her resting posture was always the same.

My bridge camera is no good for getting in-flight shots but occasionally you just get lucky.

Form helice

Male.

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)

Although this species arrived in large numbers in spring and summer, I only saw rather worn examples during September.

Peacock (Aglais io) (2nd brood)

This is the only 2nd brood specimen that I saw this year.

Wall (Lasiommata megera) (3rd brood)

Female.

Mating pair.

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) (female)

Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)

Male.

Female.

Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas) (male)

Vestal (Rhodometra sacraria)

This regular migrant moth has also had a excellent year and this is a particularly pink specimen.

Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta) (male)

This and the next species of dragonfly will last late into the season as long as the weather holds and there is food to be found.

Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) (mating pair)

Suede Bolete (Boletus subtomentosus)