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)

Some Moths during September

After the heatwaves of summer, the weather during September has more-or-less returned to normal for the time of the year. The moth trap has continued to produce some interesting catches.

Blue Underwing (Catocala fraxini)

Blair's Mocha (Cyclophora puppillaria)

This is a first record for my garden.

Vestal (Rhodometra sacraria)

Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata)

Treble-bar (Aplocera plagiata plagiata)

September Thorn (Ennomos erosaria)

Swallow-tailed Moth (Ourapteryx sambucaria) (2nd brood)

Light Emerald (Campaea margaritata) (2nd brood)

Palpita vitrealis

Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa)

Feathered Gothic (Tholera decimalis) (female)

L-album Wainscot (Mythimna l-album)

Black Rustic (Aporophyla nigra)

Brindled Green (Dryobotodes eremita)

Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago)

Orange Sallow (Xanthia citrago)

Barred Sallow (Xanthia aurago)

Pink-barred Sallow (Xanthia togata)

Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa)

Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua)

Clancy's Rustic (Platyperigea kadenii)

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly

 In Britain, native populations of the Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura pumilio) seem to predominate in scattered areas of south-west and south-central England and into Wales. Living in Sussex, the nearest populations were in the New Forest area of Hampshire but I have never managed to find any.

In recent years however, this species has been recorded in one or two isolated populations in West Sussex and during the last two years it has been found in three small populations in East Sussex. With our warming climate in south-east England, it seems likely that this species has made the journey across the channel from mainland Europe.

In July, following information from a friend, I managed to connect with this diminutive little damselfly.

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura pumilio)

(males)

(This male was stretching and preening)

(mating pair)