Explore the diverse flora and fauna on the Downs from season to season through personal observations and photographs

Thursday, 3 Jul 2025

Striped Shieldbug on shrivelled Hogweed leaf

We had 2 hours of rain yesterday morning but still need a lot more. On the butterfly front there were good numbers of Common Blue, Small Copper, Green-veined White, Marbled White, Brown Argus and Speckled Wood. Coup of the day was locating two Striped Shieldbug (Graphosoma italicum) in a patch of Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium). […]