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

Southern Oak Bush-cricket

Tuesday, 1 Sep 2026

Meadow Brown is no longer the dominant butterfly species. That honour now goes to Small Copper, with all 8 that ...
Black-tailed Aphideater hoverfly

Saturday, 5 Sep 2026

A sunny morning with just a light breeze, yet there were so few butterflies about that it was quite easy ...
Green Shieldbug

Monday, 7 Sep 2026

A mostly cloudy, humid and rather windy morning. Counting the butterflies today was easy – 3 Small Heath and just ...
female ichneumon wasp

Thursday, 10 Sep 2026

Even fewer butterflies about today. Only 2 Small Copper, 2 Small Heath and a single Meadow Brown were seen. Three ...
European Garden Spider

Monday, 14 Sep 2026

A morning that must have been close to 100% humidity – without a moderate breeze we would probably have had ...
Pine Ladybird

Friday, 18 Sep 2026

Well, the total butterfly count today was a single Small Copper. We are definitely approaching the end of flight season ...
Kidney-spot Ladybird

Monday, 21 Sep 2026

I thought that today’s warm, almost windless conditions might just bring out the last few diehard butterflies and I wasn’t ...
Ivy Bee

Wednesday, 23 Sep 2026

The butterflies are easy to count now. Today’s total was 3, but all different, Small White, Small Copper and surprisingly ...
Common Carder Bee

Friday, 25 Sep 2026

My walk today was badly timed, with the cloud cover only giving way to sunshine as I arrived home. As ...
Green Shieldbug

Tuesday, 29 Sep 2026

Just like last Friday, there was only one butterfly seen this morning. It was also a Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) ...