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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Always a lovely day, a chance to chat with other members, listen to some great speakers. Friends and supporters welcome.

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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

A fair few of our UTB members have been slipping over the border to visit Monks Sherborne to see the Queen of Spain Fritillaries that have been flying there. Not sure if these were a release or if they found their way here naturally? but lovely to see and very obliging for the camera!

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Friends of Lye Valley @friendlyevalley.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Nice to see this pristine Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) butterfly in the Valley yesterday. You can tell they're having a good year when they turn up in our wet #OxfordshireFens! #InsectThursday #UKWildlife #Nature #Photography #ECK @upperthames.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social @judywebb.bsky.social

A butterfly with mostly orange wings with black spots, and black tips with white spots is supping nectar from a pink Hemp Agrimony flower. Its wings are open, and its white tipped antennae are visible. it's facing roughly towards 11 o'clock . There are a couple of yellow buds at the bottom left of centre, with the rest of the background diffuse greens, pinks, and some yellow.

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NatureBureau @naturebureau.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Great summer for migrant moths in Britain - Jersey Tiger (Euplagia quadripunctaria) and Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatum) seen in good numbers is our garden in Oxford @upperthames.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social

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Tara @wildtara.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

One of my favourite skippers 😍 Silver-spotted Skipper seen at Aston Rowant NNR @upperthames.bsky.social

Side view of the Silver-spotted skipper low down in the meadow. The white spots can be seen against the golden brown wings.

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Ashley Cox @naturecatcher58.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

@upperthames.bsky.social Gotcha ! Found a sweet spot (not for the want of trying) At 1/8000 of a sec for this Hummer feeding on spear thistle at Ivinghoe Beacon, Bucks

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Dave O'Brien @daveob66.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Roosting Adonis, Chalkhill, and Common Blues (plus a very worn Dingy Skipper) from Aston Rowant, taken before sunset on Sunday, then sunrise on Monday. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @upperthames.bsky.social

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Dave O'Brien @daveob66.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Silver-spotted Skippers at Aston Rowant NNR on Monday. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @upperthames.bsky.social

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Craig Jones @craig63jones.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Second brood male Adonis Blue. Aston Rowant NNR, Oxon 3/8/26 @rowantnnr.bsky.social @upperthames.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

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Craig Jones @craig63jones.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Silver-spotted Skipper at Aston Rowant NNR yesterday (1/8/26.) @rowantnnr.bsky.social @upperthames.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social

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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

This lovely Death's-head Hawkmoth was found in Caversham by Philip Jones, on his allotment. He very kindly gave it me to look after and it has now burrowed down into the soil to pupate.

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Nikola @greasyboiler.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Decided to check in on a local colony of Chalk Hill Blues and managed to pester some of the males into actually opening up for me. @upperthames.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social

A silvery blue male chalk hill blue butterfly perched on leaf against a green background.

A silvery blue male chalk hill blue butterfly perched on plant stalk against a green background.

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Nikola @greasyboiler.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

As many have noticed this has been a good year for Painted Lady butterflies but thanks to their fidgety nature & powerful flight getting a decent picture of one is easier said than done. This week I finally got one I'm happy with. @upperthames.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social

A bright orange, black & white Painted Lady butterfly (Vanessa cardui) on wild marjoram.

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NatureBureau @naturebureau.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Lots of Jersey Tiger moths (Euplagia quadripunctata) coming to light in our garden in Oxford last night @upperthames.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social @kitenet.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social

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Steven Wright @stevenwright58.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

@bbowt.bsky.social Grangelands today recommended by 2 butterfly enthususiasts we met at Whiteross Green and well worth the detour. @upperthames.bsky.social See ALT

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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Beware the yellow peril! Death amongst the ragwort.

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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Brown Hairstreak at Bugs Bottom, Caversham. A butterfly that is definitely increasing in its range and has been on this site for at least three years now.

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Friends of Lye Valley @friendlyevalley.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Sooo many butterflies in the Valley at the moment. Here's a pristine Green-veined White (Pieris napi) refuelling on some of our Ragwort flowers. 😍 They love the damp lush conditions in our #fen. #inverts #UKWildlife @upperthames.bsky.social @judywebb.bsky.social #OxfordshireFens

Just to left of centre a a mall white butterfly with prominent green lines spreading from its body to wing tips. It's facing right, and and its proboscis is probing a small yellow flower. The yellow florets nearer the camera are defocussed. The background is a plan dark green with a couple of lighter patches top and bottom.

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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

Another Striped Lychnis survey today, this time at Butterfly Conservations lovely Holtspur Bottom Reserve. 535 dark mullein flower spikes produced 171 larvae. Far better than last year's 11 larvae. Afterwards had a look through the plentiful bedstraw for Hummingbird Hawk larvae and soon found one.

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wildlifeannie.bsky.social @wildlifeannie.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Saw my first Grizzled Skippers today, ever, at Longmead Nature Recovery Network. There's a word for that - Firsties?? @upperthames.bsky.social @bcwarwickshire.bsky.social #savebutterflies @bbowt.bsky.social No pics, too busy counting. But aren't they darling little things, so detailed!

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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Striped Lychnis caterpillars are now out on the dark mullein plants in the Chilterns area. We do lots of larval surveys for this scarce moth to help monitor the population. If you spot one please do irecord!

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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Purple Emperors at Bernwood Forest yesterday

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NatureBureau @naturebureau.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

The day-flying Six-belted Clearwing moth Bembecia ichneumoniformis seen at eastern end of Greenham Common today - lots of its foodplant bird's-foot-trefoil in flower @upperthames.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social

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Steven Wright @stevenwright58.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Went along to Whitecross Green Wood @bbowt.bsky.social today. Fleeting views of Black Hairstreak and White Admiral but pleased to see Emperor and other Dragonflies,Small Tortoiseshell at last!,Marbled White and Skippers aplenty. @upperthames.bsky.social

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Swallow Birding & Wildlife @swallowbirding.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Despite the weather, we managed to see some nice butterflies in The Chilterns including SMALL COPPER, LARGE SKIPPER, SMALL TORTOISESHELL & CLOUDED YELLOW. #UKbutterflies #england #wildlife #nature #insects #chilterns @britishnatureguide.bsky.social @upperthames.bsky.social

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Judith Barnard 🦋 @butterfliesonfilm.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

Black Hairstreaks in Salcey Forest this morning including a recently emerged one, with its pupal case, at the end @bcbedsnorthants.bsky.social @upperthames.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @wildlifebcn.org

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Tara @wildtara.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Forester moth from Bernwood Meadows NR yesterday. @upperthames.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social

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Martin Harvey @kitenet.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Very pleasing to be greeted by the first of this year's Scarlet Tigers on the doorstep this evening #TeamMoth @upperthames.bsky.social

Freshly emerged Scarlet Tiger moth sitting on a leaf of its foodplant, Green Alkanet, growing by the doorstep.

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Christopher Blakey @christopherblakey.com · 25/05/2026

A few traps in a wood just outside of Oxford over the weekend yielded a good number of moths, including several interesting micros. By far the stand-out was this rather smart Denisia albimaculea- a first for me, and for the county! @upperthames.bsky.social #teammoth

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Martin Harvey @kitenet.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

The heat of last night produced 192 moths of 54 species including a welcome surprise, Gold Cloak, Phtheochroa schreibersiana, new to me and possibly only the second record for Buckinghamshire #TeamMoth @upperthames.bsky.social

Dorsal view of the Gold Cloak micro-moth, on a plain background

Lateral view of the Gold Cloak micro-moth, on a plain background

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Judith Barnard 🦋 @butterfliesonfilm.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

A great day out in the Chilterns at Incombe Hole, looking for the Duke of Burgundy and other species. A bit hot today and a fair bit of climbing 😓 @upperthames.bsky.social @chilternsnl.bsky.social @nationaltrust.org.uk

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Emma Whitfield @emmawhitfield.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Incombe Hole & Steps Hill were very hot & we weren’t sure we’d find the Marsh Fritillaries but eventually found 3. Also lots of Dingy Skippers, a few Green Hairstreak, lots of Common Blues, a few Duke of Burgundy & these Grizzled Skippers in cop @upperthames.bsky.social

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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Large Skippers spotted today in Oxfordshire. Seems early!

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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Grapholita pallifrontana is now on the wing in Oxfordshire. This lovely little moth is an Upper Thames priority species.

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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Puss Moth found in a garden in Caversham, Berks. Always a stunning moth, and a very funky caterpillar too!

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NatureBureau @naturebureau.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

Toadflax Brocade (Calophasia lunula) seen in our garden in Oxford on Aquilegia last week. We now see in most years now in our garden, so it's definitely becoming established @upperthames.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @rdimond.bsky.social

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Judith Barnard 🦋 @butterfliesonfilm.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Went looking for Wood White in Hazelborough Forest, Northants and found around 20, along with some other spring species and the bluebells still out @bcbedsnorthants.bsky.social @upperthames.bsky.social

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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

More Drab Looper surveys today. 13 recorded in the woods around Frilsham, West Berks. Also a rather nice Four-spotted carrion beetle. Several hours spent on Ashampstead Common drew a blank, DL seems to be gone from there sadly.

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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

Painted Lady numbers seem to be starting to ramp up now in the Upper Thames

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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

Drab looper are on the wing now in West Berkshire.

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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 28/04/2026

Good numbers of Grizzled and Dingy Skippers at Lardon Chase yesterday.

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Martin Harvey @kitenet.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

Rubbish photo of the first Speckled Wood to make it into our garden since 2020 😲 (or at least the first one that I've noticed since then) @upperthames.bsky.social

Blurry and rather distant photo of a Speckled Wood butterfly perched on a leaf in the garden

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NatureBureau @naturebureau.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

A beautiful sunny day brought out lots of dancing male Green Longhorn micromoths (Adela reaumurella) at BBOWT's Greenham Common this lunchtime. @upperthames.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social We were on the hunt for Green Haistreaks but were probably a little too early for them

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BC Upper Thames @upperthames.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Searching for Satyrus is a 2026 documentary by Rena Effendi that follows her quest to find the rare and endangered Satyrus effendi butterfly, intertwining personal, environmental, and geopolitical narratives. Showing in Oxford tonight. Tickets at www.undergroundslate.com/event-detail...