Advice for a novice?

[Fritter]

Well I have two fantastic butterfly books for Christmas, my walking boots ready and my camera sitting in my bag. Now I suppose I will just have to wait until spring springs.

I have always wanted to learn more about butterflys and go hunting for them (while my other half goes bird watching). Does anyone have any hints or tips for the most amateur amateur.

There are hundreds of butterflys in my books, lots of which look the same, very confusing. What butterflys do you think I should look out for and what sort of places are the best to find them?

My butterfly knowledge at the minute starts and stops with the Cabbage White.

Thanks for any help.

[artdemole]

When the sun is out and warmer take to a field of grasses you will not be dissapointed.KNOW your wild sites visit them to see the activity.Red admirals,tortoise shells and blues will all be common but taking the shot will be rewarded.PATIENCE counts for a lot.....psj.n.e.somerset...

[Mitty]

I got a new butterfly book last summer and did the same.

Saw alot on the aptly named butterfly bush, Buddleia davidii. Having trouble getting a picture up but looks like this. See if there are any nearby when they flower in summer.

..and saw smaller ones, like the common blue, in unimproved grassland like Artdemole says.

Good luck with your piccies

[Mike Jackson]

Also keep your eye open for WAB meets in your locality. The best way to learn is to spend time with someone who knows what they are doing. It also gives you a chance to improve your photographic technique.

[Dogghound]

My advice is learn about the species (get to grips with the common ones) whilst its cold. You will be ready in a month or so when they start showing. Warm bright days are best as has been said. The species you see will depend on habitat and time of year. The first species you will encounter will be Peacock, Small tortoishell, Red Admiral, comma and Brimstone. These early species are probrably best found along woodland edges and other sheltered sun spots although could turn up anywhere.

Definately stops with cabbage whites too . There is no such thing, this is a nasty generic term for white butterflies such as Small white, large white and green veined white these are likely to be the next group you get to grips when it warms up abit more and will test you a little more but it is great fun. Butterflies are a great group to get into and with a little reading by the end of the year you will be able to identify all of the common species.

[oxycera]

Go to your local library and find out if anyone has written about the butterflies of Worcestershire. Not only will it be interesting background knowledge but it should give you an idea of where to go. Local Natural History Societies are also worth investigating.

[pammosley]

Hi Fritter, have a look at Worcester wildlife trust. They have some great sites for butterflies. Welcome to WAB

[bugly's]

Try doing a transect monitoring survey, walk the same patch once a week for a few months taking about 45 mins note all that you see within 10m of your path. There is no better way to sort them out than to see the same ones over and over as then anything new stands out, and you will learn to identify them by habit and not just field guide keys.
Remember some of our moths are day fliers as well so you wont stop at butterflies once you get started. ps always take a camera a snap is invaluable in id.

[earthdragon64]

Have a look at the Butterfly Conservation website, and click on the "BC In your area" tab. Then click on "BC Branches in the UK" on the left for a list of the branches websites. Most branches have field trips during the main butterfly flight seasons. I've been on a few organised by my local branch and have found them to be really informative.

Also on the "BC in your area" tab is a link to "Our Nature Reserves", where you will see all of Butterfly Conservation's reserves, most of which are open to the public, I think there are 3 in Worcestershire.

[Johnny Redgate]

Remember also that there are not hundreds of butterflies native to Britain. Is it 59 - 60 excluding the rare migrants. If your books are say "the butterflies of britain and northern europe" there will indeed be hundreds of very similar looking species but most will not occur here. As mentioned before, it would be good to get a good idea of those that you are most likely to see beforehand. The Millenium Atlas of the Butterflies in Britain and Ireland is an excellent reference book for the habitats, distribution, flight periods and population trends for British butterflies.