Paul Leyland: This is a new butterfly for me in the UK. I’ve seen plenty in mainland Europe but it was nice to find one closer to home. I saw it on 20 June at Lullington Heath on the South Downs in East Sussex. This is a lovely National Nature Reserve which consists of two uncommon habitats, chalk heath and chalk grassland, and is an excellent spot for butterflies and other invertebrates. The Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus malvae) is unfortunately now a priority species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan and like lots of UK butterflies is declining due to habitat loss. It is only found in isolated communities in central & southern England and south & north east Wales. It’s quite small, 25mm wingspan, and well camouflaged so can be hard to see amongst vegetation on the ground. However this one just perched up perfectly to remind me what a beautiful butterfly it is.
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