Insects of Sussex on 15th June 2021 including a first Silver-washed Fritillary.

It was the sightings page at https://www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk/index.php which first encouraged me to visit this wood to see Pearl-bordered Fritillaries (PBF) some years ago, with success.

No PBFs on this day but Butterfly Conservation Sussex's Martin Kalaher has emailed to say..

"Congratulations regarding your Silver-washed Fritillary, which was a national first." 

Wow!

Neil Hulme, BEM had confirmed that "Peter Lovett's butterfly is a female Silver-washed Fritillary. The forewing shape is correct for SWF (concave below the apex; DGF is slightly convex), the upperside pattern shows two rows of spots inside the margin (DGF has one) and the characteristic SWF underside pattern can be seen."

I chased this butterfly across a clear felled chestnut forest for a while before getting some photo's including an underwing glimpse, confirming Silver-washed.

Other butterflies and moths included a Grizzled Skipper below,
 

lots and lots of Small heaths

a Common blue

Burnet moth

Possibly an Andrena sp. mining bee.... Andrena congruens???

Agonum sexpunctatum perhaps.

Silver Y moth above and below.