Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Paul Selby

martinswarren.bsky.social @martinswarren.bsky.social · 1d

The new European Butterfly Red List is published today, with worrying findings. Over 1/4 (28%) of Europe’s 442 species are threatened with extinction or are close to being so. The situation is far worse for our 148 endemic species, 40% are now threatened or nearly so www.bc-europe.eu/webpage.php?...

Front cover of the European Butterfly Red List, showing Polyommatus humedasae. The report can be downloaded at https://www.bc-europe.eu/webpage.php?name=red-list-butterflies-2025

1 81 130

Reposted by Paul Selby

Mariposa Nature Tours @mariposanature.bsky.social · 9d

It's #FrohawkFriday, the day we celebrate the butterfly studies & artwork of FW Frohawk.

Today features Large Heath, inhabitant of acidic, wet peatlands mostly in the north. Since Frohawk's time it's declined badly in England and Wales; Scotland remains a stronghold to this day.

Plate 40 of FW Frohawk's 'Natural History of British Butterflies', featuring Large Heath (Coenonympha tullia)

5 25

Reposted by Paul Selby

Mariposa Nature Tours @mariposanature.bsky.social · 13d

Good morning, and welcome to a new week!

Our featured tour this week is Butterflies of Tenerife, a guaranteed departure on 24-30 March 2026. Like ALL of our butterfly tours, it generates a donation to support the great work of @europebutterfly.bsky.social. (1/2)

mariposanature.com/tours/butter...

Canary Blue (Cyclyrius webbianus) © Stephen Culley

Canary Red Admiral (Vanessa vulcania) © Clive Burrows

2 3 25

Reposted by Paul Selby

Jon Dunn @dunnjons.bsky.social · 14d

An unforgettable day with my @mariposanature.bsky.social group.

I found Desert Babul Blue on the European mainland!

There are a mere handful of past claims of it - this is an African species that's an ultra-rarity in Europe. I'm in a state of some shock.

#butterflies @europebutterfly.bsky.social

Desert Babul Blue (Azanus ubaldus) © Jon Dunn

10 19 140

Reposted by Paul Selby

Jon Dunn @dunnjons.bsky.social · 16d

Dunn's Patent Pasha Paste.

Take one ripe banana. Slow cook on a car dashboard for a day in full sunlight until liquified. Add rum and sugar for added vim. Enter suitable hilltop habitat full of Strawberry Tree... (1/2)

A fit-to-pop overripened banana (handle with care!), some rum, and a little sugar

Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo) © Jon Dunn

1 1 22

Reposted by Paul Selby

Mariposa Nature Tours @mariposanature.bsky.social · 15d

Just three places remain available now to join us next year for our Late Spring Orchids of Sicily tour, led by 'Orchid Summer' author Jon Dunn, and local Sicilian naturalist legend Andrea Corso. As the Sicilians say, amuninni!

www.mariposanature.com/tours/botani...

6 25

Reposted by Paul Selby

Mariposa Nature Tours @mariposanature.bsky.social · 16d

It's #FrohawkFriday, the day we celebrate the butterfly studies and artwork of FW Frohawk.

Today features Ringlet, a widespread species across most of Britain, whose range has expanded north a little since Frohawk's time. Bejewelled with eyespots, its name is self-explanatory.

Plate 39 of FW Frohawk's 'Natural History of British Butterflies', featuring Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus)

1 3 26

Paul Selby @selbypaul.bsky.social · Sep 1

At times it felt like it!

1

Paul Selby @selbypaul.bsky.social · Aug 31

Well and truly home now after 8 days on the @mariposanature.bsky.social holiday to Madeira. Such a wonderful island. Yes I focused on the endemic Madeiran butterflies. But the scenery is stunning. I'll certainly be visiting again. 😍

1 5 42

Paul Selby @selbypaul.bsky.social · Aug 28

Fascinating Day 7 of the @mariposanature.bsky.social Madeira holiday. Hundreds of this Madeiran subspecies of Small Copper, having seen 0 previously. They're beautiful & locally common . Much underresearched in terms of their LHP & phenology. I suspect they'll become a distinct species soon

5 41

Paul Selby @selbypaul.bsky.social · Aug 23

Madeiran Speckled Wood on the left. (European) Speckled Wood (introduced invasive) on the right. Superficially similar but very different when seen in field. Fascinating to observe their different habitat likes & their interactions. Loving the @mariposanature.bsky.social holiday to Madeira

1 14

Paul Selby @selbypaul.bsky.social · Aug 11

This is one of the two last Gatekeeper butterflies in my garden for this year. Still hanging on, but tatty round the edges. They don't normally last until mid-August, so it's been a long flight season given their early emergence this year.

1 8

Reposted by Paul Selby

Loja Wildlife. @lojawildlife.bsky.social · Aug 9

My main target in Moscardón was the Zapata's Ringlet, an endemic in the area. The first day I drew a blank but a couple had been seen.
The second day I saw a couple in the afternoon, on the third day more but none behaved apart from one on a guy called Roberts wrist taking salt.
Blog on lojawildlife

2 10

Reposted by Paul Selby

Jon Dunn @dunnjons.bsky.social · Aug 5

Some utterly gorgeous Iberian Sooty Copper basking in the morning sunlight heralded the start of our final full day in the Montes Universales yesterday.

Iberian Sooty Copper (Lycaena bleusei) © Jon Dunn

7 61

Reposted by Paul Selby

Mariposa Nature Tours @mariposanature.bsky.social · Aug 5

Postcard from the field, from tour leader @dunnjons.bsky.social on our final full day of the Butterflies of the Montes Universales tour:

This was a day that included more wonderful views of endemic Zapater's Ringlet, but we were spoilt for choice as other beauties vied for our attention.

Jon Dunn @dunnjons.bsky.social · Aug 5

Some utterly gorgeous Iberian Sooty Copper basking in the morning sunlight heralded the start of our final full day in the Montes Universales yesterday.

1 4 29

Reposted by Paul Selby

Nick Haddad @nickhaddad.bsky.social · Aug 4

More bad news for butterflies. Our new paper led by Wendy Leuenberger shows common species are declining even more rapidly than rare ones. @ZipkinLab

Three decades of declines restructure butterfly communities in the Midwestern United States | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2501340122

Three decades of declines restructure butterfly communities in the Midwestern United States | PNAS

Insects are declining worldwide. These declines have been documented across taxonomic groups and are worrisome given ecosystem services provided by...

www.pnas.org

6 90 160

Reposted by Paul Selby

Mariposa Nature Tours @mariposanature.bsky.social · Aug 4

It's a guaranteed departure on 2-9 March 2026, and it's also guaranteed to generate a donation to our good friends at @bsbibotany.bsky.social, to help support their vital botanical conservation work. Great orchids, great birds, great reptiles, great butterflies - this tour has it all. (2/2)

5 16

Reposted by Paul Selby

Mariposa Nature Tours @mariposanature.bsky.social · Aug 4

Good morning, and welcome to a new week!

Our featured tour this week is Orchids of Cyprus, a marvellous way to start the spring, looking for orchids (and other wildlife) on this warm and friendly island with @thenewgalaxy.bsky.social & Dave Fairhurst. (1/2)

mariposanature.com/tours/botani...

1 9 33

Reposted by Paul Selby

Jon Dunn @dunnjons.bsky.social · Aug 1

Mother of Pearl Blue - I will never get bored of these little gems, least of all when they're as fresh as this beauty was early this morning here in the Montes Universales.

Mother of Pearl Blue (Polyommatus nivescens) © Jon Dunn

1 5 78

Reposted by Paul Selby

Mariposa Nature Tours @mariposanature.bsky.social · Aug 2

It goes without saying that we love butterflies of all kinds, regardless of rarity, and take time on our tours to enjoy seeing the various aspects of their life cycles. Yesterday, here in the Montes Universales, a new generation of Silver-spotted Skipper was beginning.

Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) © Jon Dunn

1 5 67

Reposted by Paul Selby

martinswarren.bsky.social @martinswarren.bsky.social · Jul 24

Chuffed to find a small colony of Chalkhill Blue on the Purbeck Ridge. First I have seen here in 5 years of looking. They have vanished from most of Dorset for unknown reasons. Either they are having a good year or I have been very unlucky in previous years! @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

4 5 47

Reposted by Paul Selby

Melissa McMasters @melissamactn.bsky.social · Jul 20

You couldn't possibly micro-target this tour to me more effectively than showing that much thistle at once! 👀

1 1 5

Reposted by Paul Selby

Mariposa Nature Tours @mariposanature.bsky.social · Jul 19

Postcard from the field, from our sun-drenched Pallas's Fritillary and Summer Butterflies of Hungary tour this week:

A roadside stop demonstrates how butterfly-rich this wonderful country is. Dozens of fritillaries in constant motion. Joy!

youtu.be/b13-wDvE3Go

A thistle patch bursting with butterflies in Hungary

YouTube video by Mariposa Nature Tours

youtu.be

3 5 25

Reposted by Paul Selby

Jon Dunn @dunnjons.bsky.social · Jul 18

Quick BOC shot before I fall asleep here - a smart, fresh Eastern Baton Blue this afternoon near our hotel here in Hungary. It’s so good to be back in this friendly country - I first came here 30 years ago and, while much has changed in the interim, the butterflies and the warm welcome remain.

Eastern Baton Blue (Pseudophilotes vicrama) © Jon Dunn

5 37

Reposted by Paul Selby

Mariposa Nature Tours @mariposanature.bsky.social · Jul 18

Postcard from the field from tour leader @dunnjons.bsky.social, co-leading our Hungarian summer butterflies tour:

We arrived in Hungary this afternoon, so will be getting properly underway tomorrow, with a great weather forecast ahead of us, and hopefully some outbreaks of great #butterflies!

Jon Dunn @dunnjons.bsky.social · Jul 18

Quick BOC shot before I fall asleep here - a smart, fresh Eastern Baton Blue this afternoon near our hotel here in Hungary. It’s so good to be back in this friendly country - I first came here 30 years ago and, while much has changed in the interim, the butterflies and the warm welcome remain.

1 5 26