Heteronympha solandri (Solander's Brown)

Website update : 18th February 2024

New species I had been looking for the Yellow Jewel (Hypochrysops byzos) ever since I began taking butterfly photography seriously in 2004, and I’d begun…
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Deudorix democles (White-spotted Flash)

Website update : 26th June 2022

With Sydney’s winter becoming cold enough to attract White Walkers instead of American tourists, I did the only thing any sensible person would do –…
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Graphium choredon (Blue Triangle)

Website update : 2nd April 2022

It’s been almost 5 months since I last updated this website. This is partly because the lousy weather has restricted my opportunities to get out…
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Black-Spotted Flash (Hypolycaena phorbas)

No, I didn’t die from COVID

It’s been almost a year since I updated this website. I didn’t die from COVID; I didn’t even catch it (not yet anyway). I did…
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October 2020 : Hesperilla picta

Update : October 2020

It’s been a while since my last update, and that’s because there hasn’t been all that much to report. I’ve been out to a number…
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Paralucia spinifera

Stamp, book and Menu

Australia Post stamp.  In a few days Australia Post will be issuing Wildlife Recovery, a set of 6 stamps featuring endangered species that were impacted…
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Arhennes marnas (Swamp Darter)

Website updates : July 2020

New species and subspecies.  It’s been a long time since I updated this website, largely because the COVID-19 lockdowns prevented me from getting out at…
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Jalmenus lithochroa (Waterhouse's Hairstreak)

A poor season so far, but…

It’s been a long time since I updated my blog, and that’s because there hasn’t really been all that much going on. It’s not been…
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Butterflies Australia citizen science project

Butterflies Australia

Thursday 24th October saw the launch of Butterflies Australia, a new citizen science project aimed at getting Australians involved in building a database of butterfly…
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Hypochrysops delicia (Moonlight Jewel)

Moonlight Jewel (Hypochrysops delicia)

Australia has 18 species of Hypochrysops butterflies, commonly known as Jewels, all of which rank somewhere between Very Pretty and Holy Shit That’s Stunning! on the…
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Theclinesthes serpentatus (Saltbush Blue)

Photo Gallery update : May 2019

I have updated Photo Gallery with the photos from my 3 most recent butterflying trips, namely :  Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney on 07/05/2019 Glenbrook and…
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Danaus petilia Lesser Wanderer

Mount Annan Botanic Gardens

Located just past Campbelltown in Sydney’s outer south-west, the Mount Annan Botanic Garden is well worth a visit, particularly during the autumn when some of…
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Hypocysta adiante (Orange Ringlet)

Glenbrook : Cox Street bushland

Glenbrook, in the lower Blue Mountains, is home to several good butterfly sites, one of them being the bushland at the end of Cox Street.…
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Acrodipsas aurata Golden Ant-blue

The Golden Ant-blue (Acrodipsas aurata)

There’s just something irresistible about Ant-blues in general, and the Golden Ant-blue (Acrodipsas aurata) in particular. They are small butterflies and even I could hardly…
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Australian Pierid butterflies from the collection of Al Hopkinson

Butterfly collecting : my opinion

Butterfly collecting is a very divisive subject amongst those of us who have a passion for these fascinating insects. At times, I’ve been saddened by…
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Papilio ulysses bilateral gynandromorph

Ulysses Swallowtail gynandromorph

This specimen of Papilio ulysses (Ulysses Swallowtail) resides in the collection of my mate Al Hopkinson, who very kindly provided the photo for this blog…
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Acrodipsas violacea Ant Blue

The 11th Ant-Blue : Acrodipsas violacea

When Michael Braby’s enormous 2-volume tome Butterflies of Australia : Their Identification, Biology and Distribution was published in 2000 it included 9 species of Ant-Blues, a group…
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Hypochrysops ignitus Fiery Jewel

Fiery Jewel in the Blue Mountains

On 12 January 2019 I found my first ever NSW specimen of Hypochrysops ignitus (Fiery Jewel), after previously photographing this species in QLD, SA and…
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Sahulana scintillata Glistening Line blue

Photo Gallery update : Feb 2019

Coalcliff 31/01/2019.  This was my annual unsuccessful attempt to get photos of the Dark Shield-skipper (Timoconia tymbophora). I walked the Wodi Wodi Track from where…
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