Members' Day 2023

Saturday 28th October

We are excited to announce that, after several years of Zoom, Members Day will be back to meeting in person this year! The venue is the Village Hall in Benson, Oxfordshire (OX10 6LS). Please come and join us, it is always a great day, a chance to meet and chat with other butterfly enthusiasts, purchase interesting books, buy a Richard Lewington print and listen to an amazing line up of speakers:
  • Matthew Oates: Naturalist, Author, TV and radio personality, volunteer at Knepp Rewilding and leading expert on the Purple Emperor.
  • Will Langdon: An amazing young naturalist currently working towards his PhD at Oxford University studying responses of lepidoptera to environmental change.
  • Peter Eeles: Passionate and award winning conservationist, author, founder of UK Butterflies web site.

Make sure you put the date (Saturday 28th October) in your diary! Entry is free but there will be a donation box, so if you feel you would like to make a small contribution to cover costs it is always appreciated.
 
Why not have a go at the photo competition? Details below.

Programme

09:45 Doors open  
10:15 Welcome Nick Bowles
10:25 Review of Upper Thames moths in 2023 Peter Cuss
10:50 Review of Upper Thames butterflies in 2023 Nick Bowles
11:15 Holtspur (and other sites) update Nick Bowles
11:30 Break  
12:00 Talk 1: British and Irish Butterfly Rarities Peter Eeles
12:35 Talk 2: Mothing Without a Moth Trap Will Langdon
13:10 Lunch (please bring your own)  
14:10 Talk 3: The Purple Emperor - Yet More Good News! Matthew Oates
14:55 Break  
15:30 Photo Competition & Quiz Results Peter Thompson & Grahame Hawker
15:45 Roundup of the day Nick Bowles
15:50 Close  

Photo Competition

There are four categories in the 2023 photo competition:
 
  • UK Butterflies
  • UK Moths
  • Early stages (egg, larvae or pupa) of UK Lepidoptera
  • Foreign/non-UK Lepidoptera (all life cycle stages)

A few simple rules to follow please! Pictures should have been taken in either 2022 or 2023. Maximum number of three photos per category per person and maximum number of eight photos per individual. Please send your photos (in jpeg format) by email to Peter Thompson, plthompson127@gmail.com . Photos need to be received by Peter no later than 7th of October.
 
The photos will be shown as a rolling presentation during lunch time on the day, with the winners shown at the end of each category. It is also hoped to that we can publish them in Hairstreak. Good luck!

Catering

In previous years lunch was provided, but this did result in a fair bit of food left over at the end. To simplify things and save food waste we would ask this year that people bring their own packed lunch. Teas, coffee, squash and biscuits will be provided.

Members' Day Conservation Review Day New Members' Day National Moth Night Annual Events