Welcome to the Upper Thames Branch of Butterfly Conservation

The Upper Thames region covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, which includes the Chiltern Hills and the North Wessex Downs Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is home to several rare species of butterfly and moth, including the Black Hairstreak, Adonis Blue, Silver-spotted Skipper and Duke of Burgundy butterflies, and the Striped Lychnis moth.

Past editions of the "Hairstreak" newsletter can be found here.
Free Butterfly and Moth ID, Surveying and Recording day courses! Click here for details (NB booking essential).
The Conservation Review Morning at Crowmarsh Gifford on 8th Feb has been cancelled.
Butterflies
It is possible to see three-quarters of the 58 British butterfly species in the Upper Thames region. More about our butterflies
Moths
Around 1000 moth species have been recorded in the Upper Thames region, with over 500 on our own reserve at Holtspur. More about our moths

First sightings (3)

09-Jan: Brimstone
04-Jan: Red Admiral
04-Jan: Comma

Events

08-Feb: Bucks Beekeepers seminar : Wendover, Bucks
08-Feb: Work party (Chiltern Rangers) : Strawberry Bank, Bucks
08-Feb: Conservation Review Morning : Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxon (cancelled)
12-Feb: Work party (Sustrans) : East Hagbourne, Oxon
16-Feb: Work party : Aston Upthorpe Downs, Oxon
18-Feb: Five Hairstreaks (egg hunt) : Bure Park, Bicester, Oxon
21-Feb: Work party (Chiltern Rangers) : Bicester, Oxon

News

26-Jan: Holtspur Bottom news update
17-Jan: 10km Square map updated
12-Jan: Sightings updated
06-Jan: Holtspur Bottom news update
09-Dec: Holtspur Bottom news update