Martin Partridge

Here's a #leptember shot taken today in Bhutan, by our good friend Sonam. The stunning Bhutan Glory (Bhutanitis lidderdalii). Sonam actively monitors & researches these and lots of other wildlife & we're working on a second itinerary to complement our regular butterfly holiday - watch this space!

Today is the 'Bhutan Glory Meet' community wildlife event in Bhutan, which we're sponsoring. Another collective noun for this iconic butterfly could be, based on this photo taken yesterday - a 'meet or meeting' of Bhutan Glories. @europebutterfly.bsky.social @sbbtrust.bsky.social

A fun day at Burnby Hall Gardens for their very well attended Owl Adventures family event. Whisper the Barn Owl perched happily on the @bcyorkshire.bsky.social flag watching the admiring crowd! Thanks to Rose from @eastyorkshirebatgroup for the photo.

Rare moth makes a comeback after more than 70 years! For decades, the only site where the Dark Bordered Beauty could be found in England was Strensall Common in Yorkshire. Now a second population has been rediscovered at the National Trust's Wallington estate, providing new hope for the species.

We look back at the 2026 Butterfly season with less than 20% of season remaining in terms of butterfly numbers. 11 species had their best or 2nd best summers ever with representatives from every family. Gatekeeper for the Browns but it was also very much a Vanessid, Lycaenid and Pierid summer.

Surprised to have a mating pair of Purple Hairstreaks drop down in front of me last night. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @northyorkmoors.org.uk

Always a nice surprise to see Swallowtails when you are on a non-butterflying holiday. Puglia, Italy. Swallowtail (Papilio machaon gorganus) and Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius)

Always nice to find Purple Hairstreaks. Find an Oak tree and watch on a warm sunny evening for their aerial duels which give away their presence. With the hot weather they regular landed wings wide open. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @northyorkmoors.org.uk

To find out more visit www.sbbt.org.uk/sbbt-launch-...

Funding from Defra’s #SpeciesRecovery programme, complemented by support from the experts at the @sbbtrust.bsky.social. The team aims to define exactly what needs to be done to save this spectacular but vulnerable butterfly, restore its habitats and protect its equally rare foodplant, Milk-parsley.

@sbbtrust.bsky.social , alongside @naturalengland.bsky.social and other partners, has today, launched a new project to bring Britain’s largest butterfly and its only native swallowtail species back from the brink of extinction. #wildagain #SpeciesRecovery www.gov.uk/government/n...

A young Barn Owl spent a while in an around our garden in North Yorkshire this evening. @northyorkmoors.org.uk

Very happy to have contributed to the study of the genomic differentiation of the British swallowtail butterfly (Papilio machaon britannicus). Despite the regular immigration of P. machaon from the nearby mainland, the British swallowtail butterfly remains genetically distinct. 1/..

New #OpenAccess research by @benoitevol.bsky.social et al. in #RESInsectConsDiv reports on the genomic distinctiveness and #conservation #genomics of the British #swallowtail butterfly (#Papilio machaon britannicus) doi.org/10.1111/icad.70102 #WholeGenomeSequencing

The Swallowtail and Birdwing Butterfly Trust (SBBT) challenges the conclusions of a recent review by Ingate calling for radical new strategies in managing the British Swallowtail (Papilio machaon britannicus). www.sbbt.org.uk/latest-news/...

reduced genetic diversity, and some evidence of inbreeding 2. there has been some gene flow with continental subspecies –however, the genomic distinctiveness of Papilio machaon britannicus (currently) remains differentiated 3. there is no evidence of increased genetic load (deleterious mutations)

This supports its status as a valid subspecies and justifies special conservation efforts. The major molecular study reveals several key points about the genetics of Papilio machaon britannicus that are directly relevant to its informed conservation: 1. there is evidence of genetic drift and

A Whole genome study of the British Swallowtail (Papilio machaon britannicus) has been completed for the first time. @norfolknats.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @norfolkbutterflies.bsky.social @patrickbarkham.bsky.social doi.org/10.1111/icad...

Coming shortly check out this podcast for #WorldSwallowtailDay: World Swallowtail Day 2026: Celebrating and Saving Iconic Butterflies. www.zsl.org/news-and-eve...

With Sophie Ledger, Red List Research Associate and Manager at ZSL's Institute of Zoology, and Dr Mark Collins, President of the SBBT. We explore the ecology, adaptations and challenges of this remarkable family of butterflies, and the work being done to protect and conserve them.

Lets celebrate #WorldSwallowtailDay by posting your favourite photos and videos of Swallowtails. www.sbbt.org.uk/world-swallo...

Happy World Swallowtail Day! 🦋 Swallowtails are some of the largest, most beautiful and rarest butterflies on earth 🌎 Help support our work protecting swallowtails globally by visiting www.sbbt.org.uk 📹: Video Bhutan Glory by Sonam Dorji

A favourite Swallowtail photo I took for #WorldEnvironmentDay

Can we please have a late Swallowtail surge in Britain's Favourite Butterfly poll? If you haven't voted yet, please use your democratic power before June 7th! britainsfavouritebutterfly.co.uk

Rather surprised to see a male Emperor Moth in my moth trap last night in Swainby, North Yorkshire @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @northyorkmoors.org.uk

Great to see the North East England Branch of Butterfly Conservation have launched a Butterfly Atlas, you can find it here. northeastenglandbutterflyatlas.org.uk @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social

Lets Celebrate World Swallowtail Day on Sunday 14th June, 2026! Do your bit to celebrate the diversity of the swallowtail and birdwing family and to help protect the many species under threat. #worldswallowtailday #swallowtailbutterfly #birdwingbutterfly www.sbbt.org.uk/world-swallo...

The British Swallowtail is now confined to the Norfolk Broads where it faces considerable threats from climate change and habitat loss. Help us raise awareness about this spectacular butterfly by seeing it crowned #BritainsFavouriteButterfly britainsfavouritebutterfly.co.uk/butterfly/sw...

The trip to Hawnby is best combined with a trip to see the Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Yorkshire rarest butterfly. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @northyorkmoors.org.uk

Great to catchup with the Duke of Burgundy at Hawnby Hill along with the Green Hairstreaks. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @northyorkmoors.org.uk

A number of Holly Blue's appearing around our garden in North Yorkshire. Is this going to be a good year? @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @northyorkmoors.org.uk

Green Hairstreaks and Emperor Moths have emerged in good numbers around Cod Beck, North Yorkshire. @northyorkmoors.org.uk @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @omsystem.bsky.social 📷 Olympus OM1 with 40-150mm f/2.8 Pro

A Dipper is becoming a regular visitor to Swainby Beck, Swainby, North Yorkshire. @northyorkmoors.org.uk @yorkswildlife.bsky.social

The final zoom talk rounds up 2025 Butterfly season and what a season it was! An Annus Mirablis some would say. We look at the effects of the heat and drought on the fortunes of our species on different habitats as well as exploring a record breaking early start www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/yorkshire-...

Queen Alexandra's Birdwing is into Round 3 of the #uproarchallenge and are now facing a tough opponent, the White-Rumped Vulture! Time to mobilize - the fun is only just starting! Please vote for the Queen Alexandra's Birdwing here uproar.indianapoliszoo.com

Round 2 voting is underway for the Indianapolis Zoo Uproar Conservation Challenge! Help the Queen Alexandra's Birdwing reach Round 3 for an even greater conservation prize! Voting ends 23 March @ 23:59 Eastern Time! You can now vote DAILY! Share & vote now! #uproarchallenge

XSTI009, originally tagged in 2025 by the Xerces Society’s own Dr. Ray Moranz in Oklahoma, crossed the Rio Grande into Texas on Saturday March 14th, making her the first tagged monarch to return from the overwintering sites in Mexico! Learn more about her journey ➡️

With temperatures on the rise, I'm looking forward to a 'spring break' in Northern Greece with @greenwingstours.bsky.social (greenwings.co/our-holidays...). Some photos from last year, a trip that led to Martin Partridge's interesting article on the False Apollo: www.sbbt.org.uk/latest-news/....

Still time to grab a spot on this superb trip. It makes for a lovely way to begin your spring butterfly watching campaign... greenwings.co/our-holidays... A donation from this and *all* our butterfly tours also goes to support the conservation work of @europebutterfly.bsky.social too.

Very surprised to see a Stoat or Ermine (Mustela erminea) in my garden in Swainby, North Yorkshire, caught on my #Naturespy camera. Rather apt the the 2026 Winter Olympics mascot is a Stoat called Tina. @northyorkmoors.org.uk @mammalsociety.bsky.social

The 2025 Butterfly Sightings for Yorkshire have now been uploaded to the yorkshirebutterflyatlas.org.uk @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social @northyorkmoors.org.uk

Wildlife Queensland wins Australian Quarry Life Award for Richmond birdwing butterfly recovery Wildlife Queensland’s Richmond Birdwing Conservation Network (RBCN) has been working to restore essential breeding habitat at quarry sites within the butterfly’s natural range.

What is cryopreservation, find out more about this project by listening to this video. can Freezing Eggs save the iconic British Swallowtail (Papilio machaon britannicus) www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsW3...

Cryopreservation of eggs will be used by researchers at Anglia Ruskin University in an attempt to boost numbers of one of the UK's rarest and largest butterflies, the Swallowtail (Papilio machaon britannicus). www.bbc.co.uk/news/article....

A Red Underwing (Catocala nupta) found in our garden today. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @bcyorkshire.bsky.social

All set up for the day at Leeds CC’s Lotherton Hall. @bcyorkshire.bsky.social