Online courses aimed at those interested in identifying butterflies and moths are returning for 2021.

Following the success of our online webinars in 2020, we’re pleased to announce that we are running further identification sessions this year on the Zoom platform.

Four sessions will focus on the identification of butterflies, which together will cover the 59 native and regular migrant species, as well as two less common migrant species (Large Tortoiseshell & Long-tailed Blue).

The final session is an Introduction to Moths.

The butterfly ID sessions will focus on identification features, including how to identify butterflies from their markings, flight times and behaviour, plus where to find them and what the caterpillars feed on.

The courses will be led by Dr Andy Barker, a Butterfly Conservation trustee and Branch Chair for Hampshire and Isle of Wight.  

Each session will last up to one and a half hours and include a question and answer sessions.

They are suitable for all abilities, whether you’re a complete beginner or an existing butterfly enthusiast simply looking to pick up extra tips to help you identify the species you see.

In order to get the most out of the butterfly courses it is recommended that you have a copy of either the Field Studies Council butterfly ID chart, or your favourite field guide to butterflies. This will allow you to see the features and size of each butterfly referred to during the session.

The Introduction to Moths session is ideal for those who already spend time identifying butterflies, as you will certainly encounter many common day-flying moths while doing so.

Unlike the butterfly ID courses, which focused on specific families and species, this session will provide a more general overview of moths, of which there are around 2,500 species in the UK.

The session will instead focus on the variety of species and how you can go about identifying families, as well as some of the common moths you’re likely to encounter.

The session will be delivered by Dr Andy Barker, but we will also be joined by Senior Moth Conservationist Tony Davis for the Q&A sessions.

Spaces are limited and can be booked on a first-come-first-serve basis. Each individual session costs £10.


Click below to sign up to each session:

For any enquiries, please email @email