Use this page to record sightings of species other than birds that may be of interest to others. Please note that records submitted to this website will be shared with the RSPB Croydon Local Group and may also be submitted to the London Natural History Society wildlife recorders. Do not post records on this website unless you are happy for them to be shared with the other organisations mentioned here.
Bird sightings can be viewed and reported on the Latest News page.
Regular contributors identified below by only initials are - John Birkett (JB), Gavin Hawgood (GH),John Hughes (JAH), Mike Netherwood (MJN), Alan Pearson (AJP) and John Watson (JW).
You are encouraged to post all records of butterflies in Croydon on this site. We are cooperating with the Butterflies of London project, who will use our data to help monitor their distribution. Certain sites are regularly surveyed, but many of our open spaces and gardens are not. Every little helps.
August 2019
17th: Farthing Downs: 1 Chalkhill Blue, 1 Small Copper, 1 Small Heath, numerous Meadow Browns. (DH)
13th - Park Hill (Chepstow Rise): Speckled Bush-Cricket outside our front door. (John Parish)
13th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Painted lady. (JB)
13th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (12pm): 2 Jersey Tigers (orange form) & 2 Common Field grasshoppers (GH)
12th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 2x Painted Lady, Gatekeeper, Small Heath (MJN)
11th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South):1 red Admiral,1 gatekeeper, 1 Oak bush cricket (MJN)
11th - Lloyd Park (transect walk): large white, small white, meadow brown, gatekeeper, small heath, comma, small copper, common blue, brown argus, brown hairstreak and red admiral. (John Kirby)
Brown hairstreak egg laying by John Kirby
9th - Riddlesdown (Buttermere Gardens): Jersey Tiger. (GF)
8th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South):1 Emperor Dragonfly (m) hit window then flew off,1 Jersey Tiger (orange),2x Painted Lady,1 Gatekeeper (MJN)
6th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): 2 painted ladies, 1 peacock, 1 speckled wood, 1 small white in garden. (JB)
5th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): Hummingbird Hawk Moth on buddleia @18.40 (MJN)
4th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (9.15pm): Common Pipistrelle foraging along rlwy embankment (GH)
2nd - Hutchinson's Bank; Butterflies - Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Brimstone, Chalkhill Blue, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Comma, Silver-washed Fritillary, Dark Green Fritillary, Marbled White, Gatekeeper, Large Skipper. and Male and female, Common Lizard & Glow-worm in cutting. (Ernest Thomason & Tom Stone).
2nd - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): At least 3 painted ladies, 1 Jersey tiger (orange) and a hornet mimic hoverfly in garden today. (JB)
2nd - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (9am): 2 Jersey Tigers (orange form) in garden (GH)
1st - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Painted lady and red admiral in garden. (JB)
July 2019
31st - Addiscombe Railway Park: Jersey tiger moth, orange form. (Addiscombe Railway Park Friends tweet)
31st - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (1.30pm): single Jersey Tiger (red form) on garden buddleia (GH)
29th - Woodstock Road: Brown Hairstreak (female). (John Kirby)
28th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): Pristine Painted Lady, Gatekeeper & 2 peacock on garden Buddleia (MJN)
24th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Jersey tiger moth, orange form, in garden this evening. (JB)
23rd - Shirley (The Grange): Elephant hawk moth in dining room!!! (Moira O'Donnell Tweet)
23rd - Old Coulsdon (Dollypers Hill SWT): Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Marbled White, Brimstone (8), Large Skipper, Ringlet, Silver-washed Fritillary (11), Red Admiral (2), Peacock (1), Small White, Speckled Wood, Small Copper(1), 6-spotted Burnet. (GF)
22nd - Coulsdon (Stoats Nest Road allotments) (12.30pm): a Red Data moth - Toadflax Brocade (Calophasia lunula) (photo to follow) (GH per Stephen Grayson)
22nd - South Norwood Country Park: Odonata - Common darter, Black-tailed skimmer, Southern hawker (see photo), and Blue-tailed damselfly (Czech Conroy)
Southern hawker, SNCP, 22 July 2019
21st - Lloyd Park (transect walk): small white, large white, marbled white, gatekeeper, meadow brown, ringlet, small copper, essex skipper, red admiral and peacock. (John Kirby)
21st - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): At least 12 (probably 15) southern hawkers have now emerged from our small pond this year. (JB)
21st - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (3pm): Large White (1), Small White (7), Comma (1), Red Admiral (1), Peacock (<5), mostly on buddleia (GH)
21st - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (12.30pm): my first Jersey Tiger (orange form) of the year (GH)
19th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (9pm): Common Pipistrelle foraging along rlwy embankment (GH)
17th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Box tree moth in garden. Also gatekeeper, ringlet, meadow brown, large whites and small whites. (JB)
16th - Park Hill (Chepstow Rise) (22:30): Went out to see partial eclipse but couldn't locate moon in spite of clear sky! However did see two partly-grown Badgers amble past our back door. (John Parish)
16th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) 3pm: Large White, Small White, Holly Blue, Peacock, Comma & Speckled Wood through back garden (GH)
16th - Lloyd Park (am): Butterflies:- Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Holly Blue, Peacock, Comma, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Smessex Skipper. (John Parish)
16th - Addington Hills (Lower Triangle) 12:00 - 12:30: Butterflies:- Silver-washed Fritillary, White Admiral, Red Admiral (John Parish)
14th - Hutchinsons & Chapel Banks, BC field trip (11:00 - 15:00): Butterflies:- Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Brimstone, Chalkhill Blue, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Comma, Silver-washed Fritillary, Dark Green Fritillary, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Small Skipper, Large Skipper. Also: 1 Slow Worm on CB.(John Parish)
14th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Another 2 emerging southern hawkers today. Now at least 8 from our pond this summer. (JB)
13th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 1 Peacock, 1 Red Admiral, 1 Ringlet, 2 Speckled Wood, 2 Meadow Brown, 1 Yellow underwing moth, 1 Jersey Tiger Moth (MJN)
12th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 1 peacock, 1 small tortoiseshell, 4 Speckled Wood, 1 Gatekeeper, 2 Meadow Brown all on buddleiah today (MJN)
12th - Lloyd Park (09:00 - 10:00): Butterflies:- Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Common Blue, Red Admiral, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Speckled Wood, Small Skipper, Essex Skipper, Large Skipper. Also:- Golden-bloomed Grey Longhorn Beetle. (John Parish)
11th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): At least 4 southern hawkers have emerged from our garden pond - exuviae on tall vegetation. (JB)
11th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 1 very worn painted lady, 2 meadow brown, 1 large white, 1 small tortoiseshell on buddleiah (MJN)
8th - Norbury (Pollards Hill South): 3 large frogs under stack of flower pots (MJN)
17th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): First meadow brown of year in the garden. (JB)
11th - Lloyd Park (am): Butterflies - Small Copper (1), Common Blue (1), Meadow Brown (3), Speckled Wood (6), Small Heath (8). Other insects - Yellow-barred Longhorn Moth (many mini-swarms dancing), Azure Damselfly, Common Red-legged Robber-Fly, Harlequin Ladybird, Red-headed Cardinal Beetle. (John Parish)
9th - Hutchinsons Bank & Chapel Bank: (11:00 - 14:30) ("Orchid Walk"). Butterflies:- Green-veined White, Brimstone, Green Hairstreak, Small Blue (100s), Common Blue, Small Tortoiseshell (1), Marbled White (1), Meadow Brown (2), Small Heath, Speckled Wood, Grizzled Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Large Skipper. Various beetles on the Ox-Eye Daisies and Kidney Vetch, etc, including Black-striped Longhorn Beetle, Swollen-thighed Beetle (inc females, without the swelling) and Green Leaf Beetles (John Parish)
7th - Lloyd Park: Many Pyramidal Orchids coming into bloom at the usual spot together with at least one Bee Orchid so far. (John Parish).
3rd - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Wood mouse, mullein moth caterpillars, common green shield bug, buff-tailed, red-tailed and white-tailed bumblebees, common carder bee, honey bees. (JB)
Mullein moth caterpillar by John Birkett
1st - Park Hill (Chepstow Rise): (15:45) Large Red Damselfly in our kitchen (John Parish)
May 2019
30th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Several newts, frogs and southern hawker larvae in garden pond. (JB)
29th - Hutchinsons Bank: (Butterfly Conservation field trip. 11:00 - 12:30) Butterflies:- Brimstone, Small Blue (100+), Common Blue, Brown Argus, Small Tortoiseshell (10+ larvae), Dark-green Fritillary (1 larva), Glanville Fritillary (2), Small Heath, Speckled Wood, Dingy Skipper (3+). Moths:- Silver-ground Carpet, Burnet Companion, Copper Underwing (larva). (John Parish).
28th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Southern hawker and large red damselfly larvae in garden pond along with several newts and frogs. (JB)
15th - Hutchinsons & Chapel Banks: (BC field trip), Butterflies: Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Brimstone, Holly Blue, Common Blue, Small Blue(50+), White-letter Hairstreak (larva), Green Hairstreak(10+), Glanville Fritillary(4+), Small Heath, Peacock, Speckled Wood, Grizzled Skipper(10+, inc aberrant form "taras"), Dingy Skipper(5+). Moths: Green Carpet, Burnet Companion. (John Parish)
13th - Farthing Downs: Small heath and brimstone butterflies. (JB)
13th - Hutchinsons Bank: small blues, small heaths, small coppers, small whites, common blues, holly blues, brimstones, orange tips, green hairstreak, dingy slippers and speckled woods. (John Kirby)
1st - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Tree bee in garden. (JB)
April 2019
30th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Holly blue, small white and speckled wood butterflies in garden. 4+ newts, 1 frog and 3+ dragonfly nymphs in pond. (JB)
22nd - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (8.30pm): Common Pipistrelle foraging along rlwy embankment (17°C), plus Small White & Holly Blue earlier (GH)
21st - South Norwood Country Park: Painted lady, orange tip, holly blue, meadow brown, small white and brimstone butterflies. (Rob Wyllie by email)
20th - Hutchinsons Bank: Grizzled skipper, green hairstreak and Glanville fritillary butterflies. (Eric Barlow Twitter)
20th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Male orange tip, small white and holly blue butterflies, hairy-footed flower bees, 3+ newts, frog. (JB)
18th - Shirley (Freshfields) late pm: 1 Brimstone, 2 Small White & 1 Peacock (Sheila Mason per GH)
17th - South Norwood Country Park: Butterflies included orange tip and speckled wood. (Eric Barlow by Twitter)
17th - Lloyd Park (am): Butterflies - Small White (2+), Green-veined White (2+), Orange Tip (8m, 2+f), Brimstone (15m, 4f), Holly Blue (4), Peacock (15), Comma (3), Small Tortoiseshell (4+), Speckled Wood (6). Also a few queen wasps about. (John Parish)
15th - Shirley Park (Greencourt Gdns) male Orange Tip. My first of year. (Andy Bates)
15th - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (1.30pm): 1 Comma basking in the sun (14°C) (GH)
12th - Shirley wilderness garden: Pine ladybirds. (Moira O'Donnell by Twitter)
Pine ladybird by Moira O'Donnell
11th - Riddlesdown: male hairy-footed flower bee. (JB)
10th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): female hairy-footed flower bee in garden. ((JB)
7th - Addington Hills : (10:30) Four Roe Deer (1m & 3f) together in Bottom Triangle. (John Parish)
29th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Holly blue and 2 brimstone butterflies in garden. (JB)
24th - Lloyd Park: Brimstone, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell. (J Kirby)
24th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Brimstone and Peacock butterflies, 7-spot ladybird and a shield bug in the garden. 2 newts and a dragonfly larva in pond. (JB)
10th - Croham Hurst Golf Club: 4 Roe Deer at 16:30 between 16th and 2nd holes. First time I've seen more than two together on the course. (RDHB)
February 2019
26th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Male Brimstone. 3 newts and 2 dragonfly larvae found in pond while clearing out leaves. And a bread & butter bee! (JB)
26th - Sanderstead (Church Way): Brimstone. (JB)
25th - Shirley (Cheston Ave) (12.30pm): 1 male Brimstone (Sheila Mason per GH)
25th - Park Hill (Chichester Rd): first Peacock of the year settled on trunk of cedar. (J Kirby)
25th - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Male brimstone in garden again. Also 1st toad of year found while gardening. (JB)
23rd - South Norwood (Pittville Gdns) (1.30pm): 2 male Brimstones on rlwy embankment (3 on 24th) (GH)
23rd - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): First male brimstone of the year in the garden and a female later on. (JB)
22nd - Lloyd Park: male Brimstone, 2 Small Tortoiseshell and 2 Comma. (J Kirby)
22nd - Sanderstead (Briton Hill Road): Queen buff-tailed bumblebee on pulmonaria flowers. (JB)
