BB’s Butterfl ies - a collection of articles, drawings and photos with contributions from respected naturalists and authors. A book paying tribute to the ground breaking butterfl y conservation work of Northamptonshire naturalist, author and illustrator Denys Watkins-Pitchford, who wrote under the pseudonym of BB, has recently been released.

BB’s Butterfl ies is a collection of extracts from the writer’s many books and magazine articles featuring butterfl ies and includes entertaining tales of butterfl y spotting and egg collecting excursions as well as more informative and instructive passages. It tells the story of the Purple Emperor, the second largest British butterfl y and at one time almost extinct in many parts of the United Kingdom.

Importantly, it includes contributions from those who knew and came across BB through their work. Matthew Oates, the National Trust’s Specialist on Butterfl ies; Badger (Ray) Walker, champion hedge layer, fl y fi sherman of note; author and journalist John McEwen; Douglas Goddard, butterfl y recorder for Northamptonshire and Bill Humphreys, a founder of the BB Society.

BB’s Butterfl ies also features examples of his full colour illustrations and monotone  scraper boards as well as photographs and several artefacts never before seen - for instance handwritten notes. There are extracts from ten of his countryside books as well as seven articles from Shooting Times, The Field and The Countryman written during his 18 years of butterfl y conservation.

The book has been compiled and produced by Roseworld Productions who have previously published several BB works, including BB’s Birds; Confessions of a Coastal Gunner and BB’s 1922 Diary and Sketchbook.

A donation from the sale of the books will be made to Butterfl y Conservation, which now has approaching 20,000 members. The society manages nature reserves, co-ordinates and analyses butterfl y and moth surveying, a dvises government and other conservation agencies and champions Lepidoptera conservation with a number of very active regional branches. BB’s Butterfl ies is available in a limited print run of 950 at £40 each plus £5 post and packing.

Roseworld Productions are kindly offering readers of Village Connect a chance to win a copy of BB’s Butterfl ies. To enter, name three of BB’s books and email your entry to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Friday 31st January 2014. The winner will be randomly selected among the correct entries and notifi ed shortly after; terms and conditions apply.

BB’s Butterflies

BB’s Butterflies