Butterfly and Moth Society
Covering Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Surrounding Areas
Butterfly and Moth Society
Covering Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and Surrounding Areas
Thatcham sightings. With the news that approval has been given to build 2,500 houses on the so-called green belt near to where I live, I decided to pay the area a visit before it's concreted over. What a disaster for wildlife. The meadow nearest my home on the east side of Thatcham is choc-a-bloc full of interesting flora, and butterflies. Finding a mating pair of Marbled White was exhilarating and depressing in equal measure, as it felt like I was saying 'goodbye'. On the walk home, I found several Large White larvae feeding on Garlic Mustard, which is documented, but rather unusual! I also went to grab some photos of two Orange-tip larvae feeding on Honesty seed pods in my garden but I was distracted for 10 minutes and, during that time, a wasp had visited the plant and taken both larvae - that's nature, I suppose! [Posted by Pete Eeles]
Hummingbird Hawk-moth. At 75 and living in the heart of the countryside all my life I thought I had seen all there was to see. Wrong. I had the pleasure of watching my first hummingbird hawk-moth. I had never seen one before and spent a few hours to find out what it was. I live just over the border from Hampshire in West Lavington in Wilts. [Posted by Norman Merritt]
A Trio of Skippers at Whiteley Pastures. Large, Small and Essex Skippers were all enjoying the bramble flowers along the main rides at Whiteley Pastures today. It is lovely to be reminded how beautiful the colouring of the Large Skipper can be. [Posted by Kevin Freeborn]
Admirable Admirals at Whiteley Pastures. I saw twelve butterfly species this morning at Whiteley Pastures, including my first Clouded Yellow of the season and my first White Admirals and Silver-washed Fritillaries. Specimens of both the latter species were all rather flighty and not very obliging in sitting for a photo. All the admirals were very interested in the sallow – sallow searching you could say – and the one pictured was photographed 4 metres or so up in the canopy. [Posted by Kevin Freeborn]
Kintbury Woodland. I spend a lot of time at a 400-acre site in Kintbury that will become home to Kintbury Eco Centre in the next year or so. It's being managed for biodiversity, and butterflies in particular. With both chalk grassland and deciduous woodland, there is a lot to see! Recent finds in the woodland include Silver-washed Fritillary (including a female), a few White-letter Hairstreak and a Grass Snake that decided to sit completely still on one of the paths near the ponds! [Posted by Pete Eeles]
Chalk grassland species. I spent today undertaking surveys of a patch of chalk grassland in Kintbury. There is so much going on, that it's difficult to know what to mention, but Large Skippers seems to be doing really well, and I followed a female Cinnabar moth that was examining various Ragwort plants and clearly had the intention of laying - something I've not really followed through on before! So it was a delight to see the start of this species' journey. Marbled White are just starting to emerge here and Small Blues were busy ovipositing on the abundant Kidney Vetch in the chalk scrapes. [Posted by Pete Eeles]
White Admirals in good numbers at Whiteley Pastures. I saw at least 15 White Admirals in Whiteley Pastures today. Hopefully Purple Emperors will emerge soon. Also a fresh Painted Lady as well as several other species. [Posted by Claire Hartt-Palmer]
More night manoeuvres at Alice Holt. A second successful night time trip to Alice holt turned up six new Purple Emporer pupa and a pre-pupation L5 caterpillar - my first. The fifth instar caterpillar is the only instar that glows in UV, albeit fairly faintly, and was a first for me so very pleasing indeed. A return was made in daylight and we managed to relocate the caterpillar as well as three of the pupa. The camouflage is extreme indeed and on two occasions the subjects were only six inches or so from my face yet I couldn’t, for the life of me see them! A real test for patience. Some photos showing the cryptic arts - and a more obvious one. [Posted by Mark Tutton]
Night searches at Alice Holt. As is my want at this time of the year myself and my friend Dan spent the witching hours deep in Alice Holt forest looking for Purple Emperor pupae with UV torches - very successful it was too. We located at least seven, most of which were very high in mature sallows and I will return to see if I can find them in daylight. Very surprisingly we also found four Brown Hairstreak larvae which I have never seen in Alice Holt forest - possibly a new site for this one uncommon Hampshire butterfly? A couple of the images show the pupa shining brightly when illuminated with a UV torch. [Posted by Mark Tutton]
Black Hairstreak. A fabulous day at Epsom Common to find this stunning Black Hairstreak. A 'lifer' for me taking my total of UK species to 52 - so only seven to find now! Denise and I spent several hours and were amazed to spot 20 plus with a couple of females egg laying. Also seen; Painted Lady, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Comma, Small Heath, Common Blue, Brimstone, Meadow Brown and Large Skipper. [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
Small Blue at The Dongas. After a total absence from the transect figures in 2024, I'm pleased to say the Small Blue has made a re-appearance at The Dongas, albeit with only two recorded on transect up to now. [Posted by Rupert Broadway]
Yew Hill and its wonderful wildflowers. The wildflowers were an absolute treat this morning on Yew Hill, a profusion of colour, scent and buzzing insects. I’d estimate a 150-strong flock of starlings added to the scene. While the butterfly species count was low, those that were present were seen in reasonably good numbers. In my 90-minute visit, I encountered Brimstone (12+ individuals, four males and lots of females), Small Heath (12+), Meadow Brown (12+), Common Blue (12+, with three females), Speckled Wood (3), Painted Lady (3), Large Skipper (1). [Posted by Kevin Freeborn]
Fifteen species of butterflies at Magdalen Hill Down LNR. A fabulous but windy day walking the slopes of this delightful reserve that always gives. Today I spotted 15 species of butterfly with a massive 17 male Large Skippers, plus two females just on the permissive path at the bottom of the extension field. I also spotted, Speckled Wood, Brimstone, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Adonis Blue, Small Blue, Small Heath, Peacock, Red Admiral, Dingy Skipper, Painted Lady, Meadow Brown and was delighted to also see a Small Tortoiseshell and a Marbled White (My #31 for 2025). There were so many Small Blues that I lost count many freshly emerged. [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
Newly emerged DGF. Very early DGF freshly emerged and still drying wings out on Stockbridge Down today. Not had one in May before. And right next to it - a very pink meadow grasshopper, a rare mutation of the usual green/brown form. [Posted by Catherine Hadler]
Large Skipper (female). Magdalen Hill Down LNR has quite a few Large Skipper (males) emerging at the moment so it was good to spot this female who was much easier to photograph than the males ... ... [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
Balmer Lawn. To statisticians, a nil-result or low count is just as important as a bumper one; to an amateur Lepidopterist, a nil-result or low count can only bring disappointment. This morning (sunny intervals and 16C), I parked up near Balmer Lawn and spent three hours walking 5.7 miles around Pignal and Ramnor Inclosures and saw just one Pearl-bordered, one Common Blue and five Speckled Wood. [Posted by Kevin Freeborn]
Small Tortoiseshell. After 21 months and 26 days, the first Small Tortoiseshell to be recorded in our Itchen Abbas garden finally arrived today. In the meantime we've welcomed, among others, White Admiral, Small Blue, Green Hairstreak ....... but this formerly common species has eluded us. That brings the garden total to 24 - a decent count in less than 2 years [Posted by Rupert & Sharron Broadway]
Silver-studded Blues. Pleased to spot these freshly emerged Silver-studded Blues today with Claire. We saw four near Ipley Inclosure, New Forest. The main path through the Inclosure was closed which was just as well as we found these as we skirted around area. [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
Two rarely visited Duke sites. Paid a visit to two rarely visited Duke of Burgundy colonies today, Harting Down just over the border in West Sussex and Stephen’s Castle Down in Hants before the weather breaks. Harting is probably at peak with only one or two looking fresh with most several days old. A very good total for this site with 39 seen - my highest I think. Even on such a large site the butterfly has a restricted range and most were in the usual places but pleasingly I found three away from the usual areas one female a bit to the west and a male and female over a couple of hundred meters away in an area with lots of Cowslips. Stephen’s Castle Down was disappointing as I could only locate one male who was quite elderly - it maybe that this site is early and I missed the boat - let’s hope so. Nice to know they are holding on though. There may have been two others but there were lots of Mother Shipton doing a good impersonation. [Posted by Mark Tutton]
Meadow Brown - Magdalen Hill Down NR. My #29 for 2025 - A freshly emerged Meadow Brown who would not come out for a photograph stayed in partial shade. In a week's time we will all be saying ‘oh no not another Meadow Brown’ but it was lovely to see my first of the year. Still lots of Common Blue, Small Blue, Adonis Blue and Brown Argus around, a few tatty Marsh Fritillary, Brimstone, Large White, Grizzled Skipper, Green-veined White, Green Hairstreak, Speckled Wood and today spotted six Large Skipper on the lower slopes. There was also a few moths including; Burnet Companion, Cinnabar and Mother Shipton. [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
