Hampshire and Isle of Wight Butterfly and Moth Society
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Butterfly and Moth Society
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New Forest. A pleasant day spent in the New Forest with Denise, Claire and Sally and we were delight to find around 17 species of Pearl-bordered Fritillaries (My #21 species for 2026). We also spotted Small White, Brimstone, Speckled Wood and Holly Blue but of course the latter are everywhere at the moment. The Fritillaries were really flighty and racing around the forest floor looking for flowers to nectar on and sadly there was not a lot of Bugle around, their principal food source. However we did see them also nectaring on a few other plants particularly the pink/purple Common Vetch but that was also in short supply. It was hard going walking along some of the smaller tracks where the winter's wet muddy tracks have now dried out into rigid, uneven and large crack-filled surfaces but we enjoyed our day wandering around the sunny woodland glades. [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
Which White?. Bit windy on top of a down yesterday but I met up with many Brimstone and then this White which despite many angles couldn't get to see underneath. Suggestions (on the ID) welcome. With the low overnight temperatures the only scorched carpet I thought I'd get was from an indoor barbecue but among eight moths I had one. Strange recording overnight at the moment. [Posted by Chris Piper]
Magdalen Hill Down Nature Reserve. It was rather blowy today on the hillside but still there were lots of butterflies about trying to hang on to anything they could find as I was trying to hang on to my hat … … I saw 14 SPECIES including; Brown Argus, Small Copper, Holly Blue, Brimstone, Dingy Skipper and Grizzled Skipper all in double figures. Small Heath 8, Green Hairstreak 5, Green-veined White 2, Small White 1, Peacock 2 and Red Admiral 2. There were a few more Common Blue emerging and I spotted 8 in total in different areas of the reserve. Just as I was going home I was delighted to see a couple of freshly emerged Adonis Blue (My #20 species for 2026). I spotted an Adonis last year on 30 April so one day earlier this year - how stunning this butterfly is it sure takes your breath away. [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
Duke of Burgundy. It was good to see a good number of Duke of Burgundy at several Hampshire reserves this past week. [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
Magdalen Hill Down Nature Reserve. A sunny day on the hillside and I saw 15 SPECIES of butterfly; Brown Argus, Holly Blue, Common Blue, Green Hairstreak, Brimstone, Peacock, Red Admiral, Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Small Copper, Small White, Green-veined White, Small Heath, Orange-tip and a lovely Painted Lady. I also saw 2 MOTHS; a Lesser Treble-bar and a Burnet Companion. The highlight of the day though was watching freshly emerged Common Blue and Brown Argus dry out their wings, test their legs, take their first flight and then immediately begin their battle for a little piece of the hillside and with anyone else nearby ... .... [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
Spring day at Stockbridge Down. Superb afternoon along E side of Stockbridge Down - blazing sun, still, felt like July. The best area was the ditch at the top where all the Dukes were and lots of the spring skippers. Final totals: 12 spp. including 3 Duke of Burgundies, 10-20 Grizzled Skippers, ~5 Dingy Skippers, 1 Green Hairstreak, 1 very fresh Brown Argus, 5-10 Small Coppers. As a general comment, in 53 years of butterfly recording, I have never seen so many Holly Blues this spring - nor probably Orange-tips either. Both species (and Brimstones) are everywhere [Posted by David Murdoch]
Painted Lady near Abbotstone. Plenty of butterflies near Abbotstone this morning including Orange-tip, Brimstone, Small White, Holly Blue, Peacock, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood. Most were taking the sensible course by sticking to the sheltered sunny footpaths and glades away from the stiff easterly breeze: not so a single Painted Lady that came careering down the side of a field, landing briefly in front of us and then continuing on its journey. [Posted by Rupert & Sharron Broadway]
Dukes at Butser. A lunchtime trip to Butser Hill in continuous sunshine was tempered by a brisk cool northerly wind which limited butterfly numbers. However in the sheltered valley a small number of downland specialists were flying including my first Duke of Burgundy and Grizzled Skippers. [Posted by Mark Tutton]
Stockbridge Down. It was a coolish morning on Stockbridge Down (10am to noon) but during the sunny spells, especially among the more sheltered scrub, it felt pleasantly warm. When I saw my first butterfly, a Grizzled Skipper, it was 10.09am and only 11C. There was masses of ground-ivy, which the Brimstones were frequently attracted to, and plenty of violets and wild strawberry on the eastern side of the down. I saw three Small Copper, all on bare earth paths; six Holly Blue, but all too flighty to photograph; several tatty Peacocks; a couple of Speckled Woods and at least two Green-veined Whites. Lovely birdsong to accompany my butterflying too. [Posted by Kevin Freeborn]
Many-plumed moths. So good to find three of these at light last night in Stroud, East Hampshire. First of the year. They were very flighty and off at the first hint of torchlight. Here are two of them, the third spotted the camera and was off pronto. [Posted by Ron Allen]
Holly Blue on poop!. My first Holly Blue of the year at Testwood Lakes today. There were also a few Orange-tips, but they were far too flighty for photos, and Brimstones and Peacocks. [Posted by Karen Urquhart]
Large Tortoiseshells on Isle of Wight. Was delighted to see Large Tortoiseshells at both Bouldnor Copse and Parkhurst Forest on 17 March together with numerous Peacocks, Commas and Brimstones with Sheila Anne Williams, Sally Quajar and Graham Sherrat. [Posted by Claire Hartt-Palmer]
Early Holly Blue near Hartley Mauditt today?. Among many Brimstone recorded near Hartley Mauditt today eg Brimstone rejection ? [Posted by Chris Piper]
Home Wood. Although the air temperature was only 9C, in my 30-minute wander this morning in Home Wood, Eastleigh, the sunshine was warm enough to entice out one male Brimstone, one Red Admiral and one Peacock. There were also several bumblebees attracted to the bright yellow flowers of broom. [Posted by Kevin Freeborn]
Inaugural AGM and Members' Morning. The society's inaugural meeting will be held on Sunday 26th April 2026, 10am - 1pm at Littleton Memorial Hall, The Hall Way, Littleton, Winchester, Hampshire, SO22 6QL. Details are below and we look forward to seeing you there! [Posted by Pete Eeles]
Butterfly Recorders' Meeting. The 2026 butterfly recorders' meeting with be held online on 26th March. Details at https://butterfly-conservation.org/butterflies/uk-butterfly-recorders-meeting. [Posted by Pete Eeles]
My first comma sighting of the year. A sun-filled walk around Fleming Park this lunchtime gave me my first Comma sighting of the year. There were five male Brimstone too. [Posted by Kevin Freeborn]
Basing Woods. A 5km wander around Basing Woods, north Basingstoke this lunchtime in warm early spring sunshine (at last) yielded 65 male Brimstone, 10 Peacock, one Red Admiral, one Small Tortoiseshell and a group of six Comma battling over territory. Two Orange Underwing moths flitted around the tops of birches. Other highlights were a soaring male Goshawk and plenty of Common Toad spawn. [Posted by Mike Wall]
24 hours on.... On today's lunchtime walk, male Brimstones were out in very good numbers in Fleming Park, Eastleigh. Just 24 hours after seeing my first butterflies of the year yesterday, I counted 15 Brimstone (all males) and two Red Admirals today. [Posted by Kevin Freeborn]
Hampage Wood. A very pleasant couple of hours spent at Hampage Wood this morning in the company of three Brimstone, including a mating pair, and a couple of Red Admiral. Some good birds around as well including Raven, Marsh Tit and good views of displaying Goshawk, all to the backdrop of drumming woodpeckers. [Posted by Rupert & Sharron Broadway]
