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
Wall Brown seen at Portsdown Hill. The field trip to Portsdown Hill today found the site with many fresh butterflies flying, and most notably, a Wall Brown which has been very rare at the site if not missing over past years. A real treat. [Posted by Claire Hartt-Palmer]
Portsdown Hill & Magdalen Hill Down NR. Delighted to see three new species for 2025 today - a Wall at Portsdown Hill on Ashley's field trip and a super fresh Adonis Blue and Small Blue at Magdalen Hill Down on my home patch. [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
Small Blue out at Magdalen Hill Down. Three or four Small Blue seen at Magdalen Hill Down (extension) this afternoon along with numerous Common Blue and varying numbers of Grizzled Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Brimstone, Green Hairstreak, Brown Argus, Peacock and Small Heath. [Posted by Rupert & Sharron Broadway]
Pearl-Bordered Fritillaries - Standing Hat - New Forest. We spotted about 16 PBF today racing up and down the rides in really hot sunshine . There were very few flowers for them to nectar on with some flowers trying their best to emerge through the dead bracken. Most of the butterflies we spotted were stopping to nectar on the bright yellow dandelion flowers before racing off again ... ... ... [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
First Duke out at Stockbridge. Saw first Duke of B at Stockbridge Down today - and possibly a second. Quite early for this site as we are usually a couple of weeks behind Noar Hill and others. Decent weather has brought them out! [Posted by Catherine Hadler]
Butser in the sun. I took the opportunity of a girls shopping day, and glorious sunshine, to revisit Butser today. Very good numbers of Grizzled Skipper, Small Heath and especially Dingy Skipper made their presence known along with the ever present Orange-tips and the odd Peacock. Duke of Burgundy are building nicely with at least half a dozen fresh males seen. New for year were Green Hairstreak, Common Blue and some delightfully fresh Brown Argus. It was also nice to catch up with a few like minded acquaintances who were on a similar mission. [Posted by Mark Tutton]
Broxhead Common field trip. Good to be out in the spring sunshine this morning and enjoying the first field trip of the new season. [Posted by Kevin Freeborn]
Brockenhurst Inclosures. With all the early emergences this spring, I thought I would chance my arm and see if I could see a Pearl-bordered Fritillary in the New Forest. It was mostly cloudy during the morning with a chilly breeze and I only saw a few Speckled Woods. However, the cloud cover broke up around midday and the afternoon was more productive with regular sightings of male Brimstones and a smattering of Green-veined, Large and Small Whites. Finally, around 3.30pm in the New Copse Inclosure, I saw a flash of orange and had a brief glimpse of a Pearl-bordered Fritillary. A little later, nearer Perrywood Ivy Inclosure, a saw another and was able to watch it for some time and obtain a record shot. [Posted by Ian Watts]
Magdalen Hill Down NR. The first Common Blue female seen at the bottom of the hillside being chased around by a few Brown Argus [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
Magdalen Hill Down NR. We also saw quite a few Marsh Fritillaries today as well as 15 Small Heath - one of which had a dark black line under its spot. [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
Magdalen Hill Down NR. A cloudy start to the day and a few butterflies were roosting but when the sun came out it was a good day on the hillside. We spotted 12 species including; Brimstone, Brown Argus, Common Blue, Green Hairstreak, Green-veined White, Grizzled Skipper, Orange-tip, Peacock, Small Copper, Small Heath, Speckled Wood and Dingy Skipper. As well as several moths including; Common Carpet, Mint Moth, Green Carpet and Mother Shipton. The highlight of the day was a mating pair of Dingy Skippers - they were also the most numerous butterfly of the day too - we spotted at least 21. [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
Large Blue appeal. The Royal Entomological Society has a fundraiser for the Large Blue running over the next week - do help if you can. [Posted by Pete Eeles]
Magdalen Hill Down NR with Claire. We spotted 15 species of butterflies including; Small Copper (My #19 for 2025), Marsh Fritillary (My #20 for 2025). We also saw, Common Blue, Holly Blue, Brown Argos, Dingy Skipper, Grizzled Skipper, Small White, Green-veined White, Peacock, Red Admiral, Orange-tip, Green Hairstreak, Small Heath and Speckled Wood. [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
Marsh Fritillary now flying. A few hours at Magdalen Hill Down this afternoon yielded 10 species with two firsts for the year.
Five male Marsh Fritillary were seen, with at least one having only just emerged. When digging down to see if I could find its pupal case, I came across another first - the only Marbled White caterpillar I've ever found!
Thankfully, it seems that I won't be waiting until September to see a Small Copper this year.
Grizzled Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Orange-tip, Brimstone, Small Heath, Peacock and Brown Argus also seen. [Posted by Lee Hurrell]
Common Blue. My first Common Blue of the year spotted late afternoon on the bottom slope at Magdalen Hill Down NR. [Posted by Sheila Anne Williams]
Ultraviolet-induced Fluorescence. The immature stages of many Lepidoptera are known to fluoresce when showered with UV radiation. This thought-provoking article by Ben Greenaway provides a theory as to why the immature stages of many Lepidoptera are known to fluoresce and the evolutionary advantage of doing so. [Posted by Pete Eeles]
MHD lease renewed. In case you missed it, a new 10-year lease for Magdalen Hill Down has been agreed between The Church Commissioners for England and Butterfly Conservation at Magdalen Hill Down. I'm sure this will come as a relief to those that volunteer and visit MHD, given the current financial pressures that BC is facing. It is, however, unfortunate that the BBC decided to use an image of a Mazarine Blue in their article, as hopeful as we are that this species might return! [Posted by Pete Eeles]
Pebble Prominent. When one of only three moths in the home trap is as beautiful as this Pebble Prominent, I don't mind. [Posted by Lee Hurrell]
Brown Argus out at Magdalen. Four Brown Argus and two Small Heath were early firsts for the year at Magdalen Hill Down. Both were the earliest I've seen either species. Also seen were Green Hairstreak, Holly Blue, Grizzled Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange-tip, Brimstone, Red Admiral, Comma, and Peacock. [Posted by Lee Hurrell]
Dukes showing well at Noar Hill. Saw Noar Hill in wonderful form today - in the sun with the Cowslips out, with at least 12 Dukes both male and female all around the pits. Many other butterflies were also flying including my first Green hairstreak, Dingy Skipper and Small Heath of the season. [Posted by Claire Hartt-Palmer]
Orange tips are showing well at Farlington Marshes. I returned to Farlington Portsmouth after a week away, to discover the Orange tips have emerged behind the motorway with plenty of their larval food plant Cuckoo-flower blossoming for them. [Posted by Claire Hartt-Palmer]
HOS Presentations. For those that are interested, the presentations from the Hampshire Ornithological Society members' day were recorded and can be found here. [Posted by Pete Eeles]
Early emergences at Butser Hill. I ventured to Butser Hill more in hope than anticipation in weak sunshine and an annoyingly cool easterly breeze. I took my usual route from the car park along the western hedge line and after twenty minutes I was photographing my first Duke of Burgundy of the year. What made this more pleasing is that they have been very scarce in this area for a couple of years following some fencing replacement. A few Grizzled and Dingy Skippers made use of some warmer sunshine and most surprising of all was an exceedingly early Small Heath - my earliest ever by more than two weeks! [Posted by Mark Tutton]
Morn Hill Moths. The milder night forecast for 12th April led to the moth traps being put at Morn Hill, which were checked on the 13th. A splendid 76 moths of 22 species were recorded, including the stunning Chinese Character, Lunar Marbled Brown, and Iron Prominent pictured. [Posted by Lee Hurrell]
Magdalen Hill Down. No Mazarine Blues to report, sadly, but a lovely morning nonetheless among the cowslips at MHD. Butterflies seen: Brimstone 12+, Peacock 12+, Grizzled Skipper 12+, Dingy Skipper 3, Green Hairstreak 1, Green-veined White 2, and all under the watchful eyes of the resident kestrel pair. [Posted by Kevin Freeborn]
Basing Wood Speckled Woods and Commas. A delightful couple of hours exploring Basing Wood this afternoon. Speckled Wood is emerging nicely, with six seen. Six seemed to be the magic number, as six of each of Comma, Peacock, and Green-veined White also seen. Otherwise, male Orange-tip, male Holly Blue, male Large White, male Brimstone, and both male and female Small White also seen. [Posted by Lee Hurrell]
Dingy Skipper out at Magdalen. Three hours at Magdalen on the afternoon of the 9th in once again perfect conditions. 2 Dingy Skipper, 9 Grizzled Skipper, 2 Holly Blue, 2 Green Hairstreak, 1 male Orange-tip, 1 male and 1 female Brimstone, 1 Small White, 2 Small White, 11 Peacock, and pleasingly, 1 Small Tortoiseshell. Holly Blue and Dingy Skipper were firsts for the year. [Posted by Lee Hurrell]
Green Hairstreak, Grizzled Skipper & Dingy reported. Three hours at Magdalen this afternoon gave an incredible five firsts for the year. 5 Grizzled Skipper, 2 Green Hairstreak, 2 male Orange-tip, 5 Small White, 1 Large White - all firsts for the year. Also 18 Peacock, 18 male Brimstone, 6 female, 1 Comma 1 Green-veined White. Bumped into two colleagues who later messaged to say they'd seen a Dingy Skipper! [Posted by Lee Hurrell]
Hampage Wood & Itchen Abbas. A walk to Hampage Wood and back this morning, primarily to track down a singing Woodlark, yielded Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Orange-tip and Speckled Wood. (Woodlark still singing, but remained elusive). An afternoon in the garden was enlivened by visits from Brimstone, Green-veined White, Large White, Orange-tip, Holly Blue, Peacock and, most bizarrely, a mint-fresh Green Hairstreak, which perched briefly on a window pane before shooting off as I went for the camera. [Posted by Rupert & Sharron Broadway]
Portsdown Hill. 6th April 2025 Portsdown Hill The warm weather continues, and the butterfly numbers are getting better as the days go by. I decided to conduct a walk around my old transect route which I haven’t conducted now for several years, and I surprised how it still looks how I remember it, all be it a few more Gorse bushes which seem to be spreading. The slopes were covered with Brimstones of both sexes, along with excellent counts of Speckled Wood, and the Orange Tip has certainly responded to the warm weather. I didn’t manage the Green Hairstreak, and I was surprised that the Holly Blue didn’t appear either, with no Small Tortoiseshell either, with just a splattering of Peacocks. Cowslips here look in better condition than at Noar Hill now. The birds of prey were also absent, but I suspect most of them are concentrating on nest building and looking after young. [Posted by Ashley Whitlock]
Small tortoiseshells in decent numbers at St Clair’s Meadow Soberton. I walked the transect at St Clair’s Meadow Soberton this morning for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. It was sunny but quite windy, and the wind had a chill to it. I saw 6 Small Tortoiseshells and 5 Peacocks. They were all appearing out of the grass and undergrowth as it warmed up. There were a few distant whites across the other side of the river, but no Orange tips were seen. The cuckoo flower is out so hopefully they will be around shortly. It is still quite wet and muddy in places- wellies are still a good idea! [Posted by Claire Hartt-Palmer]
First home moth trap of the year. First home trap of the year, in Weeke, Winchester. 3 Common Quaker, 1 Nut-tree Tussock, 1 very smart Hebrew Character and a Double-striped Pug. [Posted by Lee Hurrell]
Green-veined White - my first emerged butterfly of 2025. A seven mile walk around the village of Mapledurwell yielded 5 Green-veined White, 4 Small Tortoiseshell, 10 Peacock, 4 Comma and 3 Brimstone. [Posted by Lee Hurrell]
Visit to Noar Hill. I visited Noar Hill today from around 11.30 to 14.30. Although it was pleasantly warm in the chalk pits, which were sheltered from the breeze, it was half an hour before I saw my first butterfly - a female Brimstone. There is a good spread of violets and the cowslips are coming into flower. During my visit I saw: Brimstone: 12+ Peacock: 6+ Comma: 1 Holly Blue: 1 Orange-tip: 1 Speckled Wood: 1 And half-a-dozen whites (unidentified) [Posted by Kevin Freeborn]
First Small Tortoiseshell. Given the scarcity of Small Tortoiseshells in 2024 I was both relieved and pleased to see my first of 2025 on a footpath through farmland at Itchen Down this morning - hopefully they will enjoy a better year. On returning home, my first Holly Blue of the year turned up in the garden, in addition to Brimstone, Peacock and Green-veined White. [Posted by Rupert Broadway]
Small Tortoiseshell out of hibernation. The hibernating Small Tortoiseshell in my garage (present on Tuesday, 1st April), has by this evening, (Friday, 4th April), left its overwintering site and flown. Fitting on the warmest couple of days so far this year. [Posted by Lee Hurrell]
Hillier Gardens, Braishfield. Plenty of butterflies enjoying the sunshine and plentiful nectar sources at the Hillier Gardens, Braishfield today including Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Orange-tip, Comma, Peacock and Speckled Wood. Sadly, no Small Tortoiseshell and curiously no Holly Blue in what would appear to be ideal habitat [Posted by Rupert Broadway]