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
Farmland at Itchen Abbas. Our neighbouring farm field has been sown with a leguminous mix, including clover and birds-foot trefoil under an agri-environmental scheme, to the benefit of butterflies and other wildlife, such as the Clouded Yellow which I've seen there a number of times over the past month or so. I took a wander round this morning trying to relocate a Whinchat I photographed earlier in the week - no luck with that or with the Clouded Yellow, but I did come across an extraordinarily beautifully coloured female Common Blue. The only other species on the wing were Large, Small and Green-veined White - summer is receding rapidly! [Posted by Rupert Broadway]
Possible Southern Small White ova. Following the discovery of Southern Small White laying eggs in Sussex I thought I would check the perennial Candytuft growing in my garden. I planted this a couple of years ago in anticipation of this butterfly arriving in the UK as it has been spreading rapidly across Europe. Sure enough I found a couple of creamy white bottle shaped eggs. Small White has been known to lay on this plant, and although the eggs are similar the caterpillars of the two species are a bit more distinctive - time will tell. [Posted by Mark Tutton]
Old Winchester Hill. With thick cloud cover for most of the day, it probably wasn't the best day butterfly-wise for a walk from Exton to Old Winchester Hill and back but in the brief sunny interludes the flower covered grassland came alive, with Adonis Blue particularly prominent. Other species included Small White, Small Copper, Chalk Hill Blue, Common Blue, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood and Small Heath. No Silver-spotted Skipper, Wall or Clouded Yellow on this occasion. A handsome Wheatear on a juniper bush on the slope beneath the hill fort demonstrated that autumn bird migration is under way. [Posted by Rupert & Sharron Broadway]
Blues and Yellows at Broughton Down. I was hoping to see Silver-spotted Skipper at Broughton Down yesterday, but it was not to be. It was my first visit in eight years and the covering of dogwood and hawthorn scrub was more widespread than I remember, particularly on the eastern half of the reserve. Common Blue was doing very well, genuinely living up to its name. I didn’t see a Chalk Hill Blue until the tumuli near the western end of the site and, beyond that, there was a lovely chalk grassland meadow and earthwork ditches with many more Chalk Hills, a few Adonis Blue and Brown Argus, and plenty more Common Blue. A strong Brimstone emergence was underway and a couple of Clouded Yellows added to the colourful spectacle. Thirteen species counted in total. [Posted by Kevin Freeborn]
Adonis Blue, trees of green, in our Clouded Yellow submarine. Or, Clouded Yellow summer scene would be apt! At MHD this morning, walking along the sheep trod from end to end along the bottom of the down, I counted eight Clouded Yellows. The couple I saw early on were happy to pause, nectar and allow a photo, while later in the morning they were flighty and fast with it. There were really impressive numbers of Adonis and Chalk Hill blues, with both species considerably outnumbering Common Blue and Brown Argus. I saw two mating Adonis pairs and one egg-laying female, although I couldn’t then find the egg(s). Thirteen butterfly species at MHD this morning. [Posted by Kevin Freeborn]
Purple Butterflies at West Wood. A trip to West Wood to check on the Purple Emperor caterpillars turned up a very late Purple Hairstreak. One caterpillar was missing in action but a new one was found on a leaf with absolutely no feeding damage. The others exhibited classic feeding patterns. [Posted by Mark Tutton]
New Forest. A circular walk from High Corner around Ogden's Purlieu and Linwood today demonstrated that the butterfly season in the forest is well and truly past its peak, with the only sightings a few Small White, two or three Gatekeeper, a single Painted Lady and a few Grayling, the latter demonstrating their masterful camouflage skills. [Posted by Rupert & Sharron Broadway]
Toadflax Brocade. This species continues to thrive in my garden in VC12 on cultivated forms of Linaria pupurea (var 'Canon Went' and 'Springside White') as well as being seen on Linaria vulgaris today. Exceptionally this year I've had larvae evident at the same time as adult - a moth on the move. [Posted by Chris Piper]
Jersey Tiger Moths. Bedhampton Over the last few days, we have had single Jersey Tiger Moths in the garden. Today, I managed to record one on our patio door. Hope this information is of some use! Ray [Posted by Ray Chiverton]
