Butser in the sun. At long last some wall to wall sunshine tempted me out, albeit in a strong cooling breeze. I had already paid two or three visits to Butser for no return, and in ‘normal’ years I would already have expected to see Dukes and the spring skippers by now. It took a while but I eventually tracked down a couple of male Duke of Burgundy in their usual lekking area managing a reasonable total of seven in the next hour. Grizzled Skippers were in short supply and first the couple I saw were whisked away on the breeze but I eventually manage to spot one resting long enough for a quick snap. [Posted by Mark Tutton]
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| Grizzled Skipper Photo © Mark Tutton | Duke of Burgundy Photo © Mark Tutton |
Butser in the sun. At long last some wall to wall sunshine tempted me out, albeit in a strong cooling breeze. I had already paid two or three visits to Buster for no return, and in ‘normal’ years I would already have expected to see Dukes and the spring skippers by now. It took a while but I eventually tracked down a couple of male Duke of Burgundy in their usual lekking area managing a reasonable total of seven in the next hour. Grizzled Skippers were in short supply and first the couple I saw were whisked away on the breeze but I eventually manage to spot one resting long enough for a quick snap. [Posted by Mark Tutton]
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| Grizzled Skipper Photo © Mark Tutton | Duke of Burgundy Photo © Mark Tutton |
More Green Hairstreaks at Freshwater.. Back at the National Trust carpark at Afton Down,Freshwater for the first time since the 18th of April and at least six Green Hairstreak butterflies flying feverishly around. However they are the only species as yet recorded at this site this season so far. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
Browndown South. Another visit to Browndown South taking advantage of the sun being out during a day when it was open. My first Green Hairstreak of the year seen - at least 4. Also more Small Coppers and my first Small Heath. The latter would have made a lovely trio of early (small) butterfy photos but I blinked and lost it before getting the camera out. I've filled in the blank space with another adder photo - the last I promise but this one is worth a second look - there are 4 heads in the picture if you look closely. This was 3 males and a large (brown) female). Lots of 'jousting' between the males but never quite an 'adder dance'. Eleven seen in total today - this is a wonderful place to see them but also great for butterflies too! [Posted by Mark Wagstaff]
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| Green Hairstreak - Browndown South Photo © Mark Wagstaff | Adders - 3M+1F - Browndown South Photo © Mark Wagstaff | Small Copper - Browndown South Photo © Mark Wagstaff |
More Dukes at Noar Hill today:. At last! - a day of more spring-like conditions, with temperatures peaking at around 16C, but often suppressed by blustery winds, but given the rest of April's weather this year, this was all the inducement I needed to take an afternoon jaunt to Noar Hill, near Selborne. Recent annual pilgrimages around this time have often proved fruitful, with this important Duke of Burgundy site rarely a disappointment, and in company of several other observers, around 6 specimens were noted, all of which were males, and all in absolutely pristine condition, with one almost certainly freshly emerged. Numbers are still building here, and the next week or so should see females in the mix too, but despite sometimes marginal conditions due to chilly high winds, this afternoon's foray was certainly rewarding. [Posted by Michael Jameson]
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| Duke of Burgundy (M) at Noar Hill Photo © Michael Jameson | Duke of Burgundy (M) freshly emerged Photo © Michael Jameson | Duke of Burgundy - an exceptionally curious male! Photo © Michael Jameson |
Hayling Cycle Path. Today with the temperature reaching 14 degrees, I walked the Hayling cycle path from Furniss Way, West Town, Hayling Island as far as a track leading to Saltmarsh Lane. Here I recorded my first confirmed Green-veined White of the year, while a Peacock was seen feeding on Early Oil Seed Rape. The following were recorded: Small White 8, Green-veined White 1, Holly Blue 1 and Peacock 1. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Noar Hill. Noar Hill Saturday 20th April 2024
Arrived at Noar Hill today with the intention to seeing the Duke of Burgundy, it was rather cool to start with and a very keen wind picked up, as I started to wander around the site with myself for company. After an hour there were a few people around all looking for the same thing, and it was 11:20 with the temperature at a lofty 11c when two males appeared in one of the flint pits. They weren’t very active, in pristine condition and certainly weren’t fighting each other for territories. Other butterflies seen were several Orange-tips, Peacocks, Holly Blues, Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Comma, Brimstones, and Small White. There are some lovely early Purple Orchids and the Cowslips all looked splendid. [Posted by Ashley Whitlock]
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| Looking for the Duke Photo © Ashley Whitlock | male Duke on territory Photo © Ashley Whitlock | Males on territory Photo © Ashley Whitlock |
Small Copper - Browndown South. Managed my first Small Copper of the year whilst out doing a reptile survey at Browndown (South) this morning. Conservative count was 4 - they were very lively in the intermittent sun then impossible to find when cloudy. Also saw Peacock and Large White - but little else - still very much on the cool side. Reptile survey for anyone interested was productive with 6 adders seen including two mating pairs. [Posted by Mark Wagstaff]
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| Small Copper - Browndown South Photo © Mark Wagstaff | Adder Pair - Browndown South Photo © Mark Wagstaff | Small Copper - Browndown South Photo © Mark Wagstaff |
Havant Thicket. Today I visited Havant Thicket where the temperature reached 12.5 degrees in sunshine. Here I saw a good number of Brimstones, Small Whites and a few fresh male Orange-tips. Totals: Brimstone 14M 2F, Small White 8, Orange-tip 3M, Speckled Wood 1 and Peacock 2. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Fort Widley. A single Green Hairstreak seen at Fort Widley and two Small Coppers seen at Sinah Common
One landed on a stone ball [Posted by James Clark]
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| Green hairstreak Photo © James Clark |
Fort Widley. A single Green hairstreak seen at Fort Widley and two Small coppers seen at Sinah Common
One landed on a stone ball [Posted by James Clark]
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| Green hairstreak Photo © James Clark |
Brown Hairstreak hatching on Portsdown Hill. I checked a few of the Brown Hairstreak eggs that I have been monitoring on Portsdown Hill and it seems they have hatched. All have neat round holes in the top where the caterpillars have eaten their way out and I think I have spotted some feeding damage on the adjacent young Blackthorn leaves - may return in darkness to see if I can locate the caterpillars using UV light. [Posted by Mark Tutton]
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| Double hatch Photo © Mark Tutton | Neat hole Photo © Mark Tutton | Feeding damage? Photo © Mark Tutton |
Grizzled Skipper at Magdalen Hill Down. As anyone who does a butterfly transect will know, this has been a difficult week with few oppotunities with sunshine and warmth. It was my turn to do the transect at Magdalen Hill Down (original reserve), and I decided that as the sun was out and temperature had reached 13oC I'd give it a go. I'm pleased to report that it was pleasantly warm on the sheltered lower slopes, with a good number of butterflies on the wing. I saw my first Grizzled Skippers and Green Hairstreak of the year, but unexpectedly saw a Small Tortoiseshell, which is a real bonus these days. The fully tally was: Brimstone (36), Peacock (11), Holly Blue (4), Small White (3), Grizzled Skipper (2), Green-veined White (2), Orange-tip (1), Green Hairstreak (1) and Small Tortoiseshell (1). For those who like to visit Magdalen Hill Down to see the Cowslips, I can report that they're looking at their best, with a carpet of yellow across the 'Extension'. [Posted by Andy Barker]
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| Grizzled Skipper Photo © Andy Barker | Small Tortoiseshell Photo © Andy Barker |
Comma (F) and egg. This female Comma was observed ovipositing on stinging nettle. Each egg took around 10-15 seconds to lay and all were deposited individually on the upper side of nettle leaves sheltered from direct sunlight. When very newly laid they appeared virtually transparent, but quickly acquired this typical green coloration, perhaps upon atmospheric contact. [Posted by Michael Jameson]
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| Comma (F) egg-laying on nettle Photo © Michael Jameson | Comma - egg on nettle leaf Photo © Michael Jameson |
Courtship Display - Peacock. Here is a pair of over-wintered Peacocks, whose courtship display was observed and photographed earlier today.
The area involved was a substantial nettle patch hidden behind a large mound of discarded farmyard straw, which became quite warm during today's morning sunshine. The male continued to display vigorously before both butterflies took flight with a characteristic spiralling motion before finally settling, presumably to couple, in an inaccessible position. [Posted by Michael Jameson]
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| Courtship of Peacocks Photo © Michael Jameson |
Isle of Wight Green Hairstreak's. After several days of cool and blustery weather,today the wind dropped which allowed the temperature to rise in the spring sunshine.At Afton Down Carpark there were at least two very active Green Hairstreaks this afternoon [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
Monks Walk, Frater Fields & Woods, Gosport. My species count for 2024 reached ten this afternoon with the sighting of a pair of Green-veined White. From 1300-1430 (14.5C) I was delighted to record eight species given the comparatively gloomy and cool conditions. Red Admiral has had an emergence in the last 48 hours with seven recorded and most in pristine condition. Total: Large White (M)(1); Brimstone (M)(1); Red Admiral (7); Comma (4); Peacock (5); Speckled Wood (M)(9)(F)(2); Green-veined White (M)(2); Small White (M)(2). [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Well hidden male Brimstone Photo © Francis Plowman | Red Admiral male Photo © Francis Plowman | Green-veined White & Small White Photo © Francis Plowman |
Green Hairstreak at Freshwater.. A first Green Hairstreak seen at noon today at Afton Down Car Park. Just one individual flying around a spread of Bluebells,landing briefly and then going to ground. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
Herald at Chandlers Ford. Whilst doing some gardening I had the unexpected surprise of disturbing a Herald Moth from rest amongst ferns. It flew a short distance and came to rest about 2 metres up on our garage wall. Rather than sitting flat against the surface like most moths, it adopted a rather unusual position with head down and wings angled up and projecting away from the wall. [Posted by Andy Barker]
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| Herald moth Photo © Andy Barker |
Swanwick elm surprise. Found on lowest branch of the Dutch elm U. x hollandica 'Major' at the Elm Tree pub at Swanwick was a third? instar White-letter Hairstreak larva. The original elm there was a huge 'English' elm which went the way of all the others. The present tree was planted 1989 in commemoration of Hampshire County Council's centenary; not a species known for its disease resistance, its survival is a mystery. [Posted by Andrew Brookes]
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| White-letter Hairstreak larva Photo © Andrew Brookes | Swanwick elm in summer Photo © Andrew Brookes |
Havant Thicket. Today I visited Havant Thicket walking the main track where in the sunshine the temperature reached 16 degrees. A good number of male Brimstones were seen as well as my first male Orange-tip of the season. Totals: Brimstone 19M 6F, Small White 1, Orange-tip 1M, Peacock 2. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Female Green-veined White in Church Crookham. This female Green-veined White emerged earlier today in our garden in Church Crookham, Hampshire. The first I've seen this spring, this very fresh specimen reveals the true beauty of this familiar and often overlooked species! [Posted by Michael Jameson]
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| Green-Veined White (F) underside Photo © Michael Jameson | Green-Veined White (F) upper side Photo © Michael Jameson |
Monks Walk, Frater Fields & Woods, Gosport. Numbers of butterflies seemed to rise with the temperature this afternoon! From1215 for two hours (16-18 deg C) some seven species were recorded. No further sighting of Small Tortoiseshell nor Holly Blue seen earlier this month. The ground remains saturated with pockets of deep mud and Wellington boots still a necessity! Total: Small White (M)(10)(F)(1); Brimstone (M)(5); Peacock (12); Comma (4); Large White (M)(3)(F)(1); Red Admiral (2); Speckled Wood (M)(10)(F)(2). [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Comma on Blackthorn blossom Photo © Francis Plowman | Small White, female right and spider Photo © Francis Plowman | Peacock on wild apple blossom Photo © Francis Plowman |
Butterflies at Fishlake Meadows. A walk at Fishlake Meadows led to sightings of 5 species: many Brimstones, one Small Tortoiseshell, three Red Admirals, five Peacocks and four Orange-tips. Photos were very difficult as the insects were very mobile [Posted by Sue Lambert]
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| Peacock Photo © Sue Lambert | Red Admiral Photo © Sue Lambert | Small tortoiseshell hiding! Photo © Sue Lambert |
St Giles Hill Graveyard. Speckled Wood basking on Common Hogweed [Posted by Anna Stewart]
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| Photo © Anna Stewart |
Hollybank Woods. A cool, very blustery day, with the temperature, struggling to reach 13ºC, but enough sunshine to get a few butterflies moving. During a 90 minute walk around Hollybank Woods, near Emsworth, I came across 3 basking Peacocks, and a solitary male Brimstone which I found at roost under a bramble leaf. [Posted by Adrian Hoskins]
Sun and sand, Hogmore Inclosure. Spotted my first male Orange-tip of the year at Hogmoor inclosure before it disappeared into the gorse. Also male Brimstone and Peacock butterfly which like to bask on the sandy track and fly up just in front of me as I cycle along. [Posted by Jim Smith]
Spring butterflies in the Itchen Valley. Despite the windy conditions we saw our first Speckled Wood of the season close to Itchen Abbas this morning with an Orange-tip on Lovington Lane, a single Red Admiral near Ovington and two or three Peacock in various places in the area. [Posted by Rupert & Sharron Broadway]
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| Orange-tip in Lovington Lane Photo © Rupert & Sharron Broadway | Speckled Wood near Itchen Abbas Photo © Rupert & Sharron Broadway |
St Giles Hill Graveyard, Winchester. Holly Blue flying in St Giles Hill Graveyard [Posted by Anna]
Study in Speckled Wood - Monks Walk, Gosport. Speckled Wood numbers reached 10 today on a wander around the southern and northern parts of Monks Wood (1345-1445, 18 deg C, cloudy, strong SW winds) until rain stopped play and the (camera) covers came out! Only three other species were seen but my first Holly Blue of the year (on the wing) was a welcome surprise. First brood Speckled Wood I find are really strongly marked and without comparison it isn't always easy to discern the sexes. I was helped enormously by finding a mating pair that settled in front of me and adopted the usual approach of both insects with folded wings. Then the female opened her wings, presumably to find the sun's warmth before the male followed suit leaving both butterflies in plan form! I had never seen this before and the photograph shows how much larger the female is compared to her male partner whose yellow spots are somewhat smaller. Moreover, comparison of the abdomen shows the male's to be rather slender whereas the female abdomen appears shorter and somewhat wider for egg-carrying. (The two single insects were photographed on this walk but are not those of the mating pair). Apologies for teaching experts to suck eggs but hopefully this may be helpful for those who, like me, often struggle in identifying butterfly gender. Total: Holly Blue (1); Speckled Wood (M)(8)(F)(2); Peacock (5); Brimstone (M)(1). [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Male Photo © Francis Plowman | Female Photo © Francis Plowman | Male & female Photo © Francis Plowman |
Ashdown Copse. There were a few butterflies brought out by the warm yet windy weather today.
Two male Orange Tip, one Comma, one Small Tortoiseshell and a male Brimstone were all seen in the south end of Ashdown Copse, just north of Shipton Bellinger. [Posted by Dave Pearson]
Havant Thicket. Today I visited Havant Thicket where the weather was sunny and the temperature reached 15.5 degrees. With so much recent rain I walked the main track only where I recorded the following: Brimstone 13M, Comma 1 and Peacock 1. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Monks Walk, Frater Fields & Woods, Gosport. Given the recent rains and boggy conditions (my first - and necessary - circulation in Wellington boots!) it was a surprise to record six species this afternoon when there was a small window of brightness (16.5 deg C, strong SW wind) between 1400-1550. Total: Speckled Wood (8); Brimstone (M)(1); Peacock (6); Red Admiral (2); Small White (M)(1; Comma (4). [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Comma Photo © Francis Plowman | Red Admiral male Photo © Francis Plowman | Peacock feeding on Dandelion Photo © Francis Plowman |
Easter Eight - Monks Walk Gosport. What a difference a day/month can make! Yesterday's four species doubled in 24 hours. Slightly warmer (14 deg C) when finally the sun reluctantly appeared mid-afternoon, my walk (1430-1555) was again restricted by poor ground conditions caused by more overnight and morning rain. Total: Brimstone (M)(1); Large White (F)(1); Comma (5); Peacock (2); Small White (M)(1); Speckled Wood (4); Red Admiral (3); Small Tortoiseshell (1). [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Male Brimstone on White Dead-Nettle Photo © Francis Plowman | Small Tortoiseshell Photo © Francis Plowman | Small White (male) Photo © Francis Plowman |
Isle of Wight Speckled Wood. Very pleased to see a first Speckled Wood of the year in my Freshwater garden today. It was happily fluttering around in the sunshine seeking a warm spot and landed close to my garden pond. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |