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News Archive for Feb 2015


27 Feb 2015

Early Thorn Moth. In course of supervising a scrub clearance on the hill at Portchester Common, Mark Harrison Jones spotted this moth & called me over to help with I/D.

We came to conclusion that with scalloped wing edges plus wings folded like a butterfly this moth was most likely the Early thorn - Richard South says in his Moth reference book " Although normally 1st out in April some of the 2nd brood are delayed emerging until the following February ! It was Sunny & 10 Des. [Posted by Chris Cobb]

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Early Thorn
Photo © Chris Cobb

Red Admirals in Gosport.. 2 Red Admirals basking & engaging in aerial combat in Ann's Hill Cemetery(east).Gosport. [Posted by Anne McCue]


24 Feb 2015

Brimstone in Gosport.. Male Brimstone seen flying near Haslar Bridge,Gosport,by Eric Spelling. [Posted by David Tinling]


22 Feb 2015

Red Admiral in a Gosport garden.. Red Admiral seen by Eric Spelling in his garden near Fort Road(east),

Gosport. [Posted by David Tinling]


17 Feb 2015

3 species in Gosport.. Small Tortoiseshell,Peacock & Comma basking & flying at Stokes Bay(old moat),Gosport. [Posted by David Tinling]


Eastleigh Peacock.. Noted whilst briefly awaiting a train in warm winter sun at Eastleigh Station was a very fast moving Peacock. [Posted by Mark Pike]


16 Feb 2015

Painted Lady in Gosport in 2014.. In 2014 I had only 11 sightings of Painted Lady along and near the Gosport coast,compared with 95 in 2013,a reduction of 88%:June 2,July 0,Aug 3,Sept 3,Oct 2,Nov,1,Total 11.The first was in my Haslar garden on 7th June and the last at Stokes Bay on 1st Nov. [Posted by David Tinling]


Clouded Yellow in Gosport in 2014. Along and near the Gosport coast in 2014 I had 99 sightings of Clouded Yellow,including a mating pair at Fort Gilkicker on 30th Oct and 8 helice,compared with 304 in 2013,reduction of 67%:Jun 1,July 0,Aug 17,Sept 24,Oct 40,Nov 17,Total 99.The first was at Stokes Bay on 18th June and the last at Haslar on 9th Nov. [Posted by David Tinling]


09 Feb 2015

Micheldever Woods. Red Admiral butterfly basking in bright sunshine on path at Micheldever Woods [Posted by R Bryant]


Small & Essex Skippers in Gosport in 2014.. In 2014 my highest daily count of Small & Essex Skippers in Gosport was 583 at the Sandhill on 29th July,of which 362 were estimated to be Small Skippers & 221 Essex Skippers,by using binoculars to identify samples of Skippers while they were basking or taking nectar.At Sandhill(south-west),where the grass was mostly long,75%(42 out of 56) were Small Skippers,whereas at Sandhill(north-west),where the grass was mostly short,75%(45 out of 60)were Essex Skippers.It is extremely rare that the percentages work out so simply! [Posted by David Tinling]


08 Feb 2015

Peacock basking and flying at Titchfield Haven. Last Sunday saw my first butterfly of the year, a Peacock basking and flying along the walkway to one of the hides at Titchfield Haven. [Posted by Francis Kinsella]

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Photo © Francis Kinsella

Red Admiral in Gosport. Old Red Admiral basking on a gravestone and flying in St. Mark's Churchyard,Alverstoke,Gosport. [Posted by David Tinling]


07 Feb 2015

Red Admiral. Southsea Sea Front near the War Memorial 1130 [Posted by Trevor Carpenter]


05 Feb 2015

Grayling at Browndown in 2014.. In 2014 my highest daily Grayling count was 67 at Browndown North on 31st July but only 19 at Browndown South on 21st July.These compare with

51 & 47(2013),91 & 57(2012),96 & 112(2010),66 & 27(2010),81 & 46(2009),68 & 63(2008).(Anne McCue and/or David Tinling) [Posted by David Tinling]