Butterfly Conservation
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Branch
Celebrating our 40th Anniversary!
1982 - 2022
Click Here to Join!

Welcome to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Branch of Butterfly Conservation

Butterfly Conservation was formed by a small group of dedicated naturalists in 1968 following the alarming decline of many beautiful butterflies and moths, a decline that the society aimed to reverse. Our vision is of a world rich in butterflies and moths for future generations to enjoy. Butterflies are beautiful and intrinsically valuable. Together with moths, their sensitivity to environmental change makes them valuable indicators of the health of the countryside.

Butterflies

46 species of butterfly can be found in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. In any year, between 30 and 40 of these species can be seen on our reserves.
More about our butterflies...

Moths

Around 1940 species of moth have been recorded in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, over 600 of these on our reserves.
More about our moths...

Reserves

Butterfly Conservation has over 25 reserves across the UK, including 3 in Hampshire: Yew Hill, Magdalen Hill Down and Bentley Station Meadow.
More about our reserves...

Important message for all members.

For the foreseeable future the branch intends to publish an e-Newsletter every two months. For further information please click here.

A digital (non-pdf) version of the 2023 Branch butterfly report is now available

Click here to access the report online.

The 2022 national UKBMS Report has now been published.

Click here ... to access the report.

Butterly Walks in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight


  • You can inspect some sample pages from the book here ...
  • The Press Release about the book is available here ...
  • To order a copy of the book, please visit the NHBS web site - search under the Bookstore tab - or click here.
  • Copies will also be available for purchase (cash only) from Ashley Whitlock on the branch fieldtrips where he is the walk leader (once they resume).
  • To report any inaccuracies in the book please email here.

Sponsorship

The branch is pleased to sponsor the excellent HantsMoths website.

Hants Moths Website

25 Sep 2025: Surprise Wall on Portsdown

21 Sep 2025: Hillier Gardens - Colletia paradoxa

21 Sep 2025: Hillier Gardens - Painted Lady

19 Sep 2025: Buddleia butterflies

18 Sep 2025: Vanessid flush at Great Fontley

11 Sep 2025: Stockbridge Down Butterflies

07 Sep 2025: Moth trap in my garden at Leigh Park

06 Sep 2025: Monks Walk, Frater Fields & Woods, Gosport

05 Sep 2025: Seafield Park & Promenade Field, Hill Head

01 Sep 2025: Browndown (North) Gosport

01 Sep 2025: Haslar Sea Wall Car Park Scrub - Gosport

31 Aug 2025: Bedenham, Defence Munitions Gosport

29 Aug 2025: Monks Walk, Frater Fields & Woods, Gosport

29 Aug 2025: Browndown North

27 Aug 2025: Hummingbird hawk moth

25 Aug 2025: Meon Shore, Cliffs, Solent Breezes & Chilling Coastal Area

24 Aug 2025: Possible Southern Small White

23 Aug 2025: Browndown North, Gosport

23 Aug 2025: Gosport Wild Grounds - Alverstoke

22 Aug 2025: Browndown (South) Gosport