New Brown Hairstreak egg site, nr Southwick. Having found good numbers of Brown Hairstreak eggs to the north and south of Soberton this winter (including on Ashley Whitlock's team egg hunt on 20.1.19 reported below), today I explored a few kms to the south of Soberton, just north of Southwick. An adult female had been reported as having been seen here in 2010. Last year the hedgerow had been heavily flailed and I found nothing. This winter it had been flailed again, but a bit less savagely along one stretch in which I found a total of 15 eggs in about 15 metres of suckering blackthorn along the main hedge, not searching very thoroughly. [Photos with phone, so apologies for poor quality] Given the sightings of adults last summer in this area (Denmead and Portsdown Hill), I am sure that further egg searches would be fruitful in suitable blackthorn in SE Hants - and maybe further afield? [Posted by Angus McCullough]
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| A lucky pair of eggs that dodged the flail (sorry - blurry snap, rotated 90 degrees) Photo © Angus McCullough | Egg - typical site on sucker Photo © Angus McCullough |
Brown Hairstreak Egg hunt in Soberton. Today was a great success with 10 of us searching for the elusive egg of the Brown Hairstreak. We managed to find upwards of about thirty odd eggs adding to the total of about a hundred which had already been counted in a local area. There are certain areas where the female Brown Hairstreak favours, typically south facing Blackthorn hedges with young shoots. We discovered it on a new site on a nature reserve in the Meon Valley right by the River Meon close to the old railway line. This was probably the first time they have ever been recorded here.I'd like to thank our host Angus and all that came and enjoyed a day in the winter sunshine. [Posted by Ashley Whitlock]
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| Brown Hairstreak egg on Blackthorn twig Photo © Ashley Whitlock | Searching Blackthorn thickets Photo © Ashley Whitlock | Part of the Meon Valley and the River Meon Photo © Ashley Whitlock |
Red Admiral basking at Netley Abbey. A sunny but cold winter's day produced our first butterfly of the year; a Red Admiral at Netley Abbey, near Southampton. It was only 5oC in the shade, but there was no wind and it was pleasantly warm in the sunshine. I noticed a butterfly making brief flight, before settling high up on the stonework of the ruined Abbey wall. I managed a couple of photos with my compact camera at full zoom. [Posted by Andy Barker]
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| Red Admiral basking Photo © Andy Barker |
Red Admiral at Hardway, Gosport (2). Our resident Red Admiral re-appeared today at 11 am when it was found checking-out our winter pansies in a hanging basket. In full sunshine around 10 deg C sadly it didn't wait for the camera - but this time I did actually see it and the game's afoot! [Posted by Francis Plowman]
Red Admiral joins Nordic Walk, QE Country Park. The sun brought out a Red Admiral this morning at Queen Elizabeth Country Park. [Posted by Michael Berry]
Red Admiral at Hardway, Gosport. The first sighting of a 2019 butterfly goes to my wife! At 1440 this afternoon as she was gardening a Red Admiral flew along the conservatory windows and over the wall! The weather was around 7 deg C with dewy sunshine and no breeze. This is 19 days earlier than first sighting last year! [Posted by Francis Plowman]
Red Admiral activity in Axmansford. Likewise to Kevin, a Red Admiral flying during a sunny spell in the garden at Axmansford on New Year's day. [Posted by Andy Bolton]
First butterfly sighting of 2019: Chilworth to Valley Park. A Red Admiral seen on a very mild and sunny New Year's Day, on a woodland path between Chilworth and Valley Park. Happy New Year! [Posted by Kevin FREEBORN]
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| Sunbathing Red Admiral Photo © Kevin FREEBORN |