Late Sightings. I saw a Small White flying alongside bushes in Mile End Road, Portsmouth (SU644019). [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Red Admiral north of Clanfield.. A Red Admiral was basking on mud,taking ivy nectar and flying along a section of bridleway,Green Lane(north), between Chalton Lane and Byden Court on Petersfield Road,north of Clanfield. [Posted by David Tinling]
Red Admirals & Speckled Wood at Ann's Hill Cemetery... At Ann's Hill Cemetery(east) at 13:20 were 3 Red Admirals & a Speckled Wood. [Posted by Anne McCue]
Mating pair of Small Whites at The Sandhill,Gosport/. A mating pair of Small Whites was at the Sandhill(south-west),Gosport, at 12:00. [Posted by David Tinling]
Late Sightings. A male Brimstone was seen in Elizabeth Road, Waterlooville (SU687087, then later I saw a Small White in London Road, Cowplain (SU687103). [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Red Admirals,Comma & Speckled Wood at Ann's Hill Cemetery, Gosport.. At Ann's Hill Cemetery(east),Gosport,at 10:25-11:30,were 2 Red Admirals taking ivy nectar,a dark late summer/autumn Comma & a Speckled Wood. [Posted by David Tinling]
Late Sightings. A female Brimstone and a Small White were seen flying in Elizabeth Road, Waterlooville (SU687087). [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Clouded yellows & Small Coppers at Fort Gilkicker,Gosport.. Clouded Yellow (4 males,one very old) & Small White(12 males & 4 females) were taking nectar from sea-radish & cat's-ear.2 female Small Coppers were searching for egg-laying sites. [Posted by David Tinling]
Red Admiral at Gosport Golf Course.. A Red Admiral was taking ivy nectar at the Gosport & Stokes Bay
A Red Admiral was taking ivy nectar at Gosport & Stokes Bay Golf Course at 12:00. [Posted by David Tinling]
Small Copper. Small Copper seen this morning at West Wood, Netley.
Also 4 Small Whites along Weston Shore, Southampton. [Posted by Ian watts]
2014 Annual Report. The 2014 Annual Report is now available to download as a PDF from the Members' Area. [Posted by Pete Eeles]
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| Photo © Pete Eeles |
Brimstones & Peacock at Botley Wood(north).. At Botley Wood(north)at 14:00 were a male Brimstone & a Peacock. [Posted by Anne McCue]
Comma in my Gosport garden. A Comma was in my garden at Privett Place,Gospor. [Posted by Anne McCue]
Painted Lady and Clouded Yellows at Fort Gilkicker,. At Fort Gilkiker,Gosport,13:00-15:00,sheltering from the chilly north wind were Clouded Yellow(6 males and a female), Small White(27 males & 5 females),2 female Small Coppers searching for egg-laying sites,Red Admiral,Painted Lady & 2 male Common Darters. [Posted by David Tinling]
Speckled Wood & Small White at Gosport Golf Course. A Small White and Speckled wood were at Gosport & Stokes Bay Golf Course(north-eat],12:15-11:35. [Posted by David Tinling]
Beautiful Plume Moth in my Gosport garden.. A Beautiful Plume Moth,Amblyptilia acanthadactyla(BF1497)was basking & flying in my garden at Haslar,Gosport at 11:00. [Posted by David Tinling]
Sunny Solent Sites. Four Solent sites visited during the afternoon in (hopefully not) the last of the autumnal sunshine. A good afternoon for white butterflies for sure.
Haslar Sea-Wall Car Park Scrub. Small White (2)
Gilkicker, Alverstoke. Small White (17) including a mating pair.
Monks Hill/Hill Head promenade & car park area. Clouded Yellow (1) - on the wing. Large White (4); Small White (4); Green-veined White (1); Holly Blue (1); Painted Lady (1). The latter two species were also on the wing in the area immediately behind the public toilets; here the cliff side is thick with holly, ivy bushes, Holm Oaks together clearly offering a protected habitat for the butterflies seen here.
Seafield Park was circulated without sight of any species although still full of flowers and fruit - the apples being very sweet and juicy! [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Small white mating at Gilkicker Photo © Francis Plowman | Green-veined white female, Monks Hill Photo © Francis Plowman | Large White feeds at Hill Head Photo © Francis Plowman |
Red Admirals & Commas at Carter's Copse,Gosport.. At Carter's Copse,Gosport,were 2 Red Admirals & 2 Commas. [Posted by Anne McCue]
Red Admiral in my Gosport garden.. Red Admiral in my garden at Privett Place,Gosport. [Posted by Anne McCue]
Clouded Yellow(9) at Fort Gilkicker.. Flying on the sheltered sunny southern bank of Fort Gilkicker,Gosport, and taking cat's-ear nectar,were Clouded Yellows(7 males & 2 females),as many as 5 visible at the same time,incuding a courting couple and males in aerial combat in twos & threes. Also present were 8 Small Whites,two Small Coppers,a Red Admiral and a male Common Darter. [Posted by David Tinling]
Silver Y Moth at Gilkicker(south-east).. At Gilkicker(south-east) was a Silver Y Moth. [Posted by David Tinling]
Small White(6) at Gosport Golf Course.. At Gosport & Stokes Bay Golf Course(north-east) were Small White(6)(males in arial combat and flying after females;females laying eggs on charlock),Red Admiral and Speckled Wood. [Posted by David Tinling]
Another Blue Underwing. Clifden Nonpareil on wall of a house in London Road, Waterlooville, reported by Ian Mackfall, HMS Excellent. [Posted by Andrew Brookes]
Meadow Brown(16) at Portchester Common(SSSI). On a beautiful sunny afternoon at Portchester Common(SSSI),basking & flying were 16 Meadow Browns(4 males & 12 females). [Posted by David Tilning]
Meadow Brown at Portsdown Hill(south-central).. At Portsdown Hill(south-central),at14:10,on the top path below the roundabout was a female Meadow Brown. [Posted by David Tinling]
Red Admirals & Smal Whites at Portsdown Hill(south-east). At Portsdown Hill(south-east),11:00-12:00,along the top path to the south and south-west of Fort Widley were 2 Red Admirals and 3 Small Whites(2 males basking and flying and a dead female in a spider's web) [Posted by David Tinling]
Small Whites laying eggs at Gosport golf course.. At GOSPORT & STOKES BAY GOLF COURSE(north-east),13:15-14:00,2 female Small Whites were laying eggs on charlock,two male Small Whites were taking nectar from prickly sow-thistle,a Red Admiral & Comma were basking on bramble leaves and a male Southern Hawker was basking on a sandy bank. [Posted by David Tinling]
Clifden Nonpareil found in Andover. Shaun Barrett found a Clifden Nonpareil in ASDA Andover hidden just inside the doorway.I have had it for today photographing it and it has now laid eggs, so for sure a female! [Posted by Graeme Davis]
SpeckledWood(9) at Ann's Hill CemeteryGosport. At Ann's Hill Cemetery(east),Gosport,11:40-13:00,were Small White(1 male),Red Admiral(1) & Speckled Wood(9,including one taking ivy nectar). [Posted by David Tinling]
Silver Y Moth(5) at Gilkicker(north-west). At Gilkicker(north-west),Gosport,11:20-11:45 were 5 Silver Y Moths & 2 Common Darters(male & female). [Posted by David Tinling]
Silver Y Moth at Gilkicker(south-west). At Gilkicker(south-west),Gosport,at 11:55,was a Silver Y Moth. [Posted by David Tinling]
Silver Y Moth at Gilkicker(south-east). At Gilkicker(south-east),Gosport,at 09:45 was a Silver Y Moth. [Posted by David Tinling]
Clouded Yellows at Fort Gilkicker. At Fort Giklkicker,Gosport ,09:15-10:30,were Clouded Yellow(2 males),Small Copper(1) & dark late-summer Comma(1). [Posted by David Tinling]
Clouded Yellows at Fort Gilkicker. At 12:20 at Fort Gilkicker,Gosport,were Clouded(4 males & a female) & Small Copper(2). [Posted by Anne McCue]
White Admiral larva update. Having followed quite a few White Admiral larvae as they overwinter, I've come to the conclusion that there are 3 (at least) different forms of White Admiral hibernacula. Each of these should be given a nice, crisp, characterisation, but I'm not sure what that would be! In all cases, the larva "silks" the leaf onto the stem so that it does not fall from the stem when it dies. The first form is "Cut and seal". In this form, the larva deliberately cuts the leaf so that the half furthest from the stem falls away, leaving quite a small space in which to overwinter. The end result is shown below, including (in this case) the complete sealing of the leaf. The second is "Seal and let wither". In this form, the larva seals (quite neatly) the leaf, aligning most of the edges of the leaf. However, the leaf is not cut, but simply allowed to wither. The third is "Fold". The final form is the simplest of all; just fold the leaf (which is often the leaf on which the egg was laid). Of course, there is much more analysis to do, but I find this different behaviour really interesting and may help with the monitoring of the overwintering larvae. [Posted by Pete Eeles]
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| Form 1 - cut and seal Photo © Pete Eeles | Form 2 - seal and let wither Photo © Pete Eeles | Form 3 - fold Photo © Pete Eeles |
Clouded Yellow at Browndon South. At Browndown South,16:00-17:15,were a male Clouded Yellow patrolling the western end of the main vehicle track & 4 male Small Whites. [Posted by David Tinling]
Seafield Park, Hill Head & Old Winchester Hill. Starting at Hill Head beside the promenade and then circulating Seafield Park there was little activity. Small White (4), Large White (2) and a solitary Red Admiral. This despite the warm day and abundance of flowers and fruit in the park.
During the early afternoon Old Winchester Hill provided more interest although butterflies are clearly on the wane. Very fresh Brimstones, however, were feeding on Field Scabious (3 female and 1 male); Small Heath (4); Meadow Brown (4); Small White (1) and Small Tortoiseshell (1). The latter was very fresh and fidgety and, for me this year, one of the hardest butterflies to find. During a recent visit to Germany not one was seen there which is most unusual too. [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Large White at Hill Head Photo © Francis Plowman | Brimstone (female) OWH Photo © Francis Plowman | Small Tortoiseshell OWH Photo © Francis Plowman |
Stockbridge Down. I came across three Small Copper between the lower car park and the top of the down this afternoon. All were in pristine condition. I also saw about ten Meadow Brown and one Small Heath. [Posted by Dave Pearson]