Green Hairstreaks at Freshwater.. A strong and gusty wind seemed to deter some species today at Afton Down NT CP overlooking Freshwater Bay.However at least 4 Green Hairstreak were recorded together with a solitary Grizzled Skipper. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
Martin Down. A visit today in hazy sunshine and a light breeze from 11.00am to about 13.30pm produced the usual suspects (though in small numbers) for this time of year, with Grizzled Skipper 6, Small Copper 1, Brimstone 5, Orange-tip 1, Green-veined White 3, Peacock 4. Also many Marsh Fritillary caterpillars and 6 Emperor Moths to the lure. [Posted by Mark Pike]
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| Grizzled Skipper Photo © Mark Pike | Small Copper Photo © Mark Pike | Emperor Moth Photo © Mark Pike |
More Spring Butterflies at Freshwater.. Three spring species seen today at Afton Down NT carpark. One Green Hairstreak,a Small Copper,and a Small Blue. This Small Blue was the earliest I have recorded since 2 were seen at the same location on the 30th March 2012. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
Fort Widley, Portsdown Hill. Today I walked paths around Fort Widley, Portsdown Hill where the temperature reached 14 degrees. Here I recorded my first Large White. Totals: Large White 1, Small White 2, Speckled Wood 2. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Grizzled Skipper at Freshwater Bay.. At the National Trust Car Park overlooking Freshwater Bay today, a Grizzled Skipper observed nectaring on a dandelion wildflower. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
Chalton Down, Old Idsworth. Paid my first visit of the year to Chalton Down where the temperature was 14 degrees. Here I only recorded only a female Brimstone and a Small White. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Conservation Awareness Day in Beaulieu. There will be over 30 stalls at this event including one on butterflies. See https://www.cet.org.uk/events/conservation-awareness-day for more information. [Posted by Bob Annell]
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| Photo © Bob Annell |
Spring Test Way walk produced 6 species of butterfly. Brimstone, Orange Tip, Small White, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood. A circular walk on a section of the Test Way and Monarch way around Kimbridge. Sunny day with temperatures hitting 21. Since then have seen Green-veined White and Holly Blue on 8th April in similar area. [Posted by Alison Vincent]
Portsdown Hill (East). Today the temperature reached 16.5 degrees when I visited thew East end of Portsdown Hill where I recorded my first Speckled Wood of the year. Totals: Brimstone 1F, Green-veined White 1, Small White 3, Speckled Wood 1. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Havant Thicket. Today I visited Havant Thicket where the temperature was 15 degrees. Here I recorded Brimstone 7M. Despite the temperature there was a cooling wind. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Orange Underwing in Ampfield Wood. When doing the Ampfield Wood butterfly transect this afternoon, as well as seeing 12 Peacocks a Brimstone and a Comma, I was also pleased to see 2 Orange Underwing moths fluttering low down along one of the woodland rides. This day-flying moth likes warm sunshine and flies in March-April. It's well worth looking out for it in woodlands with birch, the larval foodplant, but if you have aspen, you need to check it's not the very similar, but rarer Light Orange Underwing. Orange Underwings have a very fluttery flight when low down, but a bit like Speckled Yellow moths they don't rest for long, and are quite flighty and difficult to approach. I got a quick photo from distance when it was settled on the dried up mud of a puddle, before it took flight and went high in a flowering sallow, where it alighted on one of the flowers, but too high to see if it was nectaring. Now is peak season for this beautiful little moth, so well worth looking out for in the warm sunshine predicted for the coming days. [Posted by Andy Barker]
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| Orange Underwing moth Photo © Andy Barker |