2009 Photographic Competition Results
HERE...
Ashley Whitlock has written an account of his butterfly
adventures over the last 25 years. Read it
HERE...
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Moth Recorders Conference
Saturday 13 March 2010 has been set for the
next Butterfly Conservation Branch Moth Recorders Conference. The venue is Littleton
Memorial Hall, Littleton, near Winchester. Doors will open at
12.30 and the event will close at 5.30pm. Tea will be
provided. There will be plenty of opportunity to meet and chat
with others.
Would those planning to come over from the island please let
one of us know so that we can arrange transport at this end.
Tim Norriss / Mike Wall
Full Conference Agenda
HERE...
Wednesday 10th March
Dr David Tinling writes from Gosport: "Red Admiral
basking & flying at Browndown North. On the first ten days of March
there has been a frost in my Gosport garden,even though it is only
400m from the Haslar Sea Wall. Coastal winds have been very cold and
penetrating, mostly from ENE to NNE. March has come in like a Polar
Bear,giving no encouragement to butterflies to emerge from
hibernation or chrysalis.Two male blackcaps have
been fighting over my garden fat-feeders;one has been visiting since
28th Feb."
Monday 8th March
Dr David Tinling reports from Gosport: Small
Tortoiseshell basking & flying at Carters Copse, Gosport.
Friday 5th March
Paul Ritchie reports from Holiday Hills Inclosure,
Bolderwood, New Forest: Painted
Lady x 1 "Appeared to be very healthy with a strong
flight, so much so that I was unable to get a photograph."
Geoff Rapley reports from Flexford Reserve (SU
424216) (84): 1x Brimstone, a fresh male. "In the sun - the
first of the year for me!"
Brian Fletcher reports from Harestock, Winchester
(SU471313) (86): Red Admiral, 1. "Seen from a bus whilst it
was at a bus stop!"
Wednesday 3rd March
Richard Symonds writes: "While attending a
rehearsal for my forthcoming wedding at St Peters Church, Northney,
Hayling Island (SU730032) tonight, I was pleasantly surprised when
the vicar pointed out a single Peacock on the altar carpet. It had
its wings closed but a gentle touch caused it to flash its "eyes".
From its slow movements I believe that it had in fact been awoken
from hibernation within the church. What a wonderful early wedding
present! "
Tuesday 2nd March
Dr David Tinling reports from Portsmouth: Red
Admiral & Buff-tailed Bumble-bees, Bombus terrestris,taking
crocus nectar at Portsmouth Cathedral,where two new bells were
installed today and my parents were married 70 years ago.
Charles Cuthbert writes: "May I report a male
Brimstone butterfly flying around my garden in Alresford for at
least 40 minutes at noon today."
Alan Green reports from Swanmore (SU573165) (85):
Brimstone 1 "My first of the year."
Nick Walford reports from
Staunton Country Park (85): One Brimstone "First butterfly I've seen
this year!"
Monday 1st March
Martin Hampton writes: "A Red Admiral raced
past a cafe window in Portsmouth City Centre."
Chris Hall reports from Crookham Common (SU 82252)
(43): Red Admiral "Woodland track on edge of Crookham Common, Church
Crookham. Short flight then basking in sunny patch, temperature 7 C.
Several trees with dense ivy growth adjacent."
Simon Wooley reports from Winchester College (81):
Small Tortoiseshell.
"1 ragged individual."
Lynn Fomison writes that Patrick Fleet reports
seeing a Peacock at
MHD original. It is our first butterfly of the year at our reserves.
PS A request to all of you who visit the reserves please report your
sightings. We love to know what butterflies, moths and caterpillars
you are enjoying seeing.
Dr David Tinling reports from Gosport: Red Admiral
basking & flying at Ann's Hill Cemetery,Gosport.
Mark Swann reports from testwood lakes: "My first
butterfly of the year small
tortoiseshell at the lakes with another seen today
in a garden in butlocks heath"
Mike Gibbons writes: "My wife Melanie saw a
Small Tortoiseshell
in Christchurch on Monday 1st March. "
Friday 26th February
Stephen Harvey reports from Chandler's Ford (SU
444212) (85): Red Admiral 1 (on the wing).
Dr David Tinling writes: "On 8th Feb 2010
Peter & Margaret Bowker photographed a Red Admiral taking primrose
nectar in their garden and saw a Small White flying over their
garden at Kingston Road,Gosport,from the Hermitage Garden nearby.On
the same day in 2008 two Small Whites were seen in Southampton."
Friday 19th February
Barrie Roberts reports from Rockford Lake, Blashford
(SU158081) (2): Red Admiral "Flying."
Thursday 18th February
Sarah Patton writes: "It was super in the south east
yesterday! I mentioned that butterflies might be thinking about
appearing from hibernation and, sure enough, we saw a Red Admiral in
Stubbington, Hampshire. Bet it has retreated again today!!!"
Penny Chamont writes from her conservatory in
Kings worthy, Winchester: one female Brimstone butterfly "No idea
how it came to be inside my house at 1pm."
Wednesday 17th February
Dr David Tinling reports from Gosport: Red Admiral
basking & flying at Ann's Hill Cemetery.
Friday 5th February
Helen Brock saw a Red Admiral flying around gardens
in Lymington this afternoon
On 3rd February Patrick Fleet showed me this Lappet
moth caterpillar, writes Lynn Fomison, on buckthorn on the extension
at Magdalen Hill Down. Patrick had first spotted it on 21st January
& not unsurprisingly it had not moved far 13 days later. I was very
thrilled to see it as Lappet moth is only seen at MHD
infrequently. Patrick explained that once the weather warmed up & it
got active it would reveal more of the bright colouration towards
it's head. Waring ( Field Guide to Moths of Great Britain & Ireland)
describes it as "most often found on small isolated bushes" as
indeed his one was. He also describes it as "overwintering as a
small larva". I guess this one was just over 2cm long. We hope we
shall have the opportunity to watch it over the months to May until
it pupates. Just hope it does not get eaten!
 |
| Lappet larva |
John Moon reports from Norfolk House, Abbotts Ann
(SU329438) (85): Red Admiral, 1
Thursday 21st January
Dr David Tinling writes: "Dennis & Christine Bohea
were amazed to see a very fresh male
Small White at 5.30 pm on Thurs 21st Jan 2010 in
their kitchen at Rowner,Gosport(SU583203).It had probably come in
through the kitchen window from the ivy covered wall outside,where
it had presumably emerged from its chysalis in the morning
sunshine.This is the earliest ever Hampshire sighting,beating 8th
Feb 2008."
Sunday 17th January
David Shute writes: "I went on the Wildlife Trust
Alresford bird walk this morning and we had a
Brimstone flying along
the hedge at Abbotstone Road. It's my earliest ever record for this
species and after all this freezing weather I am amazed that it
could emerge on the first sunny day."
 |
| Brimstone |
Michael Skelton writes: "I was pleased to see a
Red Admiral basking
on the wall of a house in Boscombe (SZ1191)."
Friday 15th January
Martin King reports from Poulner (SU156063) (85):
Red Admiral 1. "Flying through garden at 13.00"
Tuesday 12th January 2010
Peter Gardner writes: "I pulled my curtains back
when this promising image appeared!! I hope a good start for
2010."
 |
| Snow Butterfly |
Thursday 10th December
Geoff Jones writes: "Two chaps carrying out
conservation work today at the North Browndown MoD Training Area
told me they had seen a Comma - which was also enjoying the warm
sunshine!"
Richard Hart reports from his garden (SU494053)
(85): Red Admiral. "Fair condition."
Mick Langridge reports from Gosport: Red Admiral
basking & flying in an Alverstoke garden(SZ601986).
Dr David Tinling reports from Gosport: Red Admiral
basking & flying at Browndown North;Red Admiral flying across
Military Road. Also Buff-tailed Bumblebees foraging on Fatsia &
Mahonia.
Tuesday 8th December
Dr David Tinling reports from Gosport: a very old
Red Admiral basking on concrete at Fort Gilkicker(SZ606975).
Sunday 6th December
Anne McCue reports from Gosport: Red Admiral 4 in
Ann's Hill Cemetery.
