Spring has sprung at Great Fontley. Having departed Portsmouth in a hailstorm, it was all the more surprising to find a Red Admiral basking in sunshine 15 minutes later at Great Fontley. We inadvertently put it to flight before it obligingly settled on bare ground; it may have been nectaring on the Mahonia, although no butterflies have ever been witnessed nectaring on the shrub before. [Posted by Andrew Brookes]
HASLAR SEA WALL CAR PARK SCRUB (HSWCPS) - HISTORY. Scratch yet another butterfly habitat off the Hampshire and Isle of Wight map. For ten years I have been quartering this unprepossessing scrubland registering some 26 butterfly species here including Wall, Grizzled Skipper and visitors like Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady. There was a small but viable colony of Small Heath and also both Small and Essex Skipper were prominent in high Summer. From time to time this scrub also turned-up beautiful patches of Bee Orchids along with reeds, teasles, field scabious, violets, countless daisy varieties - all now gone under the bulldozer for what you may ask? A temporary extension of the nearby car park to accommodate vehicles of contractors working at the nearby immigration removal centre! I am making enquiries as I write via the local MP and councillors. I understand that Hampshire County Council provided a "desktop ecological" report which I have asked to see. No public consultation was undertaken (not required for a car park I have been told) so no opportunity for local interest (and important facts) to be considered. It all smacks of indecent haste as the local council stand to make very big money from the Home Office over the next 10 years. If anyone knows of any further steps that may be taken to prevent such desecration and removal of natural habitat do please make contact with me via the webmaster. Not a good start for 2026 for sure. [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Ecological vandalism 23 Jan 26 Photo © Francis Plowman | Clouded Yellow 1 Sep 25 HSWCPS Photo © Francis Plowman | Small Heath 1 Sep 25 HSWCPS Photo © Francis Plowman |
25-year butterfly transect trends. For those butterfly enthusiasts who are interested in the 25-year trends for all Hampshire & Isle of Wight butterfly species, I'm pleased to say that the latest plots (2001-2025) are now available to view on the Butterfly Conservation (Hampshire & Isle of Wight) website. By reading this news you're already accessing the website. To find the 25-year trends simply click on the "Transects" tab, then select "25 year trends". I've attached a selection of three screenshots below so that you can see what the plots look like. There's a page like this for each species. [Posted by Andy Barker]
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| Adonis Blue trend 2001-2025 Photo © Andy Barker | Brown Argus trend 2001-2025 Photo © Andy Barker | Chalk Hill Blue trend 2001-2025 Photo © Andy Barker |