Pearls shine in the New Forest. 6-8 Pearl-bordered Fritillary were very active in the rides around Brockenhurst today. They cannot have been out long and were only landing briefly in the warm sunshine. [Posted by Mike Gibbons]
Duke of Burgundys now out at Noar Hill. Following a fruitless visit on Saturday, when overcast skies and below average temperatures suppressed butterfly activity at this favoured Hampshire location, a further visit today, in ideal weather conditions, proved very productive. Duke of Burgundys were in evidence from the moment I arrived at the Noar Hill scrapes, and all were in pristine condition suggesting that emergence had taken place during the preceding 24 hours or so. Also seen, in addition to the expected Brimstones, Commas, Peacocks, Small and Green-veined Whites, and many Orange-tips, were a number of Dingy Skippers, also in prime condition. An excellent couple of hours, and well worth the cycle ride from Fleet! [Posted by Michael Jameson]
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| Duke of Burgundy (US) Photo © Michael Jameson | Duke of Burgundy (US) Photo © Michael Jameson | Dingy Skipper Photo © Michael Jameson |
The Dukes of Noar. Noar Hill today was warm (21C), sunny and very dry, and produced sightings of at least 15 fresh Duke of Burgundy including 3 females. Dingy Skippers were in similar numbers and males could be frequently be seen engaging in their amusing territorial battles. Other species seen included 1 Red Admiral, 3 Peacocks, 3 Brimstones, 1 Small White, 1 Green-veined White, 3 Orange-tips, 2 Speckled Woods, 2 Small Heaths and 2 Holly Blues. [Posted by Adrian Hoskins]
Duke of Burgundy sightings. An hours walk on Noar Hill yesterday (26 April produced sightings of 7 Duke of Burgundy and 5 Dingy Skippers besides lower numbers of Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Brimstone, Small White and Orange-tip. [Posted by Roger Pendell]
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| Duke of Burgundy Noar Hill Photo © Roger Pendell |
Stockbridge Down Butterflies. An early afternoon walk round Stockbridge Down resulted in my first Small Heath (2) and Duke of Burgundy (1) of 2025, the supporting cast included Dingy Skipper (2) and 12 Grizzled Skipper, but apart from a male Orange-tip, the only other butterflies that I saw were 2 Peacock and 3 Brimstone. [Posted by Kevin Haggar]
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| Duke of Burgundy Photo © Kevin Haggar | One of the 2 Small Heath Photo © Kevin Haggar | Dingy Skipper Photo © Kevin Haggar |
Trio of Green-veined White at Yarmouth.. The severe lack of sunshine at Yarmouth produced not much apart from 3 Green-veined White,all nectaring together on a small clump of dandelion flowers in Bouldnor Forest. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
More Small Blue at Freshwater. At least three Small Blue today at the National Trust CP Afton. Also several Green Hairstreak and a first of the season Dingy Skipper. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
Orange-Tips in Crookham Village. The Orange-tip season began unexpectedly early here in N.Hampshire (although fresh individuals are continuing to emerge daily), in fact around three weeks ago now, well before the appearance here of Cuckoo Flower in any abundance, though this is now beginning to proliferate, along with increasing amounts of Garlic Mustard, these being the regular food plants for this species, though in their absence other forms of Cruciferae are employed during egg-laying. Adult numbers, however, do seem to be well up on last year's tally already, and this early spring species seems likely to do well in 2025. Here are two examples in fine and fresh condition, photographed in Crookham Village earlier today. [Posted by Michael Jameson]
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| Orange-Tip (M) Photo © Michael Jameson | Orange-Tip (F) underside Photo © Michael Jameson |
Hayling Island Cycle Path. Today I walked a local footpath following the Hayling Island cycle path from Furniss Way, West Town to area near Saltmarsh Land. Totals: Green-veined White 1, Large White 1, Orange-tip 3M, Small White 10, Speckled Wood 1. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Brown Argus at Magdalen Hill Down. Today's warm sunny conditions were ideal for seeing plenty of butterflies when I walked the Magdalen Hill Down (Original) transect. In total I saw 11 different butterfly species plus two moths. I was surprised and delighted to see my first for the year of Brown Argus, Dingy Skipper and Small Heath. I don't normally expect to see these until the first week of May, but the generally warm, dry and sunny weather of recent weeks has clearly brought the flight period forward by about a fortnight for many species. My total counts were as follows: Brimstone (43), Grizzled Skipper (15), Peacock (10), Dingy Skipper (7), Small Heath (3), Small White (3), Green-veined White (2), Green Hairstreak (2), Brown Argus (2), Holly Blue (1), Comma (1), Ruby Tiger Moth (1), and Muslin Moth (1). [Posted by Andy Barker]
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| Brown Argus (male) Photo © Andy Barker | Dingy Skipper Photo © Andy Barker | Muslin Moth (female) Photo © Andy Barker |
LARGE WHITE EMERGENCE - HARDWAY GARDEN, GOSPORT. If I can't (yet) get out to the butterflies then they will have to come to me! Last September I watched a Large White caterpillar slowly climb our conservatory door and there, having changed to a chrysalis in a couple of days, and facing south-west, hung-on throughout the long, cold and wet winter. It looked finished until four days ago when I noticed it had become more transparent with white showing through. On 16th April I missed its emergence but here it is! Very seasonally topical I thought and obviously it just couldn't wait for Easter Sunday! [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Large White (sex uncertain) Photo © Francis Plowman |
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 |
Havant Thicket. Today I walked the main track through Havant Thicket where the temperature reached 16.5 degrees. Here four different species of Spring butterflies were recorded including many Brimstones. Totals: Brimstone 16M 8F, Orange-tip 4M, Small White 3, Peacock 2. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
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 |