Holly Blue in Hedge End. Plenty of Brimstones and Peacocks about in Hedge End today. Star of the day a bright new Holly Blue. No photos I’m afraid. [Posted by Paul Harfield]
Magdalen Hill Down. A quick tour of MHD as my daily exercise yielded one Comma, at least ten Peacock and a Small White. Other items of interest were a Willow Warbler, some Dark-edged Bee-flies and a Spotted Bee-fly. [Posted by Dave Pearson]
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| Photo © Dave Pearson |
First Holly Blue in our Chandlers Ford garden. After our mint Peacock and Brimstone yesterday, I spotted and managed to photograph our first Holly Blue. A very shiny bright male, which must have hatched today. We have a lot of ivy covered trees and half the bungalow! Also male Brimstone, Small White and a glimpse of what looked like a Comma passing through the front garden. [Posted by Tracy Piper]
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| Freshly hatched male Holly Blue Photo © Tracy Piper |
Peacock in our Chandlers Ford garden. The beautiful weather has brought out the butterflies and this near mint Peacock spent quite a while flying around our lower lawn. Not only was it sunning itself but it appeared to be drinking from the still damp mud beneath the grass. We also had a male Brimstone flying up and down the length of our garden. This is the first butterfly I’ve managed to photograph this year, hopefully the first of many. Back on the 21st we had a Red Admiral flying round near our pond. We have also found a White Tailed Bumblebee nest under partly collapsed tree trunk. Fascinating watching them busily flying out and coming back laden with pollen.
The Garlic Mustard and Cuckoo Flower that I planted last year is growing well so should attract any passing Orange-tips and Green-veined Whites. The nettle bed and wild flowers are also starting to show so hopefully during these difficult times the butterflies will come to us even if we can’t go out and look for them. [Posted by Tracy Piper]
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| Near mint Peacock Photo © Tracy Piper | Drinking from the mud Photo © Tracy Piper |
Peacocks on Portsdown. There were at least 5 Peacock butterflies in Compartment 9 (below Ft Widley) this afternoon on Portsdown. Also a bee fly that did not hank around to be specifically identified. [Posted by John Goodspeed]
Holly Blue, Small White . Cromarty Rd pond Field. On a short walk along the eastern edge of the Cromarty Rd Pond field,Lordshill. I could see 7 Peacocks, 3 male Brimstones, 1 Holly Blue,1 Comma and 1 Small White on a Dandelion flower. [Posted by Jason Claxton]
early sighting N Baddesley.. first Small Tortoiseshell of the year seen here on my butterfly reserve in North Baddesley today.also very early Speckled Wood (just over 3 weeks earlier than last year).seen during 30 minute walk 1 Speckled Wood, 3 Small Tortoiseshell 6 Comma 1 Brimstone 1 Red Admiral 8 Peacock . [Posted by Kevin ross]
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| Photo © Kevin ross | error Photo © Kevin ross |
Monks Walk, Frater Fields & Woods, Gosport. Much cooler today generally from 1145-1330 with a temperature range of 8.5-11 deg C but the ESE wind was very keen. The Brimstone was conspicuous by its absence and no whites either today. However, the solitary Small Tortoiseshell returned as did a somewhat damaged and jumpy Red Admiral. (I'm not sure how long we will be free to roam the urban green spaces but will make the most of every opportunity that the better weather provides). Totals: Peacock: (5); Comma (10); Small Tortoiseshell (1); Red Admiral (1). [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Small Tortoiseshell Photo © Francis Plowman | Camouflage Comma! See it? Photo © Francis Plowman | Damaged Red Admiral Photo © Francis Plowman |
Havant Thicket. On another sunny Spring day I visited Havant Thicket where the temperature was 10 degrees. A cold wind kept numbers low with 3 male Brimstones and a single Red Admiral recorded. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Monks Walk, Frater Fields & Woods, Gosport. Five varieties also recorded today although missing from yesterday's sightings were Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell. Instead, my first records for Orange-tip (male) - seen on the wing - and Small White (male). So that's a reassuring total of seven for this area so far this year. So, with a cooler breeze than 21st March, a walk from noon until 1.30 pm realised: Brimstone (M)(3); Comma (10); Orange-tip (M)(1); Peacock (8); Small White (M)(1). [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Comma Photo © Francis Plowman | Brimstone male Photo © Francis Plowman | Small White male Photo © Francis Plowman |
Woodmancott Down. At least 5 Brimstone butterflies fluttering along the woodland edge in bright sunshine. 2 Peacock butterflies basking on the grassy verge. A single Comma butterfly on a patch of sunlit primroses. [Posted by Robert Bryant]
Peacock on hyacinth in Chandlers Ford. Although largely confined to home, there are still opportunities to see butterflies. Despite a chilly wind, recent days have given good sunshine, and yesterday we had both Peacock and Brimstone in our sheltered back garden. I was particularly interested to see the Peacock spending quite a bit of time nectaring at one of our white hyacinths. I didn't realise it was so popular, but having observed Brimstones on bluebell in previous years it shouldn't really have been a surprise. [Posted by Andy Barker]
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| Peacock on Hyacinth Photo © Andy Barker |
Peacocks aplenty, Great Fontley. Peacocks (6) and solitary Brimstone at Great Fontley, despite the strong, cool, breeze. 'Bowles Mauve' wallflower planted only days ago appealed to one. [Posted by Andrew Brookes]
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| Peacock on Erysimum 'Bowles Mauve' Photo © Andrew Brookes |
Monks Walk, Frater Fields & Woods, Gosport. At 12 degrees in full sunshine this morning (1130-1300) the butterflies were well represented in sheltered corners well away from the cool and strong north-easterly. Four species five days ago and today five with the late appearance of a solitary Red Admiral. Things are certainly looking up with the prospect of more sunshine to come this weekend; we all need something to cheer about at this worrying time. Totals: Peacock (7); Comma (12); Brimstone (M)(3); Small Tortoiseshell (1); Red Admiral (1).
KEEP SAFE EVERYONE! [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Peacock warming on an old bottle ejected from a badger sett! Photo © Francis Plowman | Red Admiral on Blackthorn blossom Photo © Francis Plowman | Comma enjoying Blackthorn too! Photo © Francis Plowman |
Havant Thicket. Today I visited Havant Thicket in the bright Spring sunshine, the temperature reached 11.5 degrees. Walking several of the larger tracks I recorded a total of 20 male Brimstones and 3 Red Admirals. A great start to the season. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Brimstones at Wootton Coppice. Two Brimstones at Wootton Coppice today in fine sunshine. [Posted by tony blakeley]
first sightings in N Baddesley. Seen today during half hour walk on my butterfly reserve in North Baddesley = 1 Comma,6 Peacock,1 adder,4 lizards,1 slow worm. [Posted by Kevin ross]
Brimstones at Acres Down. Two Brimstones today in midday sunshine at Acres Down, New Forest, and another reported to be nearby. [Posted by Ashley Ailes]
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| Brimstone at Acres Down, 16/3/20 Photo © Ashley Ailes |
What a little sunlight can do.. Great Fontley. 3 male Brimstone playing chase at Great Fontley by 1100 today; several Peacocks and a Comma also seen in the sunshine. [Posted by Andrew Brookes]
Monks Walk, Frater Fields & Woods, Gosport. Finally, nature's Spring alarm clock has gone off and been heard! Between 1145-1310 with the temperature range 13-15 degrees Celsius with full sunshine and light airs, four species answered the call. I have to go back to 19 Oct 19 to find a count of four species here at Monks Walk. Of note this morning was my first sighting of Comma and Small Tortoiseshell the latter surprisingly 8 days earlier than 2019! What a difference a warm sunny morning makes. Brimstone (M)(4); Comma (8); Peacock (5); Small Tortoiseshell (1). [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Comma Photo © Francis Plowman | Small Tortoiseshell Photo © Francis Plowman | Peacock Photo © Francis Plowman |
Monks Walk, Frater Fields & Woods, Gosport. One male Brimstone and one Peacock on the wing only today. The Brimstone eventually settled, sadly beyond lens range! Some sunshine at noon but the wind still too strong and harsh generally. [Posted by Francis Plowman]
Brimstones at Fishlake Meadows. I saw two male Brimstones along the canal path at Fishlake Meadows today - moving too fast for photos. [Posted by Sue Lambert]
Havant Thicket, My First Butterfly Sighting 2020. Today in the sunshine I visited Havant Thicket (SU716103) where I walked the main perimeter path. The temperature was a mild 13 degrees, where at 13:30 I spotted a male Brimstone in flight which then landed. I managed to cross a small ditch to get a photo of this my first sighting of the year. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
First spring Comma for me at Cromarty Rd pond field. Saw my first spring Comma, flitting around and eventually stopping to sun on a bare Blackthorn branch. Also a male Brimstone. [Posted by Jason Claxton]
First Brimstone in Fareham. At last some sunshine and a bright yellow Brimstone spotted from the car by Fareham college. [Posted by Mark Wagstaff]
Monks Walk, Frater Fields & Woods, Gosport. 1145-1240 I 'wellied' around the quagmire that once was Monks Walk to find one Brimstone (male) on the wing and one Peacock that was trying to warm-up but quickly folded wings on my approach. Temperature around 10 celsius with a cool westerly breeze and clouds. Brimstone (1)(M); Peacock (1). If only the sun would stay out! [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Peacock sheltering in low ivy Photo © Francis Plowman |
Monks Walk, Frater Fields & Woods, Gosport. The 'missing' Brimstone photograph from yesterday. [I have belatedly discovered that using just the central photo box on the Submit News page for a solitary butterfly will not occasion upload! Placing a single photo in the first box will work and the software then centralises the view. Dull or what?!] [Webmaster's comment: The online instructions have now been changed to make the procedure for uploading photos much clearer]. [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| 1st Brimstone at Monks Walk Photo © Francis Plowman |
Glanvilles on the landslip.. Sunshine and light winds brought out the Glanville Fritillary larvae today on the slopes of our Isle of Wight cliffs.Each one no more than one centimtre long, they moved around on top of their webs and close by. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
Monks Walk, Frater Fields & Woods, Gosport. One Peacock recorded on the wing this afternoon at 9.5 degrees in sunshine with light winds. Three for the year here! [Posted by Francis Plowman]
Monks Walk, Frater Fields & Woods, Gosport. A trifle warmer at 11 degrees at noon but the wind still cool so just an hour's canter around the woods and mostly waterlogged fields and pathways. I soon put up the only butterfly seen - a fresh male Brimstone. It flew in ever widening circles but eventually settled allowing an approach. So butterfly No 2 of the UK/Hampshire year. Noted during my wander: a Lesser-Spotted Woodpecker; countless grey squirrels; one fox; a pair of deer (never seen a pair together here before); bunches of celandine and periwinkle - all we need now is butterflies! (Had some photographs but the website still refuses to upload them). [Posted by Francis Plowman]
Another IOW garden Peacock Butterfly. What looked like a Peacock butterfly seen in my garden today at Freshwater.Sunny weather but a cold wind. [Posted by Peter Hunt]