Defence Munitions Gosport. Despite light cloud and lower temperature, nine species were found this morning in the Bedenham wilderness at the north of the site: White-letter Hairstreak (1), Green Hairstreak (1), Grizzled Skipper (4), Large Skipper (4), Small Heath (14), Meadow Brown (21), Speckled Wood (5), Painted Lady (2) and Red Admiral (1). An excursion into Elson Wood in search of White Admiral drew a blank.
Unusual site, flat expanse of London Clay barely above sea level; nettles and crucifers almost unknown, consequently vanessids and whites are rare. £15k spent on scrub clearance here last year, £20k allocated for this. [Posted by Andrew Brookes]
White Admiral and Marbled White at Yarmouth.. Highest count for a butterfly species today at Bouldnor Forest,Yarmouth went to the Painted Lady with at least 12 indidviduals.Most observed in small groups feeding on stands of bramble flowers.This was closely followed by Meadow Brown numbers.A White Admiral was seen in flight(earliest sighting ever for me and 2 weeks earlier than last year) Also seen this Marbled White(another earliest date I have recorded),a Glanville Fritillary,and a Large Skipper. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
Painted Ladies again. Painted Ladies still in the ascendancy at Great Fontley, but the bigger surprise was finding them nectaring on Verbena bonariensis in a Portsmouth front garden. Not exactly summer of '96 numbers, but moving that way. [Posted by Andrew Brookes]
Monks Walk - Painted Lady Parade!. The likelihood of 2026 becoming a Painted Lady year consolidates here in Gosport, at least. Having recorded nine of them at Browndown North on 27th May I did expect to find some during my wander from 1410-1550 today. Under overcast skies but warm at 22 deg Celsius with zero wind I counted no less than 38 Vanessa cardui! In the heat of SW Germany, Greece and Cyprus I have never seen as many on one outing. Apart from one specimen all were seen feeding on Bramble blossom with up to three seen in close proximity and many unfazed by the camera. Holly Blue was keeping pace in numbers for a while but the PL won easily. My faithful wife and recorder had the company of a female Red Admiral as it enjoyed her freshly laundered top; they never seem to land on me! Two firsts for the season quite made my day; Brown Argus and Meadow Brown. Total: Holly Blue (17); Painted Lady (38); Red Admiral (5); Speckled Wood (2); Common Blue (M)(2); Brown Argus (1); Meadow Brown (3). [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Brown Argus in butterfly meadow Photo © Francis Plowman | Painted Lady enjoys daisy nectar Photo © Francis Plowman | Meadow Brown Photo © Francis Plowman |
Butterflies in Rownhams. Today 9 Painted Ladies, 2 Speckled Woods, Red Admiral and 2 small whites all seen on Cromarty Road Area. [Posted by Sue Lambert]
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| Comma Photo © Sue Lambert | Painted Lady one of 9 Photo © Sue Lambert | Painted Lady underside Photo © Sue Lambert |
Painted Ladies at Yarmouth.. Not to be outdone with Painted Lady sightings,today in Bouldnor Forest close to Yarmouth there were 4 to be seen all feeding on bramble flowers.Also 3 Meadow Brown and a Large Skipper. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
Browndown (North) Gosport. On a walk revealing nine species of butterflies it is pretty rare if not unique for me to have Painted Lady as the highest species count. Bramble blossom was the favoured nectar source for all seen. For two hours from 0950 (rising from 27 deg C in the sunshine) I circulated the northernmost sector with woodlands, paths and later heathland finding in all 9 species. Slightly too early for White Admiral I would say but wonderful scented displays of honeysuckle in many areas around the woods should keep that butterfly very happy. Pleasing to record my first season's sightings of three species today, Large Skipper, Brown Argus and Green Hairstreak. The latter looks like an ovipositing female but unsure.
Total: Speckled Wood (5); Brimstone (M)(1); Large Skipper (1); Small Heath (5); Common Blue (M)(3); Painted Lady (9); Green Hairstreak (F)(1); Brown Argus (1); Small White (2). [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Speckled Wood male Photo © Francis Plowman | Common Blue male Photo © Francis Plowman | ?female Green Hairstreak Photo © Francis Plowman |
Hardway, Gosport. Up and out at 7.15 a.m. this morning to weed the yard and drive and found two Painted Lady on some wild valerian (?) sprouting from the base of the rear wall. (I would see a further nine of this species on a later walk at Browndown North). Total: Painted Lady (2) [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Painted Lady Photo © Francis Plowman |
Small Tortoiseshell in Chandlers Ford. The once common Small Tortoiseshell is now a scarce species in Hampshire. I'm very pleased, therefore, to report my first for the year in our Chandlers Ford garden. We were sitting in the shade for a morning cup of tea when I happened to notice this butterfly flying around. We've had a few Painted Ladies over the last few days, but this was darker and it took me a while to realise what it was. It was a beautifully fresh Small Tortoiseshell. It spent most of the time seeking shade, and even went in amongst ivy along the fence-line. It made brief excursions to take nectar on Erysimum 'Bowles mauve', but even when nectaring its wings were mostly held shut. It was skittish and not easily photographed, but I did manage to get a couple of images that I thought worth sharing. [Posted by Andy Barker]
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| Small Tortoiseshell in shade Photo © Andy Barker | Small Tortoiseshell underside Photo © Andy Barker |
Clouded Yellow. First Clouded Yellow of the season seen today on my reserve at North Baddesley. Earliest I have seen this species. If anyone would like to come and have a look round please contact me on 02380733995 or spark.ky@hotmail.co.uk [Posted by Kevin Ross]
Pearl Bordered Fritillary at Brockenhurst. Today I took the train down to Brockenhurst to visit several of the nearby forest enclosures in search of the Pearl Bordered Fritillary. Starting out on the south side of the main Waterloo-Bournemouth railway line at the New Copse Enclosure, the species was certainly present, though numbers seemed less than I recalled seeing here at the same time in 2025, but this, along with the failure to spot any Green Hairstreaks, which are usually present in good numbers here, may well have been due to the very high afternoon temperatures. Crossing over the main line and making my way up to the Pignall and Ramnor Enclosures, I found very good numbers of the species, all in excellent condition, suggesting a stable continuing population of the Pearl Bordered Fritillary in this area of the New Forest. [Posted by Michael Jameson]
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| Pearl Bordered Fritillary (1) Photo © Michael Jameson | Pearl Bordered Fritillary (2) Photo © Michael Jameson | Pearl Bordered Fritillary (3) Photo © Michael Jameson |
Martin Down. A very hot morning visit between 0945-1245 produced a good selection of species, although the heat seemed to be a bit too much with many 'lying low'. Species seen were Small Copper 5, Small Blue 2, Common Blue 15, Adonis Blue 4, Holly Blue 2, Brown Argus 10, Painted Lady 12, Red Admiral 1, Peacock 1, Marsh Fritillary 16, Grizzled Skipper 21, Green Hairstreak 8, Brimstone 4, Small White 3, Small Heath 6, also 2 Mother Shipton and 2 Yellow Shell moths. [Posted by Mark Pike]
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| Green Hairstreak Photo © Mark Pike | Marsh Fritillary Photo © Mark Pike | Painted Lady Photo © Mark Pike |
Heatwave highlights. Painted Ladies (3) seen feeding together on the Bowles Mauve wallflowers at Great Fontley this morning, along with a Small Heath transiting the front lawn. Immaculate male Orange Tip later found feeding on the Sweet Rocket / Dame's Violet and a Silver Y seen on Red Valerian. [Posted by Andrew Brookes]
A morning of firsts.. A slow walk around my reserve at North Baddesley this morning produced some firsts of the season.First Large White, first Small Heath (3), first Large Skipper, first 6-spot Burnet, first Common Blue. My butterfly species total so far this season is now 18. [Posted by Kevin Ross]
Privet Hawk Moth - Church Crookham. Upon examining our moth trap this morning, we were thrilled to find that this magnificent Privet Hawk Moth had flown in overnight. Having carefully removed the moth for photography, it remained concealed amongst Wisteria before taking off again at dusk. Our first Hawk Moth encounter in our garden this year, and what a whopper! [Posted by Michael Jameson]
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| Privet Hawk Moth (1) Photo © Michael Jameson | Privet Hawk Moth (2) Photo © Michael Jameson | Privet Hawk Moth (3) Photo © Michael Jameson |
Small Heath at Boarhunt. Avant le deluge this afternoon, our footfalls disturbed a pristine Small Heath, the only butterfly seen, in the larger silage meadow along the Wallington river at Priors Hold Farm, Boarhunt. Small numbers of the butterfly are found here every year [Posted by Andrew Brookes]
Orange-tip in my Freshwater Garden. This female Orange-tip taking an interest in what looks like 'Amaranthus blitum', Purple Leaf Pigweed and egg laying on the same in my garden. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
Happy 100th birthday Sir David !. Today is the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough, President of Butterfly Conservation, so I thought I'd post a news item to mark the event and wish him all the very best on behalf of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Branch of Butterfly Conservation, for all that he's done to raise the profile of wildlife and conservation in the UK, and worldwide, over his incredible career.
Those of you who are newer members of Butterfly Conservation may not be aware that in 1999 Sir David officially opened Magdalen Hill Down 'Extension', which was the first of several extensions to this important nature reserve. I'm sure he'd be so pleased to see that 27 years on this site has become one of the most biodiverse nature reserves and butterfly sites in the whole of Hampshire. The two images below were taken at the 1999 opening. [Posted by Andy Barker]
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| Andy Barker and Sir David Attenborough at MHD Extension opening (1999) Photo © Andy Barker | Group chat, George Yorke (left), Sir David Attenborough and Andy Barker Photo © Andy Barker |
Monks Walk, Gosport. My first May circulation (1140-1310) realised seven species on a warm day, cloudy but with sunny intervals. No sign yet of Common Blue in areas that earlier in the year were under standing water so probably not going to see many this season at this site. Total: Small White (9); Green-veined White (M)(1)(F)(1); Orange-tip (M)(4)(F)(2); Holly Blue (M)(7)(F)(1); Peacock (3); Red Admiral (3); Speckled Wood (8). [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Holly Blue female Photo © Francis Plowman | Red Admiral Photo © Francis Plowman | Holly Blue male Photo © Francis Plowman |
Fort Purbrook, Portsdown Hill. Made a visit to Fort Purbrook, Portsdown Hill today where the temperature reached 15 degrees. Several fresh male Common Blues were on the wing. Totals: Small White 2, Common Blue 4M, Green Hairstreak 1. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Brown Argus at Freshwater. A Brown Argus seen today at the NT carpark at the foot of Afton Down,together with a Glanville Fritillary. On the landslip at Compton Chine several Glanvilles and a Small Heath plus 3 male Common Blue. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
Painted Lady arrival, and Clouded Yellow?. Seen this afternoon at Cams Bay meadow, Fareham, female Painted Lady busily ovipositing on young thistles amid the grass. Minutes later, what can only have been a very pale Clouded Yellow of some kind appeared flying very rapidly over the ground, never settled for a second alas, so no photo. Light southerly winds and full sun. [Posted by Andrew Brookes]
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| Painted Lady female, Cams Bay Photo © Andrew Brookes | Painted Lady ovipositing on thistle Photo © Andrew Brookes |
Painted Lady in Ringwood. Painted Lady seen in my garden in Ringwood [Posted by Robert Beale]
First sighting of Painted Lady. First sighting of the season of Painted Lady today on my reserve at North Baddesley. That makes total of 11 species seen here so far this year. [Posted by kevin ross]
Walk over Arreton Downs today. 2x Common Blues , 3 x Grizzled Skippers, 6x Orange-tips, 2x Peacocks, 1x Green-veined White, 1x Glanville Fritillary. [Posted by Mick sivell]
Paulsgrove Chalk Pits. Today, May Day I visited Paulsgrove Chalk pits where the temperature was 19 degrees. Several male Orange-tips, Small White and Holly Blues were on the wing. Totals: Small White 6, Brimstone 2M 1F, Orange-tip 4M, Holly Blue 3, Speckled Wood 1. [Posted by Roy Symonds]