Butterfly Islands

Saturday 24 May 2014

Up from the South.

It seems the summer migration has begun now that southerly winds have persisted.Over the last few days reports of Painted Lady butterflies have come in particularly along our south coast.This afternoon I saw my second Painted Lady in my garden in as many days busily nectaring on our flowers.Today's visitor spent some time enjoying the pyracantha blooms and sunning itself on the garden path.

Monday 12 May 2014

Cornered At Last

Over the last several weeks Holly Blues have been coming and going across my garden.Seemingly always in a hurry none has really settled long enough for me to obtain good views.So today I was very happy to see a female fluttering around from plant to plant,either for somewhere to lay her eggs or to feed.

Tuesday 6 May 2014

Everything On The Go.

A quick look at Whiteways Quarry today and a good selection of butterflies.Now several Brown Argus together with Small Blue,Dingy & Grizzled Skippers.In addition Green Hairstreaks in double numbers and a passing Wall Brown.All crammed in at the base of the chalk down at the back of a car park Wonderful.

Back on Bonchurch Down.

A return visit to Bonchurch Down today in the anticipation of seeing the first Adonis Blue on the year.I was not disappointed as after finding several Common Blue butterflies which are similar to the Adonis from a distance, I saw a male Adonis. If last years numbers are repeated it will not be long before the Down is awash with the spectacular blue of this butterfly.

The blue of the Common Blue although less intense is no less attractive.

Wednesday 30 April 2014

Return of the Special One.

Thick fog this morning gave way to a sunny afternoon and despite a cooling breeze it was pleasant at Wheelers Bay.

With a confirmed sighting of the first Glanville Fritillary of the year yesterday at the Bay I was hopeful of a first sighting myself of this unique butterfly.With the assistance it must be said, of two companions I finally managed to see one of the two Glanvilles present today In spite of numerous ariel battles with one of the two resident Peacock butterflies, the new arrival landed several times and we were able to have close views.

On Bonchurch Down

Owned and managed by the National Trust,Bonchurch Down rises steeply over Bonchurch village and the town of Ventnor.This south facing hillside is home to a good population of the Adonis Blue butterfly as well as several other species.Yesterday on a very warm and sunny afternoon I made my first visit of the season to the Down and was rewarded with a sighting of four Small Copper,a Brown Argus,a Small Heath,a Green Hairstreak,also a Wall Brown together with a Dingy Skipper and three male Orange Tip.

Then a short trip down to Wheelers Bay in Bonchurch in the hope of seeing a Glanville Fritillary.I was not lucky enough to see one but I have it on good authority that a Glanville was spotted today at the Bay.

Monday 28 April 2014

More First Sightings

Today was a day of heavy thundery showers but by the mid afternoon the sun began to shine through the broken cloud.A trip to Whiteways Quarry just a mile or two away and a treat to see a pair of mating Small Blues.The Green Hairstreaks were again out in good numbers and also a Grizzled Skipper plus a first Dingy Skipper of the year.

Also a first sighting of a male Wall Brown sunning itself on any bare patch of ground it could find on the chalk.

Saturday 26 April 2014

Small Blue Early Again

The Small Blue is again emerging early on the Island.After yesterdays complete washout with rain falling all day,today was brighter and in one of the sunny spells at midday I dropped in at Whiteways Quarry in the hope of seeing a Dingy Skipper.

No luck on the skipper yet but I was overjoyed to see my first Small Blue sunning itself in the grass.

Friday 18 April 2014

Spring in Full Swing

Now that the first Large Red Damselfly has emerged from my garden pond it seems that summer is on the way.

Orange Tips,Holly Blues,and whites are now a regular visitors to the garden as well as a variety of bumblebees and other insects.

Thursday 17 April 2014

Another New Arrival

With the sunny warm weather still with us today another spring time species made an appearance at Whiteways Quarry.The first Grizzled Skipper was seen flitting around in the sun together with the several Green Hairstreaks already there.It should not be long before a Dingy Skipper is out and should the temperature rise over 20C the first Small Blue.

The Adonis Blue

The Large Tortoiseshell

It seems the general view on the status of the Large Tortoiseshell in Britain is that it is now extinct as a breeding butterfly.
It is a butterfly of woodland edges and hedgerows that abound in willows,elms,and poplars.These trees are used by the adult to lay its eggs and this single brood appears in July and August.The emerging butterfly then hibernates over the winter in log piles and hollow trees until the next spring.
On the Isle of Wight sightings are more often than not made from early March to April.Have these butterflies overwintered on the Island or have they come from the continent where it is common?
Any sightings made in July/August pose the same question.Another explanation could be that captive-bred releases are responsible.Only the discovery of eggs and caterpillars will probably answer these questions.

I can now report that evidence has been found of breeding just along the coast at Portland in Dorset (June 2020) and again at the same location in the summer of 2021.

The Glanville Fritillary

This elegant butterfly is mainly confined to the crumbling undercliffs and chalk downs of the Isle of Wight.It is also found on the Channel Islands and at one or two isolated colonies on the British mainland.In Britain the Glanville Fritillary is at the extreme north-western edge of its range.On the continent it is readily found in flowery habitats.
Around the southern shores of the Isle of Wight the cliffs constantly erode causing them to slip away and provide perfect conditions for new growths of the butterflies laval host plant,Ribwort Plantain.
The eggs are laid to the underside of the leaves of this plant and normally hatch after about three weeks.The resulting caterpillars live together in communal webs spun over the plantain.In the autumn they hibernate and recommence feeding in the spring,eventually dispersing to prepare for pupation.
The adult butterfly is on the wing from May to the end of June with the female being larger than the male.They will feed on,amongst other things, Birds-foot Trefoil and Thrift.

The Wall Brown

On the Isle of Wight in particular,the Wall Brown is a butterfly of field edges,coastal cliffs and dunes,and rabbit-grazed downland.
The male is territorial and spends much of the time patrolling and basking on the ground.
The female,which lacks the males conspicuous dark sex brand across the forewings,is larger.The undersides of both sexes are beautifully cryptic when at rest.
The Wall Brown generally produces two broods a year,the first from late April until late June and the second from mid-July to mid-September.