Butterfly Islands

Friday 21 March 2014

Spring Back on Track.

A sunny day at Walters Copse and any sheltered spot was sure to turn up a Peacock butterfly.Signs of spring were confirmed by more general activity, as hoverflies and beeflies seemed to be everywhere as well as bumblebees.Some Common Carder,Tree,Buff-tailed and a Red-tailed bumblebees were seen.

No sign however of any Brimstone or newly emerged butterflies although Comma and Red Admirals came out to bask in the sun and nectar on the sallow blooms.

Common Carder Bumblebee.

Wednesday 19 March 2014

Butterfly Sightings Plummet.

Scant few butterflies today at Walters Copse.In fact I could count on one hand the number of individuals I saw there.That may be explained by the weather which has changed from the sunny,warm,and settled spell last week,to cooler,windy,and mainly cloudy..When the sun did shine today it was pleasant but there was a chilly brisk breeze.Still I did see three species,the Peacock,Comma,and a Small Tortoiseshell so let us hope that the weather improves again soon.

Thursday 13 March 2014

Temperatures & Butterflies Takeoff.

Although there was thick fog this morning ,the day developed into what must be the hottest of the year.Not only did the temperature take off but also the butterflies, with lots of activity in Walters Copse.

The prime target was yet again the Large Tortoiseshell,but apart from a couple of possible flight sightings this week in the copse, it is proving to be elusive,as always.There is no shortage however of other species like the Comma,Peacock,Brimstone,and the Small Tortoiseshell.

The first Bee-flies have now started to appear.This one is the common Dark-edged Bee-fly.

Friday 7 March 2014

Taking to the Shade.

A lovely warm afternoon at Walters Copse,Newtown today,no chilly breeze and the prospect of warmer weather next week.The butterflies responded with several Brimstone on the wing together with three Comma,a Red Admiral,and a Peacock,in fact the usual suspects at this time of year.Some of the Brimstone were making for the shade of an ivy leaf.

Wednesday 5 March 2014

Spring Colours

Today continued on the mild side and as temperatures are due to rise in the next week,spring it seems is here.With the sunshine has come a flurry of butterfly reports with many now out of hibernation.My garden was no exception with two peacock and a very intensely coloured small tortoiseshell.Variation is fairly frequent in the latter which usually consists of differences in the shade of the ground colour,as in this case.

Monday 3 March 2014

Others on the Wing.

Butterflies are not the only insects now appearing.With the mild springlike weather continuing and several early plants flowering in the gardens the Buff-tailed Bumblebee is making the most of it all.

This bumblebee is the most likely of the bee family to be seen at this time and even a few weeks ago I saw one visiting the hellebore flowers.

Wednesday 26 February 2014

The Feel of Spring

The best day of the year by far with plenty of sunshine,a light breeze,and a 'spring is here' feeling.No excuse therefore for the butterflies to stay in and at Walters Copse,Newtown,several were out in the warm sunshine.Another first this year for me was a very colourful male Brimstone,racing up and down the rides occasionally stopping to take the warmth.

Out too was a Comma and basking underneath a crab apple tree,still surrounded by last year fruit,a feeding Red Admiral.Finally a somewhat tatty Peacock butterfly in a sheltered sunny spot.

Saturday 22 February 2014

More Butterflies Out & About.

Another sunny morning and feeling milder as the wind has decreased.Just out of hibernation is a Peacock butterfly which is still inactive and does not want to fly away until it warms up in the sunshine.Joining it briefly in my garden today was another Small Tortoiseshell and a second Peacock.

Thursday 20 February 2014

My First Sighting of the Year.

After all the stormy weather we have had to endure since Christmas it is great to see my first butterfly of 2014.A sign maybe that spring is not too far away now, although it is only mid -February and winter has a habit of biting back.I spied this Small Tortoiseshell fluttering around my garden in the sunshine looking for that sheltered sunny spot.It was not long before it flew on and over the hedge.

There have been several sightings of butterflies on the Island during February,including a Brimstone,a Peacock,and another Small Tortoiseshell.

Friday 18 October 2013

More Long-tailed Blues on the Isle of Wight.

Following the sighting at Wheelers Bay on Tuesday last,another Long-tailed Blue was seen yesterday at the very same location.This individual was a pristine male and as its larval food plant is very close by and in abundance it must be probable that these recent sightings are of locally emerged butterflies.

The following photographs of yesterdays male Long-tailed Blue are courtesy of Andy Butler.

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.