Butterfly Islands: April 2024

Tuesday, 30 April 2024

Green Hairstreaks Out in Numbers.

The first Green Hairstreak of the year was seen on the 14th April at the National Trust carpark at the foot of Afton Down close to Freshwater Bay. Another visit to the site today counted at least six Green Hairstreaks,all feverishly flying about. However no other species were recorded here as yet.

Thursday, 18 April 2024

Very Active Green Hairstreaks.

With the first Green Hairstreak recorded at the National Trust Carpark at the foot of Afton Down on the 14th,the weather turned for the worse with cool temperatures and a very brisk wind. However today the wind abated and that allowed for a very pleasant and warmer spring day with plenty of sunshine. The butterflies responded and at least two Green Hairstreak were seen at the carpark.

Sunday, 14 April 2024

A First Green Hairstreak of the Year.

Several visits have been made to the National Trust Car Park at the foot of Afton Down over the last few days. Today around noon the first Green Hairstreak was observed flying energetically over a large spread of Bluebells and briefly landing on the flowers.It then flew off and could not be located again. However I am sure that it will soon be joined by other individuals.

Stock Photograph

Monday, 1 April 2024

A Garden Speckled Wood.

Following a night of constant rain,this morning was dry,bright, and mainly sunny.Around lunchtime a first of the season Speckled Wood was seen flying about in search of a sunny spot.It decided to land on a bamboo leaf close to my pond where it stayed to enjoy the warmth.

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.