Butterfly Islands: July 2026

Tuesday, 28 July 2026

Queen of Spain Fritillaries on Show.

An earlier visit time of 10.30 today rather than the lunchtime arrival of yesterday. However as then, a pristine Queen of Spain Fritillary was waiting, busily nectaring on fleabane. Over the next hour or so this individual energetically flew around occasionally landing on flowers but taking time to bask on the ground in the strong sunshine.As mentioned in my last post this sunny and sheltered woodland track crossing seems to suit these fritillaries. It appears too that there has been a good influx of this elegant butterfly, with sightings made throughout the forest.

Monday, 27 July 2026

Queen of Spain Visits the Isle of Wight

As far as I know there have been no records of the Queen of Spain Fritillary on the Isle of Wight. It is generally a butterfly of southern Europe although the odd sighting has been reported from the southern counties of England in the past. However today's visit to a site in woodland in the West Wight produced at least two individuals. As soon as I arrived at the location,a sunny woodland track intersection with plenty of flora, I encountered a fritillary basking on the track. Over the next hour it was occasionally seen nectaring although at times being harassed by other insects. Finally two individuals began taking an interest in each other and after they disappeared no other sightings were forthcoming.

Saturday, 25 July 2026

Jersey Tiger Moth Time.

At this time of the year it is guaranteed that I will see the colourful Jersey Tiger Moth in the garden here in Freshwater. This indidvidual was disturbed from the our Chocolate Vine shrub (Akebia quinata) and settled happily close by. This moth can be seen in two forms,red and yellow.

Tuesday, 7 July 2026

Chalkhill Blue Appears on West High Down.

Better luck this morning on the track leading to West High Down.Three Chalk-hill Blue butterflies were seen on the short grass slopes off the track. Given a while and numbers will increase rapidly. Other species encountered today on these slopes were Painted Lady,Marbled White,Small Copper,Common Blue,and what looks like a egg laying Brown Argus.

Friday, 3 July 2026

Back on West High Down.

A long overdue visit to West High Down situated between the Needles and Tennyson Down was made today. I was hoping to see the first Chalkhill Blues of the year but alas none were to be seen. However another butterfly that flies this Down is the Dark Green Fritillary and it was not long before I witnessed a male hurriedly moving low down in search of flowering plants. Luckily a female fritillary suddenly popped up in front of me and settled into a nearby gorse bush.She did not seem to be inclined to move despite my attentions and I was able to get a close look.

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.