Butterfly Islands: Compton Bay

Showing posts with label Compton Bay. Show all posts

Friday 23 April 2021

A Promise of Spring on our Coastal Cliffs.

A walk along a very breezy clifftop today allowed me to access a section of the landslip close to Compton Bay. The coastline all along the south west of the Isle of Wight suffers from coastal slump as the cliffs periodically slide towards the sea. In fact evidence of recent slippages are for all to see along the path taken today.

It seems that only Small Copper butterflies were on show in this area of landslip this afternoon as I recorded at least six individuals. They were particularly fond of the odd clump of thrift, as just a few early flowers were to be seen dotted around. All too soon the cliffs will be covered in their bright pink blooms which are a favourite of the Glanville Fritillary which is due to make an imminent appearance.

Saturday 11 July 2020

First Chalk-hill Blue on West High Down.

At this time in July we can expect the first Chalk-hill Blue on West High Down.High Down is owned by the National Trust, extending eastwards from the Needles to Freshwater Bay and includes Tennyson Down.The emergence of the Chalk-hill seems to be later here than on other Isle of Wight downland and I saw just one male today, whereas in different locations numbers are rapidly increasing.Along with this blue there were several Dark Green Fritillaries nectaring on giant thistles.They too are a common downland butterfly here and have no doubt been on the wing for some time.

Tennyson Down left,Afton Down & Compton Bay distant

Monday 18 May 2020

Back on the Landslip & Back to Nature.

The month of May is of course the time for the Glanville Fritillary here on the Isle of Wight.Now that restrictions have been relaxed, a short car ride to Afton Down Chalkpit and a walk down to the National Trust clifftop at Compton Chine provided access to the landslip.Descending the impressive wooden steps onto the landslip I was treated to a view along the coast towards Compton Bay.

Today the Glanville Fritillary was in evidence on the clifftop and below, although due to the brisk onshore wind they were very active and jittery.Nevertheless,find a sheltered spot and many butterflies could be approached as they rested in the sunshine or nectared on the flowering thrift. Among the other species on show were Common Blue,Dingy Skipper,Small Heath,Small Blue and Brown Argus.

Saturday 7 April 2012

More Spring Butterflies

The Whiteways Quarry Carpark at Freshwater,locally known as Afton Down Chalkpit is National Trust land and looks out over the English Channel to the southwest.Looking right from the carpark and one is fortunate enough to see Tennyson Down with its white cliffs.To the left and the veiw is southward down the Island coast towards Compton Bay and Glanville Fritillary habitat.

Here at back of the carpark, at the foot of East Afton Down and Compton Down is the ideal habitat for several chalkland butterflies.On the 30th March Small Blues were seen here a full month ahead of their usual flight time and yesterday the 6th April I was pleased to see a Grizzled Skipper and a Green Hairstreak at this spot.Hopefully another chalkland species the Dingy Skipper will soon be seen here.

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.