Very Early Small Blue

The Small Blue is in fact the smallest of all British butterflies.Its flight period is normally mid-May to late June but perhaps because of the summer-like weather we are experiencing  at present in the UK early emergence is possible.Even so the 30th March is alarmingly early for this species.

On the Isle of Wight we can enjoy exceptionally mild weather and the sight today of the Small Blue at Afton Down Chalkpit proves that a very sunny location can trigger an early appearance of this inconspicuous yet beautiful little butterfly.

It can be found on calcareous grassland in very small colonies and unfortunately is thought to be in decline throughout the UK and Ireland.

The Spring Brimstone

The Brimstone butterfly is now more in evidence with the extraordinary weather we are enjoying on the Isle of Wight.The male Brimstone can be seen motoring along the woodland rides in seacrch of females.Whereas the female Brimstone seems to take a more leisurely flight,investigating the ivy covered tree trunks,feeding on the spring flowers and sunning itself in the woodland leaflitter.

                                                                         

                                                             

                                                                       

Mating pair on ivy

Woodhouse Copse and the Large Tortoiseshell

Woodhouse Copse near to Whippingham on the Isle of Wight is a regular location for sightings of the Large Tortoiseshell butterfly.This species is only seen here at the Copse during March and April and is an exceeedingly rare sight in the UK.

Today was a beautiful sunny,warm afternoon for the first official day of spring Although butterflies are now coming out of winter hibernation todays visit to Woodhouse Copse did not look as though it would yield any sightings.Eventually however a Comma was seen,sunning itself  on the track.Half an hour later at the same spot there was a Red Admiral with the same idea in mind.

No Large Tortoiseshell today but hopefully it will be seen here as in other years.

My First Sighting of 2012

With Spring it seems just around the corner,I have been wondering,  What species will be my first butterfly sighting of 2012? Reports are now coming in from all over the country of  butterflies on the move and with this last weekends warm and sunny spell,at least on the Isle of Wight,I was very hopeful.

I was therefore happy to see a Comma on my summer house on Sunday 26th February enjoying the sunshine.

Common Blue

The Common Blue butterfly is found throughout Britain and Ireland and therefore is our most widely distributed of the blues. On the Isle of Wight it can be seen from April onwards and generally has two broods.The male has violet-blue wings,edged with black and clear white margins.This feature helps seperate it from other blue species.Females can be very variable,ranging from the usual brown form with a hint of blue, to beautiful blue varieties with orange markings.The undersides of both sexes are similar.

Pearl Bordered Fritillary

The Pearl-bordered Fritillary and the Small Pearl-bBordered Fritillary are both on the verge of extinction on the Isle of Wight.There is only one known location for the Pearl-bordered on the Island which is Parkhurst Forest on the outskirts on Newport.It is a butterfly of woodland clearings and seems to have declined all over Britain too.This fritillary is the first to appear in mid-April,and is normally single brooded.It can be seen feeding on the flowers of spring plants such as Bugle,Primrose,and Buttercups.

Dingy Skipper

The Dingy Skipper is found on the Isle of Wight in a variety of habitats.However the larger colonies are found on our south facing downland.It is on the wing from mid April to late June and is often seen in the company of the Grizzled Skipper.

Large Skipper

The Large Skipper  is one of our most common skippers,normally appearing in late May and gone by late August.It can be found in a variety of habitats on the Isle of Wight, from our downland to woodland rides and along rough verges. 

Green Hairstreak

This is the smallest hairstreak and the most common of this species.It is found in a variety of habitats on the Isle of Wight and indeed all over Britain and Ireland from chalk downland to moorland and scrubby hillsides.This butterfly overwinters as a chrysalis and is therefore one of the first to appear in the spring,usually in April.

The brown upperside is rarely seen as it always settles with its wings firmly closed. The second photograph  however shows some of the upperside  as this butterfly has lost part of its hindwing.

Green-veined White

Here on the Isle of Wight  the Green-veined White can be seen in gardens but does prefer damper habitats like woodland rides and meadows.Therefore a walk through any local copse or forest track will hopefully turn up this attractive white butterfly.In Britain it is widespread and in warm years there may be up to three generations which appear from April  to October.

Grizzled Skipper,Our Smallest Skipper

The Grizzled Skipper has declined considerably in the last sixty years.Its stronghold is the southern counties of England where it requires a habitat of short,mixed sward,created by grazing.or managed woodland.On the Isle of Wight it does best on our chalk downland.Our smallest skipper can be on the wing from April and maybe seen until July.

Small Blue

The Small Blue is Britain's smallest butterfly.It is an inconspicuous and sometimes described as a drab butterfly,but close inspection shows its dusting of silvery-blue scales,at least on the male.The females upperside is plain brown.The Small Blue is in decline,somewhat nationally,although there are small colonies scattered over the Isle of Wight.It is on the wing during May and June.

Painted Lady

The Painted Lady  is well known for being a migatory butterfly.Here on the Isle of Wight it can first be seen in May,as in the photo feeding on Thrift,on the coastal clifftops.Into September and October it can still be found in near perfect condition.Unfortunately the Painted Lady does not seem to be able to survive our winters so in the spring new butterflies will spread to Britain from southern Europe

Graylings on Bleak Down

On the 30th July we made a visit to Bleak Down on the Isle of Wight.one of the few sites,and perhaps the best site on the Island for the Grayling butterfly.The habitat is ideal for this species and good numbers were seen.The Grayling likes to lay a single egg on a grass stem on open ground as shown in the first photograph.The caterpillar will then overwinter.This butterfly is single brooded.

Grayling habitat on Bleak Down

Dark Green Fritillary

The Dark Green Fritillary can be an impressive sight on the Downs of the Isle of Wight from July onwards.They love to feed on the Giant Thistles in particular and are very strong flyers as they go from one  flower to another..This butterfly was spotted on West High Down  during the first week of July and had very recently emerged.

Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary

The only known site for the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary Butterfly on the Isle of Wight is on Ningwood Common and was visited by our Butterfly Conservation local group on a  wet and damp day in June.Only this one specimen was to be seen in the rain as it stuck to its perch and allowed us to take its picture.