Lockdown Eases and Spring Arrives.

The sun was shining today and a morning walk on the landslip near to Compton was rewarded with warm sunshine and light winds. Here on our south-western coast the cliff tops are now displaying early spring flowering plants and in addition, the beautiful song of  the male Skylark that filled the air.. 

My hope of a first butterfly of the season  was  premature, but the larvae webs of the Glanville Fritillary did not disappoint as several were found. In a few weeks the adult butterfly will grace these cliff slopes and add to the glorious colour that is to be seen on this coast. The caterpillars seen today varied in size, depending on their location. Those where the webs were more sheltered tendered to be less developed than individuals in more open and sunny spots.

I was pleased to record my first butterfly of the year on my return home ,as the always dependable Peacock was seen in my garden.

.

 

Sunshine and Light Winds Encourage the Glanvilles

The 2020 season started with a Peacock butterfly seen in my garden on the 8th February,flying energetically while braving a strong wind.In fact here on the Isle of Wight we have endured persistant blustery winds for months although temperatures have on the whole been mild.

It was therefore a relief today when the winds abated and the sun shone.Not surprisingly the temperature was probably not into double digits but all this was enough for the Glanville Fritillary larvae, or caterpillars, to appear from their communal webs and move around  in the sunshine while staying close to or on their webs.Each individual is no more than one centimetre in length and now into their 5th instar.

Mild Temperatures Bring Out the Glanvilles.

The mild temperatures of the last week have enticed  the Glanville Fritillary larvae out of their winter hibernacula to sun themselves on the south facing slopes of our Island cliffs.

The webs seen today at Shepherds Chine revealed many caterpillars out and about enjoying the warm sunshine.They are no more than one centimetre in length at present and into their fifth instar.

Glanville Fritillary Larvae Out in the Sunshine.

Now that the days are slowly lengthening and the sun's rays becoming warmer the Glanville Fritillary larvae are starting to move in and around their communal webs.Today on the slopes of the crumbling cliffs along the Island's  south-west coast several webs showed signs of activity as the caterpillars enjoyed the sunshine, although due to the cold breeze they mostly remained huddled together.

Getting Ready.

The Glanville Fritillary caterpillars will soon be ready to disperse and pupate.Their flying season could be just three weeks away.Many of the larva that I saw yesterday are in the sixth instar and these larger larvae can be seen merrily munching on plantain leaves.However some caterpillars have not reached that final stage and are still seeking the safety of their webs.Some webs also show signs of their development with discarded  moult skins.

Web with discarded larval skins

Warm Temperatures Bring On the Butterflies.

We enjoyed above average temperatures yesterday on the Island and it was most likely the warmest day of the year so far.Therefore,I was not surprised to see my first butterfly of 2017 sunning itself on the ground in my garden.No doubt this Peacock had just come out of hibernation and was after some nutrition.It soon flew onto a daffodil where it began to nectar.
After lunch I made a short car ride along the coast and visited one of the numerous Chines that are found here to see the state of Glanville Fritillary caterpillar webs that dot the sides of the coastal cliffs.With the sunshine warming up these grassy knolls caterpillars were evident although at this time they are small,only 6mm or so in length.By late April they will have grown considerably and will begin to disperse from their communal webs to find place to pupate.

.    

All Now in Top Gear.

That prolonged spell of cold and windy weather has seemingly passed and we are now enjoying very warm sunshine and light breezes.Needless to say that has produced great activity in the butterfly world.

A visit to Bonchurch this morning was rewarded with my first sighting of our Glanville Fritillaries,just two were spotted but numbers are expected to increase quickly in the sunshine over the next few days.Judging by the high count of caterpillars and webs earlier in the year it could well be a bumper year. Another new species for the season was the Common Blue,seen at the same location.This was followed by a walk on Bonchurch Down and after some searching we succeeded in seeing four Common Blue,a Small Copper,one Small Heath,and two Dingy Skippers.The latter two species were also first sightings of 2016.

The Holly Blue pictured below had just emerged and when the wings have developed,she would expect  to take to the air. 

 

Old and New.

The weather remains settled with plenty of sunshine.However at Wheelers Bay today that persistent easterly breeze prevented many butterflies from taking to the wing.Still,the warmth of the early afternoon did tempt out a Large White that fluttered past as I sat on a seaside bench.This must be a very early record for this species and it was soon followed by the discovery of a Small Tortoiseshell that had found a bare piece of ground to sun itself.

The Glanville Fritillary caterpillars seem to be progressing well with several large webs.Many caterpillars were out in the sun and hope is that this will be bumper season.

  

Out Enjoying the Sun.

After a frosty start to the day the sun shone in a near cloudless sky this morning.Once the Glanville caterpillars had warmed up they became active and proceeded to bask in the sun near to their web.These webs can have up to 150 individuals and are always close to their foodplant.Should a web with a large numbers of caterpillars exhaust its food supply ,they will move on in search of further Ribwort Plantain.

Defyng the Inclement Weather.

The caterpillars of our own Isle of Wight Glanville Fritillary have a lot to put up with.Their habitat is our coastal cliffs which bare the brunt of winter and spring storms that batter the south west shore of the Island.Still this butterfly is use to all that the weather can throw at it and continues to survive in its unique habitat.

Not surprisingly then, that this morning I came across several glanville webs in which the caterpillars remain until April when they disperse to find a suitable place to pupate.The weather today was particularly cold and wet so they congregate in the web for protection from the elements.On sunny days at this time of year they will become active around the web and feed on their food plant,Ribwort Plantain.

Further information on this special butterfly can be found  here.

Glanville caterpillars huddle up against the wet and cold weather.

Glanville Fritillary Pupae.

The first adult Glanville Fritillary butterfly of 2015 was seen on the Isle of Wight yesterday, the 4th May and hopefully during this month many more will emerge along our southern coast.

A sight that is not normally seen however is the fritillaries' pupal stage,particularly in the wild. Of course like other species of butterfly some are reared in captivity and sadly we have collectors from the mainland visiting our Glanville sites in the early spring to take caterpillars.So to discover pupae in their natural habitat is very satisfying and uncommon.

Once the full grown caterpillars have dispersed from their communal nest in April each will find a suitable place to pupate.The three pupae or chrysalises found today were attached by their pads of silk to the underside of small stones.Pupa length 13-14mm. This stage will last about three weeks.

More Very Special Little Gems.

On the Isle of Wight we can look forward to our own very special butterfly again this season when the Glanville Fritillary emerges at the end of April or early May.

The female butterfly will lay up to 200 eggs on the host food plant,Ribwort Plantain.Following the fourth moult or instar the larvae build a web in order to hibernate over the winter.After the sixth and final moult the caterpillars will disperse from their protective web and pupate

When disturbed or in inclement weather the larvae will retreat back into the undergrowth  behind their web and form into a protective ball.

An Encouraging Sight.

While visiting a local area of marshland yesterday I came across a nest of Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars on a Water Dropwort plant.Always encouraging to see that this butterfly is on the increase.

.