Small Copper-first sighting this year

A return visit  to Afton Down Chalkpit and my first sighting this year of a Small Copper.Grizzled Skippers and Green Hairstreaks are already there in good numbers and hopefully very soon they will be joined by the Dingy Skipper.Another first for 2012 was a female Wall Brown at the chalkpit.

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.

Back to Walters Copse

Since my sighting of the Large Tortoiseshell at Walters Copse on the 27th March,I have made several return visits to this well managed National Trust woodland.

However I have not been fortunate enough to see the Large Toetoiseshell again but there have been at least two recorded sightings here in the last two weeks.As a result of the photographs taken it is certain that there is more than one individual to be seen.

Yesterday the weather remained sunny albeit somewhat cooler than of late and as a result no butterflies were to be seen in the copse until after noon.My first sighting of the day was my first sight also this year of the male Orange Tip.A beautiful butterfly of white and bright orange,it nervously visited the spring flowers in the open rides but when it rested among the dense shrubbery it became easier to approach.

A Dash of Blue

The sight of a dash of blue in the spring and it is the Holly Blue.The male Holly Blue is usually seen  travelling at great speed and generally at a great height through woodland rides,parks and across country.I spotted this one at Walters Copse.Should you be fortunate enough to see it at close quarters one would notice that the underside is a light blue and the upper side a lilac-blue with fine black markings to its upper wing tips

.

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.

Large Tortoiseshell on the Isle of Wight

Sightings of the Large Tortoiseshell butterfly have been made at Woodhouse Copse on a regular basis during March and April.This year it seems that if any butterflies were present at the Copse they may have already dispersed,as no sightings to date have been recorded.

Consequently I decided to cut the time spent in visiting the copse and turned my attention to another wood,Walters Copse at Newtown,owned by the National Trust..Not to look for the Large Tortoiseshell but to see what new species of butterfly are now on the wing.The weather has been exceptionally warm during the last weeks and newly emerged species are reported some time ahead of their normal flight times.

Therefore it came as a great surprise to me to stumble upon the elusive Large Tortoiseshell in Walters Copse yesterday the 27th March.

What a magnificent butterfly it is,larger maybe than the Peacock with a light orange upperside.This butterfly pictured is probably a female and maybe looking to lay her eggs on sallow or willow.

                                        

  

                            

                                                             

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

Back to Woodhouse Copse

My latest visit to Woodhouse Copse was on another sunny ,warm day.In fact probably the hottest day of the year so far.Plenty of Commas were to be seen,as well as three Speckled Wood butterflies taking up their permanent positions along the woodland ride.

Hopefully,soon the first male Orange Tip will be fluttering along the ride and perhaps the rare Large Tortoiseshell will make an appearance.

An Early Speckled Wood

At this time of year butterflies that have hibernated through the winter are on the wing.With the weather warming up even newly emerged butterflies may be seen that are way ahead of their normal flight periods.This Speckled Wood is a case in point.At Woodhouse Copse it seems that my sighting of the 19th of March beats a current early sighting record at the copse by a couple of days.

Although no sightings of the elusive Large Tottoiseshell butterfly have yet been recorded here so far this year many Commas,the beautuful Peacock and a Red Admiral  have been seen.

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.

Plain Tiger

The Plain Tiger butterfly is a  powerful and wide-ranging African migrant.Although found along the  European coast of Mediterranean Sea it is mainly seen as a migrant.However breeding populations have become established in some localities,including Greece.The following photographs were taken not in Greece, but on the Red Sea coast at Dahab,Egypt towards the end of December.

Its LHP includes Milkweed and the butterfly can readily be found in coastal gullies close to cultivated areas and gardens.

Only two members of this Danaidae family of butterflies are found in Europe,the other being the Monarch.

Tree Grayling

This rather sombre butterfly is found in most of Southern Europe.It is widespread and common in the Mediterranean region with a flight period from late June to October in one brood.This one was seen on the island of Alonisoss,Greece.