The Glanville Fritillary at Wheelers Bay

I have mentioned Wheelers Bay several times in recent blog entries when refering to the Glanville Fritillary on the Isle of Wight.With its south facing aspect and protected to the north by sheer chalk cliffs,Wheelers Bay enjoys a very mild situation.

A few years ago the coastal defences were vastly improved here and an area created between  the coastal path and the base of the cliff.This area was quickly colonised by plants and became an ideal habitat for the Glanville.Around this time a stretch of the coast at Bonchurch, which maintained a colony of Glanvilles was in imminent danger of disappearing into the sea due to erosion.Therefore chrysalides were collected there and transferred to Wheelers Bay.A thriving colony was quickly formed with several hundred butterflies on the wing.However in recent years this figure has gone down mainly due to some of the habitat becoming overgrown.Nevertheless there is still a healthy population here.

Many other species of butterfly are to be seen at the Bay,one of which at this time is the beautiful Orange Tip.The following photos are of a female enjoying a sheltered sunny spot in one of the Bays private back gardens.

Here and throughout Ventnor one can also find the Wall Lizard.It is a very handsome creature particularly the adult.

Still waiting for the Glanvilles.

The weather over the last week or so has been very changeable on the Isle of Wight.Although there have been sunny spells we have had a lot of rain and wind recently.This must be detrimental to the early appearance of the Glanville Fritillary and a visit yesterday to Wheelers Bay,Ventnor in search of the butterfly on the wing was unsuccessful.However I did notice that their caterpillars were on the move.Here at Wheelers Bay many Glanville chrysalides are found under the chalk boulders and stones at the base of the cliff.

Earlier on Bonchurch Down I came upon a male Wall and a Small Heath.The latter is my first sighting this year of this species. It was always one step ahead of me a good photograph proved too difficult to achieve on this occasion

More Small Blues

A brief visit yesterday to Afton Down before the weather  turned wet and a first sight of a female Small Blue and also a male.At this location the appearance of this butterfly has been extraordinarily early this year with my initial sighting on the 30th March a national record for this species.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.

Waiting for the Glanvilles

The Glanville Fritillary is now expected to be on the wing in the next few days on the Isle of Wight.

At Wheelers Bay which is sandwiched  between Ventnor and the village of Bonchurch the first sighting of this butterfly is always made here.The Bay is south facing and enjoys a very unique climate.Yesterdays visit did not produce any sightings of the Glanville,however I did see a male Orange Tip at the base of the chalk cliffs that mainly enclose the Bay.

Overlooking Bonchurch Village is Bonchurch Down,well known for the Adonis Blue butterfly.This butterfly too is soon due to emerge.At present there are several Small Coppers to be seen on the Down and the odd Wall Brown. 

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Yet More Spring Butterflies

With such an array of butterflies to be seen at Afton Down  Chalkpit I returned there this morning.The weather was sunny and warm as this site can be a sun trap.Immediately I saw three Dingy Skipper and it wasn't long before two Wall butterflies were flying around.One female,perhaps the same individual as seen here yesterday  and a male.Several Green Hairstreaks and Grizzled Skippers are on view along with an as yet single Small Copper.I was very pleased to see a male Small Blue as I have not seen this species since my initial sighting on the 30th March.

                                                                             

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

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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.