another day on Portsdown Hill ..

The Week 9 butterfly transect in Compartments 1 and 2 on Portsdown Hill produced sightings of brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni), large white (Pieris brassicae), orange tip (Anthocharis cardamines), small blue (Cupido minimus), common blue (Polyommatus icarus), small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) and speckled wood (Pararge aegeria) along with a single large skipper (Ochlodes sylvanus); burnet companion (Euclidia glyphica) moth was also recorded.

common blue



large skipper

large skipper (underwing)

burnet companion

In Compartment 3 the caterpillars of the lackey moth (Malacosoma neustria) and brown tail moth (Euproctis chrysorrhoea) were very evident, along with common carpet moth (Epirrhoe alternata).

 

A second (and probably third) large skipper was also seen in the Paulsgrove Chalk Pit area. Bee orchids (Ophrys apifera) are also showing well in the Chalk Pit.

 

brown tail moth caterpillar

common carpet moth

lackey moth caterpillar

burnet companion

bee orchid