Covid-19 pt 2 .. venturing further abroad .. (daily exercise restrictions relaxed)

Having heard the rumours that Butser Hill was a honey-spot for visitors following the easing of COVID-19 exercise restrictions, I ventured my way east instead, to a quieter site to find my quarry.

Fairmile Bottom has recently seen the Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina) start to colonise its grassland slopes. If I recall correctly this will be only their third year recorded on site - but already they are being found in several small discreet locations across the expanse of the chalk grassland.

Today, I only found a single specimen, but that was enough to warrant the additional journey. Especially given the very low number of people I had to socially distance from during my search.

Hamearis lucina

I will always associate this iconic butterfly with that of the fly-orchid (Ophrys insectifera) - having experienced them both for the first time, on a visit to Noar Hill some years ago. Fairmile now also  provides an opportunity to visit both species on the same site.

Ophrys insectifera

Cephalanthera damasonium

Callophrys rubi

Blessed Be

Fairmile Tryptich

Good Friday on Butser Hill

Our primary target for the Good Friday was always going to be Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina). With reports of the species emergence coming in thick and fast from other well known Hampshire sites - nobody was reporting from Butser Hill.

A search along the hedgerow at the bottom of the hill adjacent the green lane produced plenty of butterfly sightings - most notably grizzled skipper (Pyrgus malvae) - but didn't turn up a Duke.

So we turned our attention to Rakes Bottom - where only last year, I had been shown an area in the southern end of the feature, by a couple who had recorded first sightings of Duke there for the past six or seven years.

We were not to be disappointed, finding at least two - if not three - newly emerged Dukes who were most obliging (as always) for photographs.

Duke of Burgundy

In the vicinity of the Dukes was a pair of green hairstreak (Callophrys rub), seemingly faithful to a single hawthorn (Cretaegus monogyna) whilst engaging in territorial dispute.

green hairstreak

grizzled skipper

early purple orchid

Other butterfly species seen on the wing: peacock (Aglais io), speckled wood (Pararge aegeria), holly blue (Celastrina argiolus), red admiral (Vanessa atalanta), orange tip (Anthocharis cardamines), small white (Pieris rapae) & small tortoiseshell (Aglais urtica).

Tired old dukes and painted ladies

A hot summer's afternoon spent on Butser Hill found some tired old dukes still battling their territories, with fresh painted ladies in from the continent to brighten the spirits.

A supporting cast of hairstreaks, skippers, blues, heaths, woods and whites; and a handful of day-flying moths completed the interest.

Springhead Hill, West Sussex

A few photos from a day spent at Springhead Hill, counting Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina) and common twayblade (Neottia ovata).

Duke of Burgundy

green hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)

burnet companion (Euclidia glyphica)

early purple orchid (Orchis mascula)

common twayblade

dingy skipper (Erynnis tages)

Portsdown Hill - butterflies and occasional moths

A few butterflies and moths from a morning spent on Portsdown Hill - most are from the transect undertaken in Compartment 1 and 2, the last three are from the Paulsgrove Chalk Pit.

From Compartment 2:

Nemophora degearella

green hairstreak (Callophrys rubi)

brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)

common blue (Polyommatus icarus) male

common blue female

orange tip (Anthocharis cardamines) male

red admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

small blue (Cupido minimus)

small blue

small white (Pieris rapae)

speckled wood (Pararge aegeria)

From Paulsgrove Chalk Pit:

Mother Shipton (Callistege mi)

small blue

small blue