Please note that any sightings mentioned in news items do not automatically go into our records database. Sightings should be submitted using one of the mechanisms listed on the Recording page.
Trio of Green-veined White at Yarmouth.. The severe lack of sunshine at Yarmouth produced not much apart from 3 Green-veined White,all nectaring together on a small clump of dandelion flowers in Bouldnor Forest. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
More Small Blue at Freshwater. At least three Small Blue today at the National Trust CP Afton. Also several Green Hairstreak and a first of the season Dingy Skipper. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
Orange-Tips in Crookham Village. The Orange-tip season began unexpectedly early here in N.Hampshire (although fresh individuals are continuing to emerge daily), in fact around three weeks ago now, well before the appearance here of Cuckoo Flower in any abundance, though this is now beginning to proliferate, along with increasing amounts of Garlic Mustard, these being the regular food plants for this species, though in their absence other forms of Cruciferae are employed during egg-laying. Adult numbers, however, do seem to be well up on last year's tally already, and this early spring species seems likely to do well in 2025. Here are two examples in fine and fresh condition, photographed in Crookham Village earlier today. [Posted by Michael Jameson]
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| Orange-Tip (M) Photo © Michael Jameson | Orange-Tip (F) underside Photo © Michael Jameson |
Hayling Island Cycle Path. Today I walked a local footpath following the Hayling Island cycle path from Furniss Way, West Town to area near Saltmarsh Land. Totals: Green-veined White 1, Large White 1, Orange-tip 3M, Small White 10, Speckled Wood 1. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Brown Argus at Magdalen Hill Down. Today's warm sunny conditions were ideal for seeing plenty of butterflies when I walked the Magdalen Hill Down (Original) transect. In total I saw 11 different butterfly species plus two moths. I was surprised and delighted to see my first for the year of Brown Argus, Dingy Skipper and Small Heath. I don't normally expect to see these until the first week of May, but the generally warm, dry and sunny weather of recent weeks has clearly brought the flight period forward by about a fortnight for many species. My total counts were as follows: Brimstone (43), Grizzled Skipper (15), Peacock (10), Dingy Skipper (7), Small Heath (3), Small White (3), Green-veined White (2), Green Hairstreak (2), Brown Argus (2), Holly Blue (1), Comma (1), Ruby Tiger Moth (1), and Muslin Moth (1). [Posted by Andy Barker]
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| Brown Argus (male) Photo © Andy Barker | Dingy Skipper Photo © Andy Barker | Muslin Moth (female) Photo © Andy Barker |
LARGE WHITE EMERGENCE - HARDWAY GARDEN, GOSPORT. If I can't (yet) get out to the butterflies then they will have to come to me! Last September I watched a Large White caterpillar slowly climb our conservatory door and there, having changed to a chrysalis in a couple of days, and facing south-west, hung-on throughout the long, cold and wet winter. It looked finished until four days ago when I noticed it had become more transparent with white showing through. On 16th April I missed its emergence but here it is! Very seasonally topical I thought and obviously it just couldn't wait for Easter Sunday! [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Large White (sex uncertain) Photo © Francis Plowman |
Green Hairstreaks at Freshwater.. A strong and gusty wind seemed to deter some species today at Afton Down NT CP overlooking Freshwater Bay.However at least 4 Green Hairstreak were recorded together with a solitary Grizzled Skipper. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
Martin Down. A visit today in hazy sunshine and a light breeze from 11.00am to about 13.30pm produced the usual suspects (though in small numbers) for this time of year, with Grizzled Skipper 6, Small Copper 1, Brimstone 5, Orange-tip 1, Green-veined White 3, Peacock 4. Also many Marsh Fritillary caterpillars and 6 Emperor Moths to the lure. [Posted by Mark Pike]
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| Grizzled Skipper Photo © Mark Pike | Small Copper Photo © Mark Pike | Emperor Moth Photo © Mark Pike |
Havant Thicket. Today I walked the main track through Havant Thicket where the temperature reached 16.5 degrees. Here four different species of Spring butterflies were recorded including many Brimstones. Totals: Brimstone 16M 8F, Orange-tip 4M, Small White 3, Peacock 2. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
More Spring Butterflies at Freshwater.. Three spring species seen today at Afton Down NT carpark. One Green Hairstreak,a Small Copper,and a Small Blue. This Small Blue was the earliest I have recorded since 2 were seen at the same location on the 30th March 2012. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
Fort Widley, Portsdown Hill. Today I walked paths around Fort Widley, Portsdown Hill where the temperature reached 14 degrees. Here I recorded my first Large White. Totals: Large White 1, Small White 2, Speckled Wood 2. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Grizzled Skipper at Freshwater Bay.. At the National Trust Car Park overlooking Freshwater Bay today, a Grizzled Skipper observed nectaring on a dandelion wildflower. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
Chalton Down, Old Idsworth. Paid my first visit of the year to Chalton Down where the temperature was 14 degrees. Here I only recorded only a female Brimstone and a Small White. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Conservation Awareness Day in Beaulieu. There will be over 30 stalls at this event including one on butterflies. See https://www.cet.org.uk/events/conservation-awareness-day for more information. [Posted by Bob Annell]
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| Photo © Bob Annell |
Spring Test Way walk produced 6 species of butterfly. Brimstone, Orange Tip, Small White, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood. A circular walk on a section of the Test Way and Monarch way around Kimbridge. Sunny day with temperatures hitting 21. Since then have seen Green-veined White and Holly Blue on 8th April in similar area. [Posted by Alison Vincent]
Portsdown Hill (East). Today the temperature reached 16.5 degrees when I visited thew East end of Portsdown Hill where I recorded my first Speckled Wood of the year. Totals: Brimstone 1F, Green-veined White 1, Small White 3, Speckled Wood 1. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Havant Thicket. Today I visited Havant Thicket where the temperature was 15 degrees. Here I recorded Brimstone 7M. Despite the temperature there was a cooling wind. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Orange Underwing in Ampfield Wood. When doing the Ampfield Wood butterfly transect this afternoon, as well as seeing 12 Peacocks a Brimstone and a Comma, I was also pleased to see 2 Orange Underwing moths fluttering low down along one of the woodland rides. This day-flying moth likes warm sunshine and flies in March-April. It's well worth looking out for it in woodlands with birch, the larval foodplant, but if you have aspen, you need to check it's not the very similar, but rarer Light Orange Underwing. Orange Underwings have a very fluttery flight when low down, but a bit like Speckled Yellow moths they don't rest for long, and are quite flighty and difficult to approach. I got a quick photo from distance when it was settled on the dried up mud of a puddle, before it took flight and went high in a flowering sallow, where it alighted on one of the flowers, but too high to see if it was nectaring. Now is peak season for this beautiful little moth, so well worth looking out for in the warm sunshine predicted for the coming days. [Posted by Andy Barker]
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| Orange Underwing moth Photo © Andy Barker |
Speckled Wood and Orange-tips. A search for migrant birds today proved fruitless, but the butterflies were ample compensation. I saw my first Speckled Wood of the year at Longparish and two Orange-tip at Rooksbury Mill LNR early this afternoon. The Speckled Wood posed for a very poor phone photo, but the Orange-tips were much less co-operative as they patrolled the paths by the main lake and didn't stop to have their pictures taken. [Posted by Kevin Haggar]
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| Speckled Wood i n Longparish Photo © Kevin Haggar |
Speckled Wood in Garden at Freshwater. This Speckled Wood dropped into my garden today in Freshwater,Isle of Wight.A first sighting of this species for 2025. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
Speckled Wood in Garden at Freshwater. This Speckled Wood dropped into my garden today in Freshwater,Isle of Wight.A first sighting of this species for 2025. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
Green Hairstreak on Portsdown Hill. Hello, was suprised to see a Green Hairstreak on Portsdown Hill today 31 March. [Posted by Martin O'Brien]
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| A not very good but still recognisable photo of a Green Hairstreak Photo © Martin O'Brien |
First Small White on Hayling Island. Today I recorded my first sighting this year of Small White outside my flat in Rest A Wyle Avenue, Hayling Island. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Small White at Freshwater. The Phlomis plant in our garden at Freshwater has always been popular with white butterflies and today it was host to my first Small White of the season. With the sun shining and despite a rather cold northerly wind this Small White spent some time on the leaves enjoying the sunny spot. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
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| Photo © Peter Hunt | Photo © Peter Hunt |
First Small Tortoiseshell of year, Enham Alamein. A wander round the highways and byways north of Enham Alamein resulted in my first Small Tortoiseshell sightings locally since a single insect in July last year.
3 were counted in a five mile walk, a single and a pair, so they are just about hanging on locally, but the days of double figure counts of this once common butterfly are now a distant memory.
Also seen were Brimstone (11) and Peacock (3) [Posted by Kevin Haggar]
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| Single Small Tortoiseshell Photo © Kevin Haggar | One of the pair of Small Tortoiseshell Photo © Kevin Haggar | One of many Brimstone Photo © Kevin Haggar |
Brimstones Galore in Havant Thicket. Today it seemed that Spring had finally arrived as I visited Havant Thicket in the late morning sunshine with the temperature reaching 17.5 degrees. Here walking the main track I recorded Brimstone 13M 3F. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Small White in Enham. A short walk around Enham in this afternoon's sunshine resulted in my first Small White of the year, with a supporting cast of of Peacock (3), Brimstone (4) and a single Comma [Posted by Kevin Haggar]
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| Newly emerged Small White Photo © Kevin Haggar |
Painted Lady at North Baddesley. Saw my First Painted Lady of the year today on my reserve at North Baddesley.Sorry no photo as the strong southerly wind that probably brought it took it away very quickly. [Posted by kevin ross]
My First 2025 Sighting in Bedhampton. Today I recorded my first sightings of 2025, a pair of male Brimstones, one of which landed on Ivy in Bidbury Lane, Bedhampton. The temperature was 17 degrees. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
First of the year in Sway. Male Brimstone in our garden at Sway today [Posted by Anthony Blakeley]
More Enham butterflies. The weekend warmth and sunshine resulted in 3 species of butterfly visiting mine and my neighbour's gardens, with at least 2 Brimstone, 2 Red Admirals and a Comma taking advantage of the local nectar sources on both Saturday and Sunday [Posted by Kevin Haggar]
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| Comma on blossom Photo © Kevin Haggar | Nectaring Brimstone Photo © Kevin Haggar | Red Admiral on blossom Photo © Kevin Haggar |
Brimstone Sighted in Waterlooville. My sister reported seeing a male Brimstone in her garden at Elizabeth Road, Waterlooville this morning. [Posted by Roy Symonds]
Brimstone at Freshwater. A male Brimstone was seen flying around my garden in Freshwater this morning.Also a Red Admiral observed basking in the sunshine at the same location on the 5th March. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
Butterfly bonanza in North Hampshire. A short walk around the Enham Alamein area this morning revealed a minimum of 7 Brimstones and a Peacock butterfly all active in the sunshine. My son reported seeing a minimum of 10 Brimstones whilst driving from Andover to Basingstoke. Unfortunately nothing settled long enough for a photo. [Posted by Kevin Haggar]
PEACOCK - DELAYED PHOTOGRAPH. At last I have been able to download the photograph of my first UK butterfly sighting at Monks Walk at 1pm in full sunshine 11 degrees Celsius. The cost, one broken leg and a lost four weeks' holiday in Cyprus. Was it worth it? [Posted by Francis Plowman]
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| Photo © Francis Plowman |
First Butterfly of the year at Freshwater.. A Peacock butterfly observed in my garden today ,basking in the sunshine on a paving slab. [Posted by Peter Hunt]
MONKS WALK GOSPORT. GIVE ME A BREAK!. One Peacock only recorded on an hour's wander through the soggy paths and glades from 1pm until 2pm (11 deg C). Then I slipped and broke my left leg! In A&E so photo awaited. Hope it was worth it! [Posted by Francis Plowman]
Comma at Peartree Green LNR. Three butterflies today!
First up was a Comma at Peartree Green LNR
(#3 for '25).
Then there was a Red Admiral enjoying the sunshine in the woods at Freemantle Common.
A just after lunch a Comma visited our front garden. [Posted by Nic Burns]
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| Comma Photo © Nic Burns | Red Admiral Photo © Nic Burns | Comma Photo © Nic Burns |
First peacock in North Baddesley. First peacock of the year on my reserve at North Baddesley today. Sorry no camera. [Posted by kevin ross]
Hummingbird Hawkmoth near Hayling Island. Very bright sunny day today and shopping at Stoke Farm shop which had several racks of flowers outside on display. In particular polyanthus which were attracting a number of honeybees.
However flying round feeding was a Hummingbird Hawkmoth that looked pretty new as wings and body in very good condition. I spoke to the staff who said they often saw them in April but never February and she too had seen this one this morning.
Stoke Farm shop is on the road onto Hayling Island. [Posted by Chris Allison]
First butterfly at last Monday work party of the season. The Monday work party volunteers moved a little way east from MHD to clear the chalk scrape adjoining the Chilcomb road - a known site for the rare Striped Lychnis moth, which is managed under an agreement with HCC - this morning. As the sun emerged and the temperature rose a male Brimstone appeared to inspect the work. A Common Plume moth had been seen earlier. A small rear party at the reserve itself also saw a Brimstone.
This was the last reserve work party of the year in which much has been achieved by the loyal volunteers under the inspiring leadership of our landscape officer, Fiona Scully. Given the uncertainty that has been created by the restructuring at BC, it is impossible to predict whether or not this work will restart next autumn, but let us all hope for a good outcome for the sake of our reserves which mean so much to many of our members. [Posted by Rupert Broadway]
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| Common Plume near Chilcomb Photo © Rupert Broadway |
First sighting in N Baddesley. First sighting of the year today on my reserve at North Baddesley (Red Admiral) Another first for me seeing it nectar on snowdrops. [Posted by kevin ross]
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| Photo © kevin ross |
First local butterfly sighting of the year. A male Brimstone flying in the early afternoon sunshine in Enham Alamein, no photos, but spring's on the way. [Posted by Kevin Haggar]
Red Admiral display at Funtley. 6 Red Admirals seen enjoying the afternoon sunshine by Reg Pink in his Funtley garden. [Posted by Andrew Brookes]
First sightings. My first sightings of the year today at Hilliers in Romsey of 2 Red Admiral and 1 female Brimstone. Also a Red Admiral at Abbotswood. [Posted by kevin ross]
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| Photo © kevin ross |
Another Red Admiral today.. I was out for a couple of hours this morning and half expected to see something fluttering about but it wasn't until I returned home and was halfway up the drive that I spotted the Red Admiral. It kindly settled for a photo on a neighbour's car. [Posted by Nic Burns]
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| Red Admiral Photo © Nic Burns |
Red Admiral - Thornhill. Spotted a Red Admiral on Bursledon Road, Thornhill this morning.
And yesterday I saw what I believe was a Comma at Mansbridge - it flew off low down into the sun. [Posted by Nic Burns]
Portsdown Hairstreaks. I explored new area of Portsdown hill yesterday adjacent Fort Purbrook and pleasingly found three Brown Hairstreak eggs. They were in an area adjacent the golf course where there is a good amount of suckering Blackthorn. You can just see one of the eggs has taken on a slight green tinge from the lichen which happens to some eggs later in the winter when they have been in situ for a few months. [Posted by Mark Tutton]
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| Egg 1 Photo © Mark Tutton | Egg 2 Photo © Mark Tutton |
Red Admiral. Feeding in the garden today. Ward Avenue, Cowes, Isle of Wight. [Posted by Mick Sivell]
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| Red admiral Photo © Mick Sivell |
Hairstreaks at Chalton. One of three Brown Hairstreak eggs that I found on a Blackthorn rich hedge near Chalton south of Petersfield.
I have found eggs here before but the hedge has had some significant ‘pruning’ so I am sure a few will have been lost. I checked Chalton Down itself again, but despite it only being 3/4 mile from where I found these eggs, and having prodigious amounts of suitable Blackthorn, I couldn’t locate a single one in my half hour visit. [Posted by Mark Tutton]
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| Survived the flail Photo © Mark Tutton |
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