A dozen of us met in the Dorset Council Hillfield car park to walk to the northwest facing slopes known as Telegraph Hill on a search for the Duke of Burgundy butterfly.We knew it was getting late in the season for this species and we also knew it would be a challenging walk due to the very steep gradient. There were plenty of Dingy Skippers and a few of each of many other species (including Green Hairstreaks) but it was only when a small group of intrepid folk climbed almost to the top that the only Duke of the afternoon was found – a very fine individual photographed by Don Simcock.
We are very grateful to the landowners for permission to explore this wonderful site.
Another very interesting (but perhaps less sought after) species seen near the public car park was the Grass Rivulet moth whose larvae feed on Yellow Rattle and whose numbers have plummeted in recent years – as traditional hay meadows have been destroyed.

Grass Rivulet moth. Photo: Donald Simcock
We hope that as landowners try to make up for this loss by re-establishing wildflower meadows, Yellow Rattle and this beautiful little moth will be seen more widely again.
This amazing crop of Yellow Rattle is in a field that has undergone arable reversion in recent years –

Yellow Rattle. Photo: Nigel Spring
Editor’s Note: My thanks to Nigel Spring, the walk leader for sending in this article.
interesting article