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Guide to this top Dorset butterfly site, including: location, description, species of interest and photo gallery.
A nice view of a freshly emerged Chalkhill Blue showing upper and under wings. Taken at Melbury Down 10/07/2017.
What a lovely touch of eveing sunshine on this Dark Green Fritillary. Taken by John Woodruff on 05/07/2017 on Melbury Down.
Green Hairstreak. Photo: Dave Law
Orange Tip. Photo: Dave Law
Dave took both these shots at Melbury Down on 07/04/2017. He reports that there were two Green Hairstreaks, both holding a territory. The Green Hairstreak is the only green butterfly in Britain, so you cannot mistake it, but it’s not around for very long.
Dark Green Fritillary (female). Photo: Dave Law
This almost immaculate female Dark Green Fritillary was found at Melbury Down by Dave Law. He believes and we agree with him that the butterfly had only just emerged hours before. Dave adds that after sunning itself for a few moments, it flew off very clumsily before being chased by several males, disappearing shortly after. Photo taken on 13/07/2016.
The butterfly monitoring walk on Melbury Down on 26 July was 340 butterflies in one hour. Lawrie de Whalley says: “Dark Green Fritillary at 31 is always exciting to see, Marbled Whites at 65 were busy nectaring on Field Scabious and Knapweed [as in the photo, though this was not taken here]. Small Heath atRead more…
We have had two reports recently of Glanville Fritillaries in North Dorset!
Dave Law went looking for some Marsh Fritillary nests – and found them!