Author Archives: Admin

Branch Stall publicity triumph

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The Dorset Branch education stall has recently spent four days at Moors Valley Country Park, for their ‘Butterfly, Moth and Minibeast Festival”.

More than 1200 people attended, mostly families. The star attractions were living examples including Orange Tip eggs, caterpillars and chrysalis. December moth caterpillars, all hairy and camouflaged against hawthorn twigs, were admired. Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars, chrysalis and an emerging adult came from Moors Valley. A selection of moths were on show, all described by the 10 expert volunteers.

The Buttterfly Conservation’s national Munching Caterpillars initiative also joined us, with Catherine Mason keeping young people busy potting plants to take home.

On the next weekend Winterborne Whitechurch Farm Open Day saw the stall have another 200 plus visitors looking at Poplar Hawk moths and their caterpillars, plus red, white and black Knot Grass caterpillars.

Knot Grass Caterpillar

Knot Grass Caterpillar. Photo: Lyn Pullen

Most amazing was an Orange tip caterpillar changing into a chrysalis as we watched. Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars were also making this wonderful change.

This farm has been surveyed by Butterfly Conservation volunteers and has 31 species of butterfly on its ‘managed for conservation’ areas. Eighty moths have also been seen on the farm, and our display included Privet Hawk Moth, Lobster Moth and the stunning Green silver lines. Our picture displays showed the link between food production and conservation.

You too can volunteer for stall help, it is wonderful to look up and see 4 pairs of eyes riveted on you!

Contact Bridget via our Contact Form.

New record for Weymouth Relief Road

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Dingy Skippers have been recorded for the first time on the wildflower banks lining the bridle path of the Weymouth Relief Road. This was an exciting discovery for the guided walk on 17 May. Common Blue was seen in abundance and at least 3 separate colonies of Small Blue.

Dingy skipper on kidney vetch

Dingy skipper on kidney vetch. Photo: Allan Neilson

The branch has been monitoring this site since its creation in 2011. The cutting is now a delight with horseshoe vetch in full bloom creating a carpet of golden yellow. There has been a year-on-year increase of butterfly species seen. Who knows? – maybe the next will be the Chalkhill Blue.

If you would like to help with our survey please just walk the bridle path from the Ridgeway down to the Bincombe turning. We are also recording the banks alongside both of the lay-bys. Please let Georgie Laing know you would like to help so she can send you a recording form, using our Contact Form.

To get to the main walk along the bridleway, park at the truncated end of the Broadmayne road. The bridleway goes along the side of the hill. Map: SY674859

Alners Gorse walk 12 April

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Guided walk at Alners Gorse

Guided walk at Alners Gorse. Photo: Brian Arnold

Brian Arnold reports:

I went on the guided walk at Alners Gorse and Rooksmoor with Nigel Spring today. It was most informative and an enjoyable day.

We did not have the best of weather, so only a few butterflies in their adult form were seen: Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Speckled Wood. It was a good reminder, though, that butterflies take other forms, and we found both Brown Hairstreak eggs and Marsh Fritillary caterpillars.

Brian’s photo of a Marsh Fritillary caterpillar can be seen on our Gallery page.

Urgent: Please look for butterflies at Maiden Castle (near Dorchester)

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The records we have received since 2010 suggest several butterfly species known to have been present at Maiden Castle previously have disappeared. We hope it is a lack of recording rather than a lack of butterflies, but we urgently need you to go there and tell us what butterflies you see. The species not recorded recently are:

  • Grizzled Skipper (out in Dorset now – April)
  • Green Hairstreak (out in Dorset now – April)
  • Brimstone (a common butterfly seen throughout the year – it is most odd that no records have been received for this very easily identified species).
  • Small Blue (usually out in May/June)
  • Brown Argus. This was last recorded with just a single sighting in the 2005-09 period. (May be seen at times between May and September).
  • Chalkhill Blue. This was also last recorded with just a single sighting in the 2005-09 period. (Usually out July-Aug-Sep).
  • Dark Green Fritillary (normally on the wing late June thorough to August)
  • Marsh Fritillary (late May-June-early July)

The total number of species at Maiden Castle previously compared to now are:

  • The area covered by map ref SY 66/88: 30 down to 23 species
  • The area covered by map ref SY 67/88: 26 down to 20.

We record butterflies in five-year cycles, so we are comparing the four years of the current cycle (2010-2015) with the 1995-2009 records. The need for records in 2015 is urgent because we are in the last year of the recording cycle.

One bit of good news is that Adonis Blue and Dingy Skipper both seem to be OK.

When you send any records in, if you looked for any particular species but were unable to find them at the right time and in good weather, please add a note – we need to know you have looked.

The map grid reference for the area is SY 6688 and SY 6788.

Astonishing number of March Butterflies

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We’ve just done the maths and are astonished at how many butterflies have been reported to us in March:

  • Number of records received = 244 (a record is a report of butterflies at one time in one place)
  • Number of butterflies = 712

This compares to 2013 figures of 17 records containing 20 butterflies.

The 712 butterflies were:

  • Brimstone 233
  • Comma 40
  • Holly Blue 2
  • Painted Lady 1
  • Peacock 96
  • Red Admiral 8
  • Small Copper 1
  • Small Tortoiseshells 309
  • Small White 12
  • Speckled Wood 10

Remember – if you want to keep up with which species are out, we have a First Sightings page.

Please keep the records coming in: we would like to report a huge number in April as well.

Small Tortoiseshell egg laying in mid March

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It seems reports that Small Tortoiseshells were exhibiting courtship behaviour in late February and early March were correct: Andrew Cooper has now photographed one laying eggs on 15 March at Pamphill.

Small Tortoiseshell laying eggs

Small Tortoiseshell laying eggs. Photo: Andrew Cooper

Small Tortoiseshell eggs on the underside of a nettle leaf

Small Tortoiseshell eggs on the underside of a nettle leaf. Photo: Andrew Cooper

This is a month earlier than we would normally expect, which is presumably a reflection of the mild winter and the good weather we are having now. Let’s hope this means we are going to see lots of this butterfly later in the year!

The search for the White-letter Hairstreak

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White-letter Hairstreaks have been very under-recorded in the current five-year recording cycle, and as 2014 is the last year of it, we need to go looking for them this summer.

Google Earth map

Google Earth map

The red markers on the map above show the seven records which have been received since 2010. The yellow markers show those gathered between 1995 and 2009, during which time the White-letter Hairstreak was recorded in 47 locations. We do not think the butterfly has declined this drastically, but that there has been a lack of recording. Click here for a spreadsheet listing all the squares involved. To see much more detail, open this link to Google Earth (you will need to have the free Google Earth software on your computer for this to work) which allows you to zoom right in to understand the position of the relevant kilometre squares.

White-letter Hairsteaks breed on elm trees, and were very badly hit in the 1960s and 1970s when Dutch elm disease wiped out two-thirds of the country’s elm trees. They prefer wych elm, but may also use English elm and smooth elm.

They are not easy butterflies to spot, and it has been suggested that the problem is that recorders are searching at the wrong time. The best time to look is the last week of June and first week of July on, or very near, elm trees, when the males will be flying around in the tops of the trees. There cannot be any confusion with the Purple Hairstreak as, although that butterfly flies in a similar fashion, it is not out this early in the year. In July you may find the butterflies lower down, nectaring on flowers such as creeping thistle, bramble, ragwort, marjoram and hemp agrimony.

White-letter Hairstreak

White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Rob

White-letter Hairstreak

White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Mark Pike

White-letter Hairstreak

White-letter Hairstreak. Photo: Mark Pike

You might actually have more luck spotting the caterpillar. When it is at its biggest in June, it is 15-16mm long, and though it is very well camouflaged, it is sometimes posible to stand under the tree and look up when the sun is shining on the leaves and see the dark shape of the caterpillar in silhouette. You may also be able to spot where the leaves have been damaged by the caterpillars eating them, but there are also around five species of moth caterpillar which may be doing this – however, it might at least help you to narrow down where to look more carefully.

If you do find any White-letter Hairstreaks, please let us know. You can use the sightings form on this website, or tell us what you have seen via our Contact Form, and we’ll get back to you. If you can send us a photograph, that would be even better.

Small Tortoiseshells courting in February?

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We have had two reports of pairs of Small Tortoiseshells showing what may be mating behaviour amazingly early in the year.

Mike Ridge described two as “pairing” on 24 February in Lyme Regis, while Mark Spencer reported he saw:

2 Small Tortoiseshells today [28 Feb] courting each other high up in the sun at 12.15 p.m. in a garden half way up Glenferness Avenue in Bournemouth

Lyn Pullen also saw two showing interest in each other on 9 March.

Tortoiseshells

Tortoiseshells. Photo: Lyn Pullen

Dorset Branch Records Officer, Bill Shreeves said:

Small Tortoiseshells don’t usually mate until late in the afternoon. Once the male has found a possible mate he has to follow her all day through thick and thin in order to mate, but it may be if it is cold the process can be speeded up. Small Tortoiseshells flying high might be males jousting with each other rather than courtship.

Whatever they were doing, let’s hope we see lots of them this year!

Ponies move to Lankham

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Our four Dartmoor ponies have gone on their winter holiday to our Butterfly Reserve at Lankham Bottom, where the ground is less muddy and where there is more grass and a change of scenery!

Dartmoor ponies

Dartmoor ponies

This is the first time they have been moved since their arrival at Alners Gorse in November 2012, and despite our anxieties, the loading up and journey went very smoothly with a minimum of bickering between them.

The corral and gate system at Alners Gorse proved itself to be very workable. The four immediately made themselves at home, running the entire perimeter of the reserve then across the middle, obviously carrying out a quick assessment of their new quarters.

We are having to replace some of the fencing along the southern and western borders of the reserve as it is barely stock-proof and a team of nine branch volunteers spent a bright sunny day on February 16th clearing the gorse and bramble from the old fence and getting it ready for the contractor to start the job. A Peacock butterfly flew past, tempted out of its slumbers by the warmth of the day.

Fencing

Fenceline clearance

The new fence has been now been installed by local contractor David Wareham and completed in record time with the help of local BC volunteers and members of the EuCAN CIC Cerne Valley group (see http://www.eucan.org.uk )

Completed fence

Completed fence

We are very grateful to Wessex Water for agreeing to fund the new fencing.

The ponies are checked daily by our team of pony ‘lookers’ – if you would like to be involved, please contact Kathy Henderson on 01963 23559.