Hampshire Butterfly Species - Introduction
There are 46 species of butterfly which can be found in Hampshire every year, comprising 45 resident species and 1 which is considered a regular migrant (Clouded Yellow). The links on the left allow you to navigate to each of them, arranged by family or group. In order to assist the observer, there is an image or sequence of images of each species to aid identification, information about the flight period, habitat descriptions, tips for observation and examples of specific Hampshire sites where they can be found. Occasionally notable sites in neighbouring counties or the Isle of Wight are also mentioned. Where possible, I have tried also to include a few additional 'snippets' of interesting information about several of the species. Take the Pearl-bordered Fritillary for example, which is shown in slide 1 of the slideshow below.
Slideshow showing 10 of Hampshire's Butterfly Species
The Pearl-bordered Fritillary is a true woodland butterfly and the earliest of our fritillary species to emerge in spring. Their preferred habitat is recently felled clearings in woodlands and forests, where flowers have grown in profusion amongst the leaf litter, including violets on which the larva feed. Their gliding flight is often intricate and close to the ground, as they search for their favourite nectar sources, such as the purple flowers of bugle.
When feeding, occasionally in company with each other, they are a photographers nightmare, constantly manoeuvring around the flower heads opening and closing their wings as they go - behaviour which is shown in a short video clip I recorded in a New Forest clearing in 2007 (click here for the page). Thankfully they also like to bask motionless in the weak spring sunshine, with open wings, as in the photo.
Sadly, the Pearl-bordered Fritillary is declining in
The looming crisis for this species and several other woodland butterflies is fully recognised by Butterfly Conservation, which has launched an initiative called the South East Woodlands Project, appropriately targeted to one of the
The project will also benefit from a significant Heritage Lottery Fund grant - the prospect of Pearl-bordered Fritillaries gracing more of our woodlands and forests during springtime, and in greater numbers, seems a worthy cause to me for a little “flutter” on the lottery, if you’ll pardon the pun!