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 UK, having already been lost from many eastern areas of the country. In Hampshire, its strongholds are now reduced to parts of the New Forest and one other wood in the west of the county. The main reason for these declines is loss of suitable habitat, as a result of neglect, or lack of sympathetic management of many of our woodlands.

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 UK’s most heavily wooded regions. The project is also supported by Forest Enterprise and aims to foster a restoration of proper, sustainable woodland management practices, and in so doing demonstrate how wildlife, including butterflies, will benefit, and how our woodlands will become so much more enjoyable as places to visit.

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!