Hampshire Butterfly and Moth Field Trip's

All field trips start at 10:00am and led by Ashley Whitlock Tel: 02392 731266
mob: 07752 182340

Please bring a packed lunch

Please take note that from 2026 onwards there is a parking charge in all New Forest Car-Parks

Message from the field trip co-ordinator

Footnote: If the weather looks inclement then please phone the leader of the field trip advertised. I will personally change the date of my field trips if the long range weather suggests the weather is going to be wet and windy, on the Hants Butterfly website page a few days before and also on the Hampshire Butterfly Facebook page also my

website www.purple-emperor.co.uk

Hampshire Butterflies and Moths Field trip programme for 2026

All field trips start at 10:00am and led by Ashley Whitlock

Most of the field trips are on a Wednesday due to road traffic and pressure on site carparks at weekends.

Tel: 02392 731266mob: 07752 182340

Email: ashleyrwhitlock747@gmail.com

Website www.purple-emperor.co.uk

Please bring a packed lunch

**Please take note that from 2026 onwards there is a parking charge in all New Forest Car-Parks**

April 2026

Wednesday 29th April

West Meon – Park Hill

Target Species: Small Tortoiseshell, Holly Blue, Orange Tip

Grid Reference: SU677222

Postcode GU321PF

What.3. words - playroom.solution.treaty

First field trip of the season time to dust off the walking boots and get out into the countryside! Good views of the Meon Valley on top of the hillside and hoping to see the Brown Hare and good raptors like Red Kites and Buzzards.

Wednesday 6th May

Butser Hill - Ramsdean Down

Target Species: Duke of Burgundy, Grizzled Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Emperor Moth

Grid Reference: SU711200

Postcode GU321RX

What.3. words-another. sinkhole. caps

Not for the feint hearted, very steep slopes in places, but well worth the effort, with good Duke of Burgundy colonies and Skippers and moths. Good Raptors and the occasional Cuckoo can be seen flying around the hillsides.

Sunday 10th May

Queen Elizabeth Country Park - Coulters Dean

Target Species: Duke of Burgundy, Green Hairstreak, Small Blue, Grizzled Skipper

Grid Reference: SU734198

Postcode GU315SJ

What.3. words-piper.savings.september

One of the longest walks to get to the site from the carpark but well worth the effort, this site has one of the largest concentrations of Green Hairstreak, and excellent flora and fauna.

Wednesday 13th May

**New Forest – Ramnor Inclosure/Pig Bush Inclosure**

Target Species: Pearl-Bordered Fritillary, Cuckoo, Raft Spider Emperor Moth

Grid Reference:SU314036 Bulmar Lawn car park

Postcode SO427TT

What.3. words-reduction.jackets.traps

A long walk around the New Forest but at a leisurely pace as the Pearl-bordered Fritillary will keep most of us occupied. In the ditches there could be good views of the second largest spider in the UK the Raft Spider. In the distance should be the Cuckoo calling, one of the very few sites now with almost a guarantee of hearing this delightful bird! We shall visit Pig Bush Inclosure in the afternoon to see if we can

get an Emperor Moth!

Wednesday 20th May

Martin Down

Target Species: Marsh Fritillary, Adonis Blue, Emperor Moth, Forester Moth

Grid Reference: SU036200

Postcode SP55RQ

What.3. words- bathtubs.twins.cemented

A look around one of Hampshires prime nature reserves, with plenty of flora and fauna to see. Please keep to the designated footpaths please as there are nesting birds amongst the fields.

June 2026

Wednesday 17th June

**New Forest – Hawkhill Inclosure**

Target Species: Dark Green Fritillary, Silver- Studded Blue, Clouded Buff Moth

Grid Reference: SU349019

Postcode SO427QL

What.3. words- thatched.bridge.fortnight

A look at the some of the prime Heathland habitat in the New Forest with birdlife like Stonechats and Dartford Warbler to be seen or heard and the occasional Cuckoo. Meet in the Hawkhill Inclosure carpark where there is now a charge to park your vehicle.

Wednesday 24th June

West Wood & Pitt Down

Target Species: Dark Green Fritillary, Marbled White, Purple Emperor, Silver Washed Fritillary

Grid Reference:SU419291

Postcode SO212JG

What.3. words-quite.lamps.flagpole

A walk around one of the best sites for the Purple Emperor in Hampshire, with good Dark Green Fritillaries to be seen out on the downland and other flora and fauna

Sunday 28th June

Creech Wood/Forest of Bere

Target Species: Purple Emperor Purple Hairstreak White Admiral

Grid Refence: SU648112

Postcode:PO76UB

What.3. words- spice.specifies.halt

A look around part of the ancient Forest of Bere, which used to stretch from the county of Dorset right up to the outskirts of London in Anglo-Saxon times and is now fragmented into many woodland parts mostly in Hampshire.

July 2026

Wednesday 1st July

West Walk/Forest of Bere

Target Species: Purple Emperor, White Admiral, Purple Hairstreak

**There is a carparking charge**

Grid Reference: SU596124

Postcode PO176LH

What.3. words-mainland.entry.overtones

Another part of the Ancient Forest of Bere with more of a modern feel about it with lots of steep slopes and good views of the Forest on underlating rides. Don’t forget to get a coffee on the way round or when you get back!

Sunday 5th July

Basing Wood

Target Species: Purple Emperor, Purple Hairstreak, White Admiral

**There is a carparking charge**

Grid Reference: SU644548

Postcode RG249PN

What.3. words-useful.shells.slap

A large wood on the outskirts of Basingstoke, with good views of the Purple Emperor in the past.

Wednesday 8th July

Micheldever Wood /Abbotstone Down

Target Species: Purple Emperor, White Admiral, Valesina Silver Washed Fritillary

Grid Reference: SU530362

Postcode SO211PP

What.3. words-thanks.like.twitching

A site which is renown for its flora and fauna, and in the past has been a good site for the Valesina Silver-Washed Fritillary. Abbotstone Down may be visited in the afternoon depending on time factors, good for the Dark Green Fritillary in the past and other meadow butterflies and moths.

Wednesday 15th July

Queen Elizabeth Country Park West Harting Down

Target Species: Purple Emperor, Silver Washed Fritillary, Hummingbird Hawk Moth

Grid Reference: SU739155

Postcode PO80YB

What.3. words- drier.cabbages.prepare

The longest walk on any field trip by far, on a gentle slope going up to the summit of West Harting Down, where the vista shows, Queen Elizabeth Country Park and in the distance the Isle of Wight on a clear day! Excellent flora and fauna have seen good amounts of the Purple Emperor and Silver-Washed Fritillary with the Buddleia bushes on the main ride having a wealth of butterflies and moths to see.

August 2026

Wednesday 5th August

Old Winchester Hill

Target Species: Clouded Yellow, Silver-Spotted Skipper, Adonis Blue

Grid Reference: SU711200

Postcode GU321RX

What.3. words-another. sinkhole. caps

One of the prime sites for chalk downland species particularly the rare Silver-Spotted Skipper, and Adonis Blue. Very steep slopes in places and can be slippery if damp.

Wednesday 12th August

Shipton Bellinger

Target Species: Brown Hairstreak, Magpie Moth, Wall Brown

Grid Reference: SU711200

Postcode GU321RX

What.3. words-another. sinkhole. caps

A favourite with field trippers and has a wealth of invertebrates to see along with good flora, with butterflies like the Brown Hairstreak amongst the Blackthorn hedgerows, and the Magpie Moth. Wall Brown has become quite common in some years so could be a good showing in 2026.

Wednesday 19th August

Noar Hill

Target Species: Brown Hairstreak, Common Blue, Clouded Yellow

Grid Reference: SU711200

Postcode GU321RX

What.3. words-another. sinkhole. caps

Well known for its flora and wealth of birdlife and other flora and fauna. Good views of Brown Hairstreak in good years, with Clouded Yellow in the meadows and set aside.

September 2026

Wednesday 2nd September

Beacon Hill at Exton

Target Species: Clouded Yellow, Silver-Spotted Skipper, Brown Argus

Grid Reference: SU711200

Postcode GU321RX

What.3. words-another. sinkhole. caps

Good views of the Meon Valley with excellent Raptors and flora and fauna. Good numbers of butterfly species with some of the best counts of Brown Argus in the county of Hampshire.

Marsh Fritillary for Dan for Martin Down page.jpg

Adonis Blue Oxenbourne Down May 2024.JPG

2025 Field Trip Highlights

Field Trip Shipton Bellinger August 2025.jpg

Field Trip Broughton Down Aug 2025 2.jpg

Field Trip notes 2025

One does not fail to have a good field trip season with the weather like it’s been in 2025, however several field trips had to be cancelled due to wet weather believe it or not! A Good day at Broxhead Common was marred by the fact the target species the Emperor Moth failed to visit us despite my efforts with a lure. I think we may have been a little early, but we did see a lot of birds in the hedgerows, and in the gorse areas, like Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Stonechat and a Dartford Warbler. A triumph at Portsdown Hill on the 30th April when we managed to see the Wall Brown back at its old haunt, and saw Green Hairstreaks egg laying on Vetches. At Coulters Dean we managed to see the target Species the Duke of Burgundy, where the species has been in very low numbers or absent in the last couple of years. Unfortunately, two of the best field trips were cancelled in the spring due to the weather one at Butser Hill and in the New Forest.

We had several Duke of Burgundies in woodland close to Winchester in West Wood in May but we didnt see the Pearl Bordered Fritillary as its seems to have become extinct in the area.

Thankfully Martin Down is always a triumph and 2025s visit was no exception, when the sun shone after a foggy start there were several target species seen in good numbers. Blues like the Adonis were quite common, and seeing the Forester Moth was very encouraging as they are normally only seen singularly. and the18th May (18) species of butterfly were seen. Into the warm Summer early heat of the day greeted us at Abbotts Wood Inclosure which meant there were good chances to see our quarry the Purple Emperor, and it turned out in good numbers, we had over twenty sightings, pleasing to many of the field trippers who had come a long way to see it. It was one of the hottest days of the year and by mid-day the sun was sapping the energy away from many of us, so we went back to the carpark and after dinner had a look at the Assembly Point close to where we were all parked, a male and female were also noted in a mating rejection and in a ‘tumble down’ of which this year for me has been a record seeing this sort of behaviour. Also, we saw three males all chasing in and around the mighty Conifer trees, a great way to end one of the best field trips of 2025... We also recorded the Emperor in West Walk a female looking at a Sallow for egg laying and several males were seen as well. In Micheldever Wood we were excited to see several Valezina female Silver Washed Fritillaries in the main ride feeding up on Bramble flowers, always a triumph to see this variation of this magnificiant butterfly.

Several other target species were not seen, one of these being the Brown Hairstreak, with the weather being what it was it emerged about three weeks earlier than normal and when the time came to see it the weather had changed to overcast conditions, although this did not detract from the field trip itself its always nice to see such a splendid butterfly, although I did find some of its eggs on Blackthorn and the Magpie Moth put in an appearance. At Broughton Down in August we were witness to Adonis Blues and one of these was an abberation known as ab. Krodeli (absence of spotting to the underside) which got everyone excited. The Silver Spotted Skipper gave us the runaround and so did the Clouded Yellow, but numbers of Silver Spotted Skipper were well down on previous years whether this had to do with its foodplant I’m not sure. It was pleasing to see the lovely Small Copper at many sites, and at one Old Winchester Hill they were quite common to see in amongst the wildflowers around the old Fort area.

We needed the rain and as I write this the last field trip has been cancelled due to rain and wind, but I would like to thank all who have come on the field trips and would love to see you all again in the spring for the 2026 season.

Field trip Broughton Down aug 2025_edite

Screenshot_20250902-213225_Facebook~2.jpg

2024 Field Trip Highlights

Two male Pearl Bordered Fritillaries New Forest May 2024_edited.jpg

Field Trip notes 2024

The field trip programme in 2024 was severely interrupted by the weather with several cancellations and re-scheduling of some as well. The Duke of Burgundy was seen at West Wood and a female was observed laying eggs, and at Butser Hill the species were evident but very low in numbers.

Again, one of the highlights of the season was the New Forest trip to see the Pearl Bordered Fritillary and in the afternoon the Emperor Moth. On Martin Down it was rare to see the sunshine, but once it did shine there were good amounts of butterflies including our target species the Marsh Fritillary with the added bonus of Emperor moths.

Into the summer the weather again played a big part in the season and several target species were well down in number or not seen at all. On Broxhead Common the Silver Studded Blue was seen in good numbers, and the highlight of the field trip was seeing a lovely Emperor Moth caterpillar feeding on Heather.

On other summer field trips the Purple Emperor was seen in good numbers in short bursts of sunshine, at Alice Holt Forest and seen in singletons at West Walk, and Micheldever Wood.

The new member’s day at Magdalen Hill down was a success today despite the weather being very cloudy and drizzly at times. In the morning, we had talks about Gardening for butterflies, Butterfly and Moth recording, Photographing Butterflies and Moths, Introduction to the BC reserves, Volunteering for the branch, and then Butterfly Walks. We then had lunch on the down and then we all split up for a wander around the site. We saw several Adonis Blues many Chalk hill Blues, Brown Argus, Common Blues, Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers, Six Spotted Burnet Moths, Silver Y Moths and an Oak Egger Moth. A very enjoyable day and hope to see some of you on the next set of walks scheduled for this month and September.

Shipton Bellinger was a treat with Brown Hairstreak Wall Brown and Magpie Moth, and of course the other sites like Old Winchester Hill Silver-Spotted Skipper put in and appearance, along with Adonis Blue, but our last trip to Portsdown Hill was marred by cloudy weather , but it was good to see some fresh faces and hope I will see them again in the future.

it was always good to welcome some new field trippers this year and long may it continue…I like to thank all who came on this year’s field trips and hopefully 2025 will be a better year!

Knot Grass Caterpiller Nic Burns_edited.

2023 Field Trip Highlights

2025 Butterfly Field Trips

The weather played a big part in the field trip programme again in the spring and several trips were cancelled, but several went ahead despite the weather being less than adequate. One of these was the first gathering at Broxhead Common, where we managed to see one Emperor Moth, and the weather was no better at Butser a week later where the cloudy conditions made the counting very easy as there wasn’t anything to count. However in the afternoon the sun did come out and it was a totally different day with lots of Duke of Burgundies, and other chalk downland species to see, and with that two Emperor Moths were also seen!

In the New Forest the Pearl Bordered Fritillary was seen in reasonable numbers, with a visit in the afternoon to Pig Bush Inclosure and hey-presto 20 or more Emperor moths visited us! At Coulters Dean there were excellent counts of Green Hairstreaks, and Small Blue amongst the rare Orchids. Into the early summer the sun was now sizzling, and brought out many summer species early including Grayling, Silver-Studded Blue and the Purple Emperor, which was seen at West Wood and Alice Holt Forest, and a new site for many at Micheldever woods, where Assembly Points became the centre of attention. One of the highlights for me was seeing two aberration Silver-Washed Fritillaries on one field trip, at Alice Holt Forest. The 'Valezina' which was a very fresh specimen, and a very rare 'Ocellata', which got everybody's attention, this is what field trips are all about everybody seeing something new and unusual.

A good turnout at West Harting Down saw several female Purple Emperors which were searching good areas of Sallow to lay their eggs. Unfortunately the weather turned again and the summer became quite damp, but the later target species like Brown Hairstreak still appeared at Shipton Bellinger in good numbers along with Wall Brown, this site is a very popular field trip, and I always look forward to it, as it a site where being flat makes the trip a bit more enjoyable, looking for that elusive Brown Hairstreak. Unfortunately we haven’t seen the Magpie Moth for several years now which is quite worrying.

The weather at the end of August turned back to summer and the beginning of September it was clear blue skies and was very hot. The last of the walks were done with plenty of water to hand and the butterflies were flying in a frenzied manner especially the Silver Spotted Skippers which I love to see. Several females on Old Winchester Hill were observed laying eggs and also mating. The site has now managed to save the Adonis Blue from disappearing from the Meon Valley, and can be found now at several other sites like Butser Hill, Oxenbourne Down, but it seems to be reluctant to breed on Beacon Hill, maybe the grazing regime can reverse this trend.

I would like to thank all who made the effort to come and join me on my walks and look forward to seeing some of you again in 2024.

Ashley Whitlock Hampshire Field Trips Organiser

Photographs of field trips in 2023 by Donald Simcox

2022 Field Trip Highlights

Photo: Bryn Jones

2022 had a full programme of walks starting in late April in the New Forest with a look at the Emperor Moth where we saw several fresh males on the heathland. Into May and the Duke of Burgundy was seen at two sites visited in one day, Beacon Hill and Stephens Castle Down, we also saw another (14) species of butterfly. One of the best spring field trips was at West Wood looking for the woodland Duke of Burgundy and a count of (25) were seen in the small clearing where they breed on Primrose. Stockbridge Down turned out to be sublime, with another impressive amount of species counted (19). Cool overcast weather greeted us at Martin Down in the last week of May but we managed to see our quarry the Marsh Fritillary and Adonis Blue.

The summer field trip programme started in Bentley Wood, but we were unfortunate not to see our target species, the Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary and the Argent and Sable Moth, however later in the month the Silver-Studded Blue impressed at Broxhead Common. The biggest prize in the field trip calendar, the Purple Emperor turned in a good performance at West Wood with up to (8) individuals being seen, along with Silver Washed Fritillaries, White Admirals, and Scarlet Tiger Moths. In the afternoon we were entertained by good counts of Dark Green Fritillaries skimming over the tall grasses at Pitt Down. Now we were into a long hot summer and we all sweltered at Pamber Forest although not seeing our quarry, the Purple Emperor. Although hot at Creech Wood we were luckier and saw the Purple Emperor at one of the Assembly Points.

West Harting Down is a walk not for the faint hearted, but the view and the species count is well worth the effort, we had a good count of Purple Emperor for once, with two on the ground, and other species making it an impressive (20) species in total. Several field trips had to be rearranged as the heatwave broke due to low pressure systems. However at Shipton Bellinger, the Brown Hairstreak and Wall Brown were counted in good numbers and at Broughton Down the Silver-Spotted Skipper was whizzing about keeping everybody happy. Butser Hill NNR turned out to be a triumph as the site was covered in a veil of cloud at 10:30 but as the morning wore on the sun came out as the mist lifted, and the butterflies were flying in droves, including in the list were Silver Spotted Skippers, Clouded Yellows and Adonis Blues.

2022 was a successful year and I would like to thank all of you who came and hope you will join me again in 2023, my 10th anniversary year of arranging field trips.

Ashley Whitlock Hampshire Field Trip Organiser

2021 Field Trip Highlights

Abbotts Wood Inclosure Field Trip July 2021

Another season of field trips, several of which had to be cancelled due to the inclement weather we have encountered in 2021.

We started in the New Forest in April looking for the Emperor Moth, this was during the period when only 6 people could meet outside due to Covid. We were successful in attracting one fresh male with my ‘lure’. In early May the Duke of Burgundy's were beginning to emerge in reasonable numbers on the slopes of Butser Hill and later in the month the rearranged Bentley Wood and Martin Down trips turned out to be rescheduled luckily for the better weather.

At Bentley Wood Pearl-Bordered Fritillaries were past their best and we didn’t see the Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary as to was too early, but the Martin Down trip on the last day of May was a triumph, seeing the Duke of Burgundy at this site for the first time and also plenty of Marsh Fritillaries and Adonis Blues plus other flora and fauna.

In mid-June Dark Green Fritillaries adorned Abbotstone Down which also appears to be one of the best sites for the Green Hairstreak. However due to the wet weather several summer walks were rearranged but this turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the Purple Emperor was late to emerge in 2021!

In July we had two Purple Emperor field trips to Alice Holt Forest and West Wood in the space of three days and saw an extraordinary (24) Purple Emperors, and also another male of this impressive species was seen at West Harting Down the following week. In addition the beautiful Silver-washed Fritillary Valezina was seen in Crab Wood on the West Wood field trip.

August was no better weather wise but we managed to get in one of the best Field Trips at Shipton Bellinger where all the target species were seen. The Brown Hairstreak was noted about a dozen times despite the weather being cloudy with short periods of sunshine, and the elusive Wall Brown was encountered at least three times, along with good counts of Magpie Moths.

The New Forest at Beaulieu Heath produced the Grayling and in September the Adonis Blue and the lovely Silver-Spotted Skipper were seen in reasonable numbers at old Winchester Hill and Beacon Hill.

I would like to thank all those who joined me in 2021 and hope to see you all in 2022.

Ashley Whitlock

Field Trip Co-ordinator