Hutchinsons Bank and Vale End

Hutchinsons Bank Transect provided a good count.

A Clouded Yellow was seen in the first section.

Along The Cutting the Chalkhill Blues have started to emerge in the scrapes, a pair was seen as well as some spare males. A Second Brood Dingy Skipper was also on the path.

Silver Washed Fritillaries were also seen on the buddleias.

The Vale End walk was well attended with about 40 people.

A deformed female gatekeeper was seen, with Red Mites as well as a damaged right side forewing, it looks like the pupa was damaged on the wing cases as a mark is on both sides and a hole.

Chalkhill Blues were abundant on the chalk slopes, a female Dark Green Fritillary flew past, this year we didnt see Silver Spotted Skipper or Clouded Yellow.

The Walk ended with good sightings of a Surrey Red Kite, and the usual tea and cakes.

Recent walks

Due to a camera fault havn't updated this for a while now.

Headley Heath.
A walk around this varied site, produced my first Silver Spotted Skippers for the year.

Ashtead Common.
A Purple Emperor settled on the ground for a few minutes, in the afternoon, as it was dull conditions earlier in the day.

Hutchinsons Bank Open Day.
A few visitors attended our open day, next year it might be earlier in the year during peak butterfly time. [late may/early june]

Eastbourne
A wet day so my planned visit to Beachy Head had to wait until 2pm, and a quick walk back to Eastbourne Station for my 4.30pm bus back home.

Reigate and Colley Hills
Holly Blue and Essex Skippers were plentiful on this walk on the ridge of the North Downs.

Glanvilles

Plenty of Glanville Fritillary flying today at Hutchinsons Bank, 30+ at least. here are a couple of butterflies male [bottom] and Female [top]
If there is good weather over the weekend there should be lots about hopefully for the two walks on the site.

Surrey's Glanvilles on the Wing

Our colony of Glanville Fritillaries are flying at Hutchinsons Bank for the next few weeks, they started to hatch exactly the same weekend as on the Isle of Wight. At the moment Hutchinsons Bank is the only colony of this rare butterfly on the UK mainland.

Duke of Burgundy Noar Hill

Jenny and I made a dash to Noar Hill Selbourne to see the Duke of Burgundy. I havn't visited the site for many years, the last trip it was closed due to Foot & Mouth Outbreak. It was dull and quite cold when we arrived. No butterflies were seen, but a Early Purple Orchid was in full flower.

After a break for Lunch the sum came out for an hour, and within a few minutes we found our first male Duke.

Later a darker male flew past up the face of the hollow and i found it just over the top settled on a Cowslip flower.

In another hollow i managed to find a Dingy Skipper.

It was good to see the Dukes in good numbers on a dull cold day, in the warm sunshine they would have been around in numbers.

Glanville Larvae on the March

Today at Hutchinsons Bank, several Glanville Fritillary larvae were marching across the bare ground, looking for pupation sites. In 3 or 4 weeks the butterflies should be around.

Wisley Butterflies in The Greenhouse.

Butterflies in the Greenhouse. Butterfly Conservation Surrey and South West London Branch, are manning a stall this week, with a few samples of British Butterflies and Moths.
Here are a few of the tropical butterflies seen there today.