10-08-2025
Small White (3)
Green-veined White (1)
Small Copper (1)
Common Blue (3)
Chalkhill Blue (5)
Wall Brown (1)
Meadow Brown (18)
Small Heath (10)
13.45 - 14.15. A first visit to this hillside. According to the SSSI citation sheet "the site was formerly a well known locality for unusual varieties of the chalkhill blue butterfly". On arrival, the presence of the word "formerly" started worrying me. Although it is on the slopes of a hill, and on chalk, the presence of ChBs seemed rather unlikely, with barely any nectar sources, and rather lengthy dense grass. It looks like cattle have just been moved on, and some sheep brought in. But I persevered, and eventually teased out its secrets, finding a few butterflies, including some ChBs. It seems such an "ordinary" hillside, that seeing ChBs there gives you hope that they may present on some of the many similar slopes around, thinly spread throughout the area.
Simon Crampin