Grayling and Chalkhill Blues at Windover Hill

Grayling, Hipparchia semele

To  view  a  Slideshow,  click  here  then  choose  Fullscreen  (top  right)

After taking Aunt Bea back to Eastbourne I visited Windover Hill for the Grayling. These butterflies are only seen with wings closed, normally on paths on chalk downland.

It was a cool day with sun bursts occasionally. Chalkhill Blues were everywhere, mostly males, I must have seen hundreds.

male Chalkhill Blue

female Chalkhill Blue, Lysandra coridon

female Chalkhill Blue

There were dozens of Gatekeepers on the brambles and prunus bushes, many Marble Whites and Meadow Browns, some Small Skippers, Large Whites, Small Coppers, Small Blues, Small Heaths and the final prize, a Grayling (top)

female Meadow Brown, Maniola jurtina

Large White, Pieris brassicae

Small Skipper, Thymelicus sylvestris

Yellow Pearl, Mecyna flavalis

There were many small yellow moths called Mecyna flavalis which are scarce and confined to chalk downland.

Six-spot Burnet, Zygaena filipendulae

Six Spot Burnets were everywhere

Six-spot Burnets mating, Zygaena filipendulae

this pair were resting on an old pupa

A pair of kestrels patrolled the valley and swooped down near the prunus bushes.

There were many grasshopers