Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2011 | Page 89

COUNTRY LIFE

Scarce Chaser

Buff Tip moth

Insect
extravaganza
As we move into high summer in the
countryside, the fields and woods are
all abuzz and aflutter, it is the season
for insects. This summer is shaping
up to be the best for many years and
not just because the spring has been
sunny. A cold dry winter allows lots of
insects, over wintering as caterpillars
and pupae, to avoid the fatal effects
of moulds and fungi, so common in
damp mild years. When such a winter
is followed by the dry, warm spring we
have had, things are ideal, an insect
extravaganza is on the cards.
Although lots of insects fly well and
can turn up almost anywhere, most
have particular needs when it comes
to breeding. Most butterfly and moth
species will only lay their eggs on a few
species of plants, sometimes only one
and it is only this that the caterpillars
will eat. Many, many other insects are

similarly fussy, so for a wide range of
insects you need a varied countryside.
Although most can fly some cannot
fly far so they easily end up living in
little “islands” of habitat, what they
really need is lots of variety and places
that link up. Those of you with long
memories might recall the need to
stop on long summer car journeys
to clean insects off the windscreen,
not something that happens now. It
seems the countryside is not as abuzz
as it once was; there really were more
butterflies on those childhood picnics
than we see today.
The number and variety of nature
reserves managed by Hampshire &
Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust mean
that if you really want to experience
Humming Hampshire or an Island
Insectfest, there is bound to be a
site nearby that will offer something

of interest. A nature reserve like
Ningwood Common is especially good
as it has a wide range of habitats, with
still water, grassland and woodland. It
is a brilliant place to see dragonflies
and damselflies, these breed in the
water but love to spend the day in
sheltered sunny spots along the paths
through the trees. In fact finding a
good sheltered sunny spot and just
standing for a bit to see what flies
in, is one of the best ways to see
insects and especially to photograph
them. Another Wildlife Trust reserve,
Arreton Down has been recently
acclaimed as the best site for chalkhill
blue butterflies in the Hampshire and
the Island with over 6,000 being seen
on one sunny afternoon in July last
year.
Our gardens can be excellent
for insects; flowers attract feeding
www.visitislandlife.com

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