Country life
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Photo: Chalk Hill Blue by Micky Pape
Play the Summer Blues
at Arreton Down
By Caroline Meech, Hampshire
& Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
Arreton Down in the summer is one of the most glorious places to be.
Dazzling clouds of blue butterflies, the high-pitched song of the great green
bush cricket, wonderful wild flowers and magnificent views across the Island
make this is a perfect spot on a summer’s day. Here’s the Wildlife Trust’s
guide to this Island treasure.
A magnificent south-facing grassland, Arreton
Down boasts birds, bugs and breath-taking views
over the Eastern Yar Valley. This sun-drenched chalk
downland is a great place to enjoy some of our
prettiest butterflies.
Among our butterflies, one group best sums
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up the hot days of high summer, the blues, and
Arreton Down has them in abundance. The familiar
common blue, the large powder-blue chalkhill and
the dazzlingly azure Adonis blue butterflies can be
seen on the wing together, and in the best years, the
numbers can be staggering.