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 Latest update:
27 December 2008

Wildlife News from Southampton Old Cemetery

DEER in the Cemetery

On the Flower and Butterfly walk on 29 July 2007 we were privileged to see a  Beautiful Yellow Underwing  moth feeding on Bell Heather in Plot 32.  Andy Barker of Butterfly Conservation, who was co-leader of the walk, says: -
 
"I've checked with Tim Norriss (County Moth Recorder) and Phil Budd, and it seems that the only other record from the Southampton area for Beautiful Yellow Underwing is from Netley Common, a few years ago. So our observation from yesterday is a really good sighting."

It would seem nobody got a photo of it before it flew away but you can see what it looks like at http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?bf=2142  

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From: John Vetterlein 30-Jul-2007

Despite the atrocious weather this summer there have been a few exciting butterfly sightings in July.  On 6 July a single Small Tortoiseshell was seen in Plot 11 adjacent to the Hebrew section.  While not a rare species nationally, they had a catastrophic year in 2005 and 2006 was little better.  None had been recorded in the cemetery in both years, so the single sighting, feeding on Ragwort, was a welcome sight and hopefully a sign of their recovery.

On 13 July 2007 a small colony of Purple Hairstreaks were detected in the large Ash tree in Plot 30 by the gates at the north end of the Yew tree path.  This species is normally found fluttering in the tops of large Oaks where they feed off honeydew on the leaves.  It would seem that with all the rain we have been having the honeydew is being washed away and the butterflies have adopted an alternative strategy of feeding on the honeydew on lower leaves and buds of Ash trees.  This presents an ideal opportunity to see then close up as you normally need binoculars to view them in the treetops.  As of today, 28 July, a few individuals could still be seen in this tree if you were very patient and observant.

Then on 14 July 2007 a male Silver-studded Blue was recorded on and near the Bell Heather adjacent to the Yew tree path in Plot 32.  This was a truly exceptional sighting; there have been only 2 or 3 sightings of this species in Southampton in over 10 years.  This species is in serious decline and has a “High Priority” status at Butterfly Conservation.  There are several colonies still left in the New Forest, but as the adults rarely move more than 200 metres from the colony it’s a bit of a mystery as to where this individual came from.