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I attach some photos from my archive taken in 2006 in Norfolk and the Isle of Wight. The small pearl-bordered fritillary and pearl-bordered fritillary have been absent form the Isle of Wight for several years now, sadly.

Ian Pratt wrote: ↑Thu Jun 03, 2021 9:06 pm I attach some photos from my archive taken in 2006 in Norfolk and the Isle of Wight. The small pearl-bordered fritillary and pearl-bordered fritillary have been absent form the Isle of Wight for several years now, sadly.

I share your nostalgia Ian. I saw my first ever Pearl-bordered and Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries on the Isle of Wight way back in the late 1980s at Parkhurst Forest. They flew at a couple of other locations on the Isle back then also, as did the Duke of Burgundy, which I believe has also disappeared from the Isle of Wight. Very sad that these species have been lost from their former haunts - I wonder what the ultimate cause was; insufficient habitat management / fragmentation, genetic isolation, climate change? The IOW was for many years a favourite late spring/summer destination of mine, great for chalk downland species in particular. I recall clouds of Chalkhill Blues on the downs at Ventnor, Brading and Brook in the late 1980s and early 1990s, along with Adonis, Small Blue, and other delights...great memories!

Whilst I loved your images, Ian, I couldn't help but feel sad for the loss of those Fritillaries on the island, something that has been repeated regularly elsewhere although lately action has been taken to reverse that (much of it down to the venerable Mr Hulme).

There is a desire to try to reintroduce the three species that have disappeared. It is largely down to habitat management. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Whilst it would be great to reintroduce these species it would also be great if they could do something to protect and bolster the populations from where they're still extant but only just such as in Bentley Wood

Have a goodun and stay safe

Wurzel