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ALDERNEY BUTTERFLIES Of all the world's creatures (and this is quite a claim), butterflies must be among the favourites. Beautiful, elegant and so delicate that we want to take care of them, butterflies enjoy an entirely positive reputation. When we see one, we're not irritated but charmed. They don't buzz around threateningly like certain other flying insects and if one should land on our hand or knee, our natural reaction is to sit very still, with a sort of awed admiration, honoured that we have been chosen. Is Alderney a great place to see these creatures? According to Roland Gauvain of the Alderney Wildlife Trust, who, along with entomologist David Wedd, helped us enormously with this issue, it is probably more appropriate to say, 'Alderney is a good place to see a wide variety of them in a short period of time.' There are currently 30 species recorded in the island, some in huge numbers. The species we have chosen to feature are these: Glanville Fritillary Melitaea cinxia In the British Isles this butterfly is restricted to landslips on the south coast of the Isle of Wight, and the Channel Islands, where it is found in Guernsey and Herm and is particularly common in Alderney. Here it appears all around the coastline, with the black caterpillars, which feed on plantain, being easily found in the spring. Despite its present abundance, however, this is a vulnerable species: it recently disappeared from Jersey. Painted Lady Vanessa cardui This famous long-distance migrant has a worldwide distribution. In Europe it spreads north each year from the desert fringes of North Africa and the Middle East, sometimes even reaching Iceland. It visits Alderney every year, but in 2006 many thousands arrived and bred, and the spiky caterpillars could be found on almost every thistle plant in the island. Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria This is a common butterfly throughout most of Europe, producing several broods in the year between April and October. The northern form, which occurs in the UK, is brown with pale yellow or cream spots. Further south, and into Africa, these spots become increasingly orange. In Alderney the spring brood is similar to the southern form, whereas the autumn butterflies are more like those in the UK. In England, as its name implies, this is mainly a woodland species, whereas in Alderney it can be found almost everywhere, including sea cliffs and heather moorland. Grayling Hipparchia semele The Grayling inhabits heathland, dunes and coastal cliffs and in Alderney it is most common in the Giffoine, the southern cliffs and the Houmet Herbe area. The adults, which are on the wing from June to September, are often seen feeding from flowers, such as heather. When the grayling settles it closes its wings and tilts them so as to minimise the shadow it casts. It also tucks the orange forewings down behind the drab hindwings so that when it lands it seems to vanish. Common Blue Polyommatus icarus This is the most widespread 'blue' butterfly in Britain and Ireland, where it is found in almost every grassy habitat. Whereas the wings of the male are consistently bright blue, the female varies between brown and purple, with many gradual geographical variations. In the Channel Islands almost all the females are of a particularly bright bluish purple. It is Alderney's most common butterfly. Green Hairstreak Callophrys rubi This evocatively named butterfly occurs throughout most of the British Isles, where it flies on scrubby hillsides or in warm, sheltered valley bottoms. In Alderney it can be found in most areas where gorse grows, the main larval food plant, but it is an elusive species, as the bright green underside makes it almost invisible when at rest on leaves. It is especially common near Fort Tourgis and in Mannez Quarry. 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