Wildflowers and Insects on Noar Hill, Selborne. (Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust)

Leader: Andy Swan (HNHS member)

12 members met with leader, Andy Swan, for a morning foray onto Noar Hill on the hottest day of the year so far. A large number of Musk Orchids were soon located, growing in several widely dispersed clusters: it was thought that it seems to be increasing here, thanks to conservation measures.
Areas that had been scraped to favour Kidney Vetch, the larval food plant of the Small Blue, were scrutinised, but only one member got a glimpse of this tiny butterfly. There were however, plenty of Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns, Ringlets and Large Skippers.
The chalk pits presented a wonderful display of colourful flowers including many Common Spotted, Fragrant and Pyramidal orchids, various species of hawkbit, and Greater Knapweed accompanied by its rare parasite, Knapweed Broomrape. Ox-eye Daisies added to the mix, plus Common Milkwort, Field Scabious, Clustered Bellflower, Common Agrimony and many more. There was no sign, however, of Bee Orchids or Frog Orchids – the latter may now be absent from the site.