The Isle of Wight is a paradise for nature and wildlife lovers. It is one of the only 7 places in the UK to be declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The island's stunning landscapes provide rich habitats for many animals, including Brent geese, wild deer, Cattle Egret birds and bottlenose dolphins.
Bees: The incredibly rare Potter Flower Bee, the critically endangered Cliff Mason Bee, the rare Longhorned bee and the scarce, tiny Cliff Furrow Bee can all be found on the Isle of Wight.
Red Squirrels: The Solent separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland acts as a barrier against the lethal squirrel pox virus that grey squirrels carry. We have an estimated 3,000-3,500 red squirrels, which makes the island one of the few strongholds for these native UK mammals.
Badgers: Just 20 metres from Little Basset is a badger set. Badger homes take decades to construct and, as such, are protected by UK Law. These underground labyrinths may not be visible from the path, but the animals that live in them can be seen at night looking for food. The island has a thriving population of the Eurasian badger, which was reintroduced in the 1920s after being hunted to extinction.
Crabs: Colwell Bay is a perfect place to look for crabs; the outgoing tide reveals a maze of rockpools to search. Or head to Yamouth for easily accessible crabbing from the pier.
Butterflies & Moths: The Glanville Fritillary is Britain's rarest fritillary and is almost exclusively found on the Isle of Wight. Other species that have been spotted by guests visiting Little Bassett include:
Grizzled Skipper
Adonis Blue butterfly
Mother Shipton moth
Cinnabar moth
Common Blue butterfly
Small Blue butterfly
Dingy Skipper butterfly
Meadow Brown butterfly
Speckled Wood butterfly
Small Heath butterfly
Wall butterfly
Painted Lady butterfly
Green-veined White butterfly
Wood Tiger moth
Scarlet Tiger moth
Yellow Shell moth
The Isle of Wight has a dedicated Butterfly Walk, details of which can be found HERE.
With special thanks to Wynn Griffith for sharing his photos, knowledge and enthusiasm of butterflies with us.