Where have all the Butterflies gone ?

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Miss Caretaker

I haven't seen one cinnabar caterpillar this year in spite of the abundance of ragwort where I walk my transect. This time last year I was inundated with riglets and meadow browns but only one meadow brown so far this year. I have, however, seen a lot more large skippers than last year so far so it's swings and roundabouts!

Agree about the Large Skippers- I've had good numbers around me. Quite a few Meadow Browns, but not big numbers yet, but still time + the Gatekeepers just aren't out yet.

The spring seemed excellent for Orange Tips. Generally a lot of the more specialist butterflies I've gone to look for have been around in good numbers, while some of the widespread species are not too common.

Generally cold dryish winters are thought to be good for our butterflies (possibly not Red Admirals which don't hibernate properly) as less succumb to fungus infections more common in mild wet winters + may also prevent overwintering species coming out too early when there maybe no nectar sources to renew their energy levels.

[derekmc]

I've seen much the same sort of thing here. A few months ago there seemed to be plenty of spring butterflies including good numbers of Orange-Tip, Peacock, Holly Blue and even Small Tortoiseshells (well, more than in 2009 at any rate).

However the summer species have been a lot scarcer - very few Red Admirals, Ringlets, Meadow Brown or Comma. One or two Large Skippers but far fewer than last year, and so far only one Small Skipper. Even Green-Veined Whites have been hard to find.

We've a long lavender hedge that's in full flower at the moment and hosts plenty of feeding bumblebees (mostly B.Pratorum, B.Lapidarius & B.Hypnorum) but the only lepidoptera so far have been a few Silver-Y moths at dusk.

I take Aeshnas' point & it'll be interesting to see how many Gatekeepers are around over the next few weeks. This is probably the most common species around here in high summer, and if Gatekeepers are in short supply then I know there's something strange going on.

Cheers,
Derek

[mazthegob]

ooooooooo a lovely wall brown yesterday (sat ) just the one and a nice small tortoiseshell on Friday, but still in ones got four med browns today and that's it....... but still nice to see the wall

[Susie]

I've had a very poor number of butterflies in my garden this year but when I go to certain butterfly "hot spots" I know the number is stunning so some species are doing well.

As aeshna said, Orange Tips had a particularly good year and it looks as if silver washed fritillary and white admiral are doing well too.

Whites other than Orange Tips seem to be down in numbers. Meadow Browns are having a better year than last year.

[aeshna5]

Unlike you Susie I'm not seeing that many Meadow Browns at the moment. The last 2 days at both Bookham + Ruislip Woods I've seen far more Ringlets, which I don't think I've ever done before.

[PMG]

Most of the northern 'hotspots' I've been to recently have contained what felt like a lot of the usual suspects: its not scientific just a perception but I feel I;ve seen more so far this year than last? I've seen meadow browns, ringlets, small heath and torts but very few common blues. I'm hoping that late on there willl be a fresh outpouring of peacock, comma etc ....

[Dae]

We're overloaded with small tortoiseshells here in our part of wales - almost guaranteed to see them wherever I go. In my garden they're also visiting, right in an urban area too. We're also getting the cinnebar moths, meadow browns for some reason, commas, and various whites as well. We seem to be the butterfly superhighway as we always have butterflies going through but not stopping, brimstones being a good example earlier in the year. Can't wait for the buddlea bush to get going

[mazthegob]

everything here at Brighton (Sussex) is in ones, except the meadows, one comma, one red admiral, one small tortoiseshell, one wall brown, everything is just one's, and when i say everything the above list is it, ho except a pair of blues earlier on.