Gloucestershire Naturalists' Society

Butterfly Report 2001 by Guy Meredith

With most of the countryside closed to public access during the spring and part of the summer, early season butterfly recording was initially limited to the common species. Those hibernating as adults - Brimstone, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Comma - seemed less common than usual, perhaps as a result of the very wet winter. Whilst populations of the others clearly increased at their next generation, Brimstone remained scarce.

Some of the Cotswold commons were among the earliest sites to be reopened, and on these the first grassland species were about as numerous as usual: Green Hairstreak and Dingy Skipper, then Small Heath, Common Blue, Brown Argus and Small Blue. Spending more time on Rodborough Common than usual, I found Duke of Burgundy in two "new" sites in addition to known ones.

Known Essex Skipper distribution in the county increased again in July; the species has been recorded in 94 1Km. squares during the past 6 years. All but a few of these records were in or to the east of the Cotswolds, with just one to the west of the Severn.

After several first generation sightings, the second generation of Holly Blue was quite numerous. The last trough in its cycle of abundance and scarcity was quite short, with just three generations having low numbers since it was last common in 1999.

Foot and Mouth disease clearly affected some butterfly colonies. Sites that were overgrazed because of livestock movement restrictions may have lost their long-turf species - hopefully only temporarily if adjoining land was undergrazed for the same reason. For example, some of the usual high summer nectar sources were almost absent from Butterfly Conservation's Prestbury Hill reserve, flowerheads and stems having been grazed off. For some species suitable larval foodplants, particularly grasses, tended to be almost eliminated, restricted to a few clumps around the bases of hawthorn and other scrub. For some others such as Chalkhill Blue the heavy grazing perhaps improved the habitat for their foodplants.

It was a mixed year for migrants. Red Admiral was common, but I saw neither Painted Lady nor Clouded Yellow. I received a confident report of Monarch, at Chalford on 19 August.

There were some quite late sightings: both Brown Argus and Common Blue in October. On 29 September I saw an unusual variety of Small Copper in a stubble field near Coberley: the red bands on its hindwings were almost completely missing. I was pleasantly surprised when it let me take as many close-up photographs as I wanted. When finding notable butterfly varieties in the past, they have more often than not flown before I have been able to take a single shot.

This, my 22nd annual butterfly report for the GNS, is also my last. Barry Embling has now taken over the Butterfly Recorder role, having also become Recorder for the Glos. branch of Butterfly Conservation. Thanks to all who have sent me records in the past.

Copyright © Gloucestershire Naturalists' Society:  2010. All rights reserved.

If you have any comments on or experience any problems with this page please contact R.Homan (robert.theapiary at gmail.com) (You will need to edit the word at)