Spring 2012 newsletter - Butterfly Conservation

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Northamptonshire Butterflies 2011 Douglas Goddard There were very few records in the early part of the year, none at all in January and only four in February, consisting of Red Admiral and Brimstone (8 th ), Small Tortoiseshell (the same specimen 9 th -11 th , found dead on 12 th ) and Peacock (24 th ). Comma (7 th ) and Small White (21 st ) appeared in March, but of species hibernating as adults there were few sightings, fifty Brimstones across the county on 23 rd being a notable exception. As the warmest Spring on record began, Orangetip (27 th March) and Holly Blue (29 th ) set the trend for exceptionally early emergences which continued into the summer. Twelve species were on the wing on 6 th April, including an early Painted Lady, and by the end of the month twenty had already appeared. Green Hairstreak (16 th ) and Grizzled and Dingy Skippers (20 th ) were on the wing early and all three species did well. Forty-nine Green Hairstreaks counted on the transect at Twywell was the biggest tally for decades. 25 th April saw the earliest-ever Brown Argus and Small Heath, plus the county’s firstever April Wood Whites. This species enjoyed its best season since the 1990s, a count of ninety in Salcey Forest on 19 th May bringing a peak which was a welcome echo of days past. 8 The Black Hairstreak was another record-breaker, emerging in May (28 th ) for the first time. It was also seen in better numbers this year. The other hairstreaks, the Purple and White-letter, enjoyed a good season, and were reported from new localities, notably Wicksteed Park. It was not all good news, however. The lack of rainfall and the cool July and August had an adverse impact on those species whose larvae feed on grasses. Although the Large Skipper and Gatekeeper fared reasonably well, populations of Small and Essex Skippers, Ringlet and Meadow Brown were depleted, as were those of the Marbled White, although individuals of the latter continued to be seen in new localities. The Small Heath thrives on shorter turf growth and its numbers grew in late summer. Eightyseven were counted at Bradlaugh Fields on 24 th August and a record thirty-seven on the Twywell transect on 2 nd September. Good numbers of second-brood Brown Argus were reported, but the summer generation of Holly Blues was disappointing and Common Blue numbers crashed. April Wood Whites in courtship display 2nd brood Dingy Skipper on 14th August at Twywell
Silver-washed Fritillary Photo Douglas Goddard Two species, Wood White and Dingy Skipper, had uncustomary (at least for Northants) second broods for the second successive year. The Wood White was seen in nine woods across its county range: Sywell, Hazelborough South Block, Salcey, Bucknell and five sections of Yardley Chase. The emergence comprised at least 38 butterflies between 22 nd July and 19 th August. A single Dingy Skipper was found at Twywell on 5 th August, followed by six on both14 th and 15 th . This is the first multiple count of the second brood recorded in the county. Above left: Comma ab. suffusa Photo Matthew Oates Below: Purple Emperor ab. afflicta Photo Andy Wyldes 9 The number of sightings of Silver-washed Fritillary increased again in 2011, with sixteen locations recorded to date. This species seems to be well established again in the north of the county in Wakerley and Fineshade woods, in the Salcey and Yardley Chase area and in the Silverstone woods. The Purple Emperor was seen from 23 rd June in Fermyn Wood, reached a peak by the end of the month and had largely disappeared by mid-July. Eggs and caterpillars were very difficult to find this year in Northants and elsewhere (Matthew Oates et al.) and we may be in for a poor iris season next year. A stunning aberrant afflicta was photographed in Fermyn between 29 th June and 1 st July. The White Admiral had a poor year in 2011 though one obliterae specimen was seen in Fermyn Wood. Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshells and Commas were also in short supply in late summer. Matthew Oates photographed an aberration suffusa of the Comma in Fermyn Wood on 1 st July and I found another, obscura, at Stanwick Lakes on 25 th September. It was not a good year for migrants. Despite its early appearance, Painted Lady sightings were few and scattered, and it was not seen by many observers. Only three confirmed records of Clouded Yellows have been received to date. There was an influx of Red Admirals in late July, allowing local breeding and an increase in numbers seen on ivy blossom and in gardens through a warm October into November. The last record of the year came on 27th December in a Duston garden. A second successive warm Spring benefited some of our rarer and most threatened species, but the prolonged drought and cool summer may well have an detrimental impact on survival of the early stages and a decline in 2012. Some multi-brooded species were able to build up their populations, but our more common ones which rely on grass growth for their caterpillars have declined for the second successive year and need to recover next time around. Overall, numbers of butterflies were low this year and it will go down as a poor one in general terms.
Page 1 and 2: No 80 Spring 2012 www.bedsnorthants
Page 3 and 4: Butterflying in the Pyrenees Greg H
Page 5 and 6: The weather cleared slightly and bu
Page 7: The White-letter Hairstreak eggs wi
Page 11 and 12: Butterflies in Kefalonia David Chan
Page 13 and 14: Field Trips 2012 Northants Sunday,
Page 15 and 16: November 13 th 2011 Sunday, January
Page 17 and 18: Butterflies of Northamptonshire The

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