Subject: Re: Decline of moths in the UK

From: "D:COMMSDEMONSPOOLMAIL" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 27 Jul 1995 07:08:12 -0400

> I noticed that Andrew Stagg noted that "many of our
butterflies and
> moths are close to disappearing".
>
> This statement is a little misleading, it makes it sound as
if the UK
> has no Lepidoptera left!
>
> On the contrary, many species of moth have undergone a
> considerable range expansion over the last few years, for
reasons
> unknown.  I know of at least 10 species which have become
> common in Yorkshire when they were either rare or had not
been
> present.
>
> In my locale we have also had expansions of several
butterfly
> species, notably the Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) and
the
> Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus).
>
> I feel it is dangerous to make glib statements when we don't
really
> understand the short and long term fluctuations.
>
>
> Dave Chesmore
> Dept. of Electronic Engineering
> University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX
> Tel: +482 465062;  Fax: +482 466664
>
>
--

When I made this comment, It was not meant as a glib general
statement, although I realise that on re reading it, it seems
that way. I was merely concerned that someone might approach
the comment about destroying leopard moth caterpillars (or
indeed any other caterpillars) in the wrong way. My apologies
if I have misled anyone on this topic.

On the Marbled white and Holly Blue front, it is marvelous
that they have increased in your area, In the south east,
particullarly Kent, both of these butterflies seem to have
suffered somewhat in the last ten years. I have however found
a large thriving colony of Marbled Whites (some 100-150
adults) in a 300 acre site in East Sussex. On the recent Holly
blue note, one or two new woodland sites have revealed
thriving (if small) colonies of the butterflies where non have
been seen in recent years - so perhaps this butterfly is on
the increase as well.

Andrew Stagg