Subject: 1996 UK spring butterflies

From: "J.B.Murray (John Murray)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 28 Jun 1996 10:42:06 +0000

The following is a roundup of the results for the first 3 months of the
butterfly transect at Marshalls Heath, Herts., walked by myself (and Micheal
Healy for 3 transects I couldn't do).  In order of appearance:-

                                    Total   cf 1995       Emergence
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)        2    no change
Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)         19    12% increase
Comma (Polygonia c-album)             9    42% increase
Peacock (Inachis io)                 21    64% increase
Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae) 16   244% increase
Small White (Pieris rapae)           19    59% decrease   2 weeks later
Green-veined White (Pieris napi)     37    18% decrease  ?2 weeks later
Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus)     37  2900% increase  (2 weeks earlier)
Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)      11    51% decrease   4 weeks later
Orange Tip (Anthocaris cardamines)   23    13% decrease   5 weeks later
Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)        7    None seen spring 1995
Painted Lady (Cynthia cardui)         3    None seen spring 1995
Large White (Pieris brassicae)        1    83% decrease   3 weeks later
Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)   2    None seen spring 1995
Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)      2    50% decrease   4 weeks later
Large Skipper (Ochlodes venata)       9 so far            1 week later
Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)        9 so far            2 weeks later

17 species is 3 more than last year, and the total number of butterflies seen is
up nearly 10% (probably not significant), though everything is much later (the
earlier Holly Blue is an artifact of last year's low numbers).  The big
increases are the Holly Blue, with 30 times last year's numbers, and the Small
Tortoiseshell, which in contrast to results elsewhere given in recent LEPS
postings has increased fourfold.  Has anyone else found an increase in this
species?  Among the decreases, the Pierid decline has been much commented on
already, but has the decline in Speckled Woods for the second year running been
recorded elsewhere?  Let's hope they don't follow their close relatives, the
Wall butterflies (L. megera).

John Murray
[email-masked]
Marshalls Heath,
Hertfordshire, U.K.

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From: [email-masked] ("Colin Cracknell")
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 1996 20:39:56 GMT

Do you have rules of thumb for identifying (British) white butterflies at 
a distance? Are there clues in (say) flight pattern when you can't see 
the markings clearly?
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