Where are all the butterflies? (and when will they recover!)

[Ray Baker]

Hi,

I've spoken to quite a few people this spring and summer and a common theme seems to be a general lack of butterflies being seen - both in terms of species and overall numbers (must say that the number of Meadow Browns I have seen in the last few days is at odds with this, but the overall observation is valid...)

The most popular theory seems to be that the appalling weather last summer came just at the wrong time and decimated the breeding attempts of many species and generally led to poor survivability.

Now... assuming all the above to be true, I was thinking that some butterfly-watchers with many years of experience must have seen similar poor weather conditions and the subsequent effects on butterfly species, and I was wondering how long it might take for numbers to increase again?

Any other theories??


Rgds... Ray

[jellyang]

I agree with you Ray.
I have had days recently when I have seen no butterflies at all. Although we have had warm weather in Norfolk we have lacked that big yellow thing in the sky!
It has improved this week but numbers do seem low but I don't have the years of experience that other forum members do to compare.

I do believe that Farmers & councils hacking hedgerows are not helping any of our wildlife recover from last year.

Angie

[JKT]

Recovering from low numbers might happen in a year or two, but total wipe-out could take decades ... or it might never happen. In the sixties a number of species disappeared from Finland and they have been finally re-appearing during the last few years. They could arrive through Russia or over the narrow gulf from Estonia. It might be more difficult in GB.

[Ray Baker]

Recovering from low numbers might happen in a year or two, but total wipe-out could take decades ... or it might never happen. In the sixties a number of species disappeared from Finland and they have been finally re-appearing during the last few years. They could arrive through Russia or over the narrow gulf from Estonia. It might be more difficult in GB.

Yes, I must admit that this is the sort of scenario that is bothering me....

I'm sure that there have been other years where the weather has really knocked the butterfly population - I was born in 1953 and have heard tell that it was a dreadful summer with extensive flooding etc, but obviously I was not much of a butterfly watcher that particular year

What worries me now is the possible consequences of a very bad year, on top of the dodgy state of much of the UK 'countryside' where overall habitat availability and condition is probably not what it was 50 years ago... You do get the feeling that many species and colonies are barely hanging on in there as it is...

At least in Finland there was the possibility for re-population from adjoining countries - the UK's island status is not going to help in that regard either!

Am I being alarmist??!!


Rgds... Ray

[Leif]

I am a not very knowledgeable amateur, but good locations near Luton were very poor last year compared to the preceding years. Blues were low in number and I saw no fritillaries. This year I am seeing lots of meadow browns, but I have recently moved to Surrey, and I do not know the area so cannot compare to last year.

I think the fact that so much land is industrial agriculture means that when a species does get hit, it takes longer to recover.