Phenology Updates

[Pete Eeles]

Hi all - I need some help

I'm updating the phenology of each species with the latest information from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Survey. However, take a look at the phenology for Lulworth Skipper (a species that has seen a lot of change in the last decade) - just click on "Phenology":

http://www.ukbms.org/SpeciesFactsheets. ... ciesId=118

And specific data here:

http://www.ukbms.org/SpeciesListbyYear. ... &year=2011

Some say that this species is all but done by the end of July, but the phenology chart would suggest otherwise. I know some sites are later than others - but still ...

All thoughts appreciated.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Padfield]

That's very interesting. I can't help, obviously, as I have no UK data, but I must admit I was intrigued by recent postings about Lulworth skippers. Here in Switzerland, and generally on the continent, they are the latest of the orange skippers by some margin. They are also relatively rare in Switzerland, so my own records are very incomplete, but I suspect one reason I had missed them in the past was because I was looking too early. The phenology plots you link to seem quite realistic for European populations of the species.

Guy

[Neil Freeman]

My apologies for the late response to this but I have just been looking through some of the species images and noticed there are a couple of photos of, albeit faded, Lulworth Skippers taken at Durlston Country Park on August 28th last year.

Cheers,

Neil F.

[Pete Eeles]

Hi all - just to let you know that I've spent a chunk of time really digging into the latest data regarding flight times, and have made quite a few amendments. Most are subtle, but Lulworth Skipper has been given an overhaul (and thanks to Kipper for his thoughts, sent offline). I also noticed a mistake in the Silver-studded Blue phenology charts, which are now correct. I've also included the UKBMS charts on each species page (with a link to the UKBMS website).

Some anomalies have cropped up - not sure who to believe!
- "Ireland's Butterflies - a review" does not list the "scotica" subspecies of Dark Green Fritillary, but Adrian Riley's "British and Irish Butterflies" does
- "Ireland's Butterflies - a review" lists the "scotica" subspecies of Large Heath, but Adrian Riley's "British and Irish Butterflies" doesn't

Anyway - the information here is the best it's ever been, and I'm using it to work out some trips for next year now, especially those that will allow me to see a whole bunch of subspecies I've never encountered. Ireland - here I come

Cheers,

- Pete

[Mark Colvin]

Hi Pete,

Many thanks for all your hard work with this update. This has further enhanced a very useful resource.

Now where do I go first ...

I hear the Great Orme calling

Kindest regards. Mark

[Pete Eeles]

I hear the Great Orme calling

Visiting the various Silver-studded Blue sites is another option for me, if you fancy meeting up :

• Great Orme (ssp. caernensis)
  Portland (not ssp. cretaceus, but similar - according to some)
  Prees Heath (not ssp. masseyi, but similar - according to some)
  Cornish sand dunes - large amount of blue in females
  Hafod Garregog NNR - for the last bog-dwelling SSBs. See http://www.northwalesbutterflies.org.uk ... index.html and http://users.ox.ac.uk/~zool0376/PargusAnimalConserv.pdf

That last paper has a great map showing current and former races:

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

That last paper has a great map showing current and former races

It certainly does, Pete. Of particular interest to me are the four circles marked on the Gower Peninsula, near Swansea. I'd never realised there used to be (possibly widespread) populations there, although much of the landscape represents ideal habitat for them.

[Wurzel]

Cheers for posting this Pete it's been quite a while since I've read "proper papers" and this has made me even more determined to get to Portland for butterflies and Silver Studs in particular this coming year (if you fancy coming along), even if they're not a proper subspecies ... Still mustn't grumble as we do have our own Skipper

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pete Eeles]

... this has made me even more determined to get to Portland for butterflies and Silver Studs in particular this coming year (if you fancy coming along), even if they're not a proper subspecies ...

Definitely

Cheers,

- Pete