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Loads of gatekeepers on Arreton Down, and singletons of 10 other species.

Normally Arreton Down would have up to 10K chalk hill blues now.Today there were no more than 50-100!

Numbers are possibly at their lowest levels ever, Ian.

I saw just 100-150 Meadow Browns at a site on the Gower this morning, in comparison to the same place on almost the same date last year (25.07.23) when I saw 1,500+.

Friday 26th, Rhossili Head, Gower

I visited the same site for the same length of time in similar weather conditions one day earlier (25 July) last year. I have put the corresponding figures in brackets after today’s totals. The statistics speak volumes:

Meadow Brown 100-150 (1,500+)
Hedge Brown 60-80 (400-600)
Small White 20-30 (20-30)
Dark Green Fritillary 4 (4)
Common Blue 3 (40-50)
Small Skipper 3 (4)
Green Veined White 2 (1)
Small Copper 2 (20-30)
Painted Lady 2 (3)
Red Admiral 2 (4)
Grayling 2 (4)
Small Tortoiseshell 1 (1)
Brown Argus 1 (30-40)
Wall Brown 1 (25-35)

Two additional species seen last year but not today were Large White (30-40) & Peacock (5)

That's a very interesting comparison, David. Pretty miserable reading, but sadly unsurprising. It tells a rather familiar story, across much of the UK and even further afield.
BWs, Neil

Indeed. It's good to see some actual 'data' and it'll be interesting to see what transect and other data throw up. Let's hope that 2024 is a one-off rather than a recurring pattern, and species can recover.

Cheers,

- Pete

That is indeed an interesting (and rather startling) comparison.

I have been looking at my records for my local walk near Heathrow, and trying to find a date in July with approximately the same weather in both 2023 and 2024.

The closest I can get is 11th July 2023 - a high of 24 degrees and two hours of sunshine, against 10th July 2024 - a high of 23 degrees and two hours of sunshine. Here is the comparison, 2024 figures, with 2023 in brackets:

Small Skipper 9 (10)
Essex Skipper 21 (25)
Large Skipper 0 (1)
Brimstone 0 (0)
Large White 8 (12)
Small White 2 (25)
GVW 14 (15)
Purple Hairstreak 2 (0)
Small Copper 0 (2)
Brown Argus 0 (1)
Common Blue 1 (4)
Holly Blue 1 (7)
Red Admiral 9 (82)
Painted Lady 0 (3)
Small Tortoiseshell 0 (1)
Peacock 1 (57)
Comma 13 (23)
Speckled Wood 1 (12)
Marbled White 3 (0)
Gatekeeper 31 (75)
Meadow Brown 240 (100)
Small Heath 5 (0)

Looking at this comparison alongside others for days during the month of July and earlier, there are a number of things to note.

Skippers: Small and Essex on a par with last year, but overall Large Skipper numbers down.

Whites: The two species that are known to be boosted by migration (Large and Small) are well down, but the one that isn't (GVW) appears stable.

Lycaenids: Spring numbers were down on last year, and so far (even a fortnight after the snapshot above) summer numbers are almost non-existent.

Nymphalids: At this time in 2023 there was a remarkable influx of Red Admirals (with a few Painted Ladies) which has not been repeated in 2024. The home-grown Red Admirals seem to be holding their own. Summer Commas are around in slightly fewer numbers this year, but their season appears to be more drawn out than in 2023. Small Tortoiseshells have almost disappeared this year after a very poor showing in 2023. 2023 produced an extraordinary number of Peacocks in the summer, which led to good numbers emerging from hibernation in 2024. The current summer brood appeared later, and is back to more usual numbers.

Satyrids: Speckled Woods had a good spring, but summer numbers are definitely down on last year. Meadow Browns always appear in multi-hundreds, but in 2024 the peak numbers have been later (early July instead of late June), but overall the peak was a flatter curve and is tailing off later. Gatekeepers have also peaked later than last year, but generally numbers look roughly the same. Marbled Whites are relative newcomers to the site, and are now established: there were only 9 counted in 2023, but 57 in 2024. Small Heaths have had a better year than in 2023: a single peak late-May/early-June in 2023 with modest numbers compared to a small peak late May 2024 bleeding into a much larger one in late June.

To summarise:

1. A lack of migration from the continent of several common species that normally top up native populations may have made a significant difference to sightings of Large and Small Whites, Red Admirals and Painted Ladies.

2. The species of most concern here would appear to be the small Lycaenids - Small Copper, Common Blue, Brown Argus - and perhaps even the Holly Blue.

3. The grassland Satyrids seem to be stable (and the Marbled Whites are a welcome addition), but the Speckled Woods less so.

4. It would not surprise me if there were no Small Tortoiseshells at all next year.

5. Large Skipper numbers have been declining year on year and were as low as they have ever been in 2024.

Dave

I came across this beauty today, quite a stunner - my photographs do not do her justice:
just love the silver-green wash over her - wish the damn photo had come out sharp though

And at Lingwood Common around 11.30am I saw a female Purple Emperor ovipositing on a Goat Willow leaf Salix caprea for 10 minutes through my binoculars before she disappeared back up to the oak canopy - first time but no photo as I could not jump that high with my iPhone

David Lazarus wrote: ↑Fri Jul 26, 2024 9:33 pmI came across this beauty today, quite a stunner...
just love the silver-green wash over her - wish the damn photo had come out sharp though...

A female SWF is indeed a beautiful thing, David.

millerd wrote: ↑Fri Jul 26, 2024 9:21 pm I have been looking at my records for my local walk near Heathrow, and trying to find a date in July with approximately the same weather in both 2023 and 2024.

Thanks for your own analysis, Dave! It's really quite difficult to compare year-on-year; obviously, the Red Admiral influx was an extremely rare event and it's difficult to know which week to compare with, so thanks for taking a stab at that!

Cheers,

- Pete

Pete Eeles wrote: ↑Fri Jul 26, 2024 10:21 pm

millerd wrote: ↑Fri Jul 26, 2024 9:21 pm I have been looking at my records for my local walk near Heathrow, and trying to find a date in July with approximately the same weather in both 2023 and 2024.

Thanks for your own analysis, Dave! It's really quite difficult to compare year-on-year; obviously, the Red Admiral influx was an extremely rare event and it's difficult to know which week to compare with, so thanks for taking a stab at that!

Cheers,

- Pete

I much prefer to look at 5 year trends as any one year can throw up something that skews the figures. I will leave a more in depth analysis to the end of the season but so far numbers of most species have been well down around my local patch.

Cheers,

Neil.

Friday 26th, Park Wood, Gower:

Meadow Brown 5
Hedge Brown 1
Ringlet 1
Small White 1

My first Brown Hairstreak of the year, a male seen this morning at Bookham.Other species seen in the woodland here today: Purple Hairstreak, Common Blue, Small Copper, Brimstone, Large White, Small White, Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Red Admiral, Comma, Peacock, White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Speckled Wood.

Dave

Wow! at last....
Not only that.... my first Common Blue summer brood too in week 17 of my transect. He is so rare that he was a little bit reluctant to have his photo taken just in case butterfly enthusiasts descend on his meadow

These two little butterflies are the only Common Blue and Brown Argus summer broods that I have seen anywhere in Essex - and I have been to many places where you would expect them to be but I could not find them. The Brown Argus was only the second I have seen this year here and I did not even see the upperwings before s/he was off and gone.

On a happier note, the three Marbled White were still hanging around:
I am confident that they will be able to establish a new colony in this meadow adjacent to Chelmer Road Bridge. They are looking a bit tatty as were the majority of the 200+ butterflies I saw today. I am pretty sure this is the last week of both Essex and Small Skipper, the Ringlet have finished already here and the Meadow Brown are all looking a bit worse for wear.

Good numbers of Peacock, 5 resplendent Comma, but only 7 Red Admiral and no Small Tortoiseshell which was sad.

The only other fresh-looking butterflies today were the Green-veined White:

David Lazarus wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2024 5:31 pm...On a happier note, the three Marbled White were still hanging around...

It's rare for them to make August, David, but I think that's certain this year.

Sunday 28th, Alun Valley, nr. Bridgend:

Hedge Brown 80-120
Meadow Brown 60-80
Ringlet 19
Common Blue 10
Green Veined White 6
Speckled Wood 5
Small Skipper 5
Red Admiral 4
White Letter Hairstreak 4
Peacock 4
Small White 3
Large White 3
Large Skipper 3
Small Heath 3
Brimstone 2
High Brown Fritillary 1
Grayling 1
Silver Washed Fritillary 1

Very sunny and warm today (28th) for a visit to Denbies Hillside.

I was mainly hoping that a few Silver-spotted Skippers might have appeared, but the only skippers seen were Small ones. Chalkhill Blues were the most numerous species, but numbers are well down on what one would expect at the end of July - perhaps just reaching three figures over the whole hillside. In the strong sun they were reluctant to open up, but underside shots weren't too difficult to achieve.These included one displaying the "silver-studded" variation.There were also still a dozen or so Marbled Whites flying.Also seen: Meadow Browns, Gatekeepers, a few Small Heaths and singletons of Peacock, Small White and female DGF. Notable by worryingly being completely absent were Common Blue, Brown Argus and Small Copper.

However, on my way back up across Steers Field towards the car park, I caught sight of what was unmistakably a Clouded Yellow. I made an attempt to follow it, but making any progress through the shoulder high grass and hidden anthills was doomed to failure from the outset.

Dave

I was surprised to find a Wall Brown inside my sons house this lunchtime. Hilperton, Wiltshire
Plus the next generation of Holly Blues are beginning to show in my garden this morning. Melksham, Wiltshire

A quick look at my transect results up to the week commencing 22/7 over the past few years seems to suggest this year isn't as bad as as it seems, at least not the worst in recent years (on Facebook you'd be forgiven for thinking it's the actual apocalypse!) The totals are totals of all species over both transects I do and do reflect the just how bereft of butterflies inner cities can be.

2016 - 170
2017 - 255
2018 - 375
2019 - 240
2021 - 153
2022 - 243
2023 - 210
2024 - 205

This is however on a background of certain species that have been hit hard this year (Common Blue, Brown Argus etc) never registering more than an occasional sighting on my transects. Even the Meadow Brown has never been more numerous than 31 individuals over a season.

Of course it is far from a normal year, here's the flight peaks for the Essex & Large Skippers this year, Essex appearing and peaking before Large.

Thanks for that analysis, Paul. Perhaps it's not quite as disastrous as some people think.

Hopefully this decent little spell of warm weather will help get things moving again.

Interesting to read your comments regarding Large Skippers. They're still hanging on round my way, which is unusual on the cusp of August.