Re: 2015 Butterfly winners and losers
Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2016 1:55 am
In my 70 years of butterflying, Small Tortoiseshell numbers have always fluctuated. I presume it's a host/parasite interaction. Sturmia bella is a relatively new parasite and was blamed for a disastrous fall in Tortoiseshell numbers a few years ago. Then Tortoiseshell numbers recovered: Sturmia bella had a minor reprieve as being the sole cause of the earlier decline.
Tortoiseshell numbers undoubtedly will again increase - followed by another crash. And so on.
As Lance-Corporal Jack Jones.... (Dad's Army).... would have said: "Don't panic!"
Jack.
Tortoiseshell numbers undoubtedly will again increase - followed by another crash. And so on.
As Lance-Corporal Jack Jones.... (Dad's Army).... would have said: "Don't panic!"
Jack.