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Is the Lulworth Skipper in trouble?

The last few years the transect returns have seen its numbers at new lows, and reports on this site suggest that it has been very hard to find at its usual strongholds. Is this just a consequence of a run of bad summers, or is something more serious afoot?

Hi Matsukaze,

I probably can't add much to my post of 10th August 2010. Visiting Alners Gorse earlier in the day, I had been told by a local BC member that Lulworth Skippers were having a poor time due to heavy grazing at some locations. I was recommended to look in the long grass above Stair Hole, but found none, possibly the season was at its end at this small patch. There was certainly a lot of grazing at Durdle Door, which I understand is for alternative conservation measures. I don't know what the priority species is or whether it's even a butterfly, but the Lulworth would appear to be losing out along this stretch at least.

Rob S

A look at the sightings pages of the BC Dorset branch for 2010 shows how few and far between Lulworth Skipper sightings were last summer. The largest numbers were early on in the season. There has been no word from BCHQ - who are after all in Lulworth itself and might have an insight.

Dave