www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

I know that strictly speaking the Channel Islands are not part of the UK proper (Crown Dependencies?), but I would have thought there might be the odd posting on UKB on the subject of what is to be seen there. However, I can't seem to find anything, and scouring the internet doesn't actually come up with definitive species lists for any of the islands (though my search technique could well be at fault of course).

I may have the opportunity to visit Jersey at the end of May, and therefore wondered what might be seen and where. I have read that there are Glanvilles on Guernsey and Alderney, but don't know if that applies to Jersey as well.

Can anyone shed any light, or point me at any helpful websites? I always seem to end up faced with various colourful stamp issues from the Islands rather than anything directly useful...

Dave

EDIT: I just noticed you didn't want stamps, but I'll leave my post anyway!! It is colourful, as you say...

In 1991 the 15p stamp issued on Jersey featured the Glanville fritillary:

http://butterflystamps.blogspot.com/201 ... ersey.html



Guy

Thanks, Guy - those are the ones.

I found an interesting piece of "information" about exports on the website at the end of this link...
http://www.talktalk.co.uk/reference/enc ... 11071.html
I wonder what they mean...

But a real dearth of any detailed information on the internet about what to look for and where.

Dave

Are there really Glanvilles in the Channel Islands?

Alright there Millerd if you check out the website for Sark it has some details about Large Tortoiseshells and Swallowtails. I'll keep digging...

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks, Wurzel. That is certainly fascinating about Sark: Large Tortoiseshells described as thriving and a continental Swallowtail breeding there last year...

Dave

Birdforum opus suggests Les Landes in Jersey for Glanvilles, it's in the North West of the island North of St Ouen's Bay. Or try the other heathlands in the west, but la Societe Guernesiaise says that they're common on Alderney and Guernsey but extinct on Sark and Jesrsey

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Well, if I do get to go, it must be worth a look since it's round about the right time of year...

Dave

Map may be colonising Jersey - there were a couple of photos of the butterfly from there in a recent issue of Atropos.

millerd wrote:point me at any helpful websites?

That wonderful site "www.ukbutterflies.co.uk" has species lists for grid squares WA and WV (i.e.the Channel Islands) under the Species/Sites tab. Swallowtail is listed but not Large Tortoiseshell.

Perhaps Pete can shed light on when the list was last updated but, after your visit, you could perhaps provide additional info on sites!

Mike

Just had a look at that - Glanville Fritillary is not listed for square WV, despite that being a definite species for the Channel Islands. It would be interesting to know how recent the background info for the map actually is.

It is not definite that I'll go as yet - rather dependant on how essential my presence is deemed to be for a work-related trip.

Fingers crossed...

Dave

It seems that grid references are a bit of a minefield in the Channel Islands so be wary, if using GPS there. I gleaned the following from the website http://www.hills-database.co.uk/databas ... mapinfo_gb

Grid references are for UTM zone 30U and use the WGS84 datum. Older maps use the ED50 European datum. The two datums give differences of about 300 metres in grid reference. Garmin GPS units use the WGS84 datum by default when set to UTM/UPS grid but return the absolute coordinates (shown in the xcoord, ycoord fields) rather than the lettered GRs. The same is true of GPS Utility. GPS Utility also offers the new Guernsey Grid.

The grid letters are WA for Alderney and WV for the other islands. This grid is shown on the two "Official" paper maps although it is not the primary grid on the States of Guernsey Official Map, which uses the Guernsey Grid.

There is also a new Jersey Grid, whose parameters can be found in a web search on "Jersey Transverse Mercator". This grid does not appear on the States of Jersey Official Leisure Map.

Plenty of scope for getting lost!

Mike

millerd wrote:Just had a look at that - Glanville Fritillary is not listed for square WV, despite that being a definite species for the Channel Islands.

It's a bug. The correct distribution is shown here ok: http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/distribu ... ies=cinxia

Will look into it.

Cheers,

- Pete

Thanks, Pete - that appears to confirm Guernsey and Alderney, but not Jersey - despite what the philatelists think!

Dave

millerd wrote:Thanks, Pete - that appears to confirm Guernsey and Alderney, but not Jersey - despite what the philatelists think!

Dave

Indeed - looking at the Millennium Atlas, the data from which is used on this website for the most part, the butterfly was recorded between 1970 and 1982 (according to the map), and up to 1988 according to the text, but not thereafter.

Cheers,

- Pete

Matsukaze wrote:Map may be colonising Jersey - there were a couple of photos of the butterfly from there in a recent issue of Atropos.

I had a look at the Atropos website. The following from the July/August 2011 sightings page is interesting:

"...On the Channel Islands Large Tortoiseshell Aglais polychloros put in a good showing with dozens seen on Sark, although on Alderney five were seen, which is about average..."

Sark appears to be the place for those who'd like to see a British Isles Large Tortoiseshell, then.

Dave

Pete Eeles wrote:It's a bug. The correct distribution is shown here ok: http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/distribu ... ies=cinxia

Will look into it.

All fixed. Another 122 records were missing!

Cheers,

- Pete

millerd wrote:Sark appears to be the place for those who'd like to see a British Isles Large Tortoiseshell, then.

...or more likely a French one keen for a bit of exercise.

More than one - the post said dozens were seen on Sark...

Local emergence sounds more likely than mass migration, or is that wishful thinking?

Dave

millerd wrote:More than one - the post said dozens were seen on Sark...

Local emergence sounds more likely than mass migration, or is that wishful thinking?

Maybe they were refuelling on their way to the Isle of Wight.