Butterflies in UK
Is anyone else experiencing a lack of butterflies around? We have a garden full of flowers, very insect friendly here in South Yorkshire, and normally see quite a lot of the usual butterflies such as Large and Small Whites, Peacocks, Holly Blues, Brimstones, Speckled Wood, Tortoiseshells, Red Admirals, and the occasional rarer visitor, but this year all kinds seem very scarce. We saw a few whites earlier in year, but I cannot recall last time I saw one either at home, or at Mum’s.
Wondering if it’s just a South Yorks thing, or is it more widespread?
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That’s good to know HD.
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A few whites around. Earlier in the year some brimstones. A skipper, a couple of holly blue, one small tortoiseshell, a speckled brown. Not the variety of species we used to get a couple of years ago and nothing like the numbers. Mind, last year was not good, plus a bad winter, so was expecting another poor year. We are in Lincolnshire, plenty of flowers in the garden, many selected for pollinators, suburban area but near a stream and canal. However we do have far more birds this year with young chaffinch, blackbirds, dunnock, great tit around. And house sparrows in the back garden which is a first. They have always been in the roadside hedge and occasionally in our front rose hedge after the greenfly but not in the back garden. They are feeding on insects and sunflower hearts. So whether this is a good development or a sign of a problem elsewhere I don’t know, but will enjoy seeing them in the meantime.
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Nothing like the quantity or variety of species I remember as a child. The data suggests that across the UK we have a bit of a problem regarding insects in general. Hoped to see a swallowtail obn our recent tour. Although a tad early we saw not a single one and very few others. Damsels and dragons were more abundant.
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I was given membership of Butterfly Society a couple of years ago, so made sure I tried to record each and every one I saw, and continued last year as well. Those results weren’t too bad, but this year seems dire. Garden has lots of plants they like, plenty of water around, in fact nothing much has changed, but I was wondering if the intense heat of last Summer might have been a factor.
We aren’t short of birds, lots of different ones, I wonder if they are a factor as well🤔
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Talking with a bee keeper friend today, he was saying his bees are behaving in usual ways this year. Regular swarming and colony division. He was saying the whole conundrum is complex. His hives all have varroa infection and he’s not sure if a resistance has built up or that the animals themselves have learnt how to tackle the issue to some degree. Maybe regular swarming reduces the density of infection. He also questions climate change, unusual seasonal weather patterns and the use of herbicides/pesticides altering the very behaviour of the bees themselves. As he says things are odd but he can not be certain as to why thus, may be, he says, it’s not one thing but a combination that has lead to this issue. He also intimated that other insects may be effected by these pressures in their own ways. Finally, he suggested that No Mow May may help them as flowering plants have been available to them in increased numbers during this period despite the colder than usual Spring we experienced.
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Been keeping an eye out in the garden for the Bees and Butterflies, more than normal that is, and have noticed a decline in the number visiting in both categories, the Bees not as big a drop off.
Sat out for an hour enjoying the warm weather today with plenty of raw materials for both to get stuck into and only the 3 Butterflies but the White Lavender did have quite a few Bees. Something wrong somewhere, maybe the cold Spring destroyed too many larvae and caterpillars.
Did read that Midges are going to do well so beware those visiting Midgeland any time soon.
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A coupe of Tortoiseshells and a single Admiral today. I guess that when the buddleja is in full flower we will have a better indication as to the state of play. A decade ago ours was absolutely covered in all sorts of bees and butterflies.🤞
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There has been a noticeable increase in the last couple of weeks of Butterflies and insects especially Bees. Lots of variety as well.
Lots of fledglings fluttering around as well so it's a pleasure to stand and watch the activity in the garden for 10 minutes every so often.
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Same here thankfully WN, a lot more butterflies around, mainly Whites and little brown jobs, as I call them. Peacocks, Holly Blues and the occasional Red Admiral. More moths as well. We love to sit in garden and watch what’s going on, what is around, passing over. Hedge trimming today, nothing too drastic, just a bit of a tidy.
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What a difference a few weeks makes from my previous observation in June, we have now been commenting on seeing more butterflies in the garden (and elsewhere) than we have seen for a couple of years
we have even seen a couple of species that we haven't seen for quite a time .0 -
Yes the last couple of weeks seen a good variety. Small tortoiseshell, peacock, holly blue, whites, comma, occasional red admiral, meadow brown and gatekeeper. The latter is a first for our garden. Perhaps not the numbers of actual individuals however.
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This might help DD. I think Dorset does get some unusual sightings…
https://butterfly-conservation.org/butterflies/identify-a-butterfly?page=1
Pleased to say we have a lot more around now, especially Large and Small Whites, Speckled Wood and Holly Blues.
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Proud to say my grandson has helped in the development of our wildflower area and the raising and release of 5 painted lady butterflies through from caterpillar to adult into this new environment.. What’s more is that I’ve been educated in the fact that many of these insects migrate to and from the UK as far as Africa each season. Other common butterflies here do likewise it seems. They hold no political boundaries and move to where habitats are most ‘welcoming’. Something us humans could learn from!
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Might be something blown over in recent storm🤔 S & SE does appear to get a greater variety. I think Countryfile did a bit of an article about Dorset’s heathlands, and how very diverse they are. How you find out, will be interesting.
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I took part in the Butterfly Conservation count and we did better than last year, the good weather in June must have helped in our locality. Good to see a Jersey Tiger Moth each year, so things seem quite successful. Lots of Red Admirals as we have lots of nettles and plenty of little Holly Blues as we have a lot of Holly around.🦋
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