WOODCHIPS
  • Home
  • About Us
  • The area we cover
  • Featured creatures
  • Our Butterflies
    • Butterfly Blog
  • Bird Count
  • Toolkit
  • Photo Calendar
  • Countryside Videos
  • CONTACT/MORE INFO
  • Grassland Survey
  • SAFE WORKING

Butterfly Blog

Highest score

7/9/2021

0 Comments

 
On Monday, the day chosen  for our transect, the hot weather returned and it was oppressively humid too. The warmth and late-summer sunshine brought out the year's remaining butterflies and also a Red Admiral and  Small Tortoiseshell that could over-winter through to next year, if they can feed up sufficiently and find suitable shelter for their hibernation.  
 
This week's total count of 141 butterflies is the highest week 23 score since we started doing the transects in 2016 when the count was 62. It was 66 in 2017, 35 in 2018, 112 in the superb butterfly summer of 2019,  and 48 in 2020.  However, this week's count is no indicator of any upward trend, as 2021's annual count looks like it will result in a lower than average total number. Below right are annual figures for three common species that show marked or even alarming declines.  These drops in numbers may be due to normal seasonal variations or may be proof of an overall deterioration in environmental conditions. 
      
Survey by Brian Gardner and Graham H submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). 
​Report and pics by Brian Gardner. Click on pics to enlarge.
Summary of this week's count:
70 
Meadow Brown
29 Common Blue
25 Brown Argus
  6 Small White
  4 Brimstone
  2 Small Heath
  2 Speckled Wood
  1 Red Admiral
  1 Small Copper
  1 Small Tortoiseshell
 Click on butterfly names for more info.
Total: 141 from 10 species.
Picture
Small Tortoiseshell
Picture
Picture
Speckled Wood
Picture
Autumn Gentian, Fames Rough
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    The Transect Team

    Here you'll find details and pictures from the team carrying out our regular  butterfly surveys (known as transects) over 26 weeks during Spring and Summer.

    Archives

    April 2025
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Picture

​
​


Send us an email*

[email protected]m

*Supply your email address and it will be used solely to keep you informed about WoodChip activities. You may unsubscribe at any time.
​The content on this website is subject to copyright of the WoodChips and their volunteers. Please get in touch if you wish to use any of the text or other media.
  • Home
  • About Us
  • The area we cover
  • Featured creatures
  • Our Butterflies
    • Butterfly Blog
  • Bird Count
  • Toolkit
  • Photo Calendar
  • Countryside Videos
  • CONTACT/MORE INFO
  • Grassland Survey
  • SAFE WORKING