Our numbers up

The weather for Wednesday's transect was rather cloudy and windy. Fortunately the butterflies were not deterred: our total count shot up from 104 last week to 449. This was mainly due to the Marbled Whites, Meadow Browns, Ringlets and Small/Essex Skippers.
 
For the few weeks of the summer's peak season, high butterfly numbers result from populations being spread throughout our transect's 12 sections, whereas for the lower season counts are largely centred on Fames Rough with fewer butterflies being seen elsewhere.
 
Count details:
 174 Marbled White
128 Meadow Brown
  61 Ringlet
  52 Small/Essex Skipper (positive identifications of 3 Small and 1 Essex)
  17 Small Heath
    5 Comma
    4 Dark Green Fritillary
    2 Large Skipper
    2 Large White
    2 Small White
    1 Red Admiral
    1 Small Copper
​Click on butterfly names for more info.

Marbled White on Knapweed

Small Skipper & Thick-thighed Beetle

Small Skipper on Red Clover

Survey by Brian Gardner and Graham H  submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS). 
​Report and pics by Brian Gardner.
​Click on pics to enlarge.