One more transect to go

22/9/2024

The afternoon of Thursday the19th proved to be a perfect choice for the penultimate transect of the 2024 season. We had continuous warm sun all the way round our 4 km walk, and the surviving butterflies were up and flying.

Just for a change, the Meadow Browns failed to provide the highest count, they were beaten this time by a surprising total of 29 Brown Argus. Our overall count of 56 butterflies from 9 species considered as reasonable for so late in the year.

There are frequent news reports at the moment of 2024 being a disastrous year for butterfly sightings in the UK, but with still one week left of our counting season, we have recorded our third highest annual total of the eight complete seasons for which we have provided data. This appears to be due to the strong showing of our Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites and Gatekeepers, but a more detailed study of the figures is required to identify population trends.

Count details:
29 Brown Argus
12 Meadow Brown
4 Small White
3 Common Blue
2 Small Heath
2 Brimstone
2 Speckled Wood
1 Large White
1 Small Copper
Click on butterfly names for more info from Butterfly Conservation.

Survey by Brian G, Liz North, Duncan Jennings, Graham H and Graham K submitted to Butterfly Conservation (UKBMS).
Report by Brian Gardner.
Pics by Graham Kenward.