Butterflies in 2018

Bald Rick · Jun 19, 2018

See that farming & the use of Neonics is being blamed for a massive decline in butterflies.

Thought to myself, well can't think many Neonics are used around here and then went to look for some butterflies but damned if I can find any despite buddleia and sunshine. Something odd, like the lack of swallow numbers, is happening to our wildlife AND it is not solely farming

Yale · Jun 19, 2018

Take your pick.

Got to be farmers as we are easy targets.

Probably just the cold wet spring which then turned out quite dry.

OMG it must be global warming......caused by all those mega dairy farmers with their methane emissions.

Bald Rick · Jun 19, 2018

Yale said:
Take your pick.

Got to be farmers as we are easy targets.

Probably just the cold wet spring which then turned out quite dry.

OMG it must be global warming......caused by all those mega dairy farmers with their methane emissions.

Doesn't alter the fact that there just aren't any. Not even cabbage (large) whites which are usually ubiquitous

Yale · Jun 19, 2018

Bald Rick said:
Doesn't alter the fact that there just aren't any. Not even cabbage (large) whites which are usually ubiquitous

Maybe the brassica family of plants are late so numbers have not emerged yet?

primmiemoo · Jun 19, 2018

Few butterflies here. No osr grown for miles around, either, so neonics absent I'd think.
Saw plenty of orange tips, though, early on. There's been a large crop of Lady's Smock.

A scant number of meadow browns, hardly any cabbage whites. Doubt many tortoiseshells survived the winter.

Keeping fingers crossed it's simply that everything's late. Trefoils and vetchlings are late to flower, and honeysuckle hasn't been out long. Buddleia is hanging fire ~ even var. Purple Thug.

Sonoftheheir · Jun 19, 2018

Don’t tend to see many here till July.

I don’t buy “it’s all the farmers fault” imo it’s down to the weather and weather patterns.

One year is good for certain insects opposed to others, just depends on the conditions.

There are many, many more bumble bees around here this year. But not many butterflies yet. Nor wasps (tend to see them more July/August too).

Kidds · Jun 19, 2018

A bit early for butterflies but have seen cabbage white, more Orange Tips than usual and lots of small blue butterflies that I don't know the name of (Small Blue probably).
Noticed a lot of dark brown butterflies in my meadow the last few days.

I don't doubt there is some decline going on but not here.

Tarw Coch · Jun 19, 2018

Bald Rick said:
See that farming & the use of Neonics is being blamed for a massive decline in butterflies.

Thought to myself, well can't think many Neonics are used around here and then went to look for some butterflies but damned if I can find any despite buddleia and sunshine. Something odd, like the lack of swallow numbers, is happening to our wildlife AND it is not solely farming

Weren’t neonics banned a few years ago?
If so shouldn’t butterfly numbers be stable or increasing?........if indeed that truly is/was the problem or is everyone so used to jumping on the blame farmers band wagon that they don’t stop to think.

MrNoo · Jun 19, 2018

I would agree not seem that many compared to the norm here, noticed a lot more Bumble Bees about and also a lot of small red winged/black bodied butterfly or moth, seem to be everywhere.

Princess Pooper · Jun 20, 2018

still quite early for the main meadow species
so far this year seen lots of brimstone, holly blue, orange tips, a few whites, speckled woods, tortoiseshell and peacock (main flight period yet to come, along with red admirals and commas). First ringlets, small and large skippers, common blues and meadow browns starting to appear. LOADs of chimney sweeper moths in the hay meadows. No small coppers or gatekeepers yet.

primmiemoo · Jun 20, 2018

Maybe they see me and hide?

I mistook Broad-bodied Chaser dragonflies for common blues the other week. Remarkably similar colour, I thought. Don't remember seeing the dragonflies here before, but probably not looking hard enough, as usual.

Yet to see chimney sweeper moths, ever! Pretty much all clay around here, and wiki say they're chalkland species.

Gonna keep eyes peeled and buy a guide to butterflies and moths.

Princess Pooper · Jun 20, 2018

="primmiemoo, post: 5216476, member: 83588"]

Yet to see chimney sweeper moths, ever! Pretty much all clay around here, and wiki say they're chalkland species.

Chimney sweeper caterpillars favourite food plant is pignut, which is like a miniature cow parsley (approx. 12-18 inches high) that grows in old meadows, we have plenty of it, we are clay soils not particularly calcareous. Everyone forgets it's the caterpillar food preferences that really influence what butterflies/moths you get!

Click to expand...

muppet · Jun 20, 2018

The caterpillars are starting to come out - loads of these peacock ones on the margins tonight and have seen quite a few hawk moth ones too.

Princess Pooper · Jun 21, 2018

muppet said:
The caterpillars are starting to come out - loads of these peacock ones on the margins tonight and have seen quite a few hawk moth ones too.

View attachment 684190 View attachment 684188

yes I was spot spraying nettles a few weeks ago and there were loads of caterpillars on some so I left those clumps. Plenty more to go at!

Sonoftheheir · Jun 23, 2018

Several butterflies about today, they’ll enjoy the heat wave!

MrNoo · Jun 23, 2018

Saw my first brood of Partridges today, 13, must have hatched yesterday or day before, tiny little bumblebees, hopefully this weather should provide good conditions for them with plenty of insects and no rain.

Henarar · Jun 23, 2018

mowing this yesterday, clouds of butterflies and moths and insects coming out of the mower
the mower was crawling with bugs when I finished

Sonoftheheir · Jul 8, 2018

I would say the butterflies are doing very well this year now?

Lots of Red Admiral, peacock and cabbage white about here now.

They are about the only ones you really see around here in a normal year.

steveR · Jul 8, 2018

Sonoftheheir said:
I would say the butterflies are doing very well this year now?

Lots of Red Admiral, peacock and cabbage white about here now.

They are about the only ones you really see around here in a normal year.

I read the OP with surprise, as I am seeing a lot of butterflies and moths this summer. Fly population seemed low initially, but they will soon catch up I am sure. Swallows found enough to rear the first brood and starting on the second. Barnies appear to have a good Spring, the box was checked last week, 5 in this year!

KMA · Jul 8, 2018

Hadn't seen many up until yesterday when they've all started appearing, including a brown one I don't remember seeing here before but not had a chance to close enough to identify yet.

Butterflies in 2018

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Up to 25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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