Reflections on spring and summer 2023 for butterflies

Butterfly Conservation have just announced the findings from the 2023 Big Butterfly Count, revealing a better picture for butterflies than had been feared .... see here.

This year, I again participated in the Big Butterfly Count from 14th July to the 6th August 2023 .... see here.

However, I also recorded my butterfly sightings for all my spring and summer visits to my local patch sites at St. Nicholas Church and the surrounding areas and Noak Bridge Nature Reserve.

Anecdotally, despite some poor weather (especially for most of July), there seems to have been a greater abundance of butterflies this year compared with previous years.

In addition, the number of species that I have recorded this year significantly increased at St. Nicholas Church and the surrounding areas and was almost the same at Noak Bridge Nature Reserve:

St. Nicholas Church and the surrounding areas

Total number of species recorded at the site = 25

2021 = 15

2022 = 17

2023 = 23

Species recorded in 2023: Brown Argus, Comma, Common Blue, Essex Skipper, Gatekeeper, Holly Blue, Large Skipper Large White, Marbled White, Meadow Brown, Orange Tip, Painted Lady, Peacock, Purple Hairstreak, Red Admiral, Ringlet, Small Copper, Small Heath, Small Skipper, Small Tortoiseshell, Small White, Speckled Wood, Wall

Noak Bridge Nature Reserve

Total number of species recorded at the site = 22

2021 = 9

2022 = 15

2023 = 14

Species recorded in 2023: Brimstone, Brown Argus, Comma, Gatekeeper, Holly Blue, Meadow Brown, Orange Tip, Peacock, Purple Hairstreak, Red Admiral, Ringlet, Small Copper, Small White, Speckled Wood

Note: The absence of any records of Large Skipper, Small Skipper and Large White is surprising and I have no doubt that all 3 of these species were present at the site. Had I recorded them all, my species list for 2023 would have been 17 and higher than that for 2022.

Away from my local patches, a trip to Dorset in early July allowed me to record 21 butterfly species in just 3 days, including 5 new species for me: Lulworth Skipper, Grayling, Dark Green Fritillary, Small Blue, Silver-studded Blue .... see here.

#DefendNature .... Please help save and enhance our laws that protect our environment and wildlife 

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Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature