Butterfly Survey

Review of 2024 Butterfly Surveys

Against a backround of the lowest numbers of butterflies nationally according Butterfly Conservation we have recorded our highest annual total since the transect was started in 2002. The amazing total of 1081 insects counted is 90% above the average. Very roughly a third of species increased, a third showed no change and a third decreased. However half had above average counts. Meadow browns, our most numerous species, had an exceptional season as did others when compared with the national picture. Common blues are worth mentioning in this context. Worrying is the absence of sightings of dingy skipper. Hopefully this is a blip. So why are some of our butterflies doing better on our nature reserve than they are nationally? We can only speculate but I believe we are seeings the insects respond to efforts over the last few years to create flower rich areas around the reserve. It was noticeable how numerous insects were along the ditch of the new hedge in Bloomers which now has abundant betony, knapweed and devils bit scabious as well as many other species of flower. At times I was surrounded by clouds of meadow browns and gatekeepers and struggled to count them. I have never experienced that before. Another indication that it is the richness of the wildflowers in our grasslands is the discovery of longhorned bees on the reserve. Now rare they declined drastically due to the loss of wildflower meadows. Their appearance suggests we have created excellent habitat for bees, butterflies and all sorts of other invertebrates including the rare tawny longhorn beetle recorded in 2024 by Graham Collins in Beacon Field.

Lingfield Wildlife Area

Summary of 2024 Butterfly Surveys


2024Position of year since 2002
 Comments
Small/Essex Skipper68!stOur best ever year. No idea why but they favour our flower rich ditches. Two species which are very difficult to tell apart in the field..
Large Skipper510thAn average year but improved.
Brimstone84thAnother good year. Consistently recorded more frequently in last 10 years. It could be the result of all the alder buckthorn planted in recent years.
Dingy Skipper09thA UK priority species but wasn’t seen this year. This is worrying although they are always in very small numbers and hard to spot.
Large White2012thShowing a decrease but an average year.
Small White1411thLess than last year but still above average.
Green Veined White010thNone recorded. No change there.
Orange Tip101stOur best ever year although there is a word of caution as the female is hard to tell from other smaller whites. Cuckoo flower its food plant seems to be spreading on the reserve. Anyone want to grow some? Its easy.
Small Copper313thAn increase but still below average. They have had a bad year nationally so this isn’t too bad.
Brown Argus06thNone seen but numbers are always low.
Common Blue187thThey’ve shown an increase and are above average which contradicts the national trend. Their foodplant, birds foot trefoil, is everywhere and seemed to have a good year.
Holly Blue68thA decrease but still above average. Regulars in the Butterfly Garden. No idea why although ivy, a food plant, seems to be doing well everywhere.
Red Admiral154thA good year. Mostly seen in the butterfly garden
Painted Lady011thA migrant. None seen although I had one or two in my garden.
Small Tortoiseshell018thAnother terrible year for this struggling but once common butterfly. It was spotted in the ditch of the new hedge which is flower rich.
Peacock104thAlthough fewer than last year still a good year
Comma97thShowing an increase and above average.
Silver Washed Fritillary21stIts best year although still very low numbers. Look for them in the butterfly garden.
Speckled Wood3213thA decrease from last year and a little below average so not a good year for this species which is so characteristic of the reserves.
Marbled White02ndNone seen after our first record two years ago.
Gatekeeper1092ndOur second best year ever.
Meadow Brown7341stThe best year ever for our most numerous species.
Small Heath75thThe apparent “colonisation” since 2016 continues. Another better than average year for this priority species.
Ringlet712thA bad year. A decrease from last year and below average.
Brown Hairstreak42ndProbably our star butterfly and its second best year in terms of records on the transect. Another priority species. High numbers of eggs were discovered on the new hedge last Winter. 
Purple Emperor02ndNone but the goat willow thickets we have planted are reaching a size where they could attract egg laying females if there are any locally. Keep your eyes peeled next year.
Clouded Yellow03rdNone.
Purple Hairstreak04thNone.
Number of visits23
Butterflies per visit30
Average count compared with other years5th
Total compared with other years4th

Summary of 2002-2024 Butterfly Surveys


 		      20022003      2004            2005      200620072008     2009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024%
1Small/Essex Skipper1119971170141540484120352146574070573968!stIncrease28Above6395.9%
2Large Skipper1191141136716193411613793510thIncrease5Equal1221.1%
3Brimstone0040600001302220382791384thDecrease3Above700.7%
4Dingy Skipper0000000000000021262121509thDecrease1Below310.3%
5Large White2417319228101111183390820103751252241262012thDecrease20Equal4634.3%
6Small White1451521196413711219551772711111721201411thDecrease13Above2912.7%
7Green Veined White0000001001220031010140010thNo change1Below160.1%
8Orange Tip2002132340625301350985101stIncrease3Above740.7%
9Small Copper050000038423631536131071313thIncrease4Below830.8%
10Brown Argus         100001010230006thNo change0Equal80.1%
11Common Blue05300012145051628647264031143012187thIncrease13Above3032.8%
12Holly Blue2171231336520188466551368thDecrease4Above980.9%
13Red Admiral61018116354860221193291140924154thDecrease10Above2232.1%
14Painted Lady14002004000101001130310011thNo change1Below310.3%
15Small Tortoiseshell428107240130075420121710018thNo change4Below890.8%
16Peacock0733161452223562111515811104thDecrease5Above1221.1%
17Comma55431725109811123254105316597thIncrease6Above1441.3%
18Silver washed fritillary                    1021stIncrease0Above30.0%
19Speckled Wood181622321941387554701925364853264162122748353213thDecrease37Below8497.9%
20Marbled White                    1002ndNo change0Equal10.0%
21Gatekeeper322793484719666267168739528963297060126105891092ndIncrease58Above134112.5%
22Meadow Brown9413691160124109119921881571272361891692883941474642744643093857341stIncrease237Above545050.7%
23Small Heath0000000000000010810894575thIncrease2Above520.5%
24Ringlet001050676101101551947232419349712thDecrease9Below2122.0%
25Brown Hairstreak          10010322312642ndDecrease1Above250.2%
26Purple Emperor           1000000000002ndNo change0Equal10.0%
27Clouded Yellow           1000000200003rdNo change0Equal30.0%
28Purple Hairstreak            101100000004thNo change0Equal30.0%
                               
  2242942953022932151982563993801975283883645676083978835508917317061081  566Above10747100.0%
                               
 Number of visits1515142122251823222620182325251521221720252321  23   
                          ,10/2836%,14/28 50%
 Butterflies per visit14.9319.621.0714.3813.318.61111.1318.114.69.929.316.914.622.740.518.940.132.444.629.230.751.5 ,8/2829%,7/28 25%
            

Average count compared with other years                    6th5th!st      
                               
   Total compared with other years                    3rd4th1st     

Summary of 2012 Butterfly Surveys 
    
A bad year with prolonged wet spells giving the lowest total of insects counted and the 10th lowest in terms of insect recorded per visit. However, not all species did badly. Brimstone, Green Veined White, Orange Tip and Holly Blue had good years. Meadow Brown and Small Copper had average years. Our newcomers in 2011, Dingy Skipper and Brown Argus were not recorded although Dingy Skipper was seen off transect in the new ditch in Bloomers. The highlight of the year was spotting a Brown Hairstreak in the Quiet Garden. This was a real surprise as this species is uncommon and local and usually found further West. It is also rarely seen at ground level as it favours tree tops. Overall 4 species increased, 3 were unchanged and 14 decreased.
 2012Position of year since 2012Comments
 
Small/Essex Skipper0Joint 10thSome seen off transect along new ditch in Bloomers
Large Skipper1Joint 7th 
Brimstone33rdA good year
Large White311th 
Small White211th 
Green Veined White21stPossibly under reported as difficult to distinguish from Small White and Orange Tip
Orange Tip61stA good year. Possibly unreported in the past due to the difficulty of distinguishing the females from other whites
Small Copper25thThis butterfly seems to particularly favour the new ditch near Coldharbour
Brown Argus0Joint 2ndFirst seen in 2011. Not seen again this year.
Common Blue0Joint 7thSome seen off transect along new ditch in Bloomers
Holly Blue53rdA good year for this species.
Red Admiral6Joint 5th 
Painted Lady0Joint 5th 
Small Tortoiseshell0Joint 9thA poor year
Peacock2Joint 7th 
Comma111thA poor year
Speckled Wood19Joint 8thA patchy year for this normally very reliable species. The increased shading in Cold Harbout Copse, a favoured haunt historically, could be a cause.
Gatekeeper169thA poor year
Meadow Brown1275th 
Ringlet16th 
Brown Hairstreak11stA fanstastic record. A restricted and elusive species. Seen in the Quiet Garden.
Total insects seen197  
    
Number of visits in 201220  
    
Butterflies per visit9.9  
    
Butterflies per visit compared with previous years10th An poor total

Summary of 2002-2012 Butterfly Surveys           
            Position of 2012 totalStatusPosition of 2011 total
 20022003200420052006200720082009201020112012
Small/Essex Skipper1119971170141540Joint 10thDecrease9th
Large Skipper119114113671Joint 7thDecrease3rd
Brimstone004060000133rdIncrease3rd
Large White241731922810111118311thDecrease4th
Small White1451521196413711211thDecrease6th
Green Veined White000000100121stIncreaseJoint 1st
Orange Tip200213234061stIncreaseJoint 8th
Small Copper050000038425thDecrease3rd
Brown Argus         10Joint 2ndDecrease1st
Common Blue053000121450Joint 7thDecreaseJoint 2nd
Holly Blue217123133653rdDecreaseJoint 2nd
Red Admiral6101811635486Joint 5thDecreaseJoint 3rd
Painted Lady14002004000Joint 5thNo changeJoint 5th
Small Tortoiseshell4281072401300Joint 9thNo changeJoint 9th
Peacock07331614522Joint 7thNo change7th
Comma554317251098111thDecrease4th
Speckled Wood1816223219413875547019Joint 8thDecrease2nd
Gatekeeper322793484719666267169thDecrease2nd
Meadow Brown9413691160124109119921881571275thDecrease3rd
Ringlet0010506761016thDecrease1st
Brown Hairstreak          11stIncrease 
               
 22429429530229321519825639938019711th  
               
Number of visits15151421222518232226207th  
               
Butterflies per visit14.919.621.114.413.38.61111.118.114.69.910th  
               
Average count compared with other years3rd2nd1st5th6th10th8th7th3rd4th9th9th  
               
Total compared with other years8th5th4th3rd6th9th10th7th1st2nd11th11th  

 Cumulative Butterfly List for the reserve   
      
 SpeciesCommentsFlight PeriodNew in 2011New in 2012
      
1Small SkipperSeen frequently on the meadowsJun-Aug  
2Essex SkipperMeadowsJul-Aug  
3Large SkipperMeadowsJun-Jul  
4Dingy SkipperDitch by Coldharbour – W5May-Jun08-May-11 
5Clouded YellowThistle patch in Derek Slade SpinneyMay, Aug, Oct  
6BrimstoneAnywhereAll year  
7Large WhiteAnywhereMay-Sep  
8Small WhiteAnywhereMay-Sep  
9Green-veined WhiteAnywhereMay-Sep  
10Orange-tipHedges and vergesMay-Jun  
11Brown HairstreakOak and ash trees in quiet gardenAug-Sep 05-Aug-12
12Purple HairstreakOak and ash trees by allotmentsJul-Aug21-Jul-11 
13Small CopperMeadowsMay, Jul-Aug  
14Brown ArgusMeadowsMay-Jun, Aug-Sep29-May-11 
15Common BlueMeadows and W5 ditchJun, Aug-Sep  
16Holly BlueTrees and hedgesApr-May, Aug  
17Purple EmperorTrees/Butterfly gardenJul-Aug  
18Red AdmiralFlowers,buddleiaApr-Oct  
19Painted LadyFlowers,buddleiaMay, Jul-Aug  
20Small TortoiseshellAnywhereAll year  
21PeacockAnywhereAll year  
22CommaAnywhereAll year  
23Speckled WoodTrees and hedgesMay-Sep  
24GatekeeperHedges and vergesJul-Aug  
25Meadow BrownMeadowsMay-Jul  
26RingletHedges and vergesJul-Aug