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Counting butterflies and why it matters.
23rd October 2024
 

We talk about butterfly monitoring around the Eltham parks in South east London, the improvement of local habitat and why it matters.

 

Read our blog...​

Brown Argus butterfly
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Brown Argus

In 2022 we began working with Butterfly Conservation after learning of their 'Big City Butterflies' project - We are lucky to live in a part of London that is rich in green space, with ancient woodland and numerous 
parks on our doorstep. However there was room for improvement, with meadow areas having mainly dominant species grass of grass for much of the year.

Eltham park North

Eltham Park North, London

'Big City Butterflies' was an exciting new project started in 2021, funded by the National Heritage Lottery Fund and aimed to "inspire Londoners to discover butterflies and moths, and connect them with nature and their local green spaces. The project wanted to test new approaches to butterfly and moth conservation in a major urban landscape, with people - their needs, interests and behaviours being as important to the project as the 'traditional' conservation practices of habitat management, surveying and monitoring".​

Butterfly session with Butterfly Conservation

Butterfly hunt in Avery Hill Park

Skipper butterfly

Small Skipper

Our local groups were provided with lots of information, sessions on how to ID and also help setting up different transect areas, where we would monitor butterflies and then submit the data to the UKBMS (UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme).
In 2022/23 Butterfly Conservation kindly donated seed for the two different local sites - Avery Hill park was first and is managed by the Friends group, then small strips of the Eltham Park North meadow were sown in autumn 2023 by local families. Yellow rattle seed was added to the mix to help with reducing the dominant grasses and allowing for wildflowers to grow.

Seed sowing in Eltham park North

Sowing wildflower seed in Eltham Park North

A lot of new wildflowers grew from the seed, providing more habitat and nectar sources, and the Yellow rattle will continue to spread each year, holding back more grass, due to its semi-parasitic nature, and providing pollen and nectar for bees.

Bumblebee on Yellow Rattle flower

White-tailed bumblebee on Yellow Rattle flower

From our monitoring records over the last three years, the Meadow Brown is the most abundant butterfly and seems to be thriving, with Gatekeepers, Large/Small Whites and Small/Essex Skippers also appearing regularly.
We have counted 18 out of the 30 butterfly species (not including different moth species) that you can spot in London and the hope is that with the meadow improvements we may see more.

Caterpillar food plants are essential and we are working with Greenwich council to leave areas uncut in rotation for species such as Skippers, that need areas of grass left for eggs and caterpillars, supporting their entire
life cycle.

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Butterfly data Eltham parks

Butterfly monitoring results in Eltham Parks North and South

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The Meadow Brown is a widespread and common butterfly, with caterpillars feeding on a large variety of
meadow grasses.

We are hoping to see some of the priority species at the Eltham sites -  The Brown Hairstreak is a rare butterfly and high on the priority list. Sightings have been recorded around SE London and this butterfly needs Blackthorn to lay eggs on and complete its life-cycle (of which there are large bushes present). 
Green Hairstreaks have also been recorded at Avery Hill park this year - a medium priority species which has undergone losses in different areas.

Buterflies and moths on Knapweed

Meadow Brown and Six-spot Burnet moth on Common Knapweed

Butterflies are important pollinators, indicators of biodiversity and the health of the environment. This year has seen a dramatic and worrying decline across many species and by helping to conserve them, we are not only protecting wildlife and delicate ecosystems but also our own health.

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Meadow improvement will continue this year, thanks to Greenwich council who have supplied more seed for Eltham Park North.

Flowers in Eltham Park North

Eltham Park north meadow with Bird's-foot-trefoil and Red clover

Data added into the UKBMS scheme is part of one of the most important resources for understanding changes in insect populations. However there are lots of other ways that you can help to monitor butterflies:

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The 'Big Butterfly Count' - is live for three weeks between July and August. You can do it anywhere you see a butterfly that you can identify. You will need to download the app and submit 15 minute readings.  View here.

 

'Garden Butterfly Survey' - Where you can take part from your garden, allotment or community space. Recording can be done as often as you like but participants should be committed to recording throughout the year.

View here.

 

'FIT Count' (Flower-Insect Timed Count) - By the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (UKPMS). "Spend ten minutes watching flowers and insects in good weather! This simple survey collects data on the total number of insects that visit a particular flower, ideally chosen from a list of 14 target flowers. FIT Counts can be done anywhere, including gardens and parks, in warm, dry weather any time from April to September". Download the app here.

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For more information or to volunteer to help with local UKBMS transect walks, please email info@urbee.co.uk

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