The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Saturday 8 August 2009

A seven hour stint at Rimac in ideal weather conditions produced an excellent number of butterflies.

Painted Lady - 103
Peacock - 44
Small Tortoiseshell - 9
Common Blue - 204
Brown Argus - 9
Small Copper - 15
Small Heath - 23
Meadow Brown - 141
Ringlet - 2
Gatekeeper - 162
Wall - 12
Speckled Wood - 5 including one individual out on the saltmarsh!
Small Skipper - 112
Essex Skipper - 36
Large White - 19
Small White - 12
Green-veined White - 17

A brief visit to Covenham on the way home, concentrating on the embankment below the yacht club, produced a staggering number of butterflies for such a small area.

Painted Lady - 185
Peacock - 56
Small Tortoiseshell - 12
Common Blue - 264
Brown Argus - 3
Small Copper - 2
Small Heath - 1
Meadow Brown - 25
Gatekeeper - 38
Wall - 2
Small Skipper - 5
Large White - 38
Small White -25
Green-veined White - 18

Regards

Dave, with Steve Routledge

Dave i was also suitably impressed by that bank at covenham with enormous numbers of common blue, i have never seen so many in such a smallish area. Do you think the sheep removal had a lot to do with it, if so our small efforts have shown some reward. Only found 4 bee orchids on the bank top where the tyres are this year.

terry whalin

Terry: Monica and I do the weekly butterfly transect at Gib Point and we have noticed that the introduction of sheep into a section that had good butterfly numbers one week had virtually none a week later. But no flowers either as the sheep had scoffed them all - except for that good old standby - Ragwort!!! However, if the sheep are not present next year we would expect loads of butterflies again. I suppose the balance has to be kept just right.