The 2024 butterfly season was not was one that will last long in the memory. The transect numbers, which include Sidney Wood and Rosemary Lane Wood were very low. In fact, just 2122 butterflies were seen on the transect walks all season compared with 4155 for the previous year. Our target species of Wood White, Grizzled Skipper and Dingy Skipper all had a poor year with a lack of sunshine not helping. Holly Blue had a terrible year with just 3 seen on the whole transect route compared to 113 the year before. It is a species which suffers from a parasite which reduces numbers to very low levels over a 7 year cycle before it can bounce back but it now has a very low base to start from.
The transect walk on the 29th June was the most memorable of the year with 4 Purple Emperors in Sidney Wood and as we establish more Sallows in Rosemary Lane Wood it can only be a matter of time before they become regular sightings here.
The peak abundance was on the 17th July when the Rosemary Lane Wood count was 190 butterflies with 347 being the peak count the previous year. Whilst Silver-Washed Fritillary also suffered in 2024, I found more in Park Copse than anywhere else. Ringlet which didn’t like the heat of 2023 was one of the few butterflies to buck the trend and see its fortunes improve in 2024.
We made a tentative start to recording moth species and set up a moth trap on two separate occasions. Perhaps the most interesting find was however not a moth but a Glow Worm which had not been recorded from the site before.
We are continuing our winter work parties with the aim of improving the habitat and making the wood better connected for butterflies and other insect species.