Butterfly Conservation

There are 59 butterfly, and around 2500 moth species in Britain (Butterfly conservation 2009). All species are important in terms of biodiversity conservation, ecological stability, climate change and economic value. Of all terrestrial wildlife in Britain, over half of all species are insects; butterflies in particular are invaluable as indicators of habitat quality and changes in the stability of ecosystems. Butterflies are so suited largely because of their rapid life cycles, specific habitat requirements, and sensitivity to environmental change (Fox et al 2007).

The Aesthetic value of butterflies is clear, they are beautiful and popular, everybody likes butterflies; they are part of our natural heritage, for over 300 years both butterflies and moths have been studied in the UK. Butterflies and moths contribute to the economy by being a popular attraction for eco-tourists across the planet, great potential economic value lies in the range of chemicals produced by butterflies, for the purposes of predator and parasite avoidance as well as mate attraction; the common meadow brown, for example, has been found to produce powerful antibiotics (Butterfly conservation Europe 2008). The intrinsic, scientific and economic importance of conserving butterflies is extensive.

A report by Butterfly Conservation and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology written in 2007 communicates the decline of Britain’s butterflies, below is a summery of findings provided by Butterfly Conservation:

• Butterflies are declining rapidly: over three-quarters of our 59 resident species are declining and 5 species have become extinct.

• 21 species have declined by over 30% in the last 25 years.

• Butterflies have fared worse than birds or plants.

• Despite these losses, some threatened species have increased or stabilized due to conservation effort under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

• About 15 species are spreading, almost certainly due to climate change.

The causes of decline of Britain’s butterflies are varied but primarily include habitat loss and degradation as a result of modern agricultural and forestry intensification. Loss of important butterfly habitat types since the 1940’s include 50% of ancient woodland, 97% of lowland-grassland and 80% of chalk and limestone grassland. Changes in management such as reduced lowland grazing and a lack of coppiced woodland contribute to the loss of suitable habitat, as well as isolation of suitable habitat, leading to isolation of butterfly populations. Climate change in particular effects those now isolated populations that may be unable to colonize new suitable habitat as ‘bands of specific environmental conditions’ required by particular species, are being recorded further and further North (Butterfly Conservation 2001).

What you can do to help

The following are ways in which everyone can help prevent the continued decline of our butterflies:

Learn all about butterflies, below are some links that provide information about the natural history, ecology, conservation and life cycles of butterflies.

Butterfly Conservation: Learn

UK Butterflies

The State of Britain’s Butterflies (2007) pdf

Record and Identify different butterfly species, what are they, where are they and when? Also who to tell about your findings; in the back garden, school grounds or local nature reserve, everyone, anywhere can help to monitor the presence of and movement of different species across the country. This is one of the most important tasks in butterfly conservation. The Links here provide identification guides and organisations to contact with your findings.

Butterfly Identification Chart

UK Butterflies: Species Identification

UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS); Get Involved

Providing Butterfly friendly areas to attract butterflies into your garden or school grounds. A number of simple and fun activities and projects can be undertaken that will really help to provide suitable breeding and feeding opportunities for butterflies. Below are links to our guide to attracting butterflies into your garden or school grounds, a guide to species-specific food and nectar plants that can be planted and managed to provide important butterfly habitat and instructions for simple and fun ways to make butterfly attractants.

Attracting Butterflies; Habitat Management, Food and Nectar Plants.

Making Butterfly Feeders and Attractants

Come back soon for more butterfly related information and activities!

References

Butterfly conservation (2009) Introducing Butterflies and Moths, [Online] Available from: http://www.butterfly

conservation.org/text/57/introducing_butterflies_and_moths.html. Accessed 23/10/2009

Butterfly Conservation Europe (2008) Why Butterflies Are Important [Online] Available from: http://www.bc

europe.org/upload/Why%20butterflies%20and%20moths%20are%20important%203.pdf. Accessed: 23/10/2009

Butterfly Conservation (2001) The State of Britain’s Butterflies [Online] Available from: http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/uploads/sobb.pdf. Accessed: 23/10/2009

Fox, R., Warren, M.S., Asher, J., Brereton, T.M. and Roy, D.B. 2007. The state of

Britain’s butterflies 2007. Butterfly Conservation and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wareham, Dorset