Commas confirmed breeding in South West Scotland

In recent years we've seen a significant increase in the number of Comma sightings in SW Scotland. Until now these records have all been of adult commas, but thanks to Heather Young of the SW Scotland branch we now have proof of Commas breeding in the branch area.Comma Caterpillar

On the 13th of July, Heather found this nearly full grown caterpillar on an elm near Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire (NS788988). She suspects it was wych elm, but is having the elm species confirmed by a botanist to be sure. The caterpillar began to pupate a just few days later.

There have been only 2 other records of comma caterpillars in Scotland in recent times. On both occasions they were in the Borders. The first was seen in 2006 at Sprouston near Kelso, on elm, and the second at Duns in early July 2010, on nettle.

The Comma caterpillar is quite distinctive, with a large white patch at the rear of the body which gives them the appearance of a bird's dropping. The mature caterpillar will sit happily on the upper surface of leaves, trusting in their bird-dropping mimicry to keep them safe from predators. In England and Wales comma caterpillars can be found on stinging nettles, elm, wych elm, hops and occasionally currents. The pupa resembles a dried leaf dangling from the food plant and is much harder to find!

If you are out for a walk and pass patches of nettles or a stand of elms in SW Scotland keep an eye out for Comma caterpillars (and adults!) and let us know.

Heather Young & Scott Shanks

Caterpillar photograph (c) Heather Young 2010.

Recording Butterflies in Your Local Patch

Do you currently record butterflies in your garden or around your neighbourhood? Perhaps you’ve fancied taking part in one of the branch butterfly surveys but the sites were all too far away or took up too much time with repeated visits? If so you might be interested in the ‘My Patch’ recording project which aims to discover more about the butterfly species in Your local area.
It’s not hard work and gets you out of the house with a purpose. By doing a ‘patch’ it means you wander anywhere you can access within a 1kilometer square. Go out as often as you like, for as long as you like – just get out for a walk and simply jot down the date and what you see.
Your ‘patch’ can start right outside your front door if you like. Even by walking through housing areas, glancing in allotments, hedges, spare land, scrubby areas, river banks etc. you can usefully record areas which will otherwise be blanks on the County records map. Others might prefer to get in a car or on a bike and do a ‘patch’ a couple of miles away, you know, that bit you’ve always thought looks good but never quite got there to have a good look.

If you fancy the idea, and there really is not any more to it, get in touch with me and tell me the ‘patch’ you want to do or let me know where you are and I’ll suggest a ‘patch.’ I need to know before you start because somebody else might already be doing the bit where you are. Just use footpaths, roadside verges or areas with open access as we don’t want you being frog marched out of anywhere or having to run like the clappers with a bull halfway up your shirt tail! Go on, give ‘patches’ a go – adopt a 1km square as your own.

1km 'Patch' Recording was launched last year by the Cumbrian branch and Steve Doyle there reports great success, with many volunteers wanting to do the next 1km square too! It’s always the same, when you get to the boundary of your square, the next bit looks interesting too!

You can either e-mail or post me your records at the end of each month or all together at the end of the year and I’ll pass them onto the correct Butterfly Recorder for your area and ensure that all your records get passed onto the National Butterfly database. I can send you a recording form that you can use to keep track of your records.

Scott Shanks
Flat 1/2 , 113 Haugh Road
Yorkhill
Glasgow
G3 8TX
07793052501
Scottshanks01@msn.com

Transect recording has been the key method of recording thus far and will continue in the future as it is a very valuable source of repetitive data from which trends emerge. We can use the information gathered from these trends to see how well butterflies are doing across the country and can also tell if management action needs to be taken at the transect site to protect the species there.
Some regard transects as rather formal however and are not so willing to commit to walking a transect once a week. Even so, despite formal transects and other valuable ad hoc records there were still a vast number of blank unrecorded or under-recorded squares (even in towns and cities) in south west Scotland. This is where the ‘Your Patch’ recording project can help.
If you already send in your casual/ ad hoc records from day trips and walks please continue to do so as you are contributing vital information for research into butterfly distribution.
The My Patch scheme will hopefully highlight areas in our cities, towns, villages and the countryside where butterflies are thriving (or struggling to survive), squares with lots of species or those with high numbers of a particular species. This information will help monitor the changing distribution of butterfly species in Scotland. The findings may be useful for local councils managing our green spaces or community groups keen to encourage biodiversity or land owners keen to manage their land with wildlife in mind.

My local patch is in the West end of Glasgow. Grid reference NS5665.

It's not the greenest area with few gardens containing flowers. My square does contain the SECC, Science centre, BBC building and lots and lots of concret and tarmac, however it does include a great bit of rough grassland and wildflowers in Yorkhill Park behind the childrens hospital where I've seen 9 species! The most important thing is that I walk through parts of this square at least once a day. I'll likely also do the square to the north of it NS5666 too, as I walk through this on the way to work almost every day (and it has a bit more green areas and potential habitat!).


South West Scotland Butterfly ‘Patches’ – General Guidelines
1. If your square covers an area where you feel threatened or in danger, don’t do it. Report back to me and we can agree a different one.
2. No need to stick to the same route in your square every time. Go everywhere within it that you can. Your square is at most 1km long so it is not a long way from one side to the other.
3. Best times of day to record are 10.00 until 16.00 but beyond that in a very warm spell and provided the weather is fine.
4. Remember different species fly at different times of the year so visit regularly or at least once a month.
5. Walk at a slow steady pace, lingering in likely places, watching for movement.
6. Not all species fly at eye level or below. The Purple Hairstreak is very under-recorded in South West Scotland. The Purple Hairstreak is undoubtedly more widespread, so in late afternoons in July and early August pause and look for movement at the top of oak trees. If you see ‘silver coins’ flitting around they are likely to be Purple Hairstreaks which rarely come to ground.
7. If you have difficulty telling different species apart, let me know and I will get some help for you.
8. Complete your form during your visit or immediately after. Don’t leave it too long.

UK BAP Moths: Argent & Sable

Argent and Sable (Rheumaptera hastata) has 16 records relating to 12 sites in north and central Argyll. This is a day-flying moth on the wing in May and June and the caterpillars feed on bog myrtle and birch and it overwinters as a pupa. There are three sub-species in the UK with hastata hastata occurring in England and southern Scotland as far north as southern Argyll, a smaller and darker form, f. nigrescens found in the Hebrides and the far NW of Scotland and a third sub-spp hastata f. laxata which occurs in Argyll and other parts of the southern Highlands.

Argent & Sable Credit: Tom Prescott

Recording and Monitoring Butterflies and Moths in South West Scotland

One of the most important aspects of conservation is the recording and monitoring of our native species. Monitoring a species over time allows us to determine whether the population is declining or increasing, and also provides data on the distribution of a particular species and whether they are increasing their range or becoming extinct at previous strongholds.

Small Tortoiseshell Survey

There are a range of ways in which you can get involved and I’ve listed a few below.

1. Monitoring specific species of Butterfly
The branch is looking for volunteers to help with species-specific surveys targeted to some of the most threatened butterfly species in Scotland. Participating in butterfly surveys is fun, informative and very rewarding. Plus it’s a great way to see some of the UK’s rarest species. It involves a wee bit more than just counting butterflies as we also need to know a bit about the plants which comprise the habitat and the overall condition of the site. To help conserve the UK BAP species in Scotland which are currently under threat, we need to revisit historical sites to see if the butterfly is still there and also to identify sites where the habitat has deteriorated and is a threat to the survival of the butterfly colony. These sites can then be flagged up with Butterfly Conservation, Scottish National Heritage and LBAP partners with the aim of getting appropriate management work done to improve the condition of the sites. This survey potentially requires only a single visit to a site (although return visits can help gain more data), and therefore you can choose to visit as few or as many sites as you wish. Every piece of information you collect could be immensely useful.
Surveys for the Chequered Skipper, Dingy Skipper, Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Mountain Ringlet, and Northern Brown Argus are detailed on the branch website: http://www.southwestscotland-butterflies.org.uk/index.shtml

2. Monitoring specific sites looking for butterflies
There are two ways that volunteers can help monitor butterflies and moths at particular sites.
2a. The first is the Butterflies of the Wider Countryside Survey.
This is a research project collecting data that can be used to monitor the abundance of butterfly species across the countryside. It involves only 2 visits to a particular site, once in July and once in August, but further optional visits in May and June would provide more data. The sites are all 1 km map squares that have been chosen randomly to provide an unbiased assessment of butterfly abundance in the countryside. The methodology involves walking across your 1km square twice in as straight a line as possible counting all of the butterflies that pass near to you. You can record others that are further off your route separately, but for the study you need to only record those that come within 5m of your position as you move along the route. This survey is being tried in our branch area for the first time during 2009 after trails in England and up in the Highland branch area of Scotland.
For more information on sites to be surveyed in the branch area and more on the methodology see http://www.southwestscotland-butterflies.org.uk/surveys/wider-countryside-butterfly-scheme-2009.shtml
and http://www.ukbms.org/wcbs.htm

2b. The second type of site-specific survey is a Butterfly Transect.
This survey monitors butterflies on a set route through a particular site over the course of the Summer. The methodology requires one visit each week between April and September. The recorder takes a note of all butterflies that pass within a 5m by 5m ‘imaginary box’ in front of them as they walk along the route. It provides a wealth or information about the butterfly population on that site and can give an early warning of population declines, as well as providing data on when species are on the wing each year. There is a network of monitored transects (normally in nature reserves or on sites where threatened species are found) that are co-ordinated by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, but anyone can set up their own independent transect in their local park or along a canal footpath where they regularly walk with support from Butterfly conservation. A group can share a transect, which helps cover holiday weeks etc. For more information see. http://www.southwestscotland-butterflies.org.uk/transects/

3. Casual Records. One of the easiest ways to record butterflies is to send in casual records of butterflies you see when out for a walk, or in the garden. Every sighting is useful to build a picture of the distribution and abundance of all the species throughout the country. Each record requires a few details for it to be useful: The recorders name and address, the date, the species of butterfly seen, the number seen, and the location with a grid reference. Send your records to butterflyrecorder@southwestscotland-butterflies.org.uk. A recording form is available here at http://www.southwestscotland-butterflies.org.uk/butterfly_records/index.shtml. All records are passed onto the national Butterflies for the New Millennium scheme organised by Butterfly Conservation and will be used to create distribution maps that can track changes in butterfly distribution throughout the country. A new 5 year recording period starts in 2010! Every county in the UK is covered by the recording scheme, so please keep a note of any butterflies that you see when on holiday too.
A good description of how to work out a grid reference can be found here: http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/text/65/instructions_for_recorders.html

4. Moth Recording. South West Scotland is home to a large number of Moth species. Moth recording is an important part of Butterfly Conservation’s work. There are many varied species of moths throughout SW Scotland and it is well worth spending the time to study them. The National Moth Recording Scheme was set up in 2007 to provide a national database for macro-moths in the UK. This is a major step forward for moth recording in the UK. The branch area contains a number of moth species that are declining, rare or extinct in other parts of the UK, with over 854 species of macro-moths recorded in the branch area so far.

Conservation work is currently underway in the branch area to preserve the habitat of endangered burnet moths on the West Coast of Scotland. However you don’t need to travel to remote areas to record moths and provide useful data. You can record moths found in your garden using a light trap or a technique called wine/sugar roping to attract passing individuals, but even records of moths that come to your kitchen window could be very useful!

The branch has a number of moth traps available for members to borrow so they can have a go at light trapping, and a number of moth trapping events are run each year where you can come along and get an idea of what it’s all about (see events page on the branch website). There is also a network of vice county moth recorders throughout the UK, who collate all of the moth records in a particular county and who would be more than willing to help you with identifications and offer advice on how to get started. There is also a Yahoo group for Scottish moth recorders where members can post details of what they’ve caught recently or ask for Id help. We are luck enough to have some fantastically knowledgeable and experienced moth recorders in Scotland willing to help beginners get started. http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ScottishMoths/

For more information on recording moths and details of free training courses see the Moths Count website at http://www.mothscount.org/site/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Please get in touch if you’d like to take part in any of the surveys, try moth trapping or set up your own transect and the committee will be glad to help with any questions and advice. If you’d like specific training for any of the recording schemes or just want to discuss your ideas, please get in contact and we’ll do are best to help you.

Best wishes and happy recording in 2010!

So, where do all the butterflies go in winter?

Good question! I’m sure everyone must have fond childhood memories of playing in the sunshine on warm summer days during the school holidays: swallows in the sky, warblers singing in the trees and of course, butterflies fluttering by. As summer turns to autumn the swallows and warblers take their leave and head south for warmer lands. BUT, where do all the butterflies go?

Well, although you’re unlikely to see them, most UK species don’t head south with the swallows and warblers. They spend the winter in gardens, parks and the countryside hibernating either as an adult, chrysalis, caterpillar or an egg!

There are a number of survival strategies used by butterflies in the UK to survive the chilly winter conditions. Species listed are those found in South West Scotland.

The Life Stages of Scottish Butterflies during winter


Species such as Painted Ladies, Clouded Yellows and Red Admirals migrate to the UK each year in varying numbers from their breeding grounds in Southern Europe and North Africa. These butterflies generally can’t survive our winter, and until recently it was thought that most died with the first chilly days. However in 2009 scientists with Butterfly Conservation showed that at least a proportion of Painted Ladies make a reverse migration in autumn, heading back across the English Channel and down through Europe. Clouded Yellows and Red Admirals may also use this strategy.

Some species such as Peacocks, Small tortoiseshells and Commas spend the winter hibernating as adults. These butterflies spend the summer and autumn feeding up on lots of nectar and the fermenting juices of windfall apples, plums and brambles, building up enough body fat to last them through the winter. The butterflies seek out log piles, crevices in tree trunks, dense vegetation and piles of leaves and occasionally garden sheds, barns and other out buildings. On warm days the butterflies may emerge to search for any plants still in flower to top up their reserves, but swiftly return to their hibernation site if it clouds over. In England the Brimstone also hibernates as an adult. Butterflies that hibernate as adults are often the first to be seen in the year. This generation takes advantage of early spring flowers and new vegetation on which to lay their eggs that will go on to produce the next generation.

If you find a butterfly hibernating behind your curtains or the wardrobe in the spare room, leave it where it is. However, If the room is heated and the butterfly is quite active it can use up all of its energy very quickly, so it is better to move it to a cooler location such as a shed or outbuilding where it will remain until the good weather comes again in March/April.

Another common strategy is to spend the winter as a chrysalis. This is the magical intermediate stage between caterpillar and adult. Butterflies that spend the winter as a chrysalis often do so at the base of the food plant or in grass tussocks or just beneath the soil. This helps to protect them from the worst of the frost. These butterflies can react quickly to changes in the spring weather, and complete their transformation and emerge as adults to take advantage of fresh growth of their caterpillar food plants. Butterflies that use this strategy include: The whites (Large White, Small White, Green-veined White and Orange-Tips), the Holly Blue and Speckled Woods*. These butterflies commonly have 2 or more broods per year, even in Scotland. This is likely due to their ability to get the first generation of the year going quickly.

Spending the winter as a caterpillar is the most common strategy used by butterflies and most moths. As summer changes to autumn, caterpillars that have been happily munching on their food plant often move down to snuggle among the leaves and debris at the base of the food plant or grass tussock. During warmer spells the caterpillar can continue to feed and so can top up energy reserves. The advantage of passing the winter in a relatively mobile form if flooding occurs in spring, they may be able to move to safety. Butterflies which spend the winter as a caterpillar include the Dingy Skipper, Chequered Skipper, Large Skipper, Small Skipper, Common Blue, Northern Brown Argus, Small Copper, Green Hairstreak, Small Pearl-Bordered Fritillary, Pearl-Bordered Fritillary, Dark Green Fritillary, Marsh Fritillary, Speckled Wood (*this species may also hibernate as a chrysalis*), Wall, Mountain Ringlet, Scotch Argus, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small Heath and Large Heath.

The final strategy is used by the Essex Skipper and various Hairstreaks in Britain, including the Purple Hairstreak in Scotland, is to spend the winter as an egg. The female Purple Hairstreak lays her eggs at the ends of oak twigs next to buds. The Purple Hairstreak caterpillar is fully formed inside the egg before the onset of winter. When the caterpillar hatches in spring it begins to feed on the little leaf buds, and perhaps avoids high levels of tannins that build up in oak leaves as they age. The Essex Skipper spends the winter as an egg and emerges in April/May to feed. Interestingly the adult Essex Skipper is on the wing just 1 month later than its close relation the Small Skipper which spends the winter as a caterpillar.

Happy 25th Anniversary Glasgow & South West Scotland Branch of Butterfly Conservation!

The 19th of January 2010 will mark the 25th anniversary since the founding of the branch way back in 1985!

Happy 25th Anniversary Glasgow & SW Scotland Branch of Butterfly Conservation

To celebrate 25 years of supporting Butterfly and Moth Conservation in south west Scotland we are planning a year of exciting events including butterfly walks, moth nights, conservation work parties and members days with talks and presentations.

Come along to our Member’s Day in Glasgow on the 28th of March. Meet the committee and other members and find out local efforts to conserve Butterflies, moths and their habitats. There will be a number of presentations ranging from details of species surveys, up-coming events and local conservation projects you can get involved with.

The Members’ Day will be held at:

The Quaker Meeting House, 38 Elmbank Crescent, Charing Cross, Glasgow (opposite the Charing Cross Train station)

2pm to 5pm

Members are invited to bring along any Butterfly/ Moth pictures they’d like to show in digital format on a disk or memory stick. Or bring along any prints they’d like to display. If you would like to give a talk - please contact Neil Gregory on drotwich@btinternet.com