Butterfly walk and talk – report of July event
Part 1
Steve Bolton, nature conservation consultant and formerly with Butterfly Conservation, was invited to make an illustrated presentation on identifying and recording butterflies which took place in Lauderdale House on 19 July. Places were limited to 25 people and attendance was offered free of charge to existing FoWP members or charged at £5 with membership for the rest of the current year to members of the public. The cost of the speaker and meeting was shared by FoWP and Camden Council.
In addition printed information was made available and participants were informed about the irecord app for identifying and submitting information on butterflies seen.
It was intended that a walk around would then take place to see butterflies in the Park but the heavens opened and it was clear that this was not going to happen. But….
In addition printed information was made available and participants were informed about the irecord app for identifying and submitting information on butterflies seen.
It was intended that a walk around would then take place to see butterflies in the Park but the heavens opened and it was clear that this was not going to happen. But….
Part 2
Steve Bolton kindly returned on the following Saturday (26 July) along with 12 of the attendees at the introductory talk. The weather was fine but not particularly sunny (which might have encouraged more butterflies to be flying). The group was taken on a circular route visiting those areas of the park which had provided recorded sightings in the past. The results were:
Lauderdale lawn – Jersey Tiger on pillar!
Lauderdale lawn – Jersey Tiger on pillar!
Path by Physick border – gatekeeper
Kitchen garden – no sightings
Western side grass meadow – large white, common blue, meadow brown
Bed with tall thistles/rosebay willowherb, west middle – comma, green-veined white
Upper pond woodland – no sightings
This list includes about one-third of common UK species. The group was also given advice about the type of plant that could attract and support both caterpillars and butterflies.
This list includes about one-third of common UK species. The group was also given advice about the type of plant that could attract and support both caterpillars and butterflies.
Steve Bolton underlined the value of repeat recording visits to the same locations at regular intervals (at least monthly) during the period late April to September for monitoring changes. One member of the group expressed an interest in coordinating this activity (if this is successful it will be advertised through the FoWP website).
