Butterflies
The UK has 59 breeding species of butterfly but like many of our insects they are under threat from human activities. Long-term trends show that 80% of butterfly species have decreased in abundance or distribution, or both since the 1970s. UK butterflies have lost 6% of their total abundance at monitored sites and 42% of their distribution over the period 1976-2019. This is why, initiatives like Bug’s Life B-Line project, and our own Betchworth Biodiversity Corridor, aimed at expanding wildflower cultivation, are important for the survival of butterflies.
As part of our Betchworth Biodiversity Baseline Survey members of Re-B team spent time observing and recording our butterflies. Using the excellent on-line resources of the Butterfly Conservation Society https://butterfly-conservation.org/ we have identified and photographed a total of 19 species. Its not easy to photograph a butterfly so some of our photos are a bit blurry but they do at least give us a flavour of their diversity and beauty.
As part of our Betchworth Biodiversity Baseline Survey members of Re-B team spent time observing and recording our butterflies. Using the excellent on-line resources of the Butterfly Conservation Society https://butterfly-conservation.org/ we have identified and photographed a total of 19 species. Its not easy to photograph a butterfly so some of our photos are a bit blurry but they do at least give us a flavour of their diversity and beauty.
The colours and patterns on the wings have several functions. Firstly, they help protect butterflies from predators through camouflage, or warn predators that the butterfly’s body is toxic, secondly they help attract potential mates. A major feature of these wing canvases is that they have two sides and they can contain different messages on each side. In general, butterflies use the upper surfaces of their wings to seduce the opposite sex, whereas they use the lower surfaces to hide from view or to communicate to their predators that eating them would be toxic. Most butterflies sit or feed with their wings closed, the ventral (or bottom) side of their wings, with the subdued colors which often blend into the vegetation making them more difficult for predators to see. Open wings are often a signal to attract a mate.
Sources
The State of UK Butterflies 2022 Butterfly Conservation Society
https://butterfly-conservation.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/State%20of%20UK%20Butterflies%202022%20Report.pdf
Sources
The State of UK Butterflies 2022 Butterfly Conservation Society
https://butterfly-conservation.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/State%20of%20UK%20Butterflies%202022%20Report.pdf