Small coppers occasionally visit gardens, but are usually found along fields, hedgerows and woodland edges.
The latest issue of Biodiversity Ireland, a highly fascinating seasonal magazine published by the National Biodiversity Data Center, reports that butterflies are in decline.
This information comes from the 2022 results of the European Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, an initiative of Butterfly Conservation Europe and the UK’s Center for Ecology and Hydrology. The partnership will collect data from his 100,000 transects walked by his 10,816 citizen scientists in 22 countries.
In nature studies, a transect is a line along which observations or measurements are made. In the case of butterflies, it is a constant route that the observer walks repeatedly, counting all the butterflies he sees. Scientists do this as part of their job, but anyone can volunteer and become a citizen scientist.
On clear skies when butterflies are likely to fly, observers ideally walk along the route every week from early April to the end of September, identifying, counting, and recording butterflies visible directly in front of, above, and to the side. .
The Irish Butterfly Monitoring Scheme has been in place since 2008 and is the longest running insect monitoring scheme in the country. Results for the 15 most common butterfly species show an overall 57% decrease in the number of butterflies arriving in 2022 compared to the base year of 2008.
On an individual species basis, 12 species showed strong or moderate population trends from 2008 to 2022, with only brimstone and holly showing stable trends over time. It was estimated that there were only two species of blue.
Two migratory birds to Ireland, the Painted Lady and the Red Admiral, have shown modest increases over 15 years, but changes in their populations are highly dependent on conditions outside Ireland. The 2022 results also showed that the peak in butterfly flight times occurred two weeks earlier than the peak observed in 2021. Met Eireann’s 2022 annual climate statement said this year was the “warmest year on record” and “precipitation was below average”.
If you would like more information or would like to volunteer to walk a crosswalk near your area, please email butterflies@biodiversityireland.ie.