Peacock butterflies bounce back thanks to heatwave
ONE of Scotland’s most striking butterflies has enjoyed a record summer as it thrived in heatwave conditions, results from the Big Butterfly Count reveal.
The Peacock butterfly was the second most abundant species seen in Scotland during the three-week Big Butterfly Count, held by the charity Butterfly Conservation.
Almost 10,000 of them were recorded – the highest number in the history of the project.
The Peacock is a large red, brown, yellow and black butterfly which has four distinctive spots on the tip of its wings.
It is thought the colourful creature benefitted from the warm, dry conditions during the summer, which helped it successfully breed.
The Common White species dominated this year’s Big Butterfly Count, claiming the top four spots alongside the Peacock.
The Small White was the most abundant species in Scotland, with numbers up by 152 per cent compared to the same period last year.
The Large White took third spot, up by 242%, and the Green-veined variety took fourth place.
Others also recorded in good numbers were the Red Admiral, migrant Silver Y moth and the Small Copper.
But grass-feeding species such as the Meadow Brown and Ringlet saw their numbers tumble by half and three-quarters, respectively, possibly because they emerged early in the heatwave and populations peaked before the count began.
Richard Fox, Butterfly Conservation’s associate director of recording and research, said: “The bumper numbers of stunning Peacock butterflies and widespread Whites have been a joy to behold this summer, both on wildflowers in the countryside and in gardens across Scotland.
“This year’s count has been a phenomenal success, with more than 100,000 people enjoying beautiful butterflies, contributing towards conservation and reaping the mental and physical benefits of being outdoors in nature.
“Participants’ records are really important as they help us find out how the UK’S common species are faring and how to best protect them in the future.”
More than three-quarters of the UK’S butterfly species have declined over the last 40 years, with some common species, such as the Small Tortoiseshell, suffering significant slumps.