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| Small Tortoiseshell butterflies |
We have recently highlighted the falls in butterfly numbers
recorded both nationally and at New Ferry Butterfly Park.
A recently published study in the Journal of Animal Ecology
analysed data which had been collected from 1800 sites over 37 years for the UK
Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. Climate change affects ecosystems but short term
spells of bad weather also have a damaging impact on butterfly populations. It
appears that heavy rainfall during the cocoon stage is damaging but even worse
problems are caused by higher than normal temperatures during ‘over-wintering’.
If butterflies or caterpillars emerge too early they may then be killed by
temperatures turning colder again.
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