Winners and losers 2024

[essexbuzzard]

Happy New Year, everyone!

Looking back, I think we all have a pretty good idea of how 2024 was for butterflies!

But it wasn’t all bad. Heath Fritillaries had their best season for many years, and Ringlets bounced back to excellent numbers during the wet summer and should continue to build in 2025, after the drought related crash in 2023. Gatekeepers and Meadow Browns emerged in reasonable numbers, Marbled Whites had their best ever season on my local common, and Small Heath numbers were excellent, especially in the spring generation. Holly Blues had a reasonable year, though not so good as 2023. Whites bounced back in autumn, perhaps due to immigration. And the Essex Walls had an excellent autumn!

The biggest losers for me were the downland species, and the Nymphalids. Chalkhill Blues had a dreadful year, the worst I can remember. Silver Spotted Skippers were well down in numbers, and Adonis Blues were poor, as were Green and White-letter Hairstreaks.

Very few Silver Washed Fritillaries were seen in my local woods, And although autumn Comma numbers were quite good, all the other related species were very poor.

And I hardly saw any Small Coppers this year!

So, over to your. What are other people’s options? Normally, there is some variation across the country, so it will be interesting what people have to say...

[David M]

For me, there were no true winners, although a couple of species stood out relative to the general lack of butterflies.

Peacocks seemed to have a good spring, but I didn't see too many during the summer and early Autumn period.

Small Whites had a surge in the month of September, but even then they were down on what I would expect in a normal year.

The losers are many, but three stood out:

I regularly see three figure numbers of Holly Blues, most of which are in the woodland glade at Cwm Ivy. In 2024, I don't think I reached 20, with barely any recorded later in the year.

I saw fewer than 30 Small Tortoiseshells all year, which is as incredible as it is worrying. Normally, in March and April they can be easily seen in reasonable numbers locally, but in 2024 I managed just two. Had it not been for one day in late summer when I recorded 14 at Port Eynon, they'd have barely reached double figures throughout the year. This species has been diminishing in number for some while now in the south and east of England, but it appears they are now suffering a major decline further west too. Very sad.

The biggest loser round my way was Brown Argus. There were very few recorded in spring and even fewer during the summer flight period. I reckon I saw a dozen at most during 2024.

[Matsukaze]

I didn't see much of the habitat specialists in 2024. Of the others -

Decent - Brimstone

Awful - Small Tortoiseshell, Comma, Small Copper, first brood Large and Small White, Painted Lady.

[David T]

In South Bedfodshire numbers were low or very low for all species. Only the GV, Large and Small Whites seemed to have a very strong end to the season. On my transect walk on 7th September I recorded 68 and 6 pairs of GV Whites, 69 Large, 37 Small, and 47 GV or Small Whites. It was when I reached the two 250 acre radish fields in Totternhoe their numbers went through the roof - Difficult to ascertain exactly how many, but at least well over a 1,000 in total, all spread out across the fields, (Possibly as many as 3,000). From what could be observed it seemed about 50% were Green-Veined, 30% Large and 20% were Small Whites. I am not aware if Green-veined Whites will migrate from the continent? If not it would suggest these would have all emerged from the breeding of our spring broods. You could also say it is likely most of the Large and Smalls were also not migrants?

Two Butterflies in particular had a dire season, the Small Copper and Small Tortoiseshell. Only seven indiviual Small Coppers were seen. The first sighting was on 1st May on my local patch, this being a male that had a territory it was defending for 9 days (I don't think he encountered a female?). The last sighting was on 24th October, and the five in between were scattered across a vast area between these two dates (Photo 28/07/24). The largest count of Small Tortoiseshells was again on my local patch on 11th April which included 3 courting pairs a courting Small Tort and Peacock + 3 individuals. I had high hopes for a few off-spring to emerge in July, but sadly I had only one adult sighting on 21st July and only two others locally.

The Green, Purple and White-letter Hairstreaks also had a very poor season and seemed well below their average. Brown Argus, Common, Chalkhill, Holly and Small Blues numbers were also well down. Mabled Whites, Gatekeepers, Meadown Browns, Ringlets, Small Heaths etc... all faired slightly better, but numbers were still low, and the same applies for our hibernators like Brimstone, Comma, Peacock and Red Admiral. Others that did not have a great season were GV and SW Fritillaries. Numbers were also lower than you would expect for Dingy, Grizzled, Essex, Large and Small Skippers. White admiral also had a poor year, with no sightings of Purple emperor and the first time since the year 2000 no sightings of a Clouded Yellow. Good news was that there were 3 new 1k square locations for Green Hairstreak, 6 new 1k square areas for Small Blue and new 1k square areas for White Admiral and DG Fritillary.

One butterfly in particular on my local patch had a fascinating season. More will be revealed, you will have to keep an eye out for my first post in a few weeks for - Small Blue - Favourite Photo of 2024.

[David Lazarus]

According to my gut feelings alone, without any scientific evidence to support these, it felt like the winners in the sites I visited were:

Ringlet, Small Heath, Heath Fritillary, over-wintering Peacock, Wall, and I would add Large Skipper at Hatfield Forest

And the losers, similar to those that have already been mentioned:

Grizzled Skipper, White Admiral [perhaps Purple Emperor too but not Silver-washed Fritillary - although Hatfield Forest was not as good as last year, I think], Small Copper, Small Tortoiseshell, Brown Argus, with Holly Blue & Red Admiral [definitely compared to 2023]

And perhaps surprisingly, considering the amount I saw, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, & Skipper numbers felt like they were down too, especially locally - I am surprised how many Meadow Brown & Gatekeeper I recorded because it did not 'feel' like that.