The latest bad news about butterflies is sad but hardly unexpected to anyone who's lived through the last couple of sodden British summers. What's refreshing is that, amazingly, this BBC News story contains no reference (unless I missed something) to 'climate change'. Even the most determined warmist must acknowledge that the plight of our butterflies (or most of them) is down to the dear old British weather and its reluctance to settle down into a predictable seasonal pattern. The good thing is that past experience shows that it only takes one seriously sunny summer to make a huge difference - for the good - to the overall butterfly population. So let us devoutly hope that this year we get one.
no way! you're also a butterfly fan? It's like your my long-lost, better educated twin or something: I'm Danny De Vito to your Arnie
ReplyDeleteI've been obsessed with the old lepidoptera since being a wee kiddie - although, the contrarian that I am, I've secretly harboured a preference for their dusty, mothy brothers. Hawk moths are my favourite
and back to the post: yes I am amazed at the lack of butterflies I saw last summer - literally less than 20 I think. Although already this year I have seen a whole load of brimstones on the water meadow below the house
Oh yes Will I'm a buttefly fan indeed - I think you'll find quite a few butterfly posts if you have a root around in last summer's output. My highlights included a purple hairstreak actually in the garden! (far from any obvious oakwoods), a day full to the brim with silverwashed fritillaries, plus plenty of white admirals, including a melanistic one (a first for me). But it was still a v bad year overall.
ReplyDeleteAs you say, this year's at least started well for the brimstones (and I' ve seen the odd red admiral, peacock, comma)...
"a day full to the brim with silverwashed fritillaries"
ReplyDeleteeven the names of butterflies are beautiful
Yes that's very true - and moths' names are just amazing...
ReplyDeleteI'm going to throw a bucket of water over you two if you don't give it a rest
ReplyDeleteHave you no soul Mahlerman?
ReplyDeletePersonally I make a point of swatting the little bastards. Nasty, fluttery things.
ReplyDeleteI got plenty soul brudda - jes I don't like seein' two groan men humpin' each udder in print - aint natrul
ReplyDeleteApparently one can buy butterfly rearing kits like the ones here. If everyone had something like this (assuming these kits actually work), there'd surely be many more butterflies about. The gent that really needs a helping hand at the moment is the honey bee or not much honey and nice fruit for us.
ReplyDeleteWow, your anti-warmist skepticism is now bordering on activism. You're becoming almost as shrill as the most hard-core Al-Gore followers.
ReplyDeleteEh?
ReplyDeleteThink he's saying you have algorerhythm, man.
ReplyDeleteAl-Gore are the environmentalist wing of Al-Qaeda, I believe.
ReplyDeleteHo ho - I can see myself (unconsciously) stealing that one...
ReplyDeleteYou can have it gratis, Nige. Least I can do...
ReplyDelete