I am stood transfixed by a buddleia bush in the September sunshine. It is alive with butterflies. Every flowering branch has at least two. I try to take some pictures, but I fail to capture the colours or the contrast that comes from the butterflies jostling for position and opening and closing their wings. Most of the butterflies are tortoiseshells or peacocks but there are a few red admirals and large whites on the bush as well.
For butterflies, this year has been almost the opposite of last year. The warm spell at the start of 2020 led to large numbers of early butterflies and predictions of a butterfly summer that never materialised. This year a cold wet start resulted in smaller numbers of early butterflies, but a generally settled July and August has seen more late season butterflies than the last couple of years. Initial results from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Service (www.ukbms.org) say that numbers of gatekeepers and graylings, both late season species, are at levels that haven’t been recorded for years. My buddleia bush suggests that the same may be true for other species.
The grayling is one of my favourite butterflies. Look closely at the picture and see if you can spot the butterfly. These heath-land specialists have the most amazing camouflage on their under-wings. When they alight on stony ground or tree trunks they are almost impossible to see. On a warm sunny day in August or early September, the open parts of Bracknell Forest, such as Hut Hill, are good places to see them. They can also be found on the south facing slope at Amen Corner South. I have been told, by someone who managed to keep a straight face, that they also align themselves with the sun to cast the smallest possible shadow. I’m not sure about that, but I do now check every time I see one land.
Butterflies are a good indicator of the health of our countryside because they tend to specialise in particular habitats and particular food-plants. The grayling needs coastal or heath-land habitat and its caterpillars feed on a small number of grasses found in these open habitats. They seem to thrive where there is some level of disturbance such as from cattle or ponies.
I might write another piece about butterflies when the results from the Big Butterfly Count are published. Until then, let’s all enjoy the last butterflies of the year when the sun brings them out.