Welcome to the Suffolk Branch of Butterfly
Conservation
Butterfly Conservation is a registered
charity dedicated to the conservation of butterflies and moths.
All Butterfly Conservation members who live
in Suffolk are automatically members of the branch and receive our
newsletter, the Suffolk Argus, three times a year. The Suffolk branch
is run by volunteers and we would be very pleased to hear from you if
you would like to get involved. Would like to find out more about
Suffolk's butterflies? If so, why not come to one of our events - it's
a great way to discover more about these fascinating insects. We hope you enjoy visiting our website and
look forward to meeting you at one of our events.
Next Events -
Wednesday 15th May
Start of Dingy Skipper Week
First count
at King's Archery site
Venue: King's Forest. Assemble at
access track to John O'Groats cottages, on west side of B1106.
Map
Ref: TL826738
Time: 10:30
Contact: Please contact Rob Parker
(01284 705476) in advance to notify availability for other dates.
Dingy Skipper Survey will continue until 22 May
Sat
18th may to Sun 26th May
Save Our Butterflies Week
Sunday 26th May
Coastal Butterflies
Walk
around the Covehithe/ Benacre/ Kessingland area looking
for butterflies and enjoying the other wildlife in this
coastal belt. Long walk possible but reasonably easy
terrain and gradients.
Venue: Covehithe
area
Map Ref: TM 522818 (nr Covehithe Church)
Time:10am
Contact: Bill Stone 07906 888603
Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey
This annual scheme monitors the changing abundance of widespread
butterfly species across the general countryside.
Download the 2012 report
Moths Suffer
40-year Crash
A
new report by Butterfly Conservation and the Rothamsted Research
Institute shows a dramatic decline in the number of moths and the
extinction of several species. Ongoing habitat loss and the
deteriorating condition of the countryside are believed to be the
major factors behind these declines. The report is based on
continuous records running from 1968 to 2007 on common and widespread
species. These records represent the longest running national
population trends of insect species known anywhere in the world.
In the southern half of Britain, larger moth populations decreased by
an average of 43%. Once familiar moths such as the Garden Tiger
Moth declined by 92%.
Read more details and download the full report here.
When to See Butterflies.
The
Suffolk
Butterflies page lists the butterflies that can be seen in Suffolk,
shows when you can expect to see them and the foodplants upon which their caterpillars feed.
We can also
help if you would like advice about making your garden more attractive
to butterflies
Like much of the UK, Suffolk's countryside
and wildlife are under increasing pressure. It's a situation that is
unlikely to improve in the forseeable future and there's never been a
more urgent need to understand and conserve our butterfly fauna. The
county has a gently undulating landscape of surprising contrasts,
defying the stereotype of "flat East Anglia and its arable prairies".
The unspoilt coast, intimate river valleys and, especially, the
Sandlings heaths and Brecks ensure that Suffolk retains a more varied
butterfly fauna than might be expected.
Butterfly
Records.
The Branch is always grateful for butterfly records and a
recording form can be downloaded from the recording
page of this
website.
We would be particularly grateful for records away from the
coast and information on the following species:
Dingy Skipper,
Green Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak, White Letter Hairstreak,
Silver-studded Blue, Wall Brown, White Admiral, Silver-washed Fritillary, Grayling and Small
Heath.
Recent Sightings can be viewed here
Conservation and Recording
Brimstone
- about the Brimstone and Buckthorn project
Help us to record Brimstone
butterflies in Suffolk
Silver-studded Blue
- links to more
information
Translocation to Blaxhall Common -
2012 Update
Ecological Survey of Selected
Silver-studded Blue Sites in 2009
Silver-Washed Fritillary - link
for more information
Silver-washed
Fritillary returns to Suffolk
Purple Emperor -
link for more information
Ipswich Heaths
Project -
a new project, aimed at restoring lowland heathland habitat of 300
hectares on 14 sites in Ipswich, has been awarded a Wren Biodiversity
Action Fund grant of over £100,000.
More details here
