Butterflies in Britain - 7 Weeks Early

By Caroline Davies at The Telegraph(uk)

Britain's butterflies are emerging earlier than ever with at least 14 species so far breaking all known records - some of them by astonishing margins - due to climate change.

Lepidopterists have been delighting in early shows due to a warm spring, but conservationists warn the effect on Britain's food chain is as yet unknown and must be monitored.

There are fears the birds and animals that feed on them may be knocked out of synchronisation.

The Lulworth skipper, which normally does not emerge until the 3rd week in June, was this year sighted on April 28 in Dorset - a record-breaking seven weeks early. The speckled wood was also seven weeks premature, usually emerging at the end of March, but this year was seen in Cornwall as early as January 16.

The wall brown, chalkhill blue and green hairstreak, have all been spotted six weeks earlier than usual. The Glanville fritillary, meanwhile, emerged five weeks before it would normally appear during the 3rd week of May.

Those appearing a month early include the large skipper, the small blue and the meadow brown.

But, said Dr Martin Warren, chief executive of Butterfly Conservation, the warmer spring months are doing little to combat the decline of butterflies, with 70 percent of our 59 resident and regular migrant species suffering from loss of habitat.

"It is quite extraordinary how many species are coming out early, some of them at their earliest ever sighting," he said. "I spotted the Lulworth skipper myself and took a photograph just in case no-one believed me."

"I think what it means is yet more confirmation that climate change is having a big impact on wildlife in Britain.

"Insects are a good indicator because they rely on temperature for their activity. And three-quarters of our species are insects. If butterflies are doing things much earlier then it shows that climate change is really having a big impact on the whole life cycle...