Today's news: Butterflies bouncing back

On my way to work this morning - stuck in traffic on the A259 as per usual - I was pleased to switch on Radio 4 just in time to hear Sarah Montague asking Dr Marc Botham from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology about Drizzled Skippers. Ha Ha! Well done Dr Botham for being quick witted enough to point out that it's actually Grizzled Skippers that were particularly abundant in 2011, largely in reaction to the hot dry spring we experienced last year.


For me, hearing and seeing Butterfly Conservation's press release get picked up by BBC News, The Guardian and The Independent today was a welcome reminder about why we - Sussex butterfly recorders - do what we do. And why I strain my brain with databases, data sharing, data models, data mapping and data entry. It's not what everyone would choose to do with their weekends! But it's a great hobby. And it's nice when those moments come along that remind you you're contributing to something bigger than just you. Bigger than Sussex even!


There are all sorts of different ways of recording butterflies - each valuable and important in their own way - but today's story is based particularly on the results of UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS) transect surveys. In Sussex Butterfly Conservation this is an area our Transect Coordinator, Peter Atkinson, looks after. Although I do also work on incorporating the results of the transect surveys in our Sussex sightings database - so that they can also be used for our Sussex Butterfly Atlas project.


If you read the mainstream media reports on today's story about long term trends in UK butterfly populations, the bit of Butterfly Conservation's press release that they didn't really pick up on is the bit that I find most amazing:

"UKBMS has run since 1976 and involves thousands of volunteers collecting data every week throughout the summer from more than 1000 sites across the UK.

The high quality data of the UKBMS is attributable to the continuous support of thousands of volunteer recorders."

Amazing huh? And we've got more than 50 of these sites in Sussex. All walked by volunteers.

UKBMS butterfly transects in Sussex - 2011

Now, I'll be frank: Being a transect walker isn't for everyone. The value of transect surveys is in the continuity of records from week to week, year to year - and always aiming to walk the transect in optimum weather conditions (which isn't very compatible with having a full time job). It's only really worth starting a UKBMS transect if you think you'll be able to commit to it. 

So I really take my hat off to the dedicated volunteer transect walkers we've got in Sussex. I hope you'll enjoy knowing you made national news today!

And my message to everyone else is - there are LOADS of different ways you can get involved in butterfly recording and make a real contribution to conservation, so do check out www.sussex-butterflies.org.uk for more info. It's a great hobby!