2023 Annual Butterfly Report

We would like to thank everyone who sent in records in 2023, which really do make a positive difference when it comes to making informed conservation decisions. Whether your contribution is the occasional record or contribution to a transect that is walked week in and week out, your records are very much appreciated.

2023 Summary

Below is a summary of 2023, with links to individual species provided below. In the tetrad coverage chart (a tetrad is an area of 2 km by 2 km), the darker the circle, the greater the recording effort, based on a logarithmic scale. This methodology better illustrates the 'cold spots' that require more targeted effort in coming field seasons. If you would like more information regarding unrecorded tetrads then please contact the County Butterfly Recorder.

#Records	150,860
#Individuals	555,895
#Tetrads (populated)	1,061
#Species	49
#Recorders	4,531

2023 Trends

			#Individuals			#Tetrads
Vernacular Name	Code	Priority	2022	2023	Abundance Trend	2022	2023	Distribution Trend
Adonis Blue	61.019	High	987	1054	+6%	30	28	-6%
Brimstone	58.013	Low	14731	27488	+86%	680	814	+19%
Brown Argus	61.015	Low	1955	6383	+226%	149	237	+59%
Brown Hairstreak	61.003	High	91	922	+913%	28	42	+50%
Camberwell Beauty	59.028		0	1	N/A	0	1	N/A
Chalk Hill Blue	61.020	Medium	54842	15155	-72%	80	61	-23%
Clouded Yellow	58.010	Low	8788	202	-97%	206	85	-58%
Comma	59.031	Low	6749	7914	+17%	652	777	+19%
Common Blue	61.018	Low	13156	13902	+5%	526	696	+32%
Dark Green Fritillary	59.019	High	2838	1707	-39%	108	82	-24%
Dingy Skipper	57.001	High	2000	1200	-40%	78	66	-15%
Duke of Burgundy	60.001	Top	553	645	+16%	20	29	+45%
Essex Skipper	57.005	Medium	803	1141	+42%	123	135	+9%
Gatekeeper	59.011	Low	44370	73311	+65%	745	881	+18%
Glanville Fritillary	59.034	Top	638	724	+13%	26	18	-30%
Grayling	59.013	High	1999	1459	-27%	67	62	-7%
Green Hairstreak	61.005	Low	519	431	-16%	86	88	+2%
Green-veined White	58.008	Low	4778	4342	-9%	477	527	+10%
Grizzled Skipper	57.002	High	853	930	+9%	57	58	+1%
Holly Blue	61.012	Low	4649	13013	+179%	514	723	+40%
Large Skipper	57.009	Low	2992	7350	+145%	310	314	+1%
Large Tortoiseshell	59.029	Low	5	11	+120%	4	10	+150%
Large White	58.006	Low	16949	30159	+77%	760	881	+15%
Long-tailed Blue	61.008	Low	15	40	+166%	9	5	-44%
Marbled White	59.012	Low	17402	21842	+25%	412	510	+23%
Marsh Fritillary	59.033	Top	298	364	+22%	11	12	+9%
Meadow Brown	59.010	Low	86499	135667	+56%	772	884	+14%
Orange-tip	58.003	Low	2804	2526	-9%	350	367	+4%
Painted Lady	59.024	Low	1563	2002	+28%	436	482	+10%
Peacock	59.026	Low	7608	25435	+234%	676	870	+28%
Pearl-bordered Fritillary	59.014	Top	1312	912	-30%	9	10	+11%
Purple Emperor	59.022	High	181	170	-6%	41	27	-34%
Purple Hairstreak	61.004	Low	394	445	+12%	72	77	+6%
Red Admiral	59.023	Low	5216	41633	+698%	680	953	+40%
Ringlet	59.009	Low	24205	13729	-43%	472	496	+5%
Silver-spotted Skipper	57.008	High	484	268	-44%	14	15	+7%
Silver-studded Blue	61.014	High	7724	8953	+15%	82	100	+21%
Silver-washed Fritillary	59.017	Low	5226	4777	-8%	220	227	+3%
Small Blue	61.010	High	1758	2094	+19%	53	67	+26%
Small Copper	61.001	Low	1832	4686	+155%	382	586	+53%
Small Heath	59.005	Low	8284	11196	+35%	269	301	+11%
Small Skipper	57.006	Low	6222	8110	+30%	315	342	+8%
Small Tortoiseshell	59.027	Low	3130	2386	-23%	530	506	-4%
Small White	58.007	Low	22096	40785	+84%	759	890	+17%
Speckled Wood	59.003	Low	17344	17989	+3%	651	668	+2%
Wall	59.002	Top	645	352	-45%	65	57	-12%
White Admiral	59.021	Medium	1089	1191	+9%	107	116	+8%
White-letter Hairstreak	61.006	High	94	270	+187%	24	29	+20%

2023 Records

Vernacular Name	Code	Priority	#Tetrads	#Records	#Individuals	Earliest Record	Latest Record
Adonis Blue	61.019	High	28	284	1,054	17/5/2023	29/9/2023
Brimstone	58.013	Low	814	11,323	27,488	2/1/2023	28/11/2023
Brown Argus	61.015	Low	237	1,927	6,383	7/5/2023	9/10/2023
Brown Hairstreak	61.003	High	42	149	922	19/7/2023	25/9/2023
Camberwell Beauty	59.028		1	1	1	24/6/2023	24/6/2023
Chalk Hill Blue	61.020	Medium	61	1,019	15,155	29/6/2023	29/9/2023
Clouded Yellow	58.010	Low	85	158	202	23/3/2023	24/10/2023
Comma	59.031	Low	777	4,875	7,914	15/2/2023	11/11/2023
Common Blue	61.018	Low	696	5,189	13,902	25/4/2023	18/10/2023
Dark Green Fritillary	59.019	High	82	531	1,707	14/6/2023	4/9/2023
Dingy Skipper	57.001	High	66	364	1,200	20/4/2023	2/9/2023
Duke of Burgundy	60.001	Top	29	122	645	7/4/2023	9/6/2023
Essex Skipper	57.005	Medium	135	378	1,141	11/6/2023	16/8/2023
Gatekeeper	59.011	Low	881	13,112	73,311	10/6/2023	25/9/2023
Glanville Fritillary	59.034	Top	18	126	724	16/5/2023	29/6/2023
Grayling	59.013	High	62	483	1,459	22/6/2023	25/9/2023
Green Hairstreak	61.005	Low	88	233	431	20/4/2023	27/6/2023
Green-veined White	58.008	Low	527	2,520	4,342	6/4/2023	17/10/2023
Grizzled Skipper	57.002	High	58	309	930	20/4/2023	22/6/2023
Holly Blue	61.012	Low	723	7,168	13,013	27/3/2023	15/11/2023
Large Skipper	57.009	Low	314	2,076	7,350	22/5/2023	22/8/2023
Large Tortoiseshell	59.029	Low	10	11	11	3/4/2023	17/7/2023
Large White	58.006	Low	881	11,700	30,159	2/4/2023	7/11/2023
Long-tailed Blue	61.008	Low	5	13	40	12/9/2023	24/10/2023
Marbled White	59.012	Low	510	3,497	21,842	30/5/2023	21/8/2023
Marsh Fritillary	59.033	Top	12	53	364	13/5/2023	26/6/2023
Meadow Brown	59.010	Low	884	16,963	135,667	21/5/2023	24/10/2023
Orange-tip	58.003	Low	367	1,554	2,526	3/4/2023	22/6/2023
Painted Lady	59.024	Low	482	1,343	2,002	9/4/2023	7/11/2023
Peacock	59.026	Low	870	9,127	25,435	6/1/2023	31/12/2023
Pearl-bordered Fritillary	59.014	Top	10	212	912	10/5/2023	14/6/2023
Purple Emperor	59.022	High	27	59	170	22/6/2023	23/7/2023
Purple Hairstreak	61.004	Low	77	183	445	14/6/2023	2/9/2023
Red Admiral	59.023	Low	953	14,786	41,633	2/1/2023	30/12/2023
Ringlet	59.009	Low	496	3,199	13,729	4/6/2023	3/9/2023
Silver-spotted Skipper	57.008	High	15	69	268	25/7/2023	14/9/2023
Silver-studded Blue	61.014	High	100	861	8,953	6/6/2023	28/8/2023
Silver-washed Fritillary	59.017	Low	227	1,716	4,777	15/6/2023	5/9/2023
Small Blue	61.010	High	67	465	2,094	16/5/2023	15/9/2023
Small Copper	61.001	Low	586	2,807	4,686	7/4/2023	7/11/2023
Small Heath	59.005	Low	301	3,231	11,196	7/5/2023	3/10/2023
Small Skipper	57.006	Low	342	1,715	8,110	4/6/2023	10/9/2023
Small Tortoiseshell	59.027	Low	506	1,545	2,386	6/2/2023	7/11/2023
Small White	58.007	Low	890	13,317	40,785	15/2/2023	7/11/2023
Speckled Wood	59.003	Low	668	9,296	17,989	2/4/2023	15/11/2023
Wall	59.002	Top	57	197	352	20/4/2023	7/10/2023
White Admiral	59.021	Medium	116	531	1,191	13/6/2023	20/8/2023
White-letter Hairstreak	61.006	High	29	69	270	10/6/2023	6/8/2023