Hampshire and Isle of Wight Butterfly and Moth Society
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Butterfly and Moth Society
| Family: | Nymphalidae |
| Subfamily: | Limenitidinae |
| Genus: | Limenitis |
| Species: | camilla |
| Authority: | (Linnaeus, 1764) |
The White Admiral is a woodland species and a delight to behold as it literally glides along forest rides, flying from tree to forest floor and back up with only a few effortless wing beats. For this reason, some of its closest relatives on the continent are known as "gliders". When settled, the adults are unmistakable, with their black uppersides intersected by prominent white bars. The undersides of this butterfly are, however, in complete contrast to the black-and-white uppersides, and are surely one of the most beautiful of all species found in the British Isles.
The butterfly is found in central and southern England, south of a line between South Devon in the west and North Lincolnshire in the east, as well as in a few scattered colonies in the eastern counties of Wales. It is not found in Scotland, Ireland or the Isle of Man. The distribution of this species in the early 1900s had declined to the point that it was restricted to southern England. However, there seems to have been a reversal of fortunes, with the butterfly reaching its former distribution that extends as far north as Lincolnshire. One explanation is that global warming has allowed the species to thrive at sites that had become too cool. Another is that the cessation of coppicing, that has been detrimental to so many woodland butterflies, has benefited this species which requires Honeysuckle growing in shady woodland for the successful development of its larvae.
| #Individuals | #Tetrads | 2022 | 2023 | Abundance Trend | 2022 | 2023 | Distribution Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1089 | 1191 | +9% | 107 | 116 | +8% |
| #Records | #Individuals | Earliest Record | Latest Record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Records | 10,736 | 28,601 | Late May 1893 | 04/10/2003 |
| 2023 | 531 | 1,191 | 13/6/2023 | 20/8/2023 |
| Location | Date | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earliest Record | Pondhead Inclosure | 13/6/2023 | 1 |
| Latest Record | Whiteley | 20/8/2023 | 2 |
| Highest Count | Straits Inclosure | 3/7/2023 | 45 |
One of the issues with 'raw' trend data is that there is inherent bias based on the number of recorders. For example, the number of individuals and populated tetrads recorded are likely to increase if there is an increase in the number of recorders. In order to remove this bias, the normalised trends use data that has been recalculated using the average number of recorders over the trend period. This normalisation gives a much better picture of the true trends.
Average #Recorders: 89
Average #Recorders: 89