Hampshire and Isle of Wight Butterfly and Moth Society
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Butterfly and Moth Society
| Family: | Lycaenidae |
| Subfamily: | Polyommatinae |
| Genus: | Cupido |
| Species: | minimus |
| Authority: | (Fuessly, 1775) |
This is our smallest resident butterfly with a wing span that can be a little as 16mm. The sexes are similar in appearance, although the male upperside is almost black with a dusting of blue scales, whereas the female is more dark brown in colour. Both sexes have an underside that is silvery-grey in colour, and not unlike that of the Holly Blue. This butterfly has a large distribition, being found from northern Scotland to the south of England, with colonies also in Wales and Ireland. However, outside of its strongholds in the south of England, colonies are often isolated pockets, typically in coastal locations. Most colonies consist of less than 30 adults, although a few colonies consist of thousands of adults. This butterfly is absent from the western and northern Scottish isles, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
| #Individuals | #Tetrads | 2022 | 2023 | Abundance Trend | 2022 | 2023 | Distribution Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1758 | 2094 | +19% | 53 | 67 | +26% |
| #Records | #Individuals | Earliest Record | Latest Record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Records | 7,989 | 38,404 | 30/03/2012 | 21/09/1991 |
| 2023 | 465 | 2,094 | 16/5/2023 | 15/9/2023 |
| Location | Date | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earliest Record | Havenstreet | 16/5/2023 | 1 |
| Latest Record | Martin Down (South) transect: Section 1 | 15/9/2023 | 2 |
| Highest Count | Compton Down | 27/5/2023 | 111 |
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: 64.52
Average #Recorders: 64.52