The wet summer of 2012 was very good for some butterflies - very bad for others

Grass feeding butterflies defy deluge

January 2013. Grass-feeding butterflies defied the second wettest year on record to enjoy a bumper 2012 across the UK countryside, according to a new scientific survey. Last year's incessant rain prompted substantial grass growth and provided good conditions for some grassland species such as the Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Gatekeeper.

Very good year for meadow brown
The Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey (WCBS) revealed that the Meadow Brown enjoyed its best year since the start of the scheme with almost twice as many counted than in 2011.

Very bad year for other butterflies
But overall 2012 proved to be a washout with recorders seeing 43% fewer species on average than in 2011 during survey counts. The WCBS involves counting butterflies in more than 700 randomly generated 1km-squares across the UK countryside. The scheme helps assess the health of butterfly populations across the wider countryside, rather than specially managed hotspots such as nature reserves.

Last year, recorders saw on average 44 butterflies of four species per-survey made over July and August compared with 2011 when 47 butterflies from seven species were seen on average. In 2009 an average of 80 butterflies and eight species were recorded per-survey.

A relatively dry start to 2012 followed by near continual rain saw bumper grass growth - providing some species with an abundance of their favoured food plants. The Meadow Brown thrived as a result with more than 18,500 counted, almost twice as many as in 2011. This was the most widespread butterfly for the third successive year being seen in 89% of squares surveyed.

Ringlet & Gatekeeper
The Ringlet also enjoyed a good year and was found in almost two-thirds of squares compared to half of squares in 2011. Another grass-feeder, the Gatekeeper, was also more widespread than 2011.

Continued:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/2012-butterflies.html