The London Natural History Society is calling on existing and potential new recorders to help produce a new butterfly distribution atlas for Greater London, the results of which will be compared with the last LNHS survey which was in 1980-86. Much has changed since then. Use will be made of any survey data collected since 1986, as well as new information collected during 2016. It is hoped that the new atlas will act as a guide to conserving butterflies in London and habitat for all species. Details are set out in the document below, which can also be downloaded.
Given that there are a number of people actively interested in butterflies and moths in Bexley, and the ‘Bexley Wildlife’ Facebook page is already very busy, Joe Johnson has set up the following page
https://www.facebook.com/BexleyButterflyandMothGroup/
with the aim of furthering the appreciation, study and conservation of lepidoptera in the London Borough of Bexley through the sharing of information and photographs, and by encouraging participation in ad hoc and targeted recording work and transect counts. The latter activities will help support the LNHS project.
Anyone interested in doing transect counts (counting the numbers of individuals of all the species seen along a regular route in suitable weather) , which will provide data for assessing population trends, should contact “Karen Sutton” <karen.sutton@thameswater.co.uk> to help at Crossness Nature Reserve and “Shaun Marriott” <smarriott@wildlondon.org.uk> to get involved at the London Wildlife Trust Braeburn Park site.
Essex Skipper feeding on Creeping Thistle flower at Barnehurst Golf Course in 2015. Note black tip to underside of antenna, the most useful feature distinguishing it from Small Skipper. (Photo: Mike Robinson)
http://www.bexleywildlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/LNHS-Butterflies-of-London-Project-Briefing.pdf
Chris Rose
