Rare Butterflies and Moths Protected by the Military.

Butterfly collectors have often been blamed unfairly for the reduction in Butterfly species. In the Victorian era in Britain there was without doubt heavy collecting pressure on some localized populations but when a species disappeared from a locality this was always due to the loss or mismanagement of the habitat. Many species of butterflies and moths have seriously declined in the UK. Many areas of downland have gone under the plough and much of our lowland heathland has been taken by urban development. Perhaps the biggest loss was of our unimproved lowland meadows. Many once common woodland butterfly species became rare because of a total cessation of coppicing. Coppiced areas produced clearings for the violets, foodplants of the fritillary butterflies. When the open areas became overgrown the violets disappeared along with their butterflies. Up to the 1970's my favourite woodland, the royal hunting forest of Savernake with its many really ancient oaks, had six Fritillary species, today only one remains. This may paint a grim picture for southern England but it is certainly not an ecological desert. There is a host of nature reserves and large areas of woodland and heathland such as the New Forest which are now manged for their flowers and butterflies. One of the continued hazards of all insects is the repetitive spraying of hazardous chemicals on our crops.

One large rich grassland butterfly habitat has been saved from the plough by an unlikely source, the British Army. Salisbury plain is a chalk plateau that covers 300 square miles [780km] and the military own half of this large area. Because the military acquired this land early in the 20th century there remains some of the largest unimproved grasslands in North-west Europe with a host of rare butterflies, moths, insects ,birds and flowers. There are areas of the plain that are permanently off limits due to the live firing ranges but there are other areas which have access but this may be restricted at various times. If visitors to Britain have heard of Salisbury plain this is usually due to them this visiting the world heritage site of the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which lies in its centre. While the henge may be one of the wonders of Europe, it lies by one of the busiest roads in England and you will certainly never be alone there, far better to explore the quieter areas of the plain for its lepidoptera and other natural history.

The Plain is really a high chalk plateau that is certainly not flat but it is often hilly with sheltered dry warm valleys. Often you may walk for miles and never see another person but occasionally you may stumble into a military exercise. To walk here with its abundant butterflies and day flying moths is like visiting a bygone age when these insects were much more plentiful in the UK. On a recent visit in June., I managed to find a number of interesting lepidoptera. The scarce Marsh Fritillary [ Euphydryas aurinia] were on the wing, the males flying low and fast looking for the females. In hollows there was a colony of the rare Duke of Burgundy [Hamearis lucina] flying near their foodplant cowslip and looking like little fritillaries but really they are our only European " Metalmark" [ sub family Riodininae ]. Along dry chalk tracks were Walls [ Lasiommata megera] and the Common Blue [Polyommatus icarus] and Dingy Skipper were in plenty around their foodplant Bird's foot trefoil [Lotus corniculatus]. Along a sunken track sheltered by a plantation there was a large colony of the tiny Small Blue [Cupido minimus], many of which were basking close together on the vegetation. Here there were the lovely slow flying metallic bronze green Cistus Forester moths [ Adscita geryon]. In long grass nearby were several of my favourite day flying moths, the very striking Wood Tiger [Parasemia plantaginis] and the large but dull Fox moth [Macrothylacia rubi]. On a nearby hillside below an Iron-age earthwork where some of the scrub had been cleared there were strong colonies of Grizzled Skippers [Pyrgus malvae], Green Hairstreaks [Callophrys rubi ] , Small Heath [Conenonympha pamphilus] and Small copper [Lycanena phlaeas]. The Small Copper is a species with attitude attacking any passing butterfly. Also here were a few Brown Argus [Aricia agestis]. On one bank was a mass of Horse-shoe Vetch [Hippocretis comosa] and here the superb Adonis Blues [ Polyommatus [Lysandra] bellargus] were flying low over the chalk turf and there were several mating pairs. Nearby I found a specimen of the scarce Chalk Carpet [Scotopteryx bipunctaria subspecies cretata] which is often disturbed during the day.


View across the Military training area of Salisbury plain.

Looking across the eastern edge of the plain. Note the agricultural land in the background with the yellow rape field,very little lepidoptera will be found in this type of habitat, which makes the unimproved grassland with the cattle so special.

It is true Britain compared to many countries has an impoverished butterfly fauna but it is very rich in moth species. I have read, that 50 butterfly species alone can be found in a country like Greece in one day, but this I believe was on a guided tour . Rarely have I seen so many butterflies on a visit to a locality in my own country and this is all due to the military. Many thanks to them for preserving a great butterfly habitat.
Below are photographs of some of the lepidoptera species that I took on that lovely summers day. There are many more lepidoptera species found in the grasslands at different times of the year including some rarer species than those that are shown here.


One of the special butterflies of the plain, the very attractive Euphydryas aurinia. Although found in marshy habitats in western and northern Britain, it is able to frequent this type of habitat due to the presence of its foodplant Devil's Bit Scabious [Succisa pratensis].


Another speciality of the plain the uncommon metalmark, Hamearis lucina.


There are strong colonies of the tiny blue Cupido minimus


The lovely polyommatus bellargus on the plain, The stunning metallic blue male, a female visiting the foodplant Hippocrepis comosa and a mating pair.


The very striking Parasemia plantaginis which flies very erratically on warm summer days usually for a short distance only.


The metallic bronze green Adscita geryon are a delight to find, later the very rare Jordanita globulariae, a very similar species will be found in the same type of habitat.


The little Pyrgus malvae, basking and visiting Dandelion, I observed in this habitat they rarely visit flowers to feed.


The uncommon Scotopteryx bipunctaria cretata.


Enjoying my day the military turned up on exercise, I do not think they were searching for lepidoptera but perhaps this young fellow who popped out of the grass and gave me quite a fright.
Bottom a female of the strong flying Macrothylacia rubi having a rest