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Butterflies of the Bristol Downs and Avon Gorge : Mid-June

 

"The Downs" are a large public recreational area in Bristol along the east lip of the Avon Gorge, consisting of open grassland with some woodland and scrub patches. I frequently spent time here as a schoolboy, looking at birds and butterflies, and it is just a few minutes' walk from my aunt's flat where I have been staying.

The Avon Gorge is a National Nature Reserve on account of several endemic plant forms and the limestone flora has a few butterflies of interest. During the 1970s, I found both White-letter and Purple Hairstreaks and subsequent to my departure in the late 1980s, Silver-washed Fritillaries have colonized. 

At least a decade ago, a heard of goats were introduced into the Gully, a valley that cuts through the edge of the gorge to the River Avon below. The purpose of this was to open up the area and keep the vegetation appropriate for various butterfly species. An information sign at the time indicated that Brown Argus, Small and Chalkhill Blues all occurred. I was able able to find Brown Argus that first time, but have never seen the last two, despite visits at an appropriate time of the year. I suspect they are no longer present.

This year my arrival in early June, after a very warm and dry spring, likely meant that all the spring broods of butterflies had come and gone. In addition, I have mostly been experiencing classic British summer weather - cool, windy and overcast with occasional showers. This has greatly limited any chance to look for butterflies.


Marbled White

One species that was common in my school days that I hadn't seen in recent visits was the Marbled White. Since the flight period of this species had typically been July-August and coincided with at least two recent visits, I was concerned it might have been locally extirpated. I was hoping with warming trend in the UK, it might have been emerging earlier. Based on this visit, that appears to be case, as I have seen quite a few Marbled Whites on my visits to the Gully area. This species is actually a brown, not a white. I have seen just a single real white, a Small White.


Speckled Wood

The next commonest butterfly has been Speckled Wood. The British race is distinctive from that on the continent, which I had just seen in Spain and has orange rather than whitish "speckles". I have seen no blues, hairstreaks or fritllaries, although many of these fly later in the year. The only nymphalid has been a Red Admiral.

Not surprisingly, given there is a fair amount of rough grassland, the Downs have good populations of browns. This is still early in the season for this family, but several Meadow Browns were already flying and I found at least one (Common) Ringlet.


Ringlet

Once I return from our swing through the North of England and Scotland, I am hoping for good weather and the emergence of some later fliers and second broods.

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