Butterfly Conservation Press Release

[Neil Jones]

Common butterflies return to London.

Butterfly Conservation has organised the Butterflies for the New Millennium 
Survey gathering 1.6 million records involving over 10.000 volunteers and
taking 5 years. 
One of the results shown is that butterflies in the capital are faring well. 
This  is the first major finding released from the forthcoming book The
Millennium Atlas of Butterflies in Britain and Ireland sponsored by ICI that
will contain all the results of this massive survey.

The survey reveals that the past 30 years have been a period of great change for
London's butterflies. In contrast to many rural areas the overall picture in 
the capital is a good one. Compared to a 1970's national, and a London wide
survey in the 1980's all parts of London now have a greater variety of native
butterflies. 

 Species such as the Gatekeeper and Speckled Wood have moved from the fringes
to colonise places such as Hyde and Regents Park, The Tower of London, The 
Natural History Museum Garden, Clapham Common and Battersea Park. Even
specialist species like the Brown Argus have become more cosmopolitan.
 Only 20 years ago this butterfly was almost absent from Greater London, 
it is now spreading in to the capital south of the river.

It is not all good news however; the Wall butterfly has undergone a dramatic 
94% decline in London. The causes of these major and rapid changes are not 
fully understood by conservationist. Butterfly Conservation's Richard Fox, 
co - coordinator of the survey and one of the authors of the book explained, 
"there are probably a range of different factors involved and we must be 
cautious in attributing these substantial changes to any one cause. What 
is clear is that  the butterflies of London are faring well. In the 1980's
 on a walk around Kensington Gardens you would have been lucky to see 4
 species of butterfly, now more than 13 have been recorded." Richard also
 ads " Many London boroughs have started to manage their parks, cemeteries
 and open spaces in a more wildlife-friendly way, butterflies will have
 benefited as a result. This will not explain the increases fully, 
reduced pollution or changing climate may also be having an effect."

The situation in the capital is sadly not repeated across the nation,
 where most butterfly species continue to decline as their habitats
 are destroyed or neglected.

Volunteers have gathered all of this information and more help is 
needed to keep an eye on London's butterflies. If you would like to 
get involved please contact Butterfly Conservation. PO Box 222 
Dedham Colchester Essex CO7 6EY. http://www.butterfly-conservation.org. 


-- 
Neil Jones- Neil at nwjones.demon.co.uk http://www.nwjones.demon.co.uk/
"At some point I had to stand up and be counted. Who speaks for the
butterflies?" Andrew Lees - The quotation on his memorial at Crymlyn Bog
National Nature Reserve