Three new species and new record high counts for eight others in this year’s butterfly count.

by Jeff Skevington

The final totals are all in for yesterday’s (6 July 2019) OFNC butterfly count, and we ended up with 1143 butterflies of 48 species. The count diversity was average but higher than expected, because we missed at least 12 normally expected species that have not yet emerged.

Three(!!) new species were recorded for the count: Diane LePage’s group found the first ever Wild Indigo Duskywings and Arnet Sheppard found the first Harris’s Checkerspot and Arctic Skipper.

We had new high counts for 8(!) species that were not new: Giant Swallowtail, Silvery Blue, Silver-bordered Fritillary, Common Ringlet, Northern Cloudywing, Indian Skipper, Long Dash Skipper and Common Roadside Skipper.

Two-spotted Skipper found by Julia Ellis.

Other rare species recorded included:

  • 2 Tawny Crescents (1 found by Arnet Sheppard and 1 found by Diane LePage’s group – 5th count)
  • Silver-spotted Skipper (found by Ken Allison’s group – 8th count)
  • Little Glassywing (found by Angela Skevington – 3rd count)
  • Two-spotted Skipper (found by Julia Ellis – 2nd count)

Tally for the 2019 count

Totals for all years from 1998