Butterfly Conservation Europe

Tomorrow is a chance to brush up on your Iberian Lycaenids with top expert Miguel Munguira. It’s free and online, the links are here butterfly-monitoring.net/epic-butterfly

So this arrived today, I don't think that micromoths of the low countries have ever before been compiled in one (2 volume) guide before in such a clear and accessible way, with life cycle info. Anyone with interest in micromoths of NW Europe should buy this! knnvuitgeverij.nl/artikel/hand...

Field margin with wildflowers that can support butterflies in arable farmland

Livestock grazing is essential to maintaining grasslands in the mountains of Europe. Extensive cattle grazing has been shown to be the most beneficial but any extensive system is good

Grassland butterflies are declining across Europe, but how do we reverse that trend? We have just produced a report with some simple guidance to land managers and policy makers on how to 'Bend the curve' and help increase butterflies and other pollinators. www.bc-europe.eu/webpage.php?...

Wow, this is an important paper. We had some evidence early on from @ukbms.bsky.social sites but rarely had good data in grazing regimes. But @tombrereton.bsky.social always said that extensive cattle was the best for butterflies and this add yet more evidence

False Comma (Nymphalis vau-album) © Janos Olah

Puddling group of Clouded Yellow (Colias crocea) & Berger's Clouded Yellow (Colias alfacariensis) © Clive Burrows

Tour update 🚨

As of this morning, our 2027 Summer Butterflies of Serbia tour now has just four places remaining available to book upon it. Naturally, like *all* our butterfly tours, it generates a donation to support the work of @europebutterfly.bsky.social.

mariposanature.com/tours/butter...

Revisiting Europe's temperate forests: Palaeoecological evidence for an herbivory-driven woodland-grassland mosaic biome Understanding the pre-Homo sapiens baseline of the temperate forest biome is crucial for interpreting present-day biodiversity patterns, ecosystem fun…

This new paper on the palaeoecology of Europe's woods is worth a read and helps explain why so many butterflies, and other insects, are associated with open areas in woods, or 'wood edge' habitats. An important message for conservation www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Revisiting Europe's temperate forests: Palaeoecological evidence for an herbivory-driven woodland-grassland mosaic biome Understanding the pre-Homo sapiens baseline of the temperate forest biome is crucial for interpreting present-day biodiversity patterns, ecosystem fun…

This new paper on the palaeoecology of Europe's woods is worth a read and helps explain why so many butterflies, and other insects, are associated with open areas in woods, or 'wood edge' habitats. An important message for conservation www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

So Moths evolved almost 300 million years ago and butterflies are newcomers at 100 million years. A fascinating look back at evolutionary history

An aggregation of black, spiny Marsh Fritillary caterpillars basking communally on a patch of turf.

An aggregation of Marsh Fritillary caterpillars basking on a fallen leaf.

Four clusters of Marsh Fritillary caterpillars basking communally adjacent to a Molinia tussock.

Marsh Fritillary caterpillars have emerged from winter diapause and were communally basking in the sunshine at Church Hay Down today.

Fascinating visualisation of 15 minute counts which are giving us some really valuable information. Anyone visiting Europe can record them using our ButterflyCount app

Dirk Maes from @europebutterfly.bsky.social: Europe's grassland butterflies have declined 40% since 1991.

Agricultural intensification, nitrogen deposition, and habitat loss are the main drivers.

#SafeguardFinale

Cornwall Butterfly Conservation volunteers clearing Buddleia from around a mine engine house.

Before: Buddleia, Sallow and Bramble encroaching into sparsely vegetated, short grassland surrounding a mine engine house.

After: Buddleia, Sallow and Bramble have been cleared from around the engine house to expand the area of grassland.

Last Monday was Cornwall Butterfly Conservation's final work party of the winter. We were clearing Buddleia and scrub at Cook's Kitchen (South Crofty Mine) to restore habitat for Dingy Skipper. This active mine is currently the only confirmed site for Dingy Skipper within the Camborne-Redruth area.

Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus) larva © Caroline U

Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus) adults © Michael Z

Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus) chrysalis © Michael Z

Postcard from the field from tour leader Dave Fairhurst, images kindly shared by our guests:

Our Fabulous Fuerteventura team enjoyed wonderful views of Plain Tiger yesterday, and not just the flaming adults on the wing - there were other stages of their life cycle to find and enjoy seeing too.

2 EPIC Masterclass - Advanced Level 3 // Atlantic butterflies YouTube video by Butterfly Conservation Europe

In case you missed the excellent Masterclass by @chrisvanswaay.bsky.social on identifying butterflies of the European Atlantic region, you can watch it here on YouTube youtu.be/KuBSagkCWes

Evolution, genomics and conservation of butterflies and moths - Nature Reviews Biodiversity Butterflies and moths are key indicators of functioning and healthy ecosystems around the world. This Review describes the evolutionary history of the order Lepidoptera and tracks shifts in researcher...

Now online! In this review, we cover four major topics on butterflies and moths: their evolutionary history and diversification dynamics, genomics, global diversity patterns, and conservation 🦋🌏 (1/8) @natrevbiodiv.nature.com
www.nature.com/articles/s44...

New paper on global change impacts on insects, out in GEB🦋🌍

Climate change and urbanisation act synergistically: butterfly declines are stronger under warming in urban environments.

Species traits help explain heterogeneous responses.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

@ylndmc.bsky.social

Greenish Black Tip (Euchloe charlonia), Fuerteventura © Juan Pablo Cancela

Fuerteventura Green-striped White (Euchloe hesperidum), Fuerteventura © Juan Pablo Cancela

Postcard from the field, from tour leader @jpcancela.bsky.social in Fuerteventura:

Our Fabulous Fuerteventura tour is blessed this week to find the island covered with blooming plants, and spectacular numbers of Greenish Black Tip & Fuerteventura Green-striped White. What an experience!

As closer look at Gonepteryx cleobule on Tenerife today.

Many butterflies are emerging in warmer parts of Europe. Over 30 species will soon be flying in Spain

Eastern Festoon (Zerynthia cerisy) © Jon Dunn

Freyer's Purple Emperor (Apatura metis) © Jon Dunn

Blue Argus (Aricia anteros) © David Moore

Lesser Fiery Copper (Lycaena thersamon) © Jon Dunn

If you're considering Greece for a butterfly holiday this year, our Butterflies of North Greece offers unrivalled bang for your buck, a rainbow of possible species and, like ALL our butterfly tours, it generates a donation to @europebutterfly.bsky.social.

www.mariposanature.com/tours/butter...

Well that didn’t take long ! Arrived at hotel on Tenerife at 4pm , seen two endemics by 4.15pm. Canary Speckled Wood and Canary Red Admiral .

Still time to grab a spot on this superb trip. It makes for a lovely way to begin your spring butterfly watching campaign...
greenwings.co/our-holidays...

A donation from this and *all* our butterfly tours also goes to support the conservation work of @europebutterfly.bsky.social too.

Greenish Black Tip (Euchloe charlonia) © Dave Fairhurst

Postcard from the field:

Arrivals day on our Fabulous Fuerteventura tour today, and we're straight into action with some quality birds, odonata, and butterflies seen already - the latter including the sought-after and beautiful Greenish Black Tip.

@europebutterfly.bsky.social #butterflies

False Apollo

Southern Festoon

Scarce Swallowtail

Grecian Copper

With temperatures on the rise, I'm looking forward to a 'spring break' in Northern Greece with @greenwingstours.bsky.social (greenwings.co/our-holidays...). Some photos from last year, a trip that led to Martin Partridge's interesting article on the False Apollo: www.sbbt.org.uk/latest-news/....

2025 was another bad year for the Chequered Skipper in NL. The distribution of this butterfly is getting more and more sparse. The species cannot cope very well with the dry years since 2018.

Yes, anyone can listen and watch later via this web page

butterfly-monitoring.net/epic-butterfly

Yes, all the Masterclasses are open to all. They can also be watched a few days later on the EPIC page here butterfly-monitoring.net/epic-butterfly

Western Bath White (Pontia daplidice) © K Bailey

Provence Orange Tip (Anthocharis euphenoides) © K Bailey

Sooty Orange Tip (Zegris eupheme) © Jon Dunn

Spanish Greenish Black Tip (Euchloe bazae) © Pete Smith

Good morning and welcome to a new week.

This week's featured tour is Spring Butterflies of Central & North Spain. Just 4 places left on this tour running in April, and a guaranteed donation made to support the invaluable work of @europebutterfly.bsky.social (1/2)

mariposanature.com/tours/butter...

Our second Masterclass in identifying European butterflies is coming up next Wednesday 17th Feb. This one covers the trickier species in the Atlantic region given by renowned expert Chris van Swaay. The Webinar zoom link: us06web.zoom.us/j/81934375118

Don't forget to tune in this Wednesday 11 February at 15:00 CET to hear our first masterclass on identifying European butterflies from a top expert Rudi Verovnik, covering East Continental and Balkan species
butterfly-monitoring.net/EPIC-Butterfly