Life Cycles of British and Irish Butterflies

Product Information

Jeffcoate, S. (2006) Seasonal variation in the use of vegetation resources by Leptidea sinapis, a multivoltine species in southern Britain: implications for its conservation at the edge of its range and in the context of climate change, Entomologist’s Gazette, 57, 69-82. Over the past decade or so, Peter Eeles has patiently compiled photographs of every stage of the life cycle of every regularly breeding British butterfly, 59 species in all. The result is a profusely illustrated book which documents the development of the butterfly from egg to adult in greater detail than ever before. The distribution, habitat, status and life cycle of all primary species is discussed in detail, accompanied by hundreds of lavish images of adults, eggs, caterpillars, chrysalides, habitat and foodplants. These are exciting times in terms of our butterfly fauna and the prospect of new species arriving on our shores, such as the Southern Small White, is also discussed. Garlic-mustard remains such a good plant for surveying butterfly life cycles. In a garden I saw Large White, Small White, Green-veined White and Orange Tip butterflies use it. From seed in first year, it can produce lovely, inviting, big green leaves and in Second year "bolts" to produce attractive flowers to the Orange Tip butterfly, which it finds in sunlight, at that specific time of the day. Garlic-mustard likes dampish areas (keep it watered) and was often naturalised on a north facing side of a hedge. Oates, M. (2008) The Myth of the Master Tree: Mate-location strategies of the Purple Emperor butterfly, British Wildlife, 19, 330-337.

Warren, M. S. (1987) The ecology and conservation of the heath fritillary butterfly, Mellicta athalia, Journal of Applied Ecology, 24, 467-513. Davies, Z.G., Wilson, R.J., Coles, S. & Thomas, C.D. (2006) Changing habitat associations of a thermally constrained species, the Silver-spotted Skipper butterfly, in response to climate warming, Journal of Applied Ecology, 75, 247-256. While aimed at the typical butterfly enthusiast, the book's content has been successfully tested by conservation scientists who need to record all stages when measuring the impact of habitat management and climate change. The book also includes recent discoveries that are documented here for the first time. Butterflies are infinitely fascinating. What may start as a simple hobby of photographing the adult insects can evolve into a deep interest in their immature stages, ecology and conservation and this book will help light your way. Got mine yesterday too, amazing book, so much information!! Thanks Pete Eeles for a huge amount of work!! Beautifully presented too.”– Ben Freeman, FacebookDinca, V., Lukhtanov V. A., Talavera, G. & Vila, R. (2011) Unexpected layers of cryptic diversity in wood white Leptidea butterflies, Nature Communications, 324. Clarke, S.A., Green, D.G., Joy, J., Wollen, K. & Butler, I. (2010) Leptidea sinapis (Wood White butterfly) egg-laying habitat and adult dispersal studies in Herefordshire, Journal of Insect Conservation, 15, 23-35. Which species are most able to cope with a loss in habitat? Will we see a proliferation of one or two successful species that are more adaptable? What a splendid book and a tremendous reflection of the extraordinary amount of time and effort put into its creation. I suspect it will become so well-thumbed I shall need to acquire a second copy!”– millerd, UK Butterflies forums Species of particular concern are the Large Heath which has suffered a large decline due to the destruction of their habitat as a result of drainage and peat extraction from raised bog and changes in management practice for blanket bog. Despite recent efforts to “restore” bogs, such loss of habitat which has taken thousands of years to grow is essentially irreversible.The Marsh Fritillary, a species of damp habitat, has disappeared from much of Western Europe and the remaining colonies have become very vulnerable because of isolation and fragmentation and land ‘development’.

Wiklund, C. & Forsberg, J. (1985) Courtship and male discrimination between virgin and mated females in the orange tip butterfly Anthocharis cardamines, Animal Behaviour, 34, 328-332. Thomas, J.A., Elmes, G.W., Wardlaw, J.C. & Woyciechowski, M. (1989) Host specificity among Maculinea butterflies in Myrmica ant nests, Oecologia, 79, 452-457. The Bibliography only lists books – the following is a list of all references, including both books and papers: Maitland Emmet, A. & Heath, J. (Eds) (1990) The Moths and Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland. Harley Books, Colchester. Humphreys, H.N & Westwood, J.O. (1841) British Butterflies and their Transformations. William Smith, London.

Brakefield, P.M. (1979) An experimental study of the maintenance of variation in spot pattern in Maniola jurtina. PhD thesis. Butterflies are infinitely fascinating. What may start as a simple hobby of photographing the adult insects can evolve into a deep interest in their immature stages, ecology and conservation and this book will help light your way. Schoonhoven, L.M., Beerling, E.A.M., Klijnstra, J.W. & Vugt, Y. van (1990) Two related butterfly species avoid oviposition near each other’s eggs, Experientia, 46, 526-528.