Scottish collect evidence of climate change

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9 October 2007

A Scottish volunteer has found the Small Heath butterfly flying in October, a full month after it should have disappeared. The species took advantage of climate change just as the Scottish Government announced that butterflies and moths will be used as indicators of the health of Scotland's environment

Butterfly Conservation volunteers collect a vast amount of information on butterfly and moth numbers each year.  The Scottish Government will now use this to monitor environmental change.

"An army of dedicated volunteers have produced remarkable and scientific data which will be used to monitor our environment.  Their contribution is hugely important", said Paul Kirkland, Director of Butterfly Conservation Scotland.

The sighting of the Small Heath flying in October demonstrates that butterflies are swift to react to changes in climate.  Many species, like the Small Heath, are taking advantage of warmer weather to fly for longer or expand their range.

Butterflies are also evidence of the health of an environment.  Where they fly in profusion, they indicate that nature is in balance.  Where populations decline rapidly, the balance of nature has gone awry.

Although Scotland's butterflies and moths are faring better than those in England, many are disappearing due to loss of habitat.  More than half of Scotland's moth species are declining.  This could have serious knock-on effects for the birds and bats that feed on moths and their caterpillars.

Dr Martin Warren, Chief Executive of Butterfly Conservation, said: "Butterflies and moths are highly sensitive indicators of the health of the natural environment.  We are very pleased that the Scottish Government is using them to help assess progress with the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy."




Notes for editors
  1. There are 33 species of butterfly that regularly breed in Scotland and around 1300 species of moths, though more are arriving every year with climate change.  Recent arrivals include the Comma and Small Skipper.  Several species survive only in Scotland, having died out in England, including the Chequered Skipper butterfly, Kentish Glory moth and New Forest Burnet moth.
     
  2. The changing fortunes of Scotland's widespread moths are typified by the Grass Rivulet, which has declined in abundance in the moth traps run by Rothamsted Research by 70% in the last 30 years, while the Angle Shades has increased by 180%.
     
  3. The two Trend Notes on butterflies and moths have been written by ecologists from Butterfly Conservation, Rothamsted Research and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.  They are part of a series of trends on Scotland's wildlife to be published by Scottish Natural Heritage on their website www.snh.org.uk/trends
     
  4. Butterfly Conservation is the UK charity taking action to save butterflies and moths.  Butterfly Conservation staff and volunteers manage habitats to ensure their survival, with particular attention being given to threatened species.
     
  5. Butterfly Conservation Scotland receives funding from Scottish Natural Heritage and others to support the volunteers who collect butterfly and moth data.
     
  6. Butterfly Conservation has 12,500 members (over 600 in Scotland) and is the largest organisation of its kind in Europe.