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Hedge Brown (Pyronia tithonus)
wingspan: 3.4 - 3.8 cm;
male/ : Mid-brown with large orange
patches. Double eye-spo on
each forewing.
female : as male - but paler
larval
foodplant: grasses
This little butterfly is the one that started me recording. The summer of 2005, although very poor for many butterfly species, saw an absolute explosion of this one on our site. My estimate is of 500+, but there really were too many to count. There is something about butterflies "en masse" that has to be experienced to be properly understood.
In 2004 I had erected rabbit fencing around the site. The area between the fencing and the hedgerow now consists of 800 metres of permanent rough grass and weeds: possibly creating the ideal habitat by unintended consequence.
First sighting - July 2005
Highest yearly counts Frequency
2005(July) - 500+ stable
2006(July) - 200+ stable
2007(Aug) - 100+ stable
2008(Aug) - 200+ stable
2008 Sightings:
July w/e | | | | Aug. W/E | | | | |
| 5th | 12th | 19th | 26th | 2nd | 9th. | 16th | 23rd | 31st. |
| | | 20+ | 200+ | 200+ | 100+ | 50 | 5 | |
| | | | | | | | | |
2009 Sightings:
July w/e | | | Aug w/e | | | |
| 11th | 18th | 25th | 1st | 8th | 15th | |
| 5 | 10+ | 100+ | 100+ | 50+ | 20 | |
| | | | | | |
2010 Sightings:
July w/e | | | | August w/e | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10th | 17th | 24th | 31st | 7th | 14th | 21st | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | 10 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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