Wall Brown Butterfly
25 YEAR SURVEY OF THE WALL BROWN IN DERBYSHIRE – Ken Orpe
Probably the most iconic butterfly in Derbyshire during this Century is the Wall Brown which has disappeared from vast swathes of Southern England since the start of the New Millennium and recently it has put under the Endangered Category for butterflies in the UK.. Not only has its distribution changed but also its lifestyle has changed with eggs being laid on grasses which occur mainly at rocky outcrops on the 1,000 feet contour so Lowland Derbyshire has suffered the most in recent years whilst the distribution of the species is now mainly confined to the high ground of the Peak District .
It is thought that climate warming could be a reason for this change as the hot micro climates required by the caterpillars are threatened by the more rapid growth of vegetation which creates shadier conditions at ground level when the larvae are active – hence in the Peak District the larvae spend their time in mini caves on the grassy ledges of the rocky outcrops.
I have summarised the numbers seen together with the tetrads that the species has been seen in during the last 25 years here in Derbyshire (see attached document) and it can be seen that the low point was in 2008 when the Wall Brown was only noted in 19 tetrads with a total of just 37 butterflies seen. Move forward to 2019 and the butterfly was seen in 149 tetrads with a total of 1133 butterflies seen! Also noteworthy is the fact that it is trying to re-colonise former areas in Lowland Derbyshire although 5 sites in the South and 11 sites in the North East of the County is no comparison to 124 sites in the Peak District in 2019. Also partial third broods have occurred in October during 14 of the last 25 years here in Derbyshire.
The first Butterfly Nature Reserve here in Derbyshire at Hoe Grange Quarry near to Brassington is an ideal place to see the Wall Brown in the County. The first brood is normally flying from early May to mid June and the second brood is on the wing from early August till mid September with the second brood doing better number wise. Other sites in the Peak District where the Wall Brown can be seen include Longstone Edge, Lathkill dale, Hay Dale, Grin Low and also on the high ridges of footpaths such as Mam Tor near Castleton and Mount Famine above Chinley Head – these last 2 sites are above the 400 metre contour so good climbing boots are essential!
If you visit Derbyshire and record this butterfly then please email your sightings to me at :- ken@malaga.plus.com
Ken Orpe
Derbyshire Recorder
Butterfly Conservation East Midlands
Wall Browns mating - John Scholey
Wall Browns - M & F -HGQ - Mark Searle
Wall Brown Larvae March - Peter Faulkner
Wall Brown Larva April - Peter Faulkner
Distribution Maps
Wall Brown egg Peter Faulkner
Wall Brown Underside – Eric Easom
Wall Brown pupa May – Peter Faulkner
Wall Bown camouflaged Reynards Lane Hartington – Helen Naylor