Date: 13 July 2026
Location: Runfold
Duration: 1.5 Hours
Habitat: Grassland and meadow
Species encountered: Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus), Clouded Yellow (Colias croceus), Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), Marbled White (Melanargia galathea), Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Small Skipper (Thymelicus sylvestris), Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)

Field Notes

Today I joined the monthly butterfly transect at Runfold, completing approximately 1.5 hours of survey work in warm and still conditions. The favourable weather resulted in high levels of butterfly activity throughout the survey area.

Gatekeepers (Pyronia tithonus) were particularly abundant and represented the most frequently encountered species during the transect. A good diversity of other butterflies was also recorded, including Clouded Yellow, Meadow Brown, Painted Lady, Marbled White, Small Copper, Small Heath, Small Skipper and Common Blue.

The survey provided another useful opportunity to develop my identification skills and become more familiar with recognising species both at rest and in flight. With several species active at the same time, careful observation was important when recording individuals along the transect.

Comparing this survey with earlier visits to the area also highlighted how quickly butterfly abundance and species composition can change throughout the season. Differences in flight periods, weather conditions and habitat all influence what is recorded during an individual survey, reinforcing the value of carrying out transects consistently over time.

Regular monitoring provides a much more meaningful picture of butterfly populations than any single visit and allows changes in abundance and species composition to be observed throughout the flight season.