Adult butterflies (imagos) were surveyed in late May and early June in 2019. The survey was conducted by László Peregovits and members of the József Szalkay Association, as well as by the staff of the Kiskunság National Park Directorate.
Objectives of the survey:
- delimitation of forest stands, forest roads, clearings actually used by the scarce fritillary (creation of a high-resolution habitat map)
- identification of plant species used for feeding or laying eggs
- determination of the size of the largest subpopulation of the scarce fritillary in the central block of the forest by the marking-recatching method
- observation of other lifestyle features relevant to conservation
More than 700 scarce fritillaries were individually marked during the survey. Population size estimates will only be made after that, but it can already be stated that the population of the scarce fritillary in the Peszér-forest will certainly exceed the herd size estimated at a maximum of 3,000 adults so far.
It is also gratifying to note that specimens of the scarce fritillary have already appeared on the arrows restored during the winter and at the sites of interventions to break the associated shrub level.
During the survey, we also detected scarce fritillaries to the east of the central block of the Peszér-forest, which is evidence of the expansion of the species, although slow, but in any case significant.
It also turned out that, in contrast to the mountain populations, the individuals of the local herd mainly lay eggs on privet and feed on the newly flowering shrubs – e.g. common dogwood, privet – flowers.
(Phd Csaba Vadász)
*
Based on the caterpillar nest survey in July, we will learn more valuable information about this rare, endangered species.
You can find out more about the ornate butterfly here: http://oakeylife.hu/diszes-tarkalepke/
Photos of the ornate butterfly here: http://oakeylife.hu/2018/06/15/diszes-tarkalepke-euphydryas-maturna/