Howbery Park
These three species are usually found in or around woodland and hedges. Nonetheless, the caterpillars of all three live on grasses, so the butterflies are generally seen on grassy areas adjacent to the trees.
The Speckled Wood is seen through much of the year, usually a few at a time, and most frequently in or adjacent to the riverside woods. The records show that its numbers were high in 1995, 1997 and 1999, and low in 1996 and 1998, i.e. abundant in odd-numbered and scarce in even-numbered years. It is not clear whether this is just a statistical fluke from this small sample or whether a wider and longer survey might show the same behaviour.
Gatekeepers have a period of great abundance through July and August, when they are found over much of the site. Overall, they are the second most abundant species on the site. Their numbers are fairly steady, but with a marked dip in 1998.
Ringlets were not seen on site until 1997, despite looking for them earlier. They were found in an area of long grass between trees that had not been searched previously, so they may have been present earlier. But the fact that their numbers have increased since then suggests that they may indeed have been a new arrival. They look similar to the much commoner male Meadow Brown in flight so a positive identification requires a clear view of the distinctive ringed eye-spots when settled.
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| Analysis Procedure | 10 Year Summary | 5 Year Summary | Skippers |
| Early Whites | Common Whites | Blues | Migrants |
| Hibernators | Woodland Browns | Grassland Browns | Occasionals |