cyBulletinn of the Catalant Butterflyh Monitoring iScheme a 2003 - no. 3

Cover illustrations mation at our disposal re g a rding various aspects Go d o m a r (La Ga r rotxa, 700 m). This site lies of its ecology. in Batet de la Serra, near Olot, and its transect pass- Detail of the hind-wing underside of the Spotted Fi n a l l y, we would like to take this occasion to es through a series of traditional agricultural envi- Fritillary (Melitaea didyma) (photo: A. Miquel). thank all those who have provided us with texts, ronments (cultivated fields and hay-meadows) that A scarce butterfly in Catalonia, the Clouded Apollo photographs and/or drawings, and to welcome all a re being managed with an eye to increasing the (Parnassius mnemosyne) (photo: J.R. Salas). those who will be walking a CBMS transect for the are a ’s biodiver s i t y . This new station means that the first time during the 2004 season. CBMS in La Gar r otxa Volcanic Zone Natural Par k is represented by two sites, of which the Godomar transect is much more Mediterranean than the wel l - Editorial established transect at Can Jordà. A bigger Cynthia and La Nou de Berguedà (B erguedà, 1,130 m). Th i s translated into English ne w transect runs through part of La Serra de Catl- The CBMS network laràs, a mountain range lying to the south of the his new edition of Cy n t h i a incorporates two Current situation of the Butterfly b e t t e r - k n own Serra del Cadí. The transect passes Tim p o r tant novelties: we have increased the num- Monitoring Network in Catalonia in 2003 ar ound a farm – El Reig – located between La Nou ber of pages from 16 to 20 and now include the de Berguedà and Malanyeu, and includes grazing whole text in English in a central pull-out section. The CBMS celebrated its 10th anniversary in meadows and the typical forest formations of the The number of pages has been increased in orde r 2003. The number of transects has increased ar ea: Scots pine, Downy oak and Box or Beech and to double the space dedicated to the sites and the greatly compared to the previous year and Bo x, depending on whether the sections run on the identification of difficult species. We believe that now consists of almost 50 stations. The eight south or north side of the mountain. This is one these are two of the most popular sections of Cyn- new incorporations in 2003 include a of the richest stations in the CBMS network and t h i a amongst CBMS workers since they prov i d e transect on the island of Ibiza and one in an boasts well-constituted populations of a significant important information on butterfly species-diver- extremely species-rich area in the Pyrenees. number of butterfly species. sity in Catalonia and how to separate look-alike In all, 110,174 butterflies belonging to 137 Ai g u a b a r re i g (S egrià, 200 m). Lying at the con- species. The CBMS stations described re p re s e n t species have been recorded. fluence of the rivers Se g re, Cinca and Eb ro with- two ve ry different habitats with highly dissimilar in the Espai Natural Protegit of Tossals d’A l m a t re t butterfly communities: on the one hand, we pay a uring 2003 a total of 46 CBMS stations pro- and near the town of Granja d’E s c a r p , the Aiguabar- visit to the deciduous woodlands that dominate the Dvided complete data (fig. 1) and in a furt h e r reig transect enjoys an extremely arid climate in ar ea of Catalonia with a more central Eur opean cli- th r ee the data rec o r ded wer e not complete enough an area dominated by Ro s e m a ry and White flax mate (Can Jo rdà, in La Ga r rotxa Volcanic Zo n e to calculate annual species indices. The number of s c ru b. It is re m a rkable for being the only area of Natural Park) and then move on to the Rosemary transects in the Balearic Islands was increased by Catalonia in which the Greenish Black-tip Elp h i n - and White Flax scrublands of the arid southwest- the incorporation of a new butterfly walk in the stonia charl o n i a is known to fly, which here feeds ern corner of the country (Sebes, near Flix). T h e south of the island of Ibiza. on the crucifer Boleum asperu m, endemic to this identification guides in this edition of Cyn t h i a ce n - The annual series currently available are shown p a rt of the Eb ro va l l e y. During its first ye a r, this tre on the Gatekeepers (genus Pyronia), common in figure 2. The six stations that have been operat- transect re c e i ved a grant from the Fundació Te r r i- t h roughout Catalonia, and the so-called ‘Go l d e n ing since the beginning of the CBMS have now tori i Pa i s a t g e . Ski p p e r s ’ (genus Th y m e l i c u s ), a genus that we hope provided 10 years of uninterrupted records, while Sal Ros s a (I biza, 0 m). This first transect on the all collaborators will start including in their week- the number of stations with five or more years of island of Ibiza is walked near the sea in an area of ly counts in 2004. records has now reached 26. dunes, scrub, pine woodland and various types of The decision to translate all the texts into Eng- pa s t u r eland. Despite the fact that the butterfly fau- lish was taken because currently this language is New transects na is extremely poor, this station does provide val u - without doubt the international lingua fra n c a o f Sant Mateu (Ma r esme, 425 m). This transect run s able information about butterfly migration. It is scientific discourse and thus we hope that in this t h rough part of the Serralada Litoral - a range of the southernmost CBMS site and thus the first to way the CBMS network will become better known medium-height coastal mountains – in the are a rec e i v e migrant species crossing the Med i t e r r a n e a n f u rther afield. If we manage to make our work around the summit of Turó d’en Baldiri (near the fr om the north coast of Africa. During its first yea r kn o wn beyond the borders of Catalonia, we antic- better-known Turó de Sant Mateu). This new site the transect rec e i v ed financial help from the L’E s c o - ipate that our results will be used more extensive- and the established sites at Can Miravitges (139 m) la Taller Hàbitat (an environmental work s h o p ) ly by more butterfly workers and in conservation and La Conreria (300 m) make up an altitudinal- dependent on the Mi n i s t ry of the En v i ro n m e n t management. ly very interesting series of transects that all lie on of the ‘Consell Insular’ of Ibiza and Formentera. Aside from these novelties, you will find the the south face of La Serra de Marina. The com- Can Vilar (Vallès Occidental, 200 m). The wel l - habitual sections on the state of the CBMS net- monest habitats here are Mediterranean scru b pre s e r ved agricultural-forest mosaic near the city of w o rk, the most significant results from the 2003 and Holm oak woodland. The transect is part l y Sabadell is home to this transect. This area could season and two re v i ews of specialized articles (one financed by El Parc Serralada Litoral. play an important role as a biological corridor with- based entirely on data from the CBMS network Sales de Llierca (La Garrotxa, 300 m). Locat- in the Vallès plain and operates as a link betwee n on the effects of climatic change on flight peri- ed at the foot of the mountains of L’Alta Garrotxa the Ser r es Litoral and Prelitorals (coastal and pre- ods, and the other on the situation of the two (eastern Pre- Py r enees) in an area in which Med i t e r - coastal mountains) and the mountains of La Sel v a species of Wood White – Leptidea sinapis and L . ranean and Eurosiberian habitats meet, this tran- and El Penedès regions. It lies within an area that re a l i), as well as a long article on the Tw o - t a i l e d sect alternates between abandoned stony terraces, is part of a project – L’Espai Agrof o r estal de Llevan t Pasha (C h a ra xes jasius). This butterf l y, one of the today lightly grazed, and mixed woodland. T h e - being developed by a number of local town and most striking species in Catalonia, has been we l l - b u t t e rfly fauna here is one of the most diverse of city councils aimed at protecting the remaining nat- studied recently and we now have abundant infor- all the CBMS stations. ural areas of the Vallès plain. The most typical habi- Cynthia II

tats of the transect are agricultural, mixed pine and of butterflies that are common in Catalonia but 10th anniversary of the CBMS Holm oak woodland and scrub l a n d s . ra r e in Eur ope appear regularly in the CBMS. Th e Summary of the 2003 season UAB (Vallès Occidental, 200 m). This transect f o l l owing species appeared in more than 10 sta- The year 2003 was climatically exce p t i o n a l lies in the neighbourhood of the Autonomous Uni - tions in 2003 (in brackets the SPEC category accord- and Catalonia swel t e r ed in its hottest-ever - versity of Ba rcelona (UAB) and follows two pre - ing to ref. 3 is given): Lulworth Skipper (Thymeli- rec o r ded summer. These ext r eme conditions existing on-campus nature itineraries that pass cus acteon) (SPEC 2), Green-underside Blue (Gla u - coincided with notable declines in many through fallow and abandoned fields, mixed pine c o p s yche alexis) and Marsh Fr i t i l l a ry (Eu p h yd ry a s sp e c i e s , above all in the Satyrinae. and Holm oak woodland and large areas of scrub. a u r i n i a) (both SPEC 3), Mo roccan Or a n g e - t i p Never t h e l e s s , 2003 was a good year for strictly The functioning of this site is part of the activities (Anthocharis euphenoides), Iberian Marbled White spring-flying species, for those that hibernate p romoted by the En v i ronmental and Pro t e c t i o n (Melanargia lachesis) and Grayling (Hi p p a rc h i a as adults and for some of the migrants from Service of the UAB and received a grant from La semele) (both SPEC 4a), Essex Skipper (Thymeli- Africa. Of the 59 most widespread species Fundació Territori i Paisatge during its first year. cus sylve s t r i s), Be r g e r’s Clouded Ye l l ow (C o l i a s rec o r ded from the CBMS network, the annual al f a c a r i e n s i s ), False Ilex Hai r s t r eak (Satyrium esculi), in d e x of 19 species increased but declined in Habitats represented Bl a c k - e yed Blue (Gl a u c o p s yche melanops), Ar i c i a the remaining 40. The different habitats and plant communities sur- cra m e r a, Provençal Fri t i l l a r y (Melitaea deione), Dus k y vey ed by CBMS transects in 2003 are shown in table Heath (Coenonympha dorus), Tree Grayling (Hip- Climate and butterfly counts 1. For each station only the dominant plant com- p a rchia statilinus), Striped Grayling (Hi p p a rc h i a munity has been taken into consideration and sec- fidia) and Great Banded Grayling (Brintesia circe) he hottest-ever summer recorded in Catalonia on d a r y communities (those that could be reg a rd e d (both SPEC 4b). Tmade 2003 climatically exceptional, a fact con- as successional stages) are included within the cor- firmed by data from weather stations with unin- responding climax community. Thus, in table 1, for 1 Folch i Guillèn, R., 1981. La vegetació dels Països t e r rupted sequences of re c o rd s1. The pattern was example, Cis t u s or Eri c a sc ru b , or agricultural zon e s , Catalans. Ketres Editora, Barcelona. repeated throughout Catalonia and the situation do not appear, even though they may occupy a sig- came to a head during the first fortnight of Aug u s t 2 Viader, J., 1994. “Papallones de Catalunya. Pontia nificant part of a transect. Mor e detailed informa- callidice (Hübner, [1800])”. Butll. Soc. Cat. Lep., 73: when a series of enormous forest fires broke out tion concerning the plant communities present in 63-71. in the comarques of Bages, La Selva and El Segrià. each section of the transects (with their perce n t a g e Un f o rt u n a t e l y, the two CBMS transects in the co ver) can be consulted in the CBMS database. 3 van Swaay, C.A.M. & Warren, M.S., 1999. Red Data municipality of La Granja d’Escarp (El Segrià) wer e The Catalan BMS network is ove rw h e l m i n g l y Book of European Butterflies (Rhopalocera). Nature both devastated by the fires; the impact that they concentrated in low-lying Mediterranean habitats, and Environment, 99: 1-260. Council of Europe will have on the butterfly fauna of the area will only in areas dominated by Holm oak forests and by Publishing, Strasbourg. become clear in a few years time. sc r ublands. Coastal and pre-coastal areas in north - Just as Catalonia suffered an exceptional sum- 4 Karsholt, O. & Razowski, J., 1996. The Lepidoptera ern Catalonia are well cove red, and provide re l i- of Europe. A Distributional Checklist. Apollo Books, m e r, the preceding winter was one of the coldest able information re g a rding fluctuations in butter- Stenstrup. in recent years. The weather was still cold in Marc h fly populations in these areas. Howeve r , over the as the CBMS season got underway and many last few years there has been an important increa s e Fig. 1. Geographical situation of all the stations that butterflies were not on the wing as early as in oth- in the number of transects in arid and steppe reg i o n s have participated in the CBMS network (1994-2003), er years. Howe ve r, once the Fe b ru a ry rains we re in the southern part of the country and informa- with their official number and name. Also shown is ove r, rainfall was at best scarce during the rest of tion from these environments is beginning to pro- their position regarding the biogeographical regions the season. From April onwards the weather took vide useful clues as to the tendencies of butterf l y of Catalonia according to generally accepted a change for the better: temperatures soared, res u l t - boundaries. populations in other areas of Catalonia. Fu rt h e r- ing in one of the hottest springs in recent years – m o re, a number of strategically placed sites along Fig 2. Distribution of the annual series that are a mere prelude to what was to come. the Catalan and Balearic coastlines (for example, available for the different stations that have From the point of view of butterfly counts, this La Tancada in the Eb ro Delta, the mouth of the participated in the CBMS (1988-2003). fine weather was very beneficial and only 10% of r i ver Gaià and La Punta de la Móra near Ta r r a g o- counts were lost (fig. 1a), one of the lowest figures na, and El Cortalet and Mig de Dos Rius in the Fig. 3. Number of CBMS stations in which the 119 in the history of the CBMS. On average, only three Aiguamolls de l’Em p o r dà) guarantee valuable infor- species counted in 2003 have been recorded counts were lost per station, as compared to 3.92 mation on migratory processes in butterflies. On (excluding the skippers (Hesperiidae) because this and 3.14 in 2002 and 2001, respectively. group is not recorded in the same way in all the other hand, Eu rosiberian and high-level sub- transects). The lost counts were evenly spread throughout alpine and alpine habitats are under-re p re s e n t e d the season with almost exactly a third being lost in the CBMS. Table 1. Habitats and plant communities represented in each of the periods corresponding to weeks 1- in the CBMS in 2003, with the number of stations 10, weeks 11-20 and weeks 21-30. The only real- Species represented they appear in. Classification of the vegetation zones ly problematical weeks were weeks 5 and 7 (corre- The list of butterfly species detected in 2003 and and plant communities according to ref. 1. sponding to the first and third weeks of Ap r i l ) in previous years is given in table 2. Thanks to the and 27 (first week of September), during which incorporation of new stations, 2003 was the most Table 2. The butterfly species that have been almost one in four stations failed to provide data recorded in one or other of the CBMS stations during species-rich season so far (137 species), although, 1994-2003. The number of locations in which the (fig. 1b). of these species, only the Peak White (Pontia cal- species has been detected during the CBMS Changes in abundance: generalities li d i c e ) was new for the CBMS. A single example of monitoring is also given (11 possible sites in 1994, this alpine species was rec o r ded on the Campllong 18 in 1995, 20 in 1996, 25 in 1997 and 1998, 30 in Climatic conditions in 2003 seriously affected but- i t i n e r a ry (at 1,300 m), an area that is well below 1999 and 2000, 42 in 2001, 41 in 2002 and 46 in terfly communities. In general, we could say that this species’ known altitudinal range in Catalonia 2003). Only those stations where it has been these effects wer e positive in spring but clearly neg- (1,800 – 3,030 m) (re f. 2). This is thus a highly possible to calculate an annual index have been at i v e once summer had begun. Howeve r , given that exceptional record and indicates that occasionally taken into account. Taxonomy according to ref. 4. the strictly spring species represent only a relative- this species disperses great distances from its habit- ly small pro p o rtion of the butterflies counted in ual breeding areas and, along with an impre c i s e the CBMS, all in all 2003 was not a good year for record from La Vall de Peguera2, suggests that one butterflies in Catalonia (fig. 2). or more populations of this Pieridae may exist in Lo g i c a l l y , the decline visible in figure 2 was ref l e c t - the area of Els Rasos de Peguera. ed in lower counts from many stations (compar- On a broader scale, 61 species (51% of the total ing the sum of counts for all species betwe e n for 2003) have appeared in more than 10 transects 2002 and 2003: 12 increases vs. 20 declines: (fig. 3). Giv en the large number of transects at low binomial test: P = 0.053). The stations where migra- altitude, this means that we now possess much t o ry species play an important part in the counts im p o r tant data on the population dynamics of but- (for example, La Tancada, S’Albufera des Grau and terflies with predominantly Mediterranean distri- la Punta de la Móra) wer e an easily explicable exce p - butions. In a Eu ropean context, this information tion and were benefited by mass arrivals of Paint- is extremely valuable and to a certain extent pro- ed Ladies (Cynthia card u i). On the other hand, vides a good complement to the information gath- some itineraries in arid zones such as Torà and er ed by BMS networks in northern Eur ope. A series Olivella actually recorded more butterflies, largely III Cynthia

due to the abundance of the False Ilex Hairstreak al index. As is habitual, the bulk of Painted Ladies 1,500 ha belonged to the municipality of La Granja (Satyrium esculi). wer e counted in May as they migrated north 2. Nev - d’Escarp. The two transects that are walked here were Unlike abundance, species-richness did not fluc- er theless, unlike other years, there was also an impor- both completely devastated by the fire, as can be appreciated from this photograph of the Aiguabarreig tuate in the network as a whole (comparing 32 sta- tant increase in Painted Ladies rec o r ded at the end butterfly walk. It remains to be seen what impact tions, 15 counted more species, 12 fewer and five of summer, corresponding to butterflies migrating the fire will have on the butterflies of the area, showed no change; binomial test for increases vs. south. which is well-known as the only Catalan site of the decreases: P = NS). Other migratory species that increased their annu- crucifer Boleum asperum and the Pieridae the al indices wer e the Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeti- Greenish Black-tip Elphinstonia charlonia (photo: Changes in abundance: cu s ), Lang’s Sho r t-tailed Blue (Leptotes pirithous) and M.C. Roca). fluctuations in populations the Plain Tiger (Danaus chrys i p p u s ). After three yea r s For the third year in succession the False Ilex Hai r - absence, the Plain Tiger appeared again in the CBMS streak was the commonest butterfly in the CBMS counts in three coastal stations (La Tancada, Mig ne t w o r k and for the second year in a row it achieved de Dos Rius and El Cortalet). A parallel study of the highest overall annual index for any butterfly the butterfly was carried out in the breeding colony since the project began (tables 1 and 2). In 2003 that established itself on L’I lla de Buda in the Ebr o CBMS sites populations only rose slightly, but given the high delta. It was shown that the migrants that arrived Can Jordà, a characteristic part of La indices rec o r ded in 2002, this meant that once again in July produced a first local generation during the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park this species was highly abundant in many stations. second half of August that then subsequently gave However, in other dominant species 2003 saw way to a second local generation at the end of Sep - The Can Jordà butterfly walk was one of the a number of important changes in population num- tember and the beginning of Oct o b e r . Max i m u m first transects to be incorporated into the bers. For example, the Spanish Gatekeeper (Pyro- numbers wer e observed on the coast during autumn CBMS network and has provided records nia bathseba), the Small Heath (Coenonympha pam- as locally bred butterflies dispersed further afield3. since 1994. Despite lying at fairly low philus), the Large and Small Whites (Pieris brassi- altitude, it is one of the group of transects c a e and P. ra p a e) and the Wood White (L e p t i d e a located within more Eurosiberian habitats that boast the greatest wealth of butterfly sinapis) all decreased noticeably in number, while 1 Gàzquez, A. & Prohom, M., 2003. “L’estiu de 2003 a numbers and species. the Painted Lady (C. cardu i ), the Green Hai r s t re a k l’observatori Fabra. Comparativa amb la sèrie 1914- (Cal l o p h r ys rub i ) and the Marsh Fri t i l l a r y (Eup h yd ry a s 2003”. Penell, 16: 10-12. au r i n i a ) all increased spectacularly. Of the 59 com- The transect 2 monest species in the CBMS network, the annual Stefanescu, C., 2002. “Cynthia cardui, una papallona lthough the Can Jo rdà transect is located at migradora per excel·lència”. Cynthia, 1: 14-15. index dropped in 40 cases and increased in 19 cas- Ajust 540 m above sea level, it still lies firmly es (binomial test: P < 0.01), a proportion that dif- 3 P. Luque, Ll. Julià & C. Stefanescu, dades no within an area of central Eu ropean climate with fe r ed greatly from the previous year and rev eals the publicades. av erage annual temperature and rainfall of 12.5ºC general negative tendency in the CBMS network and 1,098 mm, respectively. The vegetation pres- in 2003 (table 2). Overall, the populations of these 4 Greatorex-Davies, J.N. & Roy, D.B., 2001. The ent along the transect is determined largely by ori- 59 species showed 442 increases and 653 decreas- Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. Report to recorders, entation and land-use. The first sections (1-6) are es in annual indexes (binomial test: P < 0.001). 2000. 76 pp. Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, n o rth-facing and are characterised by re l a t i ve l y Table 2 shows that a certain regularity can be Natural Environment Research Council, Huntingdon. humid pastureland, typical of montane habitats, observed in the changes occurring in 2003. First- mixed deciduous woodland composed of Downy l y, most strictly spring species (for example, the Fig. 1. (a) Degree of cover in the CBMS stations and oak (Que r cus humilis), Ash (Fraxinus exce l s i o r ), Bla c k Orange Tip Anthocharis carda m i n e s , the Moro c c a n (b) distribution of weeks without counts during the poplar (Populus nigra), Sm a l l - l e a ved elm (Ul m u s Orange Tip Anthocharis euphenoides, the Gre e n 30 official weeks of the CBMS season (March 1 – m i n o r) and White willow (Salix alba), and clear- Hai r s t r eak C. rub i , the Panoptes Blue Pse u d o p h i l o t e s September 26). ings dominated by Common nettles (Urtica dioica). pa n o p t e s and the Marsh Fri t i l l a r y E. aurinia) increa s e d In contrast, the last few sections (9-13) are south- their annual indices. Secondly, there were signifi- Fig 2. Ranking of different CBMS seasons in terms of facing and for the most part cross an area of vo l- cant increases (resulting in their highest-ever annu- general abundance of the 54 commonest butterflies canic substrate clothed by a Montane holm oak in the CBMS network. The best season was 2002 and al indices since the CBMS begun) in butterf l i e s the worst 1998. Calculations were made following the (Quercus ilex ilex) forest interspersed with Broom such as the Brimstone (Go n e p t e ryx rh a m n i), the methodology described in ref. 4. (Sa rothamnus scoparius) and Bracken (Pt e r i d i u m Net t l e - t r ee But t e r fly (Lib ythea celtis) and the Large a q u i l i n u m) scru b. The two central sections (7-8) Tor toiseshell (Nymphalis polych l o ro s ) that hibernate Table 1. Sum of the annual indices and order of bisect a series of ruderal environments consisting as adults. Fi n a l l y, there was evidence of a general abundance of the 20 commonest species in the CBMS of periodically harvested fields of Mai z e (Zea mays) d e c rease in numbers of Satyirinae: 12 of the 13 network in 2003 compared with the 2002 season. and Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), as well as mature species in table 2 decreased significantly in 2003, he d g e r ows of Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), Haw t h o r n while some species such as the Tree Grayling (Hip - Table 2. Evolution of the overall annual indices of (Crataegus monogy n a) and Bramble (Rubus ulmi- pa r chia statilinus), the Striped Grayling (Hip p a rc h i a the 59 commonest butterflies in the CBMS network folius) (table 1). (1994-2003) on the basis of an arbitrary value of f i d i a), the Southern Gatekeeper (Py ronia cecilia) , 100 for the 1994 season. Also indicated are the The butterfly fauna the Pearly Heath (Coenonympha arcania) and the number of species that have risen and declined in Wall Brown (Lasiommata megera) dropped to all- each season, as well as the proportions that are During the 10 years the transect has been operat- time CBMS lows. The coincidence of these tren d s significantly different from equality (NS: not ing over 45,000 butterflies belonging to 81 species in Satyrinae is extremely interesting and the impli- significant; *P <0.05; ** P <0.01; *** P <0.001). (54% of all the species recorded from the CBMS cation is that the climatic conditions are the cause. network) have been detected. Annual averages are Nevertheless, we cannot be sure if butterfly popu- D ra w i n g . In 2003 the annual index of the Ne t t l e - situated at around 4,500 butterflies (263.3 but- lations responded in such a negative way to the par- t ree Butterfly (Libythea celtis) inc reased thro u g ho u t te r flies/100 m) and 59.6 species and, of the 15 com- ticular climatic conditions present in summer 2003, C a t a l o n ia and re a c hed its hig hest level since 1994. monest species (fig. 1), the first four are all Satyri- to the re m a rkably high rainfall of summer 2002 This inc rease began in 1999 and has cont i nu e d nae. p ro g re s s i v e l y, a fact that may ind icate that this (which could have affected female egg-laying) or s p e c ies displays cyclical abunda nce peaks. No r ma l l y, O verall annual phenological patterns exhibit to the combined effect of both factors. Whatever most butterflies of this species are seen in Ma rc h - th r ee marked groups of species peaking at three dif- the cause, data from 2003 show how changes work April, corre s p o nd i ng to hiberna t i ng adults born in ferent moments of the year. The first group peaks in synchrony and, when further analysed with more Ma y - J u ne of the pre v ious year. Just after leaving in mid-April and corresponds to univoltine but- sophisticated statistical methods, will undoubted- h i b e r na t ion, they are often seen taking nectar fro m t e rflies such as the Green Ha i r s t reak (Ca l l o p h ry s ly reveal much more important information. willow catkins befo re beginning an inte ns e rub i ) and the Orange Tip (Anthocharis carda m i n e s ), Fin a l l y , we should note that 2003 was an excl l e n t re p ro ductive period du r i ng which females spend a as well as the first generations of the Scarce Swal- year for migrant butterfly species. The Painted Lady l o ng time aro u nd Ne t t l e - t rees Celtis australis, the lo wtail (Iphiclides podalirius), the Holly Blue (Cel a s - larval food plant, on which they lay their eggs on stands out above other migrants and reached its b uds that are about to open. Males also gathe r trina argiolus), the Wood White (Leptidea sinapis) second highest annual index since the CBMS began. a ro u nd these tre e s, waiting to mate with the and the Map But t e r fly (Araschnia levan a ). The sec- The importance of the migration in 2003 is reve a l e d f e males as they arrive (dra w i ng: T. Llobet). ond peak, with greater numbers of butterflies, comes by figures from 34 stations with comparable fig- at the beginning of July and typically includes uni- ur es for 2002 and 2003: 32 of these stations showed Photo. A large forest fire, declared on August 12 in voltine species such as the Pearly Heath (Co e n o n y m p h a in c r eases and just 2 stations decreases in the annu- the comarca El Segrià, burnt 1,900 ha, of which arcania), the Ringlet (Aphantopus hyperantus) and Cynthia IV

the Iberian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis), age of 24 species) and only favours generalist species. The best rep r esented plant communities are dry as well as the first Mea d o w Browns (Maniola jurti n a ) The non-grazed pasture tends to become more grasslands (for example, calcareous thero p h y t i c and White Admirals (Limenitis camilla). The third homogeneous, being dominated by tall grasses and communities, grasslands composed of Me d i t e r- peak becomes obvious at the beginning of Aug u s t , then quickly invaded by bushes, and tends towa rd s ranean false-brome (Brachypodium re t u s u m), B. above all when the Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) a loss of species-diversity. ph o e n i c o i d e s and Needle-grasses (Sti p a sp p .)), scrub begins to fly, at the same time as the Sil ve r - w a s h e d These management techniques have been suc- dominated by Ro s e m a ry (Rosmarinus officinalis) Fritillary (Argynnis paphia) and the second gener- cessfully applied in some of the sections of the main and garrigue dominated by Holly oak (Que r cus coc- ations of the Scarce Swa l l o wtail (I. podalirius), the transect. As a result, species-richness has increa s e d , ci f e r a). Within these communities, common plants Short-tailed Blue (Cupido argiades), the Provençal demonstrating that areas affected by human activ- include Cistus clusii, Thymus vulgaris, Rhamnus Sh o rt-tailed Blue (Cupido alcetas) and the Sm a l l ity can be managed to not only offset possible neg- lyc i o i d e s and Phoenician juniper (Jun i p e r us phoenicea). Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus). ative influences but also to positively benefit but- In floodable area s (sections 1 and 5), beds of Com- Aside from the Ga t e k e e p e r, the most abun- terfly populations. mon reed (Ph ragmites communis) and Ta m a r i s k s dant species is the Meadow Brown. Despite being (Tam a r i x sp p .) appear, while the hillside in sections a univoltine species, its phenology is bimodal and Jordi Artola 7 and 8 consist of semi-bare calcareous areas with two clearly separate peaks in the numbers of indi- sparse or all but non-existent vegetation. Ty p i c a l viduals are re c o rded in the counts. Most of the lo wland ruderal vegetation appears here with Down y population emerges in late May and at the begin- Fig. 1. Av e ra ge abunda nce (avera ge of the annua l safflower (Carthamus lanatus) and grasses such as ning of June; however, females begin to aestivate indices for the period 1994-2003) of the 15 common- Aegilops geniculata and Bromus rub e n s pr esent along ver y soon afterwa r ds and do not reappear until the est butterflies at Can Jordà. the edges of olive and almond groves from the heat of the first half of August has diminished. Table 1. Environments represented in the Can Jordà beginning to the end of the transect. Males also aestivate, although in smaller numbers. transect with their corresponding values for species- The Res e r va Natural de Fauna Sal v atge de Seb e s This is a typical strategy in Mediterranean envi- richness and density (average of the group of sec- was declared a protected area in 1995 and its man- ronments and ensures that eggs are laid when tem- tions within each environment ± standard devia- agement plan - drawn up by the Fundació Te r r i- p e r a t u res are lower and after the first end-of- tion). Data from 2001-2003 have been used. tori i Paistage – aims to increase the overall biodi- summer rains have fallen, there by guaranteeing versity of the area. The res e r ve is run jointly by Fli x that caterpillars find tender grass shoots when they Transect route of Can Jordà. The transect lies within Town Council and the Dep a r tament de Medi Amb i - emerge. It is interesting to note that the Meadow La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park in the munici- ent de la Generalitat de Catalunya (the Ministry of pality of Santa Pau (near Olot, Giro na pro v i nce) and Brown uses this strategy in an area such as Can describes a circle around the farm of Can Jordà itself. the Env i r onment of the Catalan Autonomous Gov- Jordà with an Atlantic-type climate. It consists of 13 section s that, despite changes in land- ernment) and Grup de Natura Freixe, a local nat- Other typical species from the transect are Pea r l y us e , have not been altered since 1994; the total lengt h uralist group and non-governamental organisation. and Small Heaths, the Iberian Marbled White and is 1,715 m, with an averag e of 132 m per section (ran ge Most of the management work carried out in the the Common Blue (Po l yommatus icaru s). All are 68-260 m). re s e rve is centred on the marshland and bare l y closely tied to grasslands: Pearly Heaths and Iber- affects the BMS transect. ian Marbled Whites choose areas of tall, dense grass, Drawing. The Map Butterfly (Araschnia levana) is whereas Small Heaths are found in areas of short- one of the most characteristic butterflies at Can The butterfly fauna Jordà and is closely associated with banks of nettles er grass that have been grazed for many years. Th e growing in clearings in deciduous forests. Females As is normal in areas of Catalonia subject to a Common Blue also appears in grazed sections wher- have the peculiar habit of laying clusters of a dozen s e ve re hot climate, the butterfly fauna is not ve ry ever there are abundant nectar sources and appro- or so eggs in batches, one on top of each other, d i verse and population densities are low. Du r i n g priate conditions for its food plants Black medick always on nettles. It is a polyvoltine species, with the three years the transect has been walked (2001- (Medicago lupulina), Red clover (Trifolium prat e n s e ) the main part of the first generation flying in April, 2003), 1,828 butterflies belonging to 45 species and Bird’s-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus). the second on the wing during the first half of July h a ve been counted, with an annual average of 34 Along with the Map Bu t t e rfly (see drawing), and the third flying at the end of August (drawing: species. For the itinerary as a whole, we have cal- one of the most interesting butterflies re c o rd e d T. Llobet). culated a density of 48.2 butterflies/100 m, almost fr om the transect is the Chestnut Heath (Co e n o n y m p h a Photo. Section 1 of the transect of Can Jordà, in 10 times less than some of the CBMS sites in the g l yc e r i o n), a scarce butterfly in Catalonia that is the summer 2003 (photo: J. Artola). no r th of the country. The diversity and abundance commonest in the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees. At of butterfly populations are similar to those of sites Can Jo rdà, there is a small and ve ry localised in the Segrià region and are fully re p re s e n t a t i ve of population in section 5, which runs through an the butterfly communities present in southwe s t abandoned field, now covered by thick grass and C a t a l o n i a . gradually being invaded by Juniper (Jun i p e r us com- A noticeable fact that sets this type of butterfl y m u n i s), Roses (Ro s a s p.), Blackthorns and Br a m- community apart is the concentration of activity bles. The CBMS transect will determine how this CBMS sites during the first part of the season (fig. 1). Most but- se c o n d a r y succession is affecting the population of Sebes, a site in an area characteristic t e rflies are observed during April and Ma y, fro m this butterfly and will thus be able to decide if man- which point butterfly numbers drop , reaching min- agement is needed (for example, the re m oval of of the arid environments of Catalonia imum levels in August and Sep t e m b e r . This can be in v ading shrubs) in order to prev ent habitat change i n t e r p reted as an adaption to the seve re summer leading to the loss of the species. A transect in the Sebes natural reserve was dr ought that makes nectar sources and food plants incorporated into the CBMS in 2001 and, all but impossible to come by from mid-June onwards . The CBMS and pasture management along with four sites in the Segrià region (Mas de Melons, Timoneda d’Alfés, Granja This phenological peculiarity is reflected in not After analysing recent data by 1996 it had become d’Escarp and Aiguabarreig), now provides only a high pecentage of univoltine spring species ob vious that overgrazing by cows was badly affect- valuable information regarding the (almost 30%), but also in a rel a t i v ely greater abun- ing the butterfly populations of the pastures in the butterflies of the most arid areas of dance of butterflies of polyvoltine species in spring transect. From that year onwards, a series of exper- Catalonia. as opposed to summer generations. For example, imental counts we re carried out in three parallel 91% of Large Whites (Pieris brassicae) have been sections that wer e designed especially to see which The walk rec o r ded between Mar ch and May , a fact that indi- type of grazing was the most beneficial for the but- cates that there are no summer generations in this terfly populations. Counts were made in an over- he transect passes through the dry surro u n d- ar ea because butterflies migrate away from the area grazed pasture, a field without cows and in a pas- Tings of the Sebes natural re s e rve (municipali- when conditions are unfavourable. tu r e subject to strictly controlled, low- p re s s u r e graz- ty of Flix in the c o m a rc a of Ribera d’ Eb re), a we t- The commonest species are shown in figure 2: ing. The fact that the first four sections of the land located on the left-bank of the river Eb ro. the most important are the Small White (Pieris rap a e ), transect, as well as the three experimental sections, The average annual rainfall is just 369 mm and the Dappled White (Euchloe cra m e r i), the Large run through an estate belonging to the natural park the mean annual temperature is 16ºC; climatic White and the Bath White (Pontia daplidice), all makes it much easier to carry out this type of exper- conditions are extremely xeric and there is a sig- members of the Pieridae that are closely associated iment here than in a privately-owned estate. nificant water deficit (calculated at 400-500 mm with the crucifers growing in the low-intensity arable The data obtained have shown that grazing in per year). Summer is exceptionally hot and, of all fields of the area. The Common Blue (Pol yo m m a - winter and for a few weeks before the summer the CBMS itineraries, Sebes has the highest mean tus icarus ), the only rel a t i v ely abundant Lyca e n i d a e , encourage greater species-diversity (average 37 t e m p e r a t u re for the hottest month of the ye a r is another opportunistic species and is found, above species), while overgrazing has negative effects (aver - (26.1º C, Ju l y ) . all, in ruderal environments where Clovers (Tr i- V Cynthia

fo l i u m sp p .) and Medicks (Med i c a g o sp p .) grow. Th e the larvae can specialise on a specific and very Small Heath and the Mallow Skipper (Carcharo- most rep re s e n t a t i v e Satyrinae are the Striped Gra y l i n g nutritive group of food plants: the buds of the dus alceae) - flight period length increased on aver - (Hi p p a rchia fidia), the Wall Brown (L a s i o m m a t a various species of crucifer (for example, Sisymbrium age by 1.5 weeks. These results suggest that phe- me g e r a), Spanish (Pyr onia bathseba) and Sou t h e r n irio, Biscutella laevigata, Brassica spp., and nological responses differ from one species to anoth- Erucastrum spp.) that appear in dry arable fields at Gatekeepers (Pyr onia cecilia), the Western Mar b l e d the beginning of spring (drawing: T. Llobet). er and in certain cases patterns may be taxon o m i c a l l y White (Melanargia occitanica) and the Dusky Hea t h defined. The clearest case is that of the Satyrinae, (Coenonympha dorus ), all commonly found in xer i c a group that has responded to environmental changes Mediterranean habitats and feeding on the common in a more marked fashion than any other. grasses of therophytic grasslands such as Med i t e r - Fi n a l l y, the authors describe a negative re l a- ranean false-bromes and Needle grasses. tionship between the phenological variables men- This BMS transect, however, has also detected Rev i e w tioned above and temperatures in Fe b ru a ry and the presence of a number of butterflies such as the St e f anescu, C., Peñ u e l a s , J. & Filella, I., 2003 March, the months that immediately precede the Sooty Orange Tip (Zegris eupheme), the Blue-spot Effects of climatic change on the emergence of adult insects in most of the butter- Ha i r s t reak (Satyrium spini) , the Provence Ha i r- phenology of butterflies in the fly species studied. This result is closely linked to st r eak (Tom a r es ballus), the Spanish Marbled Wh i t e the fact that there is a close relationship betwe e n (Melanargia ines) and the Mediterranean Skipper northwest Mediterranean Basin environmental temperatures and larval and pupal (Gegenes nostrod a m u s ) that are only ver y locally dis- Global Change Biology, 9: 1494-1506. de v elopment in insects and thus in the date of adult tributed in Catalonia. Of special interest are the emergence. Provence Ha i r s t reak and the Lu l w o rth Sk i p p e r Climatic change has evolved from just a It is still too early to make accurate predictions hypothesis to a scientifically demonstrated (Thymelicus acteon), the only two Catalan species reg a r ding the effects of climate change on Med i t e r - phenomenon: temperature increases on a of butterfly that are classed as SPEC2 species – a planetary scale are now an all but obligatory ranean butterfly populations. We should take ca t e g o r y that includes all those species whose glob- point of reference in any attempt at into acount the fact that abundances are influenced al distribution is concentrated in Eur ope and which understanding the many changes occurring by many factors such as alterations in habitat that are considered threatened in Europe – in the Red within our environment. The authors of this all work simultaneously. Neve r theless, general pat- Data Book of Eu ropean Bu t t e rflies (see Cy n t h i a, study have investigated the relationship terns in climate change in the Mediterranean reg i o n 2(2002): 12). between temperature rise and observed a re becoming increasingly clear. Aside from rises changes in butterfly phenology and show in temperature, there seems to have been an increa s e The beginning of entomological how in a mere 15 years the biological in the variability of precipitations, which could lead research in the Sebes reserve rhythms of many species have changed to increased aridity and greater subsequent risk of The declaration of Sebes as a res e r ve saw the begin- hand-in-hand with climate change. population extinctions1. In this context it is forsee- ning of intensive entomological investigation in able that environmental conditions will deteriorate the area, the first such work carried out in the inte- his article - published by the prestigious jour- for many species as summer droughts increase the rior of Tarragona province, an area that up to T nal Global Change Biology - is the first contri- length of unfavourable periods. The speed of cli- then had almost been completely ignored by Cata- bution by the CBMS to the body of know l e d g e mate change and genetic variability in species will lan entomologists. Most work has been carried out concerning climate change. It also re p resents the be crucial factors in any explication of the extent on the insect communities inhabiting the we t- first attempt at examining the effects of global to which new environmental scenarios are leading land habitats of the left-bank of the Eb ro rive r, warming on Mediterranean butterflies. Based on tow a r ds the decline or even disappearance of our although some studies have been made of the gar- the relationship between changes observed in the butterflies. rigue and olive- g r ove communities in surrou n d i n g phenology of 19 species of butterfly and tempera- areas. In all, this multi-disciplinary work covering ture increases in the CBMS transect at El Cortalet 1McLaughlin, J.F., Hellmann, J.J., Boggs, C.L. & as diverse orders as the Lepidoptera, He m i p t e r a , (Aiguamolls de l’Em p o r dà Natural Par k), this study Ehrlich, P.R., 2002. “Climate change hastens Coleoptera and Orthoptera has discove red ove r uses 15 years of rec o r ds, the longest series from any population extinctions”. Proc. Natnl Acad. Sci. USA, 99: 6070-6074. 500 species of insect in an area hitherto all but CBMS site. unstudied. Some discoveries, moreover, represent But t e r flies are ideal insects for studying the effects Sergi Herrando n ew species for both Catalonia and the Ib e r i a n of climate change given that they are poikilotherm Peninsula. A summary of all these studies can be creatures that cannot regulate their body temper- found in the magazine Al j u b published by the at u r es metabolically and are thus much affected by Photo. Cover of the October 2003 issue of the jour- Flix naturalist group Frei x e (http:/www.f u t . e s / ~ f re i xe ; e n v i ronmental temperatures. Fu rt h e r m o re, BMS nal Global Change Biology with the magnificent pho- e-mail: [email protected]). transects provide data series that are perfect for tograph by Josep Ramon Salas of an Iberian Marbled studying phenomena only detectable on long time White (Melanargia lachesis) used to illustrate the Pere Josep Jiménez & Constantí Stefanescu scales: year in, year out they provide standardised article discussed in this section. data that permits exhaustive monitoring of the flight periods of the principal butterfly species in a par- Fig. 1. Phenological curves of the number of ticular locality. individuals and species detected on a weekly basis in the Sebes BMS itinerary. The weekly averages for the Data from the weather station situated at the three years the transect has been walked are shown. start of the transect at El Cortalet show that there was no significant variation in annual temperatures News Fig. 2. Average abundance (average of the annual ( a verage 15.2ºC) or annual rainfall (average 624 Leptidea sinapis and L. reali, sibling indices during 2001-2003) of the 15 commonest mm) between 1984 and 2002. Howeve r , the months species as yet poorly known in butterflies in the Sebes CBMS site. of February, March and June did all become pro- Catalonia gre s s i v ely warmer and November colder during this Transect route of Sebes. The average altitude of the period. Since it was realised in 1988 that the itinerary is only 56 m and its total length is 1,264 species hitherto known as the Wood m. Its nine sections, of average length 140 m (range: Bet w een 1988 and 2002 the timing of the flight 48-252 m), begin alongside a reed bed, before period of 16 species of butterfly was earlier, and White (L. sinapis) was in fact two climbing up onto the low hills that surround La Vall in five cases – the Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus), different species, a considerable number de Sant Joan. the Silver-studded Blue (Plebejus argus), the Small of authors have provided data on the Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), the Wall Brown difference between these two taxa and Photo. The Sebes transect from the hill in section 7. (Lasiommata megera) and the Large Skipper (Och l o d e s their status in much of Europe. In the On the right lies the river Ebro and its associated ve n a t a) – this advance is statistically significant. Iberian Peninsula, on the other hand, we wetland habitats and, on the opposite bank, the One of the other phenological parameters studied are only just beginning to collate chemical plants in Flix (photo: P. J. Jiménez). – abundance peaks during first generations – also information about these two species of Drawing. The Dappled White (Euchloe crameri) is one came earlier in 16 species, and significantly so in Pieridae. of the commonest and most representative eight cases: the Green-veined White (Pieris napi), butterflies in the Sebes CBMS site and other nearby the Holly Blue, the Silver-studded Blue, the Iber- oday evidence of all sorts points to the fact that semi-steppe areas. It is mainly on the wing in ian Marbled White (Melanargia lachesis), the Gat e - TLeptidea sinapis and L. rea l i ar e in fact two good spring, with an abundant first generation in March- keeper (Pyr onia tithonus), the Small Hea t h , the Wal l species that are practically indistinguishable pure- April and then a less abundant and partial second Brown and the Large Sk i p p e r. Fi n a l l y, in thre e ly on the basis of their external morphologies. Th e generation in May-June. This phenology means that species – the Clouded Ye l l ow (Colias cro c e a), t h e first studies1 into the question highlighted the fact Cynthia VI

that constant differences in the two species in the Ecology and Evolution taking flight (Boggs, C.L., The classic habitat of the Two-tailed Pasha is, in male and female genitalia would seem to indicate Watt, W.B. & Ehrlich, P.R., eds), pp. 459-476. The general, coastal evergreen oak forests and, in par- the existence of a mechanical prezygotic mecha- University of Chicago Press, Chicago. ticular, Cork oak (Quercus suber) forests that have nism that ensure reproductive isolation. This is an 4 Vila, R., Viader, S. & Jubany, J., 2003. “Leptidea a more open struc t u r e than many Holm oak (Que r - important factor given that the two species coex- sinapis (Linnaeus, 1758) i L. reali (Reissinger, cus ilex ilex) forests. It has been commented many ist in many areas and thus there seems to be a need 1989): dues espècies “bessones” a Catalunya i times that forest fires favour this species since Str a w - for an isolating reproductive mechanism that will Andorra (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)”. Butll. Soc. Cat. be r ry - t r ees, a species that reshoots ver y quickly, are have led to a sympatric process of speciation. Fur- Lep., 90: 25-47, làms 2 i 3. soon recolonised by Two-tailed Pashas after fires7. ther studies2 ha v e proven that this isolation is etho- The typical scrublands of southern Catalonia are logical and takes place before copulation, since Jordi Dantart also good habitat, despite lower densities of Str a w - females are able to recognise the males of their own berry-trees. species. It has been suggested that the males of both Photo. A pair of Leptidea sp. photographed in May species emit different pheromones. 2003 in Perafita (Osona). In light of the known Biological cycle and phenology distribution, both Leptidea sinapis and L. reali could Ecological differences are far vag u e r 2. For exam- The Two-tailed Pasha is a bivoltine species flying be present here (photo: J. Jubany). ple, in central Europe, there are established differ- in two, well differentiated generations (fig. 2). Adu l t s ences in the food plants used: Me a d ow ve t c h l i n g ar e on the wing in May - J une (first generation) and (La t h y r us prat e n s i s ) in the case of L. rea l i and Bir d’s- then from the end of July through to October (sec- foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) in L. sinapis. Nev- ond generation)8. If winter is mild and spring warm, e rtheless, the larvae of both species clearly pre f e r then the first generation can be brought forw a rd the second of these two plants and enjoy gre a t e r The butterfly considerably. As an example, from the transect at fitness when they feed on it. This and other The Two-tailed Pasha Charaxes jasius, a Turó d’en Fumet (fig. 2a) we have the exception- observations would seem to indicate that the two al observation of a Two-tailed Pasha on Mar ch 23rd, taxa have only recently separated. tropical butterfly in the Mediterranean 2001, and from the whole of the Baix Llobre g a t The most recent contributions to the debate have a rea there are some other observations from the come from the field of molecular biology and are The fleeting sight in flight of a Two - t a i l e d end of Mar ch. Likewise, the second generation can Pasha, the largest and most powerful flye r ev en more conclusive. In a ver y recent study3 ba s e d last until November in favourable years. of all Catalan butterflies, is unforg e t t a b l e on the analysis of variability in mitochondrial DNA, and indelibly associated in many people’s Population peaks in the two generations are sep- 16 enzymatic alleles and four morphological char- minds with the dense summer heat and arated by about 10 weeks, which is the time need- acters in the male genitalia, a strong correlation has pungent smells of Mediterranean scrub and ed for a complete generation to develop at summer 8 been found between all these variables that fully f o re s t s. Better knowledge of its behaviour te m p e r a t u re s . Also characteristic is the much grea t e r su p p o r t the validity of these two species. will help us appreciate even further this abundance of adult insects in the second genera- A recent study based on a sample of 400 insects m a g n ificent species that boasts abundant tion (fig. 2). This is reflected in the ‘sawtooth’ line has provided the first data on the distribution and populations in Catalonia. in the graph showing the values of generational phenology of these species in Catalonia4. This study indices (fig. 3): the overwintering larvae that pro- has shown that both species co-exist in many area s vide the first generations have a much longer devel - and adult flight periods ove r l a p. In terms of dis- Geographical distribution opment period (6-8 months) and suffer much high- tribution, L. sinapis is a more generalist species and situation within the CBMS er mortality rates. when it comes to ecological pref e r ences and is found he Two-tailed Pasha (Ch a ra x es jasius) is an Afro- Pot e n t i a l l y , the Two-tailed Pasha is polyvol t i n e ; throughout Catalonia with a altitudinal distribu- Tt ropical butterfly whose nominal form is dis- ne ve r theless, the arrival of low autumn and winter tion of 0 to 2,000 m, but preferably below 600 tributed around the Mediterranean in a narrow, te m p e r a t u r es mean that the larvae of a possible third m. L. re a l i, on the other hand, is more of a spe- coastal band of territory1 , 2. Its range in Catalonia generation cannot complete their deve l o p m e n t cialist and prefers more humid enviro n m e n t s in general coincides to a large extent with that of be f o r e the following spring. Field work has shown and, despite the lack of data, would seem to be dis- its principal food plant, the Str a w b e r ry - t r ee (Arb u - that the larvae grow more and more slowly as the tributed in the northern half of the country. Although tus unedo)3,4. It is evenly spread throughout coastal te m p e r a t u r e drops until at around 12ºC, a thres h - their altitudinal distribution is essentially similar, and pre-coastal areas, other than in those areas such old below which all activity ceases. Thus, in a typ- L. re a l i is especially abundant in montane (600- as the Emp o r dà plain, dry areas of the Garraf mas- ical winter, larvae usually in the third or fourt h 1,400 m) habitats. The phenology of the two species s i f, L’Alt Penedès and Tarragonès, and the Eb ro instars are inactive from November to Feb ru a r y. in Catalonia is as yet unclear, although it does seem Delta, where the Strawberry-tree is absent. As we that at lower altitudes both species are trivo l t i n e , head inland from the coast, the food plant of the Larval behaviour but that at greater altitude the number of genera- Two-tailed Pasha becomes rarer and disappears alto- The larvae of the Two-tailed Pasha, measuring tions is reduced. Regarding the food plants, it has gether from central and western Catalonia and the around 5.5 mm at birth and 5-6 cm on pupation, been shown that, besides L. pra t e n s i s and L. cor- Py renees. Howe ve r, it is worth re m a rking on an pass through five instars. They live on the upper- n i c u l a t u s, Do rycnium pentaphyllum, D. hirsutum, isolated population of Two-tailed Pashas in the side of the leaves of the Strawberry-tree, on a silk Vicia sativa and Trifolium dubius are used4, but it Montsec mountains, 50 km from the nearest oth- cushion that they weave around the central nerve is yet unknown which plants are pre f e r red by er colony, a fact explained by the presence there of of the leaf. This resting leaf is maintained throu g h - each species. a small population of Strawberry-trees. out almost all the development of the larva and These pre l i m i n a ry conclusions will have to be As of 2003, the Two-tailed Pasha had been rec o r d- only in the final instars are changes of position more analysed in more detail in the future and the CBMS ed in 37 of the 71 CBMS stations and is particu- fr equent. The caterpillar remains motionless on its ne t w o r k will shed further light on this question. Th e larly abundant in the coastal mountains of the Ser - silk cushion, only moving now and again to feed collection of samples from different itineraries will ralada Litoral, above all in Les Gavarres, El Mont- on neighbouring leaves. These movements increa s e al l o w us to determine which species of Le p t i d e a ar e ne g r e and Collserola (fig. 1). In the arid southeastern with age and may eventually be quite considerable. pr esent and provide information on phenology and regions of Catalonia and in mid-altitude moun- After each feeding period, which lasts between 5 habitat pref e r ence. It will also be interesting to observe tainous areas dispersing individuals, sometimes far and 15 minutes, the larva returns to its resting leaf. female choice when egg-laying: the subsequent cap- f rom their breeding areas, turn up occasionally. The larva’s coloration and immobility prov i d e t u re of these females will enable us to determine Cu r i o u s l y, it has not yet been re c o rded from the excellent camouflage whilst it remains on its leaf. which food plants are used in Catalonia. CBMS transects on Menorca and Eivissa, despite Un d o u b t e d l y, these characteristics have evo l ve d the well-established colonies of this species that as a result of pre d a t o ry pre s s u re from insectivo re 1 Lorkovic, Z., 1993. “Leptidea reali Reissinger 1989 exist on all three of the major Balearic Islands. birds, and the taking of fourth and fifth instar lar- (=lorkovicii Réal 1988), a new European species vae by Sa rdinian Warblers (Sylvia melanocephala) (Lepid., Pieridae)”. Nat. croat., 2: 1-26. Habitat and food plants has been observed (C. Stefanescu, pers. obs.) and 2 Freese, A. & Fiedler, K., 2002. “Experimental Although Two-tailed Pashasuse Vaccinium corym- it is likely that Tits (Pa rus s p p.) are also habitual evidence for specific distinctness of the two wood bosum (and perhaps Osyris quadripartita) regular- predators of Pasha larvae. white butterfly taxa, Leptidea sinapis and L. reali ly as a food plant5 in the south of Spain, in Cat- First-instar larvae are, on the other hand, eaten (Pieridae)”. Nota lepid., 25: 39-59. alonia this species is essentially monophagous on by ants and spiders (Ll. Abós & J. Planas, pers. St r a w b e r ry - t rees and observations of females lay- comm.). They are also attacked by generalist par- 3 Martin, J.F., Gilles, A. & Descimon, H., 2003. ing eggs on Bay (L a u rus nobilis) are anecdotal at asitoids such as the Tachinid fly Co m p s i l u r a concin- “Species concepts and sibling species: the case of best6; this fact has no repercussions at population nata and the Braconid wasp Me t e o rus pulchricor- Leptidea sinapis and Leptidea reali”. In: Butterflies. level. nis (J. Planas & C. Stefanescu, pers. obs.). VII Cynthia

Although pupae can sometimes be found on the arándano americano (Vacciniun x corymbosum L), Identification back of the leaves of the food plant, normally the por Charaxes jasius (L., 1767) en el suroeste de How to separate the species of the l a rvae leave the St r a w b e r ry - t ree and pupate in a Andalucía, España (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae)”. SHILAP Revta lepid., 28: 91-96. genus Pyronia well-hidden spot amongst the nearby vegetation. 6 Stefanescu, C., 1995. “Ovoposició de Charaxes jasius Amongst the commonest butterflies in Adult behaviour (Linnaeus, 1767) sobre llorer (Laurus nobilis) als the CBMS network are the three Adult Two-tailed Pashas exhibit certain highly char- Aiguamolls de l’Empordà”. Butll. Soc. Cat. Lep., 76: ‘Gatekeepers’: the Spanish Gatekeeper (P. acteristic behavioural traits that make observation 23-24. bathseba), the Southern Gatekeeper (P. e a s y. Unlike most butterflies, their diet is based cecilia) and the Gatekeeper (P. tithonus). 7 Llimona, F., Jubany, J. & Tenés, A., 2000. “La e xc l u s i vely on sugars taken from ripe or ro t t i n g Although their chosen habitats generally fr uit, tree sap and animal excr ements. In Les Gava r - regeneració del Bosc Gran després de l’incendi de 1994: una aproximació multidisciplinària”. In: I vary, the ‘Gatekeepers’ are also regularly res, it has been shown that first generation adults Jornades sobre la recerca en els sistemes naturals de found in the same places at the same feed above all on wild cherries, whilst the second Collserola: aplicacions a la gestió del Parc (Llimona, time, a fact that leads to confusion, generation feed on figs 3. On occasions, this latter F., Espelta, J.M., Guix, J.C., Mateos, E. & despite the morphological characters that fruit attracts spectacular concentrations of dozens Rodríguez-Teijeiro, J.D., eds): 243-254. Consorci enable the three species to be separated of adults; concentrations on exc rements are also Parc de Collserola, Barcelona. with confidence. fairly common. Less commonly adults are attract- 8 ed to substances of animal origin such as swe a t , Abós, Ll. & Stefanescu, C., 1999. “Phenology of Charaxes jasius (Nymphalidae: Charaxinae) in the corpses and blood9. Furthermore, both males and he Spanish Gatekeeper has been rec o r ded from north-east Iberian Peninsula”. Nota lepid., 22: 162- females often drink water and are attracted to damp 182. T 70% of CBMS stations and flies in and arou n d mud on river margins. Holm oak formations with medium-level rainfall, Males are territorial and have a strong tendency 9 Travesí, R., 1999. “La mariposa vampiro”. Quercus, although it can be abundant on occasions in more to practice hilltopping, above all during the central 161: 34-35. Eu rosiberian habitats. The Southern Ga t e k e e p e r hours of the day. They can thus be easily observed (the only one of the three to be found in the on ridges and hills, even in areas that are far from Balearic Islands) appears in 77% of the CBMS their breeding sites (for example, Turó de l’Ho m e Fig. 1. Relative abundance of the Two-tailed Pasha n e t w o rk and is most abundant in Holm oak for- in El Mon t s e n y , 1,712 m). Alternativel y , males are (Charaxes jasius) (expressed as a value of the annual mations and xeric scrublands; it is not found in also territorial around their food sources such as Fig index/100 m) in different CBMS sites (1994-2003). colder and damper areas. The Gatekeeper has been tr ees (Ficus carica), to which females come to feed. detected in 58% of all transects and prefers Euro s i - Fig. 2. Phenology of the Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes Females are more discrete and harder to observe. jasius) at (a) Turó d’en Fumet (n = 412; data from berian montane habitats, becoming rarer tow a rd s Neve r theless, they can often be seen during egg-lay- 1996-2003), La Serra de Collserola (Vallès the Mediterranean; it is absent altogether fro m ing, which usually occurs during the hottest part of Occidental), where hilltopping males were counted; the most arid areas of the country. Despite these the day. They search for an appropriate Str a w b e r - (b) at Can Riera de Vilardell (n = 507; data from d i f f e rent ecological pre f e rences, two or three of ry- t r ee in a slow flight, only stopping briefly to lay 1994-2003), La Serra del Montnegre (Vallès Oriental); these species often fly together: Southern and a clearly visible yel l o w egg (1.5-2 mm diameter) on and (c) Darnius (n = 386; data from 1994-2003), in Spanish Gatekeepers (re c o rded together in 62% the upperside of a leaf. Often the female will lay L’Alt Empordà. of stations), Gatekeeper and Spanish Ga t e k e e p e r m o re than one egg on the same tree, before leav- (52%), Gatekeeper and Southern Ga t e k e e p e r Fig 3. Fluctuations in abundance in the Two-tailed ing to find another appropriate tree. Eggs are nor- Pasha (Charaxes jasius) in Catalonia, taking 100 as (43%) and all three Gatekeepers together (32%). mally laid at between 1 and 2 metres above grou n d an initial arbitrary value for the 1994 second All hibernate as larvae and are univoltine. T h e l e vel, almost always on branches facing south or generation (the first year the CBMS was in Spanish Gatekeeper begins to fly in Ap r i l - Ma y so u t h e a s t 3, as these will rec e i v e most insolation and operation). The number of sites used to calculate the and peaks in Ma y - June, while the Southern Ga t e- thus enable larvae to develop more quickly. overall annual index of each generation varies keeper appears in June and peaks in Ju l y. In the between 6 and 15 according to the year (after ref. l owlands the Gatekeeper has a similar flight peri- Population trends 4). od to the Southern Ga t e k e e p e r, but appears in The Two-tailed Pasha is ve ry abundant in some July and peaks in August in more montane habi- places in the coastal mountains of the northern half Photo 1. A sight that is very hard to see in the wild: tats. During egg laying, females rest on grass stems mating Two-tailed Pashas (Charaxes jasius). Typically, of the country. Over the last 10 years no clear tren d , when a female enters a male’s territory, both and drop eggs into the surrounding ve g e t a t i o n . either negative or positive (fig. 3), in populations butterflies begin a courtship flight that ends when Caterpillars feed on grasses, above all those of the has emerged and in general there is no indication the female lands on the ground or on a bush and genus Bra c h y p o d i u m1. In Catalonia egg-laying by that this species is in any sense threatened or declin- thus invites the male to copulate. In this photograph Spanish and Southern Gatekeepers has been ing. Moreover, as we have already mentioned, for- (taken in June 1990 in Fitor, Les Gavarres), the o b s e rved on B. re t u s u m and by female Ga t e k e e p- est fires, far from re p resenting a threat, actually smaller male is on the left (photo: Narcís Vicens). ers on patches of grass dominated by Po a s p. and benefit this species. Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon). Larvae of the As has been demonstrated by combining CBMS Photo 2. (a) Male Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius) Spanish Gatekeeper have also been found on B . holding territory, and (b-e) egg, first instar larvae, 2 data and field studies of larvae, the one factor that third instar overwintering caterpillars and a fifth p h o e n i c o i d e s . 4 does affect populations negatively is the cold . Per i - instar caterpillar about to pupate (photos: a, J. 1 ods of intense cold lead to a generalised drop in the Jubany; b-e, J. R. Salas). Munguira, M.L., García-Barros, E. & Martín, J., numbers of adults flying in the first generation 1997. Plantas nutricias de los licénidos y satirinos caused by high larval mortality during the winter. españoles (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae y Nymphalidae). Boln Asoc. esp. Ent., 21: 29-53. Ne ve rtheless, this natural factor only comes into play very occasionally and within a short space of 2 C. Stefanescu, unpublished data. time populations return to their normal levels. Drawings 1 Larsen, TB, 1986. “Tropical butterflies of the SPANISH GATEKEEPER Mediterranean”. Nota lepid., 9: 63-77. Upperside (male): external half of fore-wing orange-coloured; internal half very dark brown. 2 Tolman, T. & Lewington, R., 2002. Guía de las Upperside (female): more uniform orange, although mariposas de España y Europa. Lynx Edicions, the basal area is sometimes dark-coloured. Barcelona. Upperside (general): three eye-spots in the sub- marginal area of the hind-wing. 3 Abós, Ll., 1999. “Distribució i biologia de Charaxes jasius (Linnaeus, 1767) a Catalunya (Lepidoptera: Mark with arrow: Nymphalidae)”. Butll. Soc. Cat. Lep., 83: 37-58. Underside (general): cream-coloured discal band, with external border of visible white pupillate eye- 4 Stefanescu, C. & Planes, J., 2003. “Com afecta el spots. rigor de l’hivern les poblacions catalanes de Charaxes jasius”. Butll. Soc. Cat. Lep., 91: 31-48. SOUTHERN GATEKEEPER Upperside (general): uniform orange colour, except 5 Molina, J.M., 2000. “Notas sobre el uso del for a wide dark-brown margin. Cynthia VIII

Underside (general): without eye-spots or any Identification 1 Tolman, T. & Lewington, R., 2002. Guía de las other spots, with alternating brown and grey-white How to separate the species of the mariposas de España y Europa. Lynx Edicions, areas. Barcelona. genus Thymelicus Mark with arrow: 2 J. Dantart & C. Stefanescu, unpublished data Upperside (male): dark brown androconia conspicu- The skippers (Hesperiidae) are often ously split by orange-coloured veins. somewhat neglected in the CBMS transects 3 Pye, M., Gardiner, T. & Field, R., 2003. “A due to the difficulty in separating one behavioural study of small skipper Thymelicus GATEKEEPER species from another and to their small sylvestris Poda and Essex skipper Thymelicus lineola Upperside (general): uniform orange-coloured sizes, dullish colouring and fast, nervous Ochs. butterflies (Lep.: Hesperiidae)”. except for a wide brown-coloured wing margin and flight. The group of the so-called ‘Golden Entomologist's Rec. J. Var., 115: 1-12. basal area of the hind-wing. Skippers’ (Thymelicus spp.) are a good Underside (general): brownish coloration with red- example of this since their distinctive Jordi Dantart dish and yellowish hues. features are hard to appreciate; furthermore, Drawings Mark with arrow: they often fly together in the same localities Upperside (male): dark brown androconia uninter- at the same time of year. LULWORTH SKIPPER rupted by veins. Upperside (general): brown with pale markings Underside (general): yellowish discal area that nor- arranged in an arc shape in the cell and in the post- mally includes 3-5 eye-spots reduced to just a white espite flying together in some localities, the discal regions (but in some males not very obvious). pupil. D Lu l w o rth, Essex and Small skippers are all dis- tributed differently in Catalonia. The Lu l w o rt h ESSEX SKIPPER All three species exhibit marked sexual dimorphism in skipper is more linked to Mediterranean habitats Upperside (general): golden-brown colour without th e form of obvious androc o n i a in males and the grea t e r and, although it can be found in some parts of the markings and broader black margin (not a very size of females. The pattern of the androconia and the Py renees, is commonest on or near the coast. On constant feature). underside of the hind-wing are most useful guides for the other hand, the Essex and Small Skippers – s e p a ra t i ng the Southern Gatekeeper from the Gate- incidentally the hardest to separate – often fly Mark with arrow: kee p e r . The Spanish Gatekeeper is easily separated from Upperside (male): shorter and less visible t he other two species by the pattern on the upper- together in the Py renees, Pre- Py r enees and coastal androconia (between Cu1 and Cu2). wing and underwing: the cream-coloured band on the mountains of La Serra Tr a n s versal. Of these two Underside (general): black underside to antenna u nde r s ide of the hind - w i ng is vaguely re m i n i s c e nt of latter species, only the Small Skipper can be found tip. t he Pearly Heath (Coenonympha arcania), although a in the southern half of Catalonia where it flies in close examination will always remove any doubt con- a number of atypical and isolated areas such as SMALL SKIPPER cerning the separation of the two species. El Garraf and Aiguabarreig. It can be found togeth- Upperside (general): golden-brown colour without er with the Lul w o r th Skipper in the extreme south markings and narrower black margin (not a constant of Catalonia in the mountains of Els Po rts de To r- feature). tosa. All three are found in open spaces, pre f e r- ably with patches of tall grass. Their food plants Mark with arrow: a re various species of grass1 and eggs are laid in Upperside (male): androconia longer and more small groups, well hidden between the leaf sheath conspicuous (between Cu1 and the anal vein). Underside (general): golden-brown underside to and the stem of the grass. In Catalonia the Lu l- antenna tip. w o rth Skipper has been confirmed as laying on C o c k’s-foot (Dactylis glomera t a), Hy p a r rhenia hir- Th e Lulworth Skipper can be ident i f i ed by its brown colour t a and a number of unidentified dry grasses, while with pale mar k i n gs on the upperside. The Essex and Smal l the Essex skipper is known to lay on Bra c h y p o d i- Skippers are a mor e gol d en to oran ge colour and have um phoenicoides and the Small Skipper on Cock’s - no upperside mar k i ng s . The males of all three species foot, Yo rk s h i re-fog (Holcus lanatus) and Alpine have an androc o n i a on the upperside of the fore - w i ng , Timothy (Phleum alpinum)2. The Essex skipper wh i ch can be used to separate the Essex and the Smal l hibernates as an egg, while the others do so as Sk i p p e r s . How e v e r , these two species can be separat e d neonate larvae. All are univoltine and fly in Ma y - with confiden ce by looking at the colour of the under - Ju n e - July in lowland areas and in Ju l y - August in si de of the ante n n a tip. Field ident i f ic a t i on is compli- the Py re n e e s . cated by the fact that all three species behave in much th e same way and adults fly and take nectar from flow- ers – pref e r ably purple – in a very similar fas h io n 3.

Monitoring programme with the support of: