How to preserve a butterfly species within an urbanising settlement and its surroundings: A study of the scarce copper (Lycaena virgaureae L.) in southern Sweden

Published source details Haaland C. (2017) How to preserve a butterfly species within an urbanising settlement and its surroundings: A study of the scarce copper (Lycaena virgaureae L.) in southern Sweden. Journal of Insect Conservation, 21, 917-927.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Alter mowing regimes on greenspaces and road verges Action Link

Alter mowing regimes on greenspaces and road verges

A replicated, site comparison study in 2015 in 30 grassland patches around an urban area in Scania, Sweden (Haaland 2017) reported that biodiversity areas mown once/year had a higher occupancy of scarce copper butterflies Lycaena virgaureae than regularly mown public parks, but lower occupancy than unmanaged grasslands. Results were not tested for statistical significance. Six biodiversity areas managed by the local authority were all occupied at least once, and often 2–3 times, by scarce coppers, but no butterflies were seen in nine regularly mown parks. However, 15 unmanaged grasslands were the most frequently occupied areas on all four surveys (data not presented). Thirty grassland habitat patches managed in three ways were studied: six biodiversity areas (cut once/year in mid-August), nine parks (cut several times/year) and 15 unmanaged grasslands (no cutting or grazing). From July–August 2015, butterflies were surveyed four times in each of 30 patches by systematic searching.

(Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)