What type of hedgerows do Brown hairstreak (Thecla betulae L.) butterflies prefer? Implications for European agricultural landscape conservation
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Published source details
Merckx T. & Berwaerts K. (2010) What type of hedgerows do Brown hairstreak (Thecla betulae L.) butterflies prefer? Implications for European agricultural landscape conservation. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 3, 194-204.
Published source details Merckx T. & Berwaerts K. (2010) What type of hedgerows do Brown hairstreak (Thecla betulae L.) butterflies prefer? Implications for European agricultural landscape conservation. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 3, 194-204.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Manage woodland edges for maximum habitat heterogeneity Action Link |
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Manage hedgerows to benefit wildlife (e.g. no spray, gap-filling and laying) Action Link |
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Manage woodland edges for maximum habitat heterogeneity
A replicated, site comparison study in 2001–2005 in 63 woodland edges and hedgerows in an agricultural landscape in Flanders, Belgium (Merckx & Berwaerts 2010) found that scalloped woodland edges contained more brown hairstreak Thecla betulae eggs than woodland edges with straight borders. There were more brown hairstreak eggs on blackthorn Prunus spinosa bushes in scalloped woodland edges than in straight woodland edges (data presented as model results). Woodland edges and hedgerows (1–250 m long, 2,260 m total) containing blackthorn were divided into 10-m sections (335 woodland sections), and categorized as “scalloped”, “oval”, “boxed” or “with gaps” (exact descriptions not provided). Each winter from 2001–2005, all blackthorn bushes were systematically searched for brown hairstreak eggs.
(Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)
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Manage hedgerows to benefit wildlife (e.g. no spray, gap-filling and laying)
A replicated, site comparison study in 2001–2005 in 63 hedgerows and woodland edges in an agricultural landscape in Flanders, Belgium (Merckx & Berwaerts 2010) found that hedgerows with scalloped edges contained more brown hairstreak Thecla betulae eggs than hedgerows with straight borders. There were twice as many brown hairstreak eggs on blackthorn Prunus spinosa bushes in scalloped hedgerows than in straight hedgerows (data presented as model results). In addition, more eggs were present on hedgerows lower than 1.5 m than on taller hedgerows (data presented as model results). Hedgerows and woodland edges (1–250 m long, 2,260 m total) containing blackthorn were divided into 10-m sections (338 hedgerow sections), and categorized as “scalloped”, “oval”, “boxed” or “with gaps” (exact descriptions not provided). Each winter from 2001–2005, all blackthorn bushes were systematically searched for brown hairstreak eggs.
(Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)
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