Still working at re-establishment of the silver-studded blue Plebejus argus – real progress from 2007 to 2018

Published source details Parker R. (2018) Still working at re-establishment of the silver-studded blue Plebejus argus – real progress from 2007 to 2018. British Journal of Entomology and Natural History, 31, 217-223.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Restore or create heathland/shrubland Action Link
	Translocate to re-establish populations in known or believed former range Action Link

Restore or create heathland/shrubland

A study in 2007–2018 in a heathland in Suffolk, UK (Parker, 2018) reported that a population of silver-studded blue Plebejus argus translocated into a site with ongoing habitat management, survived for at least 11 years, increased in number and expanded its range. The highest single day count increased from 60 butterflies released in 2007 to 160 in 2013. Along a fixed transect, the annual butterfly ‘population index’ was 41 a year after release and 662 ten years later. Authors report that the area the butterflies were recorded in increased over time. In 2007, sixty butterflies were translocated to Blaxhall Common from two existing colonies in Suffolk. From 2007–2018, areas of bell heather Erica cinerea were forage harvested to create young patches, silver birch was controlled and areas of gorse Ulex spp. and other scrub were cleared. For 2007–2013 a daily peak count figure was provided from fixed point counts and for 2008–2018 a population index figure was calculated from recording butterflies along a fixed transect (number of counts and transects/year not given).

(Summarised by: Eleanor Bladon)
Translocate to re-establish populations in known or believed former range

A study in 2007–2018 in a heathland in Suffolk, UK (Parker 2018) reported that a population of silver-studded blue Plebejus argus translocated into a site with ongoing habitat management, survived for at least 11 years, increased in number and expanded its range. The highest single day count increased from 60 butterflies released in 2007 to 160 in 2013. Along a fixed transect, the annual butterfly ‘population index’ was 41 a year after release and 662 ten years later. Authors reported that the area the butterflies were recorded in increased over time. In 2007, sixty butterflies were translocated to Blaxhall Common from two existing colonies in Suffolk. From 2007–2018, areas of bell heather Erica cinerea were forage harvested to create young patches, silver birch was controlled and areas of gorse Ulex spp. and other scrub were cleared. For 2007–2013 a daily peak count figure was provided from fixed point counts and for 2008–2018 a population index figure was calculated from recording butterflies along a fixed transect (number of counts and transects/year not given).

(Summarised by: Eleanor Bladon)