In many ways, 2019 was a perfect butterfly year, with no damaging late frosts, a warm, dry late Spring, leading to a hot, mainly dry Summer, interspersed with sufficient rainfall to prevent the nectar sources drying up, and extend the season into September and beyond.  The annual index of 2,883 butterflies seen was easily the best in the five years to date, with record sightings of the iconic Silver-studded Blue, as well as Brimstone, Small Heath and Small Copper.  It was also a Painted Lady year, when these continental migrants turned up in quantity all over Southern England, including 22 seen here at Latchmore, compared to the three individuals seen over the previous four years.  There was one new species on site, Marbled White, which was seen overflying the area on two consecutive weeks in July, the thirtieth species seen in the five years of monitoring.

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However,  of the 24 species seen this year (one fewer than in 2018), over half (14) suffered a decline in numbers.  This was the first year Small Tortoiseshell has not been seen on site (although one was seen just outside the survey area on Windmill Hill), and Comma (with two sightings) has by far its worst year to date.  In the woodland, Speckled Wood and Ringlet also suffered badly, and both the Skipper species failed to maintain the population levels seen in 2018.  The tree felling which took place in Alderhill Inclosure last Winter may have opened up new clearings and sunny patches in what was previously a dense canopy of pines, but the disturbance to the marginal vegetation and ditches may well have contributed to the reduction in butterflies seen in this area this year.

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On the open heath, the deliberate burning of aging gorse bushes and heather under-storey in Section 2 did not appear to have any impact on the adjacent Silver-studded Blue population, though the Silver-studded Blue colony in Section 8, near the outlet stream from the large mire on the North side of the valley, has all but collapsed.  Five years ago it was probably the largest of the three colonies in the valley, but in this record year for the species, it produced less than 30 sightings.