Butterfly Transects in Wanstead Park

What is a transect? You may well ask; the word does not appear in the Concise Oxford, but in the somewhat larger version shows up as  "A line or a belt of land along which a survey is made of the plant or animal life or some other feature; a survey of this kind"

So it was a suggestion made to a few individuals from the Wren Group and Wanstead Wildlife by Sam Jarrah Moon, one of the newer Epping Forest Keepers, that it would be useful to do such a transect in our part of the Forest.

The idea was to obtain more precise data relating to the species of butterfly that inhabit this area, particularly in Wanstead Park. My own records show that 23 species have been recorded - all of which either are or could be found in Wanstead Park. My own recording of just about all types and species of animal and plant life (and a few things that are neither one or the other) have not generally been very precise as to numbers - although particularly with plants they have been sometimes very precise as to location!  This is mainly because I have never had the resources to carry these detailed researches out.

So on Saturday 2nd April, Tim Harris, Kathy Hartnett and I met Sam at the refreshment kiosk in the Park to discuss the idea. Sam had already a prepared route for the transect, plus instructions and recording forms. Even with four people keen to start this undertaking, it could be seen that resources would be stretched so as to be able to commit to the required once-a-week survey. We all have either our jobs or other commitments!

Nevertheless - certainly as far as I am concerned that some information is better than none - we proposed to begin there and then and walk our first butterfly transect. It must be said that the day wasn't the best for butterflies - or even humans. It was chilly and rain-threatening. The instruction say that surveys should only be carried out if the temperature is above 13°C., and it was a bit less than that! But we walked the route anyway, to get used to the requirements, the route itself and the time it would take. We didn't see any butterflies.

The following day, we met on Wanstead Flats to determine yet another transect there. The possible route here is perhaps less obvious, because of the many and sometimes faintly distinguishable trackways that it might be possible to follow. It is important that the same route is followed each time, so we marked it of carefully on a map using a route that would be readily identifiable next time around. The weather was slightly better and even slightly warmer, but it didn't reach 13° and the butterflies were huddled up warm.

It will be interesting to see how the butterfly transects develop - whether as individuals or a group we can continue to maintain the once-a-week requirement, but whatever, we should get some data, see some butterflies, see some other things, and get out for a walk.

Paul Ferris