Territoriality in butterflies: a question for any experts or enthusiasts (eg Roger- you know your insects) or anyone who watches wildlife.
We have an area in our garden known as the 'woodland bank' starting from the tree fern outside the conservatory door and running most of the length of the garden to the remains of an apple tree at the end. Shaded in summer by an apple, plum, camellia and large tree-fern, in spring the bank, built up towards the boundary from soil when I created our pond, is awash with classic woodland & hedgerow flowers including celandines, wood anemones, primroses, bluebells, campions, cow parsley and some cultivars including pulmonaria and alkanet.
For over 20 years this stretch has been patrolled by speckled wood butterflies (for most of the summer just one each year, but occasionally more). Each generation bears a fascinating behavioural trait: they seem to wait at a vantage point (high leaf, twig top etc) and launch themselves at whatever & whoever comes by. I've researched a bit on butterfly territoriality and it's quite established knowledge, but most papers & discussions attribute it to butterfly-on-butterfly aggression, and many to the vanessids group (peacocks, admirals etc).
I can't find anything referring to broader agitation- ours each year will come after other flying insects, birds who perch too long (eg robin), and even our two daschunds. Once, it checked out my knees in a gyrating flurry but seemed to get quickly bored- perhaps my vulnerable features were too high off the ground. I ask has anyone else witnessed behaviour like this in butterflies?
Originally Posted by: Bertwhistle