Ringlet

RINGLET (APHANTOPUS HYPERANTUS)

LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN

Ecology

Appearance
The Ringlet is a small (only around 48mm) brown butterfly with a white fringe to the wing edges. The small circles on the underside of the wing are what gives this butterfly its name.

Habitat
Main habitats for this butterfly is tall grassland those with partial shade and heavy soils where grass is lush, are preferred especially in woodland glades and rides. The ringlet inhabits commons, verges and riverbanks especially with clay soils.

Food
The preferred food plants for the ringlet are bramble and wild privet, they will also feed on other plants like tufted hair grass, cock's-foot, knapweed and ragwort.

Life Style
Ringlets have a characteristic bobbing flight and will continue to fly during dull, cloudy conditions when most other butterflies are inactive.

Current Status

The ringlet is known from two sites in the south of Cheshire where the population is stable, the range has increased through observer awareness. Prior to these records the species had gone unrecorded since 1937.

This species requires damp areas with tall, uncultivated grasses on which to lay its eggs. It is found in a variety of shaded habitats including woodland edges and glades.

Threats

* Loss of habitat through inappropriate management, resulting in scrubbing over
* Loss of habitat through intensification of farming

How are we helping to conserve the Ringlet in the Cheshire region?

* Records are collated by the Cheshire and Peak District branch of Butterfly Conservation.
* Ongoing monitoring at key sites.

Objectives, Targets and Actions

Objectives, targets and actions to help conserve the ringlet in the Cheshire region can be found on the Biodiversity Action Reporting System (BARS) along with full details of our progress so far.

How to find out more about the Ringlet

Butterfly Consrevation Ringlet species data

Contact details
LBAP Chair

References & Glossary
Bourne, N., Kirkland P. & Warren, M. (1996): Action for Butterflies - Butterfly Conservation's Guidelines for producing Regional Action Plans, British Butterfly Conservation Society, Wareham.
HMSO (1995): Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report, Volume 1: Meeting the Rio Challenge, London.
HMSO (1995): Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report, Volume 2: Action Plans, London.
Rutherford, C. I. (1993): Butterflies of Cheshire 1961 - 1982, The Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society.
Shaw, B. (1999): The Butterflies of Cheshire, National Museums and Galleries of Merseyside, Liverpool.

http://www.butterflygarden.co.uk/butterflies/ringlet.htm