The Lulworth skipper is, of course, Dorset's very own butterfly having been discovered on the coastal cliffs near Lulworth Cove (apparently in 1832) and so inheriting its common name from the area. Like its cousins, the small skipper and Essex skipper, the Lulworth skipper's food plant is long grass. Whilst the small skipper is primarily associated with Yorkshire fog and the Essex skipper with cocksfoot the Lulworth skipper is associated with tor-grass and therein lies a problem. I am only working on disparate facts I have picked up over time but it seems the Lulworth skipper is now declining in numbers; it once used to occur on the Purbeck Ridge but has nearly gone from there. Tor-grass is a vigorous plant and there are concerns that other plants and wildlife are suffering as it continues to dominate certain areas and so cattle grazing has been stepped up to try and introduce some control over it. More grazing means less tor-grass but and inevitably less tor-grass must mean less Lulworth skippers. Managing the our environment is a tricky process!
The Lulworth skipper can usually be seen from the end of June through until mid-September with its peak in August. The weekly reports chart shows weeks 25 to 28 are when most reports are received which would seem to indicate that July is now its peak flight time. What is more, there are reports from as early as week 19 in late May which is earlier than the text books will tell you and then, in 2018 there were no reports in August which is supposedly rush hour. Now, with just 26 reports in 2017 and 2018 combined it would be foolish to draw too many conclusions but it does seem the Lulworth skipper is flying earlier than it used to; is this also having a detrimental effect on the population? Time will tell and I am sure that the experts at Butterfly Conservation are monitoring the situation closely.
The 26 reports come from just 14 sites and in addition to sites along the Purbeck coastal cliffs there are also reports from Portland, Weymouth and even as far west as the Bridport area. Durlston Country Park has produced the most reports but this could be because it is the the most closely monitored site where the Lulworth occurs. Certainly, if you want to see the Lulworth skipper a warm, sunny day in July at Durlston is probably your best bet.
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