Monitoring the Alcon Blue in the Nature Park Papuk

  • 23.01.2013.

Monitoring of Alcon Blue Phengaris alcon alcon (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) population has been performed in the Nature Park Papuk. The survey covers following activities: field research and sampling of Alcon Blues by capture/mark/recapture technique, determining host ants and abundance of larval host plant the Marsh Gentian (Gentiana pneumonanthe), photo documentation and georeferencing of butterfly species and habitats using GPS coordinates and recording overall diversity of butterfly fauna in all analysed sites.

Results will be compared with those of multiannual monitoring of Alcon Blue in Grubišnopoljska Bilogora and will enable suggesting potential areas in need of special protection. From June till October 2012 over 150 Alcon Blues were captured and marked and 55 butterfly species were found at Zvečevo site (NP Papuk).