Value of fallows for the Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae) and some other butterfly species | Valeur des jacheres pour la grisette (Carcharodus alceae) et quelques autres especes de papillons diurnes
2005
Wermeille, E. (Cernier (Switzerland)) | Carron, C.
The interest of fallows for butterflies in the agricultural landscape is highlighted by field observations. Considered as a threatened species in Switzerland, the Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae) is a regular host in fallows, which represent 43% of the observed reproduction sites for this species. Food-plants can be found in abundance there, mainly Malva alcea and M. sylvestris. Although under-estimated in the past, this species appears to be clearly more widespread today, thanks to its exploitation of fallows. Some other butterflies can be seen in fallows, some of them potentially reproducing in this habitat. Two factors are of importance: the occurence (usually spontaneous) of the food-plants and the presence of suitable habitats in the vicinity. The region of Geneva is of special interest, due to an important ground seed stock and the presence of several butterfly «reservoirs» (extensive meadows and pastures). The attractivity of the fallows for butterflies could be increased by adding supplementary food-plant species in the «sowing-mix», decreasing the density of the vegetation in the sown fallow-strips and encouraging spontaneous («natural») fallows in regions with suitable ground seed-stocks.
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