Long term data on the restoration and monitoring of the Large Blue butterfly Maculinea arion

The data from this conservation research encompass the measurements of ant and butterfly populations and other associated aspects of management for the restoration of Maculinea arion. The long term data fall into 3 categories. From 1972 to 2008 the following measurements were taken at c. 100 Maculinea restoration sites:

1. The relationship between Myrmica ants and turf height.
2. Time series of M. arion populations estimated at the egg stage.
3. Meta - population data describing extinction patterns on historical sites.

Here the downloadable data include field estimation of Large Blue Butterfly population since 1970(5 years interval), relationship between Myrmica ants and turf height in 1990s and metapopulation data in the regions of Atlantic coast, Cotswold and the extinct site.