De zoektocht naar eitjes van het Heidegentiaanblauwtje

In the Netherlands, colonies of the diminishing Alcon Blue (Maculinea alcon) I are now restricted to moist heathland areas. Drainage and general habitat destruction are the main causes of the species’ decline. In the monitoring programme, performed to assess the annual fluctuation of the species, not only the adult butterflies but also the eggs of the Alcon Blue are now being counted. The white eggs stand out vividly on the flowers of the Gentianaceae and are more easily spotted than the elusive butterflies. This method of monitoring began in 1993 and gives a more accurate picture of the fluctuations of the Alcon Blue in the different sites.