Duke of Burgundy (Hamearis lucina)
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Invertebrate > insect - butterfly > Butterfly |
| Red List Status: | Vulnerable (Not Relevant) [VU(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | Included in the baseline Red List Index for England (Wilkins, Wilson & Brown, 2022) |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | (none) |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Hamearis lucina |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | Fox & Dennis, 2021 |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | (none) |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | GB Red List (Fox et al. 2022): VU. Statistically significant 36% decline in abundance since 1979 and a 10% short-term (10 year 2010-2019) decline; 89% long-term decline in distribution since 1982 and a 42% short-term decline (Fox et al. 2023) |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Well studied species, restricted occurring in small discrete colonies in scrubby calcareous grassland and recent woodland clearings where its larval foodplants, either Primrose (Primula vulgaris) or Cowslip (P. veris), grow in reasonable abundance in sheltered but open, sunny conditions, has undergone major decline, especially in woodlands. |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | No |
| Justification: | Species needs targeted, focussed approach. |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 7. Best approach adopted at appropriate scales |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Medium-high |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Structured - sufficient |
| Species Comments: | Species is starting to respond and have been recent improvements due to conservation action, demonstrating the success of targeted, species focussed approach. |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: Increase advice and support to landowners, advisors, land managers on appropriate management practices and target habitat restoration at the landscape-scale.
Action targets: 7. Best approach adopted at appropriate scales
Action type: Advice & support
Duration: >10 years
Scale of Implementation: National
High priority sites: Have given >10 years as this reflects need for ongoing support
Comments: Case studies show that consistent advice and support is required to achieve good practice land management'
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: Carry out research on the impact of climate change (especially warmer, wetter winters) on habitat quality, particularly how climate change is impacting the availability and suitability of Primula host plants for Duke of Burgundy in SW England.
Action targets: 4. Autecology and pressures understood
Action type: Scientific research
Duration: 3-5 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 50 sites
High priority sites: SW England
Comments:
Key Action 3
Proposed Action: Undertake studies to assess the effectiveness of habitat restoration and/or creation where this is being carried out to provide good quality habitat and explore opportunities to allow natural colonisation or assisted translocations.
Action targets: 6. Recovery solutions trialled
Action type: Scientific research
Duration: 3-5 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 20 sites
High priority sites: Hampshire, Sussex and Kent sites would be good candidates
Comments:
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.