The effects of capturing and marking on subsequent activity in Boloria acrocnema (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), with a comparison of different numerical models that estimate population size

Capturing and marking disrupts flight activity in the alpine fritillary butterfly, Boloria acrocnema. This effect is limited to the date an individual receives its mark, and does not appear to increase mortality significantly. It nevertheless can generate large positive biases in population size estimates, especially in single-census mark-recapture models. The bias may overestimate by 2 to 4 times the actual population size. Similar marking effects in several other Lepidoptera are also analysed. Tests for the presence of marking effects are reviewed, with discussion of the general influence they have on population data.