Latest news with #ButterflyConservation
ITV News
a day ago
- Science
- ITV News
'Extinct' moth rediscovered at Kent nature reserve 73 years after last recorded sighting
A moth species, long thought to be extinct in England, has been rediscovered at a nature reserve in Kent. Tiree Twist moths have been spotted at Kent Wildlife Trust's Lydden Temple Ewell Reserve near Dover. They were last recorded in England in 1952 and were believed to only survive on the remote Scottish island of Tiree. Rebecca Levey, an ecologist with Butterfly Conservation, was surveying the site with volunteers searching for Straw Belle caterpillars when she came across one of the moths. She immediately recognised its distinctive orangey-brown markings. The sighting was confirmed by Dave Shenton, Kent Wildlife Trust's Local Wildlife Sites Officer and Kent County Moth Recorder. By the end of the survey, the team had recorded 13 individual moths, revealing a previously unknown population. Dave Shenton said: "This is mind-blowing. I couldn't quite believe what I was seeing. Has it been hiding in plain sight here all these years?" "This rediscovery is both emotional and thrilling," said Rebecca Levey. "Now the real work begins: uncovering the exact habitat this moth needs so we can help secure its future." Lydden Temple Ewell has been managed by Kent Wildlife Trust since 1964, where an original 70 acres was purchased at Lydden Temple Down. In 1998, the entire site was designated as a National Nature Reserve. Kent Wildlife Trust and Butterfly Conservation will now make conservation plans to ensure that this marks the start of a comeback for the Tiree Twist moth.
Glasgow Times
4 days ago
- General
- Glasgow Times
Wild spaces could be created in Glasgow to support butterflies
The two-year project would see the creation of 13 wild spaces in local schools, and 15 publicly accessible wild ppaces in parks in partnership with Glasgow City Council. There would also be engagement events, volunteering opportunities and training sessions. READ NEXT: New restaurant opens in Southside bringing a taste of Algeria to Glasgow Sammy Fraser, wild spaces officer at Butterfly Conservation, told the Glasgow Times the spaces are to benefit both wildlife and people and can vary largely in size. She said: 'For us as a team, it's not a traditional conservation programme, it's very much focused on brining benefits and value to local communities. 'When we say a wild space, we mean providing either feeding, breeding or shelter habitats for butterflies and moths, but there's no prescription on what wild spaces look like. 'It can be everything from planters, a flat with a balcony garden for example or it could be really large meadow site.' Butterfly Conservation aims to create 'a world where butterflies and moths thrive and can be enjoyed by everyone, forever'. The first wild spaces project took place in across Perth and Stirling in 2023, with Sammy saying it has shaped what they would like to bring to Glasgow. She said: 'The feedback from communities said they really enjoyed the development of wild spaces in the community, but they would like to see it being brought into schools and that's one of the things we fed into the Glasgow project.' READ NEXT: 'First of its kind' skincare store to open in city centre this month As well as applying for National Lottery funding, Butterfly Conservation has launched a Crowdfunder to help fund the project. So far, more than £3400 has been raised towards their £20,000 target. Last year, Butterfly Conservation declared a national Butterly Emergency after the summer's Big Butterfly Count showing a 'hugely concerning decline in numbers' across the UK. In total, just over 935,000 butterflies and day-flying moths were recorded across the UK from July 12 to August 4, down almost 600,000, equivalent to more than a third of 2023's total. Sammy added: 'Most of the UK is urban in terms of habitat availability and the Butterfly Emergency was declared last year based on the impact of things like climate change, habitat loss, chemical use and pollution. 'For us, we're trying to make more habitat available in urban environments and connect them with what's happening in the countryside because there's a really obvious gap there we need to try and fill with more wild space creation.' Glasgow City Council has been contacted for comment. You can find out more at
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hundreds of volunteers band together for massive project to save rare butterflies: 'These are sensitive sites'
According to the BBC, 148 acres of central British wildlands were rehabilitated to support dwindling butterfly populations. Hundreds of volunteers helped rewild habitat across Worcestershire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Nottinghamshire over the course of four years to complete the project. The charity Butterfly Conservation coordinated the work alongside partners such as Severn Trent Water, Forestry Commission, Forestry England, Sustrans, and private and public landowners. The new habitat should prove to be a good home for butterfly species such as the pearl-bordered fritillary and grizzled skipper. One species, the grayling, has had its population decrease by 72% since the 1970s. Another, the silver-studded blue, has seen a decline of 44% since the 1980s. Previously, Butterfly Conservation was able to successfully reintroduce one species thanks to a robust breeding program following 50 years of extirpation. Butterflies are vital pollinators. Providing them with protected habitat is good news for a wide range of flowering plants that depend on the insects to reproduce. Some researchers point the finger at indiscriminate insecticides for the global drop in butterfly numbers. Others suggest increasing temperatures caused by climate shifts are tamping down populations. In the U.S. alone, the population dropped 20% between 2000 and 2020. Habitat restoration has proved successful for butterflies in some regions, however. Even with legal protections around certain parcels of land, major climate shifts may cause significant habitat loss. For example, drought and wildfires have posed risks to monarch butterfly populations. Reducing pollution by switching to renewable energy sources, upgrading to electric vehicles, and swapping out gas for heat pumps at home are a few ways to mitigate extreme weather patterns and the destruction they cause to important natural habitats. While much of the newly rehabilitated butterfly area in the U.K. remains publicly accessible, it is vulnerable. Organizers requested that visitors remain light-footed. "We just ask people to remember that these are sensitive sites, so please be courteous and careful," said Midlands Butterfly Conservation Manager Rhona Goddard, per the BBC. Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely Depends on the animal No way Just let people do it for free Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Daily Record
10-06-2025
- Climate
- Daily Record
Brits with butterflies in garden told to take urgent action 'before it's too late'
The UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme has released the latest annual results and they show that 2024 was one of the worst years on record for butterflies in the UK Gardeners who are lucky enough to have butterflies gracing their gardens are being urged to take immediate action, following alarming new data showing a significant drop in butterfly numbers over the past year. The most recent annual findings from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, published on 28 March 2025, reveal that 2024 was one of the worst years on record for butterflies in the UK. The situation is even more dire in certain areas. In Devon, four butterfly species have seen their numbers plummet to the lowest levels in at least a decade, according to fresh data from Butterfly Conservation. Data from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme and Butterflies highlight substantial declines in populations of Wood White, Small Heath and Silver-washed and Dark Green Fritillaries. Local recorder Pete Hurst told Bird Guides that habitat destruction, large-scale pesticide use and increasingly unpredictable weather patterns due to climate change have left already dwindling populations unable to bounce back. He labelled the figures as "concerning", pointing out that Silver-washed Fritillary was down 38% compared to the 10-year average and Dark Green Fritillary down 60%. These results mirror a broader national trend, with 2024 identified as the fifth-worst year for butterflies across the UK, and over half of all species now experiencing long-term decline for the first time on record. Gardeners are being encouraged to play their part in boosting butterfly numbers. The Woodland Trust suggests that one of the most effective ways to do this is by providing food sources - flowers. Butterfly-friendly plants. Butterflies are nectar feeders, so a straightforward method to attract more butterflies to your garden is to plant a variety of vibrant flowers. Butterflies are drawn to blooms such as bluebell, lavender, red campion, cornflower, primrose, bird's-foot-trefoil and clover. Buddleia is also a butterfly favourite, however, the Woodland Trust advises against it due to its invasive nature, which can rapidly spread and potentially harm other native plants. Ensure your flowers are planted in a bright, sunny area that's protected from the wind. If space is limited, consider using a window box or large pot. Fruit trees. The juice from ripe fruit provides essential energy for butterflies during autumn, while spring blossoms serve as an excellent nectar source for pollinators. Other plants. While they may not be the first choice, these plants also aid butterflies. Some have flowers that benefit adult butterflies, while others serve as valuable food sources for caterpillars. Create a butterfly feeder. In addition to planting for butterflies and their caterpillars, you can also assist by providing a sweet treat to give them an energy boost. This is particularly beneficial in autumn when many plants cease flowering and nectar becomes less accessible. Add a quarter cup of sugar to two cups of water and heat in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes. Immerse a brightly-coloured cloth in the sugary water and position it near some flowers. Alternatively, you could place overripe fruit in a warm, sunny spot. Mushy bananas are particularly popular – butterflies adore their sweet, sticky texture. ----------------. The UK butterfly abundance statistics from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS), spearheaded by Butterfly Conservation, the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and JNCC, provide butterfly population trends from 1976 to 2024 at a UK level for 58 of the 59 regularly occurring species. Overall, the most recent data reveals that 2024 was one of the worst years on record for butterflies in the UK, ranking 45th in the 49-year series. For the first time since monitoring began, more than half of butterfly species (31 out of 59) in the UK are now experiencing long-term decline, with nine species having their worst recorded year, including Small Tortoiseshell, Chalk Hill Blue and Small Copper. Moreover, common butterflies, which inhabit gardens, parks and the wider countryside, experienced their second-worst year since 1976. In the shorter term, compared to the previous year (2023), 51 of the UK's 59 species declined in 2024, while six species showed an increase. Steve Wilkinson, Director of Ecosystem Evidence and Advice at JNCC, earlier this year remarked on the crucial nature of wildlife monitoring following insights from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme: "The results revealed by the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme highlights why robust wildlife monitoring is absolutely essential for conservation. Without the dedicated efforts of thousands of volunteers tracking butterfly numbers, we wouldn't fully understand the scale of this decline." He elaborated on the significance of such comprehensive surveillance: "This comprehensive surveillance allows us to identify which species need urgent intervention, track long-term trends, and measure the effectiveness of our conservation efforts. The UKBMS data doesn't just tell us about butterflies – it provides a critical indicator of the health of our wider environment. In the face of habitat loss and climate change, these monitoring schemes provide the evidence base we need to take meaningful action before it's too late."
The Independent
29-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Independent
Lake District walkers urged to look out for England's only mountain butterfly
Visitors to the Lake District are being asked to look out for England's only mountain butterfly to help scientists protect the rare species. The mountain ringlet, a small brown butterfly with orange wing spots, lives exclusively on mountains and is more commonly found in Scotland than in England, where conservationists say it is so hard to find that they have yet to discover whether numbers are going up or down. Adult butterflies usually emerge in June and fly for up to three weeks, but the timing depends on the weather – with the last week of May the earliest it has been spotted in Cumbria while the latest is mid-July. The butterflies are small – 35-38mm (1.4inches) – and only active in bright sunshine, keeping low to the ground in short flights, pausing on grass tussocks or feeding on the flowers of tormentil and heath bedstraw. Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation is examining how mountain ringlets are responding to climate change, with concerns mountain species will be squeezed into smaller areas of suitable habitat as temperatures rise. The charity says sightings from the public, as they explore the Lake District national park, would help improve knowledge of the butterfly's distribution and breeding success. Butterfly Conservation North of England conservation manager Martin Wain said: 'We would be so grateful if fell walkers could keep their eyes peeled for this lovely little butterfly and report their sightings. 'You might even discover a new colony! We urgently need to know more about where it is so we can learn more about how to protect it. He added: 'Looking for the mountain ringlet can add extra interest to your hike, whether you slow down and mindfully look for it, watch out for it as you eat your sandwiches, or just keep it in mind as you walk.' The charity has produced a map of previous sightings of mountain ringlets, all above 450 metres (1,476ft), on mountains in the Borrowdale volcanic group – from Wasdale in the west to Mardale and Haweswater in the east. The map also includes potential new locations marked in pink squares, near to existing sightings, where conservationists are most keen to encourage people to look for new colonies. Lancaster University student Mim Woodward, who is helping to co-ordinate the project, said: 'If you can explore one of these pink squares, you could be the first to record a mountain ringlet there – helping to uncover a brand new colony. 'These are the most important areas for us to search, and your walk could make a real difference to Butterfly Conservation.' The charity hopes to work with farmers and land managers across Cumbria to trial different land management techniques, in particular grazing regimes, to see how to maintain the best habitat for the mountain ringlet.
