Branch News

 

The new UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) Priority List was launched by the Minister for Biodiversity, Joan Ruddock, on 28th August 2007. This includes 24 butterflies and 81 moths new to the priority list. To see the full list click here; New UK BAP Butterfly and Moth Priority List (PDF -you need free software to download this file - see Home page for instructions if you can't read PDFs)

(to see the full list for all taxa go to www.ukbap.org.uk)

To find out more about the Local Biodiversity Action Plans click here LBAP to go to the relevant page on the menu.

Save Our Butterflies Week, held July 21-29 2007, was a national event intended to highlight the serious declines in Britain’s butterfly numbers. North Wales Branch ran a number of special events including inviting Iolo Williams to Conwy Butterfly Jungle on Saturday 28th. to open the new garden for wild butterflies we have made outside the tropical house.

photo Brian Roberts

Butterfly Conservation staff and volunteers were there to explain the problem with endangered wild butterflies and how the charity is working to save them. We were also trying to recruit more members and got 6 that day, which is by far a record at any one event! We need more members to continue to do all the activities we do in North Wales, and nationally it will give Butterfly Conservation more political clout.

Iolo said “when I was a boy there were butterflies everywhere and now we see very few. I urge everyone to join Butterfly Conservation, as I have, and help to save these beautiful creatures” then he released some wild Peacock butterflies onto the garden flowers. Conwy Butterfly Jungle is helping to support the charity by allowing any Butterfly Conservation member 50% off the cost of entry to the large glass house which is bursting with tropical plants and glorious butterflies flying free inside the warmth of the ‘jungle’.

You can find out more about this tropical butterfly house at http://www.conwy-butterfly.co.uk/

Dr. Martin Warren, national Chief Executive of Butterfly Conservation, said: "North Wales’ members and volunteers do an incredible job. They prove that we have the ability to change the fortunes of Britain's butterflies. Without their efforts, the nationally important colonies of Pearl-bordered Fritillary could have been lost forever."

 A nationwide online vote is taking place to discover which is the UK’s most popular butterfly. Celebrities including Alan Titchmarsh and Kate Humble are championing butterflies from a shortlist of six widespread species. Members of the public can vote by visiting www.butterfly-conservation.org

Find out more about local activities on the Events page; join on the Membership page and add your e-mail address to our monthly newsletter list at; E-mail newsletter

 

Members' Day 2007 was on Saturday May12th., on the Wrexham Industrial estate - a local brownfield site good for rare butterflies. We had a very interesting talk from Jane Ellis, B.C. Regional Officer for the west Midlands, on the large amount of work they are doing on Brownfield sites in that region.

The weather didn't favour us well, but some members on the field trip did see one Grizzled and one Dingy Skipper (two of the species Jane has been working hard to save - for more information you can contact her on ;

 jane_ellis@btconnect.com  )

2007 had odd weather conditions for butterflies - see the Sightings page for reports from all over Wales - and add yours too if you like!

 

Rob Whitehead

with great sadness we have to announce the death of Rob Whitehead on 2nd. December 2006, through cancer. His last message to Butterfly Conservation members was; 'Don't feel sad - I'm OK with it. I have had a wonderful life and I have seen the Promised Land with over 100 Pearl-bordered Fritillaries  back at Eyarth Rocks this year!'

His family have requested that they have a private funeral. Everyone who has been involved with North Wales Branch for any length of time will know that Rob made a massive contribution spanning more than 25 years. A more detailed obituary appeared in the Spring 2007 Branch newsletter.

 

 

September 2006

First Prize in Wales in Bloom for our Butterfly Gardens!

The Butterfly and moth gardens that we planted in Colwyn Bay have now won first prize in the Snowdonia Gardening for Wildlife competition in 2005 and 2006, as well as Silver medals in Wales in Bloom and Britain in Bloom in 2005 - and now  First prize in Wales in Bloom 2006!

 

.      For  more info see Gardening  

Wynne Gardens, Old Colwyn - one of 3 prize-winning butterfly gardens designed and planted by North Wales Branch. If you're interested in planting a butterfly garden of your own, or one for a local school or community, e-mail for help, advice and cheap plants! to info@northwalesbutterflies.org.uk

 

 

          Members Day 2006 was held on 20th. May at Eyarth Rocks Reserve

 

Although the weather did not allow us to see the butterflies, some 30 members really enjoyed the day. They heard Russel Hobson, Senior Conservation Officer for Butterfly Conservation Wales, give an illustrated tour of some of the many projects being undertaken by volunteers all over Wales.

then they heard about progress on Eyarth Rocks Reserve;

Since Butterfly Conservation bought the 22 acres on top of this limestone hill near Ruthin in 2001 we have;

• Cleared more than 8 acres of scrub to restore the violet, barren strawberry and bracken mosaic habitat.

• Cleared the majority of the limestone pavement of dense woodland

• Raked, strimmed and rolled areas of bracken to encourage some grasses and other plants for different species.

This management has resulted in a 5-fold increase in Pearl-bordered Fritillaries (it’s one of only two sites in the whole of the UK where the PBF population is increasing rather than rapidly decreasing); plus the return of Dingy Skipper and Grayling after several years’ absence.

 Volunteers have also;

• Monitored the moth population by running MV moth traps every month from March to November.

• Monitored the reptile population by seeking expert advice and putting down metal sheets to attract them.

• Monitored the regrowth of violets and other plants in the scrub-cleared areas by recording botanical quadrats twice a year.

• Photographed and recorded fungi observed at different times of year.

• Produced a guide leaflet and website pages detailing these studies.

 We have also had fencing installed, thanks to EU Objective One funding, to allow limited sheep grazing in future, put up footpath signs and obtained funding for interpretation panels. Thanks are also due to CCW for contractor funding,

 
New fence up on Eyarth Rocks Reserve -photographed 23rd. February 2006

Top of the footpath from Eyarth Bridge; new gate, style (donated by Denbighshire County Council), dog gate and stock proof fence erected  thanks to Objective One funding.

More of the new fence, looking in the other direction down towards Pwll Glas.

Steaming volunteers - some of the 9 volunteers who turned up in the snow (here drying out afterwards) to meet the Objective One Phoenix Project manager who came to see our clearance work and the new fence and wall-repairs on 23rd. February 2006. Grateful thanks to all volunteers who have worked on the reserve this winter; David Hinde, Mel Bellingham, Les Hall, Brian Bull, John Smith (pictured) and Rob Whitehead, Linda Joy, Betty Lee, Mike Howe and Jan Miller.

New Report on the status of Britain's Moths -

The moth population of Wales is in serious decline, causing concern for the future of many species of birds, bats and invertebrates that feed on them.

The decline is revealed in a new report entitled The State of Britain’s Larger Moths. The precise reasons for decline remain to be determined, though habitat loss and climate change are highly implicated.

Sir David Attenborough, in a foreword to the report, describes its conclusions “significant and worrying”. Sir David, who recently fascinated the nation with his BBC series Life in the Undergrowth, says: “Moths are valuable indicators of what is happening in our countryside. Other insects too are almost certainly in decline.”

The report’s key conclusions are:

• The number of larger moths in Britain has decreased by 32 per cent since 1968

• Southern Britain – including Wales – has seen a decrease in larger moth numbers of 44 per cent since 1968

• Twice as many moth species have declined as have increased

• Sixty-two moth species are believed to have become extinct in Britain during the twentieth century

Subsequent analysis shows that the losses in urban areas have been in the region of 50 per cent. Decreasing populations of some moths in the north have been counterbalanced by increases in others, particularly of those found more commonly in the south. This pattern indicates a response to climate change.

The report, funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, has been compiled by the UK charity Butterfly Conservation. It includes data collected by scientific institute Rothamsted Research from a nationwide network of moth light-traps established in 1968. The traps, run by volunteers, have been located in all sorts of habitats from the coast to upland moor, from woodland to private garden. Dr Martin Warren, Chief Executive of Butterfly Conservation, says: “This long-running data is unique and has highlighted a very serious ecological issue – the decline of common insects.”

Butterfly Conservation is now seeking funding for a major new UK Moth Recording Scheme in order to be able to target conservation and reverse the declines.

Of the 337 common moth species assessed for The State of Britain’s Larger Moths report, the Dusky Thorn has had the highest rate of decline (98 per cent). If Wales’s human population of 3 million in 1968 had undergone a similar decrease to that of the Dusky Thorn we would be left today with only enough people to populate Merthyr Tydfil, i.e. around 60,000.

 

A Dusky Thorn moth trapped at Eyarth Rocks reserve, near Ruthin, last August.

Moths are integral to the food chains of Britain’s wildlife. For instance, the four most common garden birds all feed on moths or their caterpillars. In many cases they are eaten by nestlings as well as by adult birds. All 16 British species of bat feed on moths to some extent. However Sir David Attenborough, who is President of Butterfly Conservation, is anxious that moths are seen as more than just food for other creatures. He writes: “They are fascinating to study and worthy of conservation in their own right.”

Moths are very closely related to butterflies, but whereas there are only around 70 species of butterfly seen regularly in the UK there are some 2,500 species of moths.  Around ?900 species of larger moth have been recorded in North Wales

Moths have always suffered from bad PR. Their first bad press was in the Bible: “So man wastes away like something rotten, like a garment eaten by moths,” Job13:28, and  “Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes,” James 5:2”.  And lots of people think that all moths eat clothes; in reality only about half a dozen of Britain’s 2,500 moth species eat clothes. And the ones that do eat them really prefer dirty clothes that are hidden away in the dark in places where they are not disturbed.

Most species fly by night but many, such as the Speckled Yellow and the Cinnabar, fly by day.Many moths are very colourful, including the brightly patterned tiger moths.

A Garden Tiger moth, photographed by Janet Graham – has hairy caterpillars often called “Woolley Bears” that used to be very common in gardens – now seriously in decline.

If you would like to help us by recording the butterflies or moths you see in your garden and on walks in the area, please download a recording form from the Recording page of this website. The North Wales branch of Butterfly Conservation also run courses to help you identify and see local butterflies and moths.

For further information regarding The State of Britain’s Larger Moths contact:

Russel Hobson, Senior Conservation Officer, Butterfly Conservation Wales. Phone 01792 642972, Mobile 07736 229593 Email rhobson.bcw@btconnect.com

Lester Cowling, Publicity Officer, Butterfly Conservation. Phone 01929 406008 Mobile 07976 363546 Email lcowling@butterfly-conservation.org

www.ukcip.org.uk – website all about climate change in the UK

Rothamsted Research is the largest agricultural research institute in the country and is sponsored by the BBSRC: www.bbsrc.ac.uk

For further information regarding Rothamsted Research contact:

Dr Elspeth Bartlet. Phone 01582 763133 ext 2260 Mobile 07870161628

Email elspeth.bartlet@bbscr.ac.uk

 

New Book to benefit Branch funds and publicity;

New book ; A country Diary for North Wales by Jan Miller is a collection of her columns from the Denbighshire Free press over the last two years, plus much additional material. The book gives a month-by-month guide to different wildlife to be seen in the region including butterflies and moths. It includes illustrations by Alan Wagstaff, in memoriam. A donation from the sale of each book will go to Branch funds. " I really did enjoy it, and see it very much in the tradition of naturalist writing that helps keep people both informed and passionate about places and wildlife. And there can be few more important things than that!" Jonathon Porritt CBE

Normally £7.95, members can order a copy for £6.95 from info@northwalesbutterflies.org.uk  including post and packing!

 South Wales Branch now have their own website - go to; http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/southwales/index.html

 

 

February 27th 2005; It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of Alan Wagstaff, from cancer at the age of 34. Alan was one of the founder members of the new Branch, our excellent Newsletter editor, moth events leader, Recorder and wildlife artist who did so much to bring about the renaissance of Butterfly Conservation in North Wales. A full

obituary is in the Spring newsletter. Alan's sister writes to us below;

"When Alan was diagnosed with cancer my husband and I signed up to do a trek along the Inca Trail in Peru to raise £7000 for Cancer Research.At the time we didn’t know that Alan was going to lose his fight, but we’re still determined to raise as much money as possible. People can donate on-line on https://www.bmycharity.com/hazel or https://www.bmycharity.com/V2/cashforcancer or can send cheques payable to ‘Cancer Research UK’  I was just thinking that maybe some of your members would like to donate, and would welcome any additional ‘publicity’ in an area that was so important to him. Many thanks

Hazel Reed (nee Wagstaff)"

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