Butterfly Conservation in Wales Annual Newsletter 2014

Marsh Fritillary at Pembrey, G. Tordoff
Butterfly Conservation in Wales
Annual Newsletter 2014
Inside .....
Welcome and Introduction
2
Wrexham Industrial Estate – a missed opportunity
3
Marsh Fritillary Conservation in Wales
4-5
Scarce Hook-tip & Silurian
6-7
Median Farm - Helping Marsh Fritillaries at Caeau Ffos Fach
8-9
Butterflies of Montgomeryshire
10
Projects to help with
11
Butterflies and Moths of the Forests
12-13
The State of Nature Report one year on
14-15
Welcome and Introduction
Welcome to the 2014 edition of our Wales Newsletter. This
summer has brought some wonderful weather to enjoy butterflies
and moths. We hope this Newsletter will inspire you to go out to
see and send in records of your sightings, whether you are already
an enthusiast or are newly discovering butterflies and moths.
Small Blue, G Tordoff
The State of Nature Report showed declines in many species of all
kinds and losses of important habitats across the UK. In Wales
with have good data on how our butterflies are performing but the picture is incomplete for
moths: more observations and surveys are needed.
We feature ‘The Butterflies of Montgomeryshire’, a report written by a young County Butterfly
Recorder, who is hoping butterfly enthusiasts will go out and help fill in gaps in the records—
there are still some 2km squares in the county where butterfly records have never been
submitted!
Wrexham Industrial Estate is a stronghold for Grizzled Skipper but its under threat from
developments that are ignoring the needs of one of our rarest butterflies.
There is great news about the progress of Butterfly Conservation’s newest reserve acquisition
at Median Farm, an extension to Caeau Ffos Fach Reserve for Marsh Fritillary where
volunteers and staff have been working hard.
We review the fortunes of the Marsh Fritillary at sites across Wales, where there are some
signs of a small upturn. In South-East Wales two moths that are very rare in Wales, the Scarce
Hook-tip and Silurian, are both found but in very different landscapes. Exciting surveys this year
have discovered both moths in new locations.
Your
lasting
legacy
Have you ever considered leaving a gift to Butterfly Conservation in your Will?
An increasing number of members and friends are choosing to support Butterfly
Conservation in this way. All gifts, however small, are welcome and make a crucial and
lasting contribution to the conservation of butterflies and moths. Accounting for over one
third of voluntary income, legacy gifts make a real difference to the work we can undertake.
So as well as leaving gifts to loved ones in your Will, please consider leaving a gift to
Butterfly Conservation, it will help ensure butterflies and moths thrive in the years to come.
For more information about leaving a gift to Butterfly Conservation and sharing your love of
butterflies and moths with future generations please contact Helen Corrigan on 01273 453313 or
[email protected] or write to her at Butterfly Conservation, Manor Yard, East Lulworth,
Wareham, Dorset BH20 5QP.
2
Thank you for your support .
Butterfly Conservation in Wales Annual Newsletter 2014
Wrexham
Industrial
Estate
– a missed
opportunity
Russel Hobson,
Head of Conservation
Early succession habitat at
Wrexham Industrial Estate.
Right: Grizzled Skipper.
C. Williams
A new super-prison may represent a missed
opportunity for one of our most important Grizzled
Skipper colonies in Wales.
The Wrexham Industrial Estate is a key landscape for the rare Grizzled Skipper butterfly in North Wales
and is one of around only five key areas for the species left in Wales.
Butterfly Conservation Wales submitted an objection to the outline planning application as the large area
of Brownfield land, like many areas on the Industrial Estate, is of high environmental value. The mosaic
of bare ground, grassland and scrub is a crucial resource, particularly for insects, that is not found in the
surrounding agricultural landscape or to such an extent on other currently undeveloped areas on the
Estate. The development would see more than 60% of the site built on with the remaining land put aside
to mitigate for the detrimental ecological impact.
Butterfly Conservation accepts that development must occur on the industrial estate but that the
negative environmental impacts on biodiversity should be properly mitigated for and where it is not
possible to do this, compensation required. We firmly believe that species such as the Grizzled Skipper
can successfully be part of an industrial landscape and not act as an impediment to development.
However, the mitigation plan that has been put forward is woefully inadequate and could lead to the loss
of rare species such as the Grizzled Skipper from North Wales, rather than helping to safeguard their
populations. Butterfly Conservation and a number of other environmental organisations have had talks
with Wrexham County Council prior to consent being granted, but despite this the development has
been given the go-ahead.
Wrexham Industrial Estate offers an important opportunity to showcase how ecology can be enhanced
alongside development. It is a real shame that this publicly funded development will fail to make the
most of this opportunity and instead ride rough shod over the best practice guidance that Butterfly
Conservation Wales and others have previously developed for the Estate, in collaboration with
Wrexham County Council, to enable economic development to be promoted and the ecology and
landscape of the estate and the wider area protected.
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Butterfly Conservation in Wales Annual Newsletter 2014
Marsh Fritillary Conservation
in Wales
Clare Williams and George Tordoff
Conservation Officers
This review details Wales-wide
survey and surveillance
programmes and examples of
landscape-scale conservation
work on this species. The Marsh
Fritillary continues to decline in
Wales and has been key focus of
Butterfly Conservation’s work. In
recent years we have successfully
improved survey and monitoring
coverage alongside delivering
sustained habitat restoration work
in two important landscapes.
The state of Marsh Fritillary in Wales
A review of Marsh Fritillary site records found that many with records post 1990 had not been
visited since 2005. In 2012 and 2013, 96 sites were re-visited to see whether the butterfly was
still present. Marsh Fritillary was recorded at nine sites but a majority of sites were visited in
2012, a poor year for the butterfly. It was encouraging that at least 46 of the 94 surveyed sites
still supported significant areas of breeding habitat, making them important components of
Marsh Fritillary metapopulations even if they are not occupied at present. (A metapopulation is
a group of populations that are separated across a landscape but which interact, as some
individuals move between them). From this work we have determined there are 127 colonies of
the butterfly in Wales. We are now establishing a rolling programme of visits to ensure that all
sites are visited at least once every five years.
Annual surveillance shows an upturn since 2008 for Marsh Fritillary in Wales
We have also developed a surveillance
programme which now includes 16 core sites.
This uses annual larval web counts and other
data, gathered according to a consistent
method, from sites starting in 1993. These sites
now provide an annual index of Marsh Fritillary
abundance at a Wales level against which to
compare individual site performance and for
European reporting requirements. The data
currently shows an ‘Uncertain trend’ in web
abundance between 1993 and 2013 (63%
decline in 20 years but not statistically
significant). However, there are signs of an
upturn with a statistically significant moderate
increase between 2008 and 2013.
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Butterfly Conservation in Wales Annual Newsletter 2014
Blue Line: Index of annual number of Marsh
Fritillary larval webs
Red Line: The smoothed trend in number of
larval webs
Chart: An index of the number Marsh Fritillary larval webs found in surveys in Wales 1993-2013
The success of the surveillance network relies on an effective partnership with a range of
organisations and volunteers. Butterfly Conservation co-ordinates the surveys, processes
the data and run training days and gives regular feedback to engage people with survey
methodologies and increase metapopulation coverage.
Habitat restoration work
This has been the third year of habitat restoration work in the Upper Ely Valley landscape in
mid Glamorgan. Scrub management was undertaken at 10 sites to open up areas of marshy
grassland and improve grazing conditions.
Work started in late 2013 at our new Median Farm reserve in the Mynydd Mawr metapopulation
in Carmarthenshire (see the article on page 8). Site boundaries had to be cleared of mature
scrub to allow new fencing to be erected. Volunteers helped clear a decade of rubbish, old wire
and invading bramble with the work tailored to ensure habitat for Dormouse was retained.
Contact: Russel Hobson [email protected]
We are grateful to our Funders and collaborators:
Project partners include Butterfly Conservation’s South Wales Branch,
Carmarthenshire County Council, Llantrisant
Town Trust, Natural Resources Wales,
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
and Wildlife Trust South and West Wales.
The survey and surveillance is funded by
Butterfly Conservation and Natural Resources
Wales. Habitat restoration is funded by
Butterfly Conservation’s Match Pot Appeal,
Cwm Environmental Landfill Communities
Fund, National Grid and Welsh Government’s
Resilient Ecosystem Fund.
5
All photos: Marsh Fritillary
at survey sites 2014,
credit G Tordoff
Butterfly Conservation in Wales Annual Newsletter 2014
Scarce Hook-tip
& Silurian
In 2013 we carried out surveys
for two of the UK’s most rangerestricted moths: Silurian and
Scarce Hook-tip. Both species
are confined to the southeastern corner of Wales and
adjoining areas of England, but
occur in completely different
habitats. Scarce Hook-tip is a
species of ancient valley
woodland, whereas Silurian is a
moth of high Bilberry moorland.
Here George Tordoff describes
recent survey work on these
species.
Scarce Hook-tip, C. Manley
The Scarce Hook-tip is a very rare moth, occuring
only in the Wye Valley and nearby woodlands, straddling the
England-Wales border of Monmouthshire and
Gloucestershire. The larvae feed solely on Small-leaved
Lime. In 2013 BC Wales carried out active survey work on
this species for the first time, to try and determine its current
status. There were previous records from just four
Monmouthshire sites: Wyndcliff, Livox Wood, St Pierre’s
Great Wood and Trellech. The latter site is a regularlytrapped garden and only a single Scarce Hook-tip has been recorded, suggesting it was a wanderer
from elsewhere. Wyndcliff is the ‘classic’ site for this species with many recent records, and was
therefore not a priority for survey. Surveys were therefore restricted to Livox and St Pierre’s Great
Woods, where the moth had not been seen since 2000 and 2004 respectively.
On the evening of 24 June 2013, BC staff and volunteers ran 9 light traps at St Pierre’s Great Wood,
part of Welsh Government’s forestry estate managed by Natural Resources Wales. Although it was a
chilly, clear evening a total of 6 very fresh Scarce Hook-tips were recorded, suggesting the moth had
only just begun to emerge. On 1 July, Dave Grundy and colleagues recorded 22 Scarce Hook-tips at the
same site, indicating that this was closer to the peak season.
Scarce Hook-tip habitat, St Pierre’s
Great Wood, G. Tordoff
Two days after the St Pierre’s survey, on 26 June, 9 light traps
were operated at Livox Wood on a warmer night more suitable
for moth trapping. Surprisingly, no Scarce Hook-tips were
caught despite a good range of other species being
recorded. Further light trapping is needed at this site to
confirm whether the moth is still present.
We now know the moth currently occurs in good numbers in
at least two Welsh sites, Wyndcliff and St Pierre’s Great
Wood. Its status at Livox and other woodlands which have
not been surveyed for it, due to difficult access, needs
resolving. We hope to carry out larval surveys in the future,
including canopy work, to further understand the ecology of
the moth.
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Butterfly Conservation in Wales Annual Newsletter 2014
For over 30 years the Silurian moth was, in Britain, known
only from an area of mountain moorland near Abertillery,
Blaenau Gwent. In July 2011, a second population was
discovered 20km away in the Black Mountains, on the Hatterrall
Ridge which forms the boundary between Monmouthshire and
Herefordshire. Further surveys in 2012 extended the known
range in the central part of the 16-km long ridge but Silurians
could not be located at the northern or southern ends of the
mountain.
Survey work to determine the range of the Silurian Moth in the
Black Mountains continued in 2013. Spring larval surveys were
organised by BC Wales and Dave Grundy, with help from a
number of South Wales Branch volunteers. A search on
Hatterrall Ridge on 21 April produced only two larvae, both very
small, showing how the cold winter and spring of 2013 had
slowed their development. However, one of the larvae was
found to the north of previous records and extends the known
range on the ridge. On 8 May, the five Silurian larvae found in
one small area extended their range southwards by a few
hundred metres, possibly the southern limit of their distribution
on the ridge as no larvae were seen further south.
Silurian moth,
R. Morris
In between the two Hatterrall searches, on 25 April, a search
was made at Sugar Loaf near Abergavenny, but failure to find
any Silurian larvae, together with previous unsuccessful
attempts to find adults by light-trapping, suggests Silurian is not
present here.
The most exciting Silurian discovery of 2013 occurred on 15
May. Despite arctic conditions (temperature down to 1.2°C), 21
Silurian larvae were found on Darren Lwyd, this being the next
ridge to the west of Hatterrall. The records came from four new
1km squares in the altitude range 580-615m. These are the
most northerly breeding records in the UK and are the first
records for Breconshire.
Known distribution of Silurian
2014: Red 1km squares - Silurian
breeding populations. Black
Squares - where unsuccessful
searches for adults and/or larvae
have taken place. Grey areasland over 450m. Blue lines - Vice
-county boundaries
Further surveys in the Black Mountains are needed to
determine the extent of the population. We will then be able to
identify key areas for the species and take action where
necessary to reduce damaging activities, such as burning and
overgrazing.
Silurian habitat, G.Tordoff
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Butterfly Conservation in Wales Annual Newsletter 2014
Butterfly
Conservation’s
Caeau Ffos
Median Farm
Fach reserve
just got a lot
bigger, with the
Helping Marsh Fritillaries
at Caeau Ffos Fach
George Tordoff
Conservation Officer
help of a grant
from Cwm
Environmental
Limited.
Butterfly Conservation’s Caeau Ffos Fach reserve at Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire, is a
wonderful series of small wet meadows. Last year, the reserve more than doubled in size,
thanks to the acquisition of the neighbouring Median Farm by Natural Resources Wales and its
lease to Butterfly Conservation. The extension supports 10 hectares of marshy grassland to
complement the 7 hectares at the existing Caeau Ffos Fach reserve.
Helping the Marsh Fritillary
The Cross Hands area is one of the key landscapes in
Wales for Marsh Fritillary and still supports sizeable
areas of rhôs pasture - the Welsh term for marshy
fields dominated by rushes or Purple Moor-grass.
Numbers of Marsh Fritillary at Caeau Ffos Fach had
been declining in recent years, as had been feared
given the small size of the reserve and how little of the
surrounding habitat was being well managed for the
butterfly. A larger block of suitable habitat was needed
to help turn around its fortunes and the extension to
the reserve should help achieve this goal.
Caeau Ffos Fach Reserve in blue,
new Median Farm extension in red
Shoring up the boundaries
Median Farm has been unoccupied and neglected for several years. Fences were in poor
condition and many of the grassland areas had become rank and overgrown with scrub.
Butterfly Conservation was therefore delighted to secure a ‘landfill grant’ from Cwm
Environmental, which is enabling the entire boundary of the site to be stock fenced, as well as
some internal fencing and ditch clearance work undertaken by contractors last winter. Several
Butterfly Conservation work parties have also take place, when volunteers managed scrub in
more sensitive areas of the site.
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Butterfly Conservation in Wales Annual Newsletter 2014
Restoring the grassland
Three of the fields at Median Farm already support Marsh
Fritillaries and contain patches which are rich in Devil’s-bit
Scabious (photo opposite) the butterfly’s sole foodplant.
However, several years without grazing had allowed rushes and
tussocky grasses to dominate over large areas. Now that the
new fencing is being erected, light summer grazing by Welsh
Black cattle, as already practiced at Caeau Ffos Fach, will
improve the habitat quality of these grasslands.
The remaining Median Farm fields are more challenging – these
have had some agricultural improvement in the past and are
mostly dominated by tall rushes, with little Devil’s-bit Scabious in
evidence. Restoring these fields will require more than just
grazing – soil nutrient levels also need to be reduced through
grazing as well as cutting and removal of the rushes each
autumn. A first cut has already been taken last autumn .
With the continuing grassland restoration at Median Farm, the
prospects for Marsh Fritillary, as well as many other species
which thrive in marshy grasslands, are looking decidedly better.
Photos from the top:
Volunteers survey larval
webs
Invading scrub
Scrub was cut by volunteers
Field dominated by tall rush
Rushes baled after cutting
New fencing & ditches
cleared.
Left: Marsh Fritillaries
Credits: G. Tordoff
We are very grateful to Natural Resources
Wales for purchasing the Median Farm site and
leasing it to Butterfly Conservation
and to Cwm Environmental Limited for providing a
grant for the ongoing site works.
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Butterfly Conservation in Wales Annual Newsletter 2014
The Butterflies of
Montgomeryshire
Russel Hobson, Head of Conservation
Douglas Boyes is the County Butterfly
Recorder for the Vice-county of
Montgomeryshire and has written a
comprehensive review of the butterflies of
the County which can be accessed via
www.montgomeryshiremoths.org.uk/
articles/Butterflies%20of%
20Montgomeryshire%20%202014.pdf .
Douglas is quite unusual in the butterfly
recording world. In his late teens he has
made a flying start taking on the role of vice
-county butterfly recorder while still fitting in
night time moth excursions. As well as
sorting out a backlog of paper records
Douglas also sought to identify which
species and which parts of the vice-county are unrecorded. He points out that several species
are likely to be more widespread in the county, such as the Purple Hairstreak.
There are some great opportunities for butterfly enthusiasts to help fill in gaps in the County
records. The map (below) shows the 2km squares in the County where there have been no
butterfly records submitted and
there are many more with only a
few records or where the most
Montgomeryshire:
recent was several years ago.
The 2km squares
Douglas asks anyone who would
with no butterfly
like to know the exact
records.
boundaries of these squares to
please contact him.
Each species is given a page
with a photo, a map showing the
distribution of records, details of
its national and County status,
preferred habitats, larva food
plants and flight times, as shown
in the image of the page for
Purple Hairstreak, above right.
Douglas can be contacted at
[email protected]
or on 01938 570418
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Butterfly Conservation in Wales Annual Newsletter 2014
Projects
to help with
Butterfly Conservation Wales staff always need help with species
projects across Wales. Already many Butterfly Conservation
members and volunteers are involved but we always welcome new
people to this exciting work.
Get involved….
Not tried it before? Give it a go as it’s a great way to turn a walk in
to an adventure….
Below I’ve listed some of the key projects but if these don’t tickle your fancy and you’d rather do
something more local have you considered doing a full Butterfly Transect or just a single species
Transect if time is more limited? They are a great way to really get to know your local patch throughout
the year. Clare Williams co-ordinates Transect across Wales so get in touch with her in the first
instance. Clare is based in Mid Wales and works on Tuesday and Wednesday:
email [email protected] or leave a message on 01686 430823.
And don’t forget the important work that needs to be done at our Wales nature reserves, Eyarth Rocks
near Ruthin and the newly expanded reserve at Caeau Ffos Fach near Cross Hands. To help with
surveys, monitoring and site work:
please contact Russel Hobson [email protected] or phone 01792 642972
Thanks in advance to all those already helping with understanding the distribution of Wales butterflies
and moths. Let’s hope for another fine spring and summer.
All Wales Projects
April-June (depending on the season)
Pearl-bordered Fritillary at sites on Ceredigion coast, Montgomeryshire around Welshpool and our
North Wales reserve at Eyarth Rocks near Ruthin. We are always in need of help doing counts of adult
butterflies during the flight period.
Contact Russel Hobson [email protected] or phone 01792 642972
April- June
Grizzled Skipper at Wrexham Industrial Estate and Methyr Mawr. At Wrexham we are involved with an
new project with the Wildlife Trust and Buglife on the Industrial Estate so if you’d like to get involved
contact Clare Williams [email protected] or call 01686 430823.
May-June and September
Marsh Fritillary adult and larval counts needed at sites from Anglesey through west Wales to
Glamorgan.
Contact George Tordoff [email protected] or call 01792 642972
Beginning July
Silky Wave on Great Orme and Gower. Regular counts of this fascinating little moths are attempted
every year.
Contact Russel Hobson [email protected] or phone 01792 642972
Projects in South Wales
April – July
South East Wales moths. Surveys for Silurian, Drab Looper and Welsh Clearwing are taking place this
year.
Contact George Tordoff [email protected] or call 01792 642972
All year
There is an exciting opportunity to discover the butterflies of Wentwood in Monmouthshire. With the
Woodland trust we need a butterfly survey of the woods to help with replanting plans after large scale
larch felling. If you can commit a day a month to undertake this survey please contact
Russel Hobson [email protected] or phone 01792 642972
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Butterfly Conservation in Wales Annual Newsletter 2014
Butterflies
& Moths
of the
Forests
Butterfly Conservation has been
working in partnership with
Forestry Commission Wales (now
part of Natural Resources Wales)
at key sites across Wales for
several years, to deliver effective
monitoring and habitat
management for key species on
the Welsh Government’s forestry
estate.
Clare Williams
and George Tordoff
Small Blue, G. Tordoff
Pembrey Forest
This large forest, located on the sand dunes of the Carmarthenshire coast, is a key site for
many of our priority species, including Dingy and Grizzled Skippers, Small Blue, Marsh and
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries and the White-spotted Sable Moth (Anania funebris).
Management work by Forestry Commission Wales (FCW) has been ongoing for several years
and includes scrub clearance, scallop creation, ride-side cutting and bare ground (scrape)
creation. The management is targeted at three of the key butterfly species, which are showing
mixed fortunes at the site. Dingy Skipper is widespread in the forest and appears to be doing
very well, Grizzled Skipper is more localised but the population is increasing; and Small Blue is
very localised and declining. Population monitoring for these key butterflies is undertaken
annually. In 2013, both Grizzled and Dingy Skippers declined from the previous year, likely due
to cold spring weather. Small Blue has been declining since 2008 but the population has
stabilised over the last three years and we hope to turn around its fortunes with further
management work to increase the amount of Kidney Vetch (the larval foodplant). The most
exciting finding in 2013 was several Marsh Fritillaries along the ‘Butterfly Ride’, which now
supports an abundance of Devil’s-bit Scabious, the larval foodplant, thanks to rotational rideside management by FCW .
Monmouthshire Woodlands
A number of forestry sites in south-east Monmouthshire support the rare Drab Looper moth.
Most of the work to conserve this species takes place at Hendre Forest, near Monmouth. This
was formerly the Welsh stronghold for Drab Looper but the population
is declining and we are working hard to increase the amount of Wood
Spurge, the sole larval foodplant, growing in sunny, sheltered
conditions. In recent winters, scrub clearance work has been
undertaken by a combination of FCW staff, contractors and BC staff
and volunteers. In 2013 surveys at a number of other forestry sites
recorded small numbers of Drab Looper at many of them, including
Drab Looper, G. Tordoff
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Butterfly Conservation in Wales Annual Newsletter 2014
St Pierre’s Great Wood, where the moth was
recorded for the first time since 2006.
Clocaenog and the Alwens
(near Ruthin, Denbighshire)
2013 was the thirteenth year of the Small Pearlbordered Fritillary monitoring project. Surveys
were largely restricted to the 13 key sites in the
forest network and encouragingly all of these
continue to be occupied. Populations were
mostly lower than the previous year, likely due
to the knock-on effects of the washout summer
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, G. Tordoff
of 2012. In the long-term, Small Pearl-bordered
Fritillary populations on the majority of key sites are either stable or increasing. This is thanks to
over 5.5ha of scrub clearance (and stump treatment) FCW Habitat assessment results further
highlight positive management effects, with increases in violets (the larval food plants) and
nectar sources on sites with extensive and sustained management, but decreases in these vital
habitat components on sites with little or no management, such as in the Alwens.
This long-running project has given us an important insight into how the metapopulation of the
Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary functions in this upland forest landscape and that rotational
management of a network of key and linking sites is needed to ensure population stability and
survival.
Harlech Forest supports the last known colony of Dingy Skipper in Merionethshire. Beneficial
management work by FCW started in 2007 alongside BC-led species and habitat monitoring to
track the impacts. A programme of rotational verge mowing is now in place, trial scrape areas
have been created to provide important bare ground habitat and a large tract of conifers has
been removed to connect two forest areas. Repeat habitat condition assessments highlight the
positive effects of the management on habitat quality for the butterfly; increases in food plants,
bare ground and nectar and declines in scrub
have been recorded following management
work.
Despite this positive management, Dingy
Skipper numbers in the forest hit an all-time
low in 2013. Two consecutive years of cold,
wet weather during their flight period is likely
to be the major contributing factor. Monitoring
will continue in 2014 and we hope to see the
species begin to recover from a challenging
few years.
Dingy Skipper, B. Roberts
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Butterfly Conservation in Wales Annual Newsletter 2014
The State
of Nature
Report
one year
on ...
Russel Hobson,
Head of
Conservation,
Wales
The State of Nature Report *
got tremendous coverage in Wales
in May 2013. This was thanks to
Iolo Williams’ attack on the failure
of politicians to reverse
biodiversity declines in Wales.
High Brown Fritillary,
B. Williams
The report highlighted that half of the 25 butterfly
species assessed are decreasing. These are our
habitat specialists most in need of conserving while
the generalist butterflies are increasing. It also showed
that significant diversity of other taxa are also under
threat:

More than 1 in 6 plant species are considered
threatened in Wales.

Twice as many bird species suffered range
contractions compared to those whose range
increased.

Wales has 40% of the UK’s upland oak
woodland, a globally important habitat.
The successful conservation of the High Brown
Fritillary was made a case study within the report.
The Welsh Government responded to the challenge
more positively than the other UK administrations. A
£6 million Nature Fund was
announced along with steps to develop a Nature
Recovery Plan, implementing the Pollinators’ Action
Plan, a new Environment Bill and Natural Resources
Wales development of Natural Resource Management
Plans.
*by 25 UK conservation organisations including
Butterfly Conservation
Pollinators like the Forester moth require places to breed and over
winter (G. Tordoff)
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Butterfly Conservation in Wales Annual Newsletter 2014
While it is good to see so much
positive intent, Butterfly
Conservation members want to
see action on the ground and
increases in our precious
butterflies and moths. The
concern is that by taking an
ecosystem approach to
managing the natural
environment, the little things
get forgotten. Butterfly
Conservation’s landscape scale
work shows that a focus on conservation of butterflies
and moths can create wider benefits.
For instance, helping get grazing
back on Y Graig at Llantrisant has
created a nectar-rich grassland,
reduced arson and made a more
attractive place to walk. We hope
introducing some Highland cows will
continue that change.
Opening ride sides at Hendre Wood
in Monmouthshire makes it a more
pleasant section of Offa’s dyke path
to walk along but also allowed a
large stand of Greater Butterfly
Orchid to delight visitors.
Hardy breeds of cattle, like Huw Rees’s Highlands, are essential to restore neglected sites
Habitat management work for rare butterflies
and moth can benefit other species, like
Greater Butterfly Orchid
Butterfly Conservation hopes all the
plans will see more
action and
resources end up
helping to increase
overall range and
abundance of
butterflies and
moths in time for the
2020 target of
halting biodiversity
decline.
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Butterfly Conservation in Wales Annual Newsletter 2014
Join Us Today Online at
www.butterfly-conservation.org
You can support Butterfly Conservation in the vital work we do by becoming a member
today. You will receive a welcome pack, our exclusive magazine Butterfly three times a
year, an identification chart and membership of your local Branch.
Our Branches run over 700 public butterfly and moth events throughout the year and you
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Wales Branches’ Websites
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BH20 5QP
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www.southwales-butterflies.org.uk
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www.butterfly-conservation.org
Wales
10 Calvert Terrace,
Swansea,
SA1 6AR
Butterfly Conservation is the UK charity taking action to
save butterflies, moths and our environment. Working with
a wide range of partners, we are taking action by:
 Advising landowners and managers on conserving and
restoring important habitats.
01792 642972
[email protected]
 Purchasing and managing land for threatened butterflies,
moths and other wildlife.
Russel Hobson,
 Carrying out surveys, monitoring and other essential
research.
Clare Williams, Conservation Officer
 Lobbying government and its agencies to influence land
use policy.
George Tordoff, Conservation Officer
 Being a working partner of BC Europe
Judy Burroughs, Administration Officer
Butterfly Conservation is a Company limited by
guarantee, registered in England (2206468). Registered
Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20
5QP. Charity registered in England & Wales (254937) and
in Scotland (SCO39268).
Head of Conservation, Wales
(based in Mid Wales)
Butterfly Conservation is very grateful to the following
organisations in Wales that have made our work possible:
Carmarthenshire County Council, Natural Resources Wales,
Vale of Glamorgan County Borough Council and the Welsh
Government
This newsletter has been produced thanks to a grant from Natural Resources Wales and edited by Butterfly
Conservation staff. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Butterfly Conservation.
Also available in Welsh, translated by Meic Haines CymruLíngua. Published September 2014.