Friends of the Quantocks are launching an ambitious new project and we want you to be involved.
We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to undertake surveys and help us protect and create new habitat for White Letter Hairstreak (WLH) and Brown Hairstreak (BH) butterflies on the southern flanks of the Quantocks, between Cothelstone and Crowcombe, Combe Florey and Crowcombe Heathfield.
Hairstreak Butterfly ID training day with Max Anderson of Butterfly Conservation
TUESDAY 29th OCTOBER, 10.30am – 4pm at Combe Florey Village Hall and Ash Priors Common
This practical training day will give you the information and skills to find and identify WLH and BC butterfly eggs, caterpillars and adults as well as Elm trees on which WLH spend the majority of their time. You will be expertly guided by Max Anderson, South West Project Officer for Butterfly Conservation, who’ll explain the life cycles of these rare species and how to spot them including the use of special UV torches for spotting WLH caterpillars high in trees (these will then be available to borrow from us for use on surveys).
The day includes practical training on and around Ash Priors Common where we hope to find Brown Hairstreak eggs and possibly even WLH, so bring your walking boots!
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10.30am – introduction to the project by Robin Stamp, followed by in-depth identification training with Max Anderson, with time to discuss and share with other Friends.
Hot drinks will be provided throughout the morning. Bring a packed lunch.
2pm – drive to Ash Priors Common to look for Brown Hairstreak butterfly eggs. The training will end by 4pm.
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This is the first event of a significant and long-term project, aiming to plant around 120 disease resistant elm trees to provide habitat for White Letter Hairstreak butterflies and also Blackthorn for the Brown Hairstreaks, adding to the habitat that already exists.
We will be asking for your help in mapping existing mature elm trees across the wider Quantock Landscape area and for sightings (all life stages) of these endangered butterflies.
If you are interested in helping more generally with the project that would be welcome as we’ll also need practical, on-the-ground help with planting and fencing to protect the new trees during this winter.
So there are lots of ways to get involved in the project and support this precious part of our wildlife!
Places are limited and booking is essential, so if you’re interested and can commit some time to helping the project, get on board now!
Book your FREE subsidised training place here – Hairstreak Butterflies ID training day