Celebrating a successful first year of the project
As summer fades into memory, we’re celebrating an amazing first year of our Elm and White-letter Hairstreak butterfly conservation project. We recorded the first sightings in 18 years of this threatened species of butterfly in two different locations in the Quantock Hills National Landscape.
Only five historical records exist within the National Landscape (AONB) area for the White-letter Hairstreak butterfly (Satyrium w-album) within the past 75 years. However, Friends of the Quantocks found 10 butterflies and three caterpillars this year.
Robin Stamp, project leader and Chair of the charity says
“these rare and elusive butterflies are a real challenge to find. Not only are the caterpillars amazingly well camouflaged but the butterflies are also about the size of your thumbnail and spend the majority of their time 35 ft up in mature elm trees which are themselves at risk due to the continuing effects of Dutch elm disease.
“Whilst it is great to have found good numbers of the butterfly this year on flowering elm discovered in March and April, it is sobering to also record that 3% of the trees seen then are now already dead or dying of Dutch elm disease, some right next door to the butterfly sightings.”
Project volunteers have carried out numerous surveys this year, following training from Butterfly Conservation and in January the volunteers were out on the first snowy day of the year helping to plant and erect guards around 140 disease resistant elm trees, supported with a grant from the Farming In Protected Landscapes (FIPL) fund, as well as individual donations.
Funding success!
Currently we are in the planning stages of a phase two planting season having just been awarded a second FIPL grant, which will see us planting on a further 25 or so sites! It’s all very exciting but it’s going to be hard work and we’ll need more volunteers as it looks likely we could be planting not far off twice as many trees as we did last winter! Could you help?
JOIN US in Nether Stowey on Wednesday 12th November for an evening talk about what’s happened so far and what needs to happen next…and most importantly, how you can help!
It’s a FREE EVENT but you need to book as places are limited. Follow this link for all the practicalities and to reserve your place – Elm & Hairstreaks Project talk
If you can’t make the talk but want to help, either with practical things (from tree planting, to doing a bit of admin or PR) or you have a piece of land that could be home to some young elm trees (for future plantings) – please get in touch – Email us at [email protected]
All of this marvellous work is only possible due to the support of our membership, so you can also help by becoming a Friend of the Quantocks –
Membership fees help to fund the Elm & Hairstreaks Project and similar conservation efforts. Annual membership is £25 and you’ll be making a valuable contribution to protecting the special habitats and wildlife of the Quantock Hills. Become a Friend of the Quantocks
