Saving Devon's Precious Pearls

One of the UK's most threatened butterflies is being given a helping hand to expand its range through targeted conservation in Devon.

Work is underway at three Forestry Commission sites in the Haldon Forest, Kennford, to improve habitat for the Pearl-bordered Fritillary.The butterfly has been declining dramatically across Britain - two thirds of colonies have become extinct over the last 25 years. But their fortunes have been given a boost through a Butterfly Conservation-led project, in partnership with the Forestry Commission, to expand the area of suitable habitat.Pearl-bordered Fritillaries, with their striking orange and black chequered markings and kaleidoscopic underwings have fallen dramatically due to a decline in traditional woodland management.

The butterfly can be found along woodland rides and clearings, feeding on spring flowering plants like bugle, and lays its eggs near wild violets - the caterpillar's foodplant.The project aims to expand the areas already occupied by the Pearl-bordered Fritillary and link sites where it is already thriving to other sites of suitable habitat - helping the species spread more effectively.

Around 1.5 hectares of scrub control is being carried out across three sites, along with coppicing and conifer clear-felling. This 'linking' work is also underway at the nearby site of North Wood, where half a hectare of conifer has been clear-felled providing a direct link to connect two excellent areas of breeding habitat. Further scrub control has taken place at North Wood by the Forestry Commission, who are supporting efforts to improve habitat by undertaking bracken management in key areas.

Ben Phillips, Area Forester for the Forestry Commission, said "Modern forest management is about a lot more than just producing timber. "These are working forests, producing around 10,000 tonnes of timber every year, but it is also managed to provide excellent recreation opportunities to the public and sympathetically to look after the many different species that live within it.

"We have a long standing relationship with Butterfly Conservation, and we are so pleased to have been able to work with them on this important project to improve habitats for the Pearl-bordered Fritillary."

Volunteers have been involved in habitat assessments, butterfly monitoring and practical management at the three sites. Last summer volunteers collected wild violet seeds which have been sent to a violet specialist nursery for propagation.Young plug plants will be planted in the spring at Great Plantation and North Wood to provide an immediate food source in the newly managed areas. Butterfly Conservation's Project Officer, Jenny Plackett, said: "It's fantastic to see the management work getting underway, and we are hopeful that the habitat improvements will soon show a positive impact on butterfly numbers - the Pearl-bordered Fritillary tends to respond very quickly to management."Funding was granted by the SITA Trust last April, which will support management over three years until 2014.

http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/article/9/273/saving_devons_precious_pearls.html

Equestrian conservation group voice fears over plans to dig up Epsom Downs

An equestrian conservation group has savaged plans to dig up part of Epsom Downs to level the racecourse and create a wildlife habitat for the threatened small blue butterfly.

Epsom Racecourse submitted plans earlier this year to flatten the land at Tattenham Corner using 'fill material' from the downs to reduce their costs when erecting a temporary derby marquee each year. The plans were approved by the Epsom and Walton Downs Conservators on December 5, a decision which the Epsom Equestrian Conservation Group (EECG) claim is against byelaws governed by the Epsom and Walton Downs 1984 regulation act. As part of the plans, fill material, will be sourced from three sites at Ashtead Park Garden Centre, an area off Langley Vale Road, and 1,500m3 from the foot of Walton Downs which the EECG fear will cause disruption and damage to the Downs.

More than 100 20 tonne lorry loads are expected to travel from the foot of Walton Downs to Tattenham Corner Road down a narrow bridle way, currently used by walkers, riders and cyclists, for an estimated two month period. Hugh Craddock, BHS bridleway officer for Epsom and Walton Downs said: “Our primary concern is the impact of 113 lorry loads driving across the foot of Walton Hill.

“If you are riding, walking or jogging down there what are you going to do when you meet a 20 tonne lorry?

“It’s a narrow track and it’s not wide enough to accommodate a lorry.

“At the meeting nobody even discussed that point.”

The Epsom Downs is not a public space and is owned largely by Epsom Racecourse which is subject to regulation by the Epsom and Walton Downs Conservators and the 1984 act.

However while plans have been approved by the Conservators, the EECG say the extraction of material from the downs goes against the spirit of the act which empowers them to may byelaws: “For preventing any digging or taking of stone, chalk, soil or other materials or the taking of turf, sods, trees, flowers, shrubs, plants or grass.”

Caroline Baldock, chair of the Epsom Equestrian Conservation Group said: “We are completely amazed that they want to this when it is against the byelaws.

“We are going to lobby the planning committee.”

After material has been extracted from the Downs, the land will be made ‘permanently unusable’ by horse riders and will be turned into a habitat for the small blue butterfly, which although they are spread across the UK, are few in number.

A spokesperson for the Epsom and Walton Downs Conservators said: “The Conservators were informed that both the Racecourse and the Lower Mole Countryside Management Project had identified the proposed location for sourcing that fill material as being one which would benefit in terms of ecology if fill material was taken from it.

“This area therefore would help create a more ‘natural’ Downs through the establishment of Kidney Vetch and thus a provision of a habitat for the small blue butterfly - not necessarily a ‘necessity’, but certainly a positive outcome for protecting the biodiversity of our environment.

“The Conservators were also assured that that the Racecourse would appoint a reputable contractor to undertake the transportation of materials, and it was emphasised that it was in the Racecourse’s own interests that the process was properly managed and carried out in accordance with the Ecological Assessment and Design and Access Statement.

“Frequent review meetings will be taking place between the racecourse and the Conservators to ensure that all requirements are being complied with.”

No date for the work has currently been set with plans now subject to approval by planning officers and the leisure committee at Epsom and Ewell Council.

FACT FILE: Small blue butterfly- Cupido minimus • Britain’s smallest resident butterfly with a wing span that can be a little as 16mm.

• Colonies are isolated and it is only found in small pockets of sometimes less than 30 adults • Numbers have plummeted in recent years due to loss of chalk grassland habitats.

• It feeds on kidney vetch plants, which only grow on poor nutrient, alkaline soils.

• Despite its name it is not particularly blue as its wings are a dark smokey-brown.

http://www.epsomguardian.co.uk/news/9437185.Equestrian_conservation_group_voice_fears_over_plans_to_dig_up_Downs/

Butterflies Bamboozled by 2011's Weird Weather

2011's record-breaking weather has had knock-on consequences for our butterflies and moths

The record-breaking weather of 2011 bamboozled our butterflies and moths with many species appearing much earlier and later than in a typical year.

The hot, dry spring combined with the second warmest autumn on record saw butterflies on the wing from early March to mid-December.

Threatened species such as the Pearl bordered Fritillary and Grizzled Skipper benefitted from extended flight periods by emerging weeks ahead of their normal dates as spring temperatures soared.

The endangered Black Hairstreak typically emerges in June but was seen in May - the earliest emergence on record, and the Lulworth Skipper, which is restricted to Southern Dorset, was also on the wing seven weeks earlier than normal.

The balmy conditions of September and October saw a huge influx of migrant moths from Southern Europe.

The spectacular Humming-bird Hawk-moth is thought to have enjoyed its best ever year in the UK with more than 9,000 records sent to Butterfly Conservation, beating the previous 2006 high of 6,500.

Unseasonably warm winter weather has seen Red Admirals still on the wing in the run up to Christmas while some spring moths have emerged months ahead of schedule.

It was hoped that the warm spring would produce a bumper butterfly summer, but Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count revealed that the number of common species were down byaround 11% as they struggled in the coldest summer for 18 years.

But the effects of the record-breaking spring were still felt in some places.

Several single-brooded species were recorded much later than normal – a rare Marsh Fritillary being seen in mid-September, almost eight weeks after the butterfly should have disappeared for the year.

The second warmest autumn on record saw a huge influx of migrant moths from Southern Europe with exotic species such as the Crimson Speckled and Vestal moths recorded into October.

The UK recorded the largest number of rare Flame Brocades for 130 years, with a colony discovered at a secret location in Sussex.

And the unusual sightings are continuing well into December. Red Admirals are still regularly being seen and the unseasonably warm winter has prompted some species to hatch before Christmas, weeks ahead of schedule.

Spring Usher moths together with Hebrew Character and Common Quaker have been reported regularly since November - months earlier than they are supposed to appear.

Butterfly Conservation Surveys Manager Richard Fox said: “The weather is a matter of life and death for butterflies and moths, and 2011 has been a year of extremes.

“It’s too soon to tell exactly how the UK’s butterflies and moths have fared but the signs are that spring species, including many threatened butterflies, benefited from the hot weather in April and May.

“In contrast most summer-flying species struggled to survive in the cold and damp. Autumn brought a reprieve for our beleaguered butterflies and moths, with many native species able to extend their flight periods or squeeze in an extra brood, as well as the arrival of marvellous migrant moths from overseas.”

http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/article/9/272/butterflies_bamboozled_by_2011s_weird_weather.html

Almost three quarters of UK butterfly species have decreased in population during the last decade

Common species declining & many species spreading northwards
December 2011. Butterfly Conservation and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) findings show 72% of species declined in abundance over ten years and distributions of 54% of butterflies fell, many sharply.

The results, from The State of the UK's Butterflies 2011 Report, provide further evidence that the European Union target to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010 was not met. But the report also reveals that intensive conservation efforts have started to turn around the fortunes of some of our most endangered butterflies.

Large blue and Heath Fritillary
The previously extinct Large Blue showed increases in population and range and the Heath Fritillary has been brought back from the brink of extinction.


High Brown Fritillary and Duke of Burgundy
But ongoing declines have left the High Brown Fritillary and the Duke of Burgundy facing the very real threat of becoming extinct in the UK unless they benefit from further conservation work.

The report shows for the first time that the total number of common and widespread species fell by almost a quarter in 10 years, indicating underlying problems with the UK's environment.

Read more here ...

Nature Studies by Michael McCarthy: In search of another great moth snowstorm

One of the lousiest aspects of the lousy summer which ended yesterday, for me at least, was that for yet another year, there was no chance of witnessing the moth snowstorm. Not in England, anyway.

Five sodden summers on the trot – July 2006 was the last time it was truly baking for anything more than the blink of an eye – seems like an unconscionably long time to go without all-enveloping warmth, almost as if we're being punished. Maybe we are. Maybe we've offended heaven by having impure hearts. Or giving way to greed. Or splitting infinitives. Or something.

But the point I am making about yet another wretchedly damp and chilly June, July and (especially) August, is that if it was bad for us, it was even worse for insects, which, being cold-blooded, need ambient heat above a certain level simply to be able to function, let alone flourish. There was no chance of seeing of one of the spectacular flourishings of the insect world, that crowding-together of moths on warm summer nights, so abundant that if you drive a car through them you have to wash your windscreen afterwards.

In the headlights it does indeed seem like a blizzard, a myriad of white flakes whirling through the dark towards you. Or at least it did. For the moth snowstorm, as I and many people think of it and remember it, seems to be a phenomenon of the past. When I asked Mark Parsons about it, the top moths bod at the charity Butterfly Conservation, he told me he recalled seeing it on many occasions 20 or 30 years ago, but, he said, "I've probably only witnessed it once or twice in the last decade".

Its disappearance seems to be a particularly notable instance of the great thinning-out of our wildlife which has taken place in the last half-century, probably because of the intensification of farming: things are still there, but an awful lot fewer of them. Yet it was a supreme example of natural abundance, arising from the simple fact that moths are multitudinous.

We tend to think that Lepidoptera, the order of insects with scaly wings, contains butterflies first and moths second, as a sort of afterthought; but actually it's the other way round. Moths were going for millions of years, and so had ample time to develop into a multitude of species, before butterflies came along as a mere branching twig on the Lepidopteran evolutionary tree; in essence, butterflies are merely a group of moths which have specialised in flying during the day and so have evolved bright colours to recognise each other.

Thus, there are about a quarter of a million moth species in the world but fewer than 20,000 types of butterfly; and in Britain there are nearly 900 larger moths, while butterfly species number fewer than 60.

We don't see this, because most moths are nocturnal. Yet it is possible to fish them out of the night, if you become more and more interested in them and eventually go into full Moth Nerd Mode, as I did in June when my wife asked me what I would like for my birthday, and I said: "A moth trap".

She paused. She said: "Wouldn't you like an iPod?"

I said: "I'd like a moth trap, please."

She said: "You haven't got an iPod. They're great. You can load all your music onto them. Even the old stuff that you like. You could listen to the children's, just to get the idea. They won't mind. Why don't you have a listen?"

I said: "Moth trap."

She sighed then and went away shaking her head, but her being the good egg that she is, the moth trap duly arrived, in a parcel big enough to hold a lavatory bowl. It's basically just a box with a lamp and a narrow entrance, through which moths, attracted by the lamp, fly in, but can't get out till you release them (having identified them first from your guide).

It is astounding in its effect. On my first use of it, in west London on one of the few warm nights in June, it tempted out several species which I never dreamed were living during the day in the surrounding suburban vegetation, ranging from the dark arches and the riband wave to the broad-bordered yellow underwing.

But then in August I took it with us on holiday to Normandy, and on a sultry night in a country garden, on the edge of an orchard, it excelled itself, attracting scores and scores of examples of more than a dozen species, some of them spectacular: at midnight six Jersey Tiger moths, which are exquisite, were flying round the lamp, as part of a swarming cloud of insects flashing in and out of the halo of light.

It was the moth snowstorm, I thought. Still there, in France. But I wish I could see it in England.

The butterflies' last hurrah

As for butterflies – even though summer's over, there are three late-occurring species worth looking out for: the silver-spotted skipper, the brown hairstreak (the female of which is fabulous) and the clouded yellow, a lovely immigrant from the continent. Plus the colourful quartet of red admiral, peacock, tortoiseshell and painted lady, now in their second broods and feeding up frantically on buddleia nectar, as the first three of them are preparing to hibernate in a corner of your shed.

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/nature_studies/nature-studies-by-michael-mccarthy-in-search-of-another-great-moth-snowstorm-2347670.html

Brown Hairstreak butterfly recovering – Report your sightings

Flying start for Big Ash Bash August 2011. A survey of ash trees in east Worcestershire organised by West Midlands Butterfly Conservation has so far confirmed four new trees used by the nationally rare brown hairstreak butterfly.

Amongst the new trees is one on the Naunton Court Fields nature reserve owned by Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. The butterflies assemble around ash trees shortly after they've emerged and it's here that breeding takes place.

Mike Williams, Brown Hairstreak Champion for Butterfly Conservation, explained "While we know that ash trees form a very important role in the life of Brown hairstreaks so far we have identified relatively few of the trees involved.

Big Ash Bash
"The aim of the Big Ash Bash this year has been to try to fill this gap in our knowledge and we are delighted with our success in finding several new trees. Our volunteers have been making early morning visits to a number of ash trees in the hope of spotting this elusive butterfly.

Grafton Wood
"The stronghold for the butterfly in the entire Midlands region is Grafton Wood at nearby Grafton Flyford. Together with the Wildlife Trust, we've been working with local landowners and communities throughout the ancient Forest of Feckenham to improve habitats for the butterflies.

"Over the last 5 years we've seen both their population expand in numbers and in range. To discover that they've successfully colonised ash trees in Naunton Beauchamp as well as trees in Bradley Green to the north and Rous Lench to the south is absolutely brilliant news."

Brown Hairstreak habits and lifecycle
The butterflies are a national priority for conservation. They spend a lot of time in tree canopies and are often hard to spot. From late August female Brown hairstreaks will descend to hedgerows to lay their eggs on young blackthorn. The eggs remain on the blackthorn throughout the winter months and hatch in early May.

The caterpillars feed on the blackthorn leaves before descending to the ground to pupate. They emerge as butterflies in July to feed, mainly it is thought, on the honeydew secreted by aphids.

Hedgerows
James Hitchock, conservation officer for Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, commented "This is really great news and proof that our joint efforts to help this species are working. Much of the work we do with other landowners is about advising on appropriate hedge management to help the butterflies survive and expand their range.

"We often take hedgerows for granted but they're essential corridors that can help wildlife move through our countryside. The butterflies have now been found now on eight of our nature reserves as well as many other sites in the area. This is a real conservation success story."

Report sightings
The two conservation organisations are hoping that members of the public can provide more information about the location of Brown hairstreak butterflies. They're asking people to get in touch if they think they've seen brown hairstreak butterflies congregating around ash trees.

The best time of day to see them is in the morning between about 7.30am and 9.30am. Anyone who thinks they've spotted them should contact Mike Williams on 07802 274552 or by email on mike@stagborough.fsnet.co.uk

Brown Hairstreak Day
The two charities organise an annual Brown Hairstreak Day at the end of August to look for the female butterflies who descend to lay their eggs. This year's event takes place on Sunday 4th September and anyone interested in taking part should contact John Tilt on 01386 792458.

To help Worcestershire Wildlife Trust protect our natural habitats and wildlife, visit www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk for information about their work and becoming a member. For more information about the work of Butterfly Conservation visit www.butterfly-conservation.org
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/brown-hairstreak011.html

Butterfly Conservation: Did our butterflies feel the heat?

The spring of 2011 has been one of the hottest on record with severe droughts in some areas, and may have had a huge impact on our native species, so the results of Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count are more important than ever. Butterflies are key indicators of the health of our environment, and taking part in the count will provide crucial information that could help secure the long-term future of these threatened insects.

The Big Butterfly Count runs from 16–31 July. Taking part is easy — find a sunny place and spend just 15 minutes counting every butterfly seen and then submit sightings online at www.bigbutterflycount.org. For the second year running, the Big Butterfly Count is taking place in partnership with Marks & Spencer as part of its Plan A commitment to be the world's most sustainable major retailer by 2015.

Sir David said: "Butterflies are one of the stars of the British countryside. Summer just wouldn't be summer without them. But they continue to be in long-term decline. It's more vital than ever to know where they can be found and in what numbers. Now you can play your part in helping to save them by getting involved in the Big Butterfly Count." Taking part is easy and great fun. By recording butterflies in a 15-minute count, you can make a real contribution to our understanding of these beautiful creatures. I urge everyone, young and old, to take part in the Big Butterfly Count to help us assess the fortunes of these bewitching creatures. Your contribution will make a real difference."

Last year's count saw more than 10,000 people count 189,000 butterflies. The data provided vital information — revealing that Britain's most common butterfly, the Meadow Brown, had suffered a terrible year, but that the Common Blue had enjoyed a fantastic summer, outshining many of our other butterfly species. This year's results will help reveal the impact of the record-breaking spring weather, which saw drought conditions declared in many areas of southern Britain and Wales. The hot weather prompted many species to emerge earlier than ever before, and the results of the count will help reveal whether our butterflies are fighting back after years of long-term decline, or suffering starvation as the plants they feed on wilt and die in the drought.

The count will also allow conservationists to track the progress of two much-loved garden butterflies that have suffered worrying declines in recent years. The Small Tortoiseshell has seen its population plummet by almost 70% over the last decade and the dramatically coloured Peacock has also suffered a steep population slump.

The count is concentrating on 19 widespread species of butterflies and including a couple of colourful day-flying moths, all of which can be identified from a downloadable chart. Last year, Butterfly Conservation and M&S launched a partnership campaign targeting both the retailer's customers and farmers to help raise awareness of the importance of butterflies and moths, and this year it is being extended to also reach schoolchildren and their parents. M&S and Butterfly Conservation want to encourage primary school students and their parents to join in this year's count and have provided free activity packs to over 1,500 schools to help educate children about butterflies. These are also available for families via the Big Butterfly Count website.


Richard Gillies, M&S Director of Plan A, said: "We are really excited about partnering with Butterfly Conservation for the second year running. At M&S we want to lead the way in making a positive contribution to the environment and this year we're not only encouraging all our farmers, customers and employees to take part in the Big Butterfly Count, but also helping schoolchildren and their parents to get involved. We want to make it the biggest count yet — it should be great fun as well as providing vital information about the health of the UK's butterfly population."

Butterfly Conservation
Wednesday 13th July 2011

Big Butterfly Count 2010 revealed that the Small White and Large White were the most common butterflies, closely followed by the Gatekeeper. The Meadow Brown, typically Britain's most abundant butterfly, came only fourth, a long way behind the top three, when it would normally greatly outnumber Gatekeepers.

2010 turned out to be the worst year on record for the Meadow Brown in the UK. In contrast the Common Blue had a fantastic summer — its second best since the 1970s. This was reflected in its strong performance in the Big Butterfly Count results where it finished in 5th place. There was also some evidence of a slight recovery of the much-beleaguered Small Tortoiseshell (which came 9th overall).

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=2794

Conservationists urge public to count butterflies

Butterflies are seen as a key indicator of the health of the countryside and researchers want to find out how this year's hot, dry spring has affected their population.

Richard Westcott went to meet Butterfly Conservation's Richard Fox, who explained exactly how people can help them keep track of Britain's butterflies.

Get involved in the butterfly count: http://www.bigbutterflycount.org/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14133537

Rare butterfly 'at risk' from Sutton playground plans

7:30am Friday 4th February 2011
By Matt Watts

It measures only 16mm in length but this tiny butterfly may scupper plans to build a children’s playground on a nature reserve.

Sutton councillors and parents want to put a playground in the Devonshire Avenue Local Nature Reserve in Sutton.

But environmental campaigners warned it would be a serious risk to one of the few habitats in London for one of the UK’s rarest butterflies – the small blue butterfly – and want the plans scrapped.

Joanne Porter, chairman of the Sutton Nature Conservation Volunteers, said: “It’s very concerning because it’s one of the most important habitats for one of the UK’s rarest butterflies.”

She said she understood the need for play facilities in the area but wanted to continue to work with the council to find a solution to the issue.

Her worries were backed by Sutton Council environmental officers, who in a report to a council committee said the playground should be “a last resort” because “there is a risk the habitat could deteriorate to the extent that the species may be lost”.

But chairman of the Sutton South, Cheam and Belmont Local Committee Councillor Tony Shields said the play facility was essential because there was no playground anywhere else in Sutton South ward, in an area where 50 per cent of properties did not have a back garden.

He said: “We all want to protect wildlife and we believe putting one piece of equipment in the habitat will not be a problem and will bring more people to enjoy the nature reserve.”

He said the plans also had the backing of nearby Devonshire Primary School and parents of pupils there.

At a committee meeting on Thursday it voted to pursue plans for the play equipment, despite the objections.

Sutton also has another habitat for the blue butterfly.

The Avenue Primary School Nature Garden, is also said to contain a small but unstable population of the species.

FACT FILE: Small blue butterly - Cupido minimus

• Britain’s smallest resident butterfly with a wing span that can be a little as 16mm.
• Colonies are isolated and it is only found in small pockets of sometimes less than 30 adults
• Numbers have plummeted in recent years due to loss of chalk grassland habitats.
• It feeds on kidney vetch plants, which only grow on poor nutrient, alkaline soils.
• Despite its name it is not particularly blue as its wings are a dark smokey-brown.

http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/weird/8831182.Meet_the_little_chap_that_has_got_ecologists_in_a_flap/

New Culvert Bids An Cost Savings (for wood turtles)

November 01, 2010, By LORI STABILE


PALMER - The discovery of wood turtles, a state-protected species, near a damaged culvert on Quaboag Street in Three Rivers forced a redesign of the culvert's replacement, but it turned out to be less expensive for the town in the end.

Acting Town Manager Patricia A. Kennedy said out of 10 bids submitted on Wednesday, Hammond Construction, of North Oxford, was the low bidder with $38,053.

The first time the project was advertised, the low bid was $49,000, she said.

The Town Council recently appropriated $62,000 from the stabilization fund to repair the culvert, which is near the Quaboag River. The culvert collapsed after a summer rainstorm, resulting in erosion and encroachment on a neighboring shed.While the area was stabilized with hay bales, that was only a temporary fix.

Said Acting Public Works Department Superintendent Richard P. Kaczmarczyk, "Hopefully we'll get it going in the next few weeks."

The first bid was rejected after the issues with the wood turtle were discovered by the state's natural heritage program during the review process, Kennedy said.

She said this wasn't the first time the wood turtle altered a project in the village of Three Rivers, noting the recent Springfield Street reconstruction.

A "special walkway" under Springfield Street, by the pond near the blueberry farm, was made for them so they could cross the road without getting crushed by cars.

From: HerpDigest Volume # 10 Issue # 47 11/5/10 (A Not-for-Profit Publication)

New Culvert Bids An Cost Savings (for wood turtles)

November 01, 2010, By LORI STABILE


PALMER - The discovery of wood turtles, a state-protected species, near a damaged culvert on Quaboag Street in Three Rivers forced a redesign of the culvert's replacement, but it turned out to be less expensive for the town in the end.

Acting Town Manager Patricia A. Kennedy said out of 10 bids submitted on Wednesday, Hammond Construction, of North Oxford, was the low bidder with $38,053.

The first time the project was advertised, the low bid was $49,000, she said.

The Town Council recently appropriated $62,000 from the stabilization fund to repair the culvert, which is near the Quaboag River. The culvert collapsed after a summer rainstorm, resulting in erosion and encroachment on a neighboring shed.While the area was stabilized with hay bales, that was only a temporary fix.

Said Acting Public Works Department Superintendent Richard P. Kaczmarczyk, "Hopefully we'll get it going in the next few weeks."

The first bid was rejected after the issues with the wood turtle were discovered by the state's natural heritage program during the review process, Kennedy said.

She said this wasn't the first time the wood turtle altered a project in the village of Three Rivers, noting the recent Springfield Street reconstruction.

A "special walkway" under Springfield Street, by the pond near the blueberry farm, was made for them so they could cross the road without getting crushed by cars.

From: HerpDigest Volume # 10 Issue # 47 11/5/10 (A Not-for-Profit Publication)

Report your sightings of the Death's Head Hawk-moth

Trick-or -treaters are being asked to look out for a creature of myth and legend this Halloween - The Death’s-Head Hawk-moth.


Conservationists are urging people out on Halloween to alert them of any sightings of the Death’s-Head Hawk-moth, an unusual visitor to Britain from Southern Europe with skull and crossbones markings and the ability to shriek.

The Death’s-Head Hawk-moth is the largest moth to appear in Britain, sporting a wingspan of up to 12 or 13cm. As well as being a striking species visually, it has the unusual habit of entering beehives in search of honey, and if handled, emits a loud, shrill squeak by forcing air out of its proboscis – the long, tube-like appendage that butterflies and moths normally use to suck nectar.

“We have very few sightings reported to us of this fascinating species and would like to learn more about it,” said Dr Zoe Randle from Butterfly Conservation. “We are encouraging people to let us know if they see one this season and help us gain more information on where they like to visit.”

Unlike most hawk moths, the Death’s-Head Hawk-moth has a short proboscis and therefore cannot take nectar from deep-throated flowers. It feeds on sap from trees and honey from bees’ nests. The shriek it makes is supposed to subdue and control the worker bees, whose honey it is stealing.

Because of its skull-and-crossbones markings and its unexpected ability to make quite a loud sound, the Death's-Head has been an object of terror throughout the ages

Throughout Europe, the moth was thought to be a harbinger of war, pestilence, and death to man and beast alike. Its appearance in a candlelit room, especially if it managed to snuff out the candle, was an omen of death in the house. In France, dust from its wings was thought to cause blindness if it entered the eye. The moth brought fear and panic in Brittany when large numbers appeared at the time of a widespread pestilence.

The moth's awe-inspiring properties are markedly enhanced by the sounds it makes: these have been described as a 'dismal, melancholy cry' and like the 'plaintive squeaking of a mouse'. In Poland, where it is known as the 'wandering death-bird', its cry was heard as a voice of anguish, the moaning of a grief-stricken child.

The Death's-Head has entered modern mythology in its role as an emblem of evil in the book and film of The Silence of the Lambs.

If you have seen a Death’s Head Hawk-moth, please report your sighting to your local moth recorder. Details can be found at http://www.mothscount.org/

http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/article/9/216/report_any_sightings_of_a_mythical_shrieking_beast_this_halloween.html

Report your sightings of the Death's Head Hawk-moth

Trick-or -treaters are being asked to look out for a creature of myth and legend this Halloween - The Death’s-Head Hawk-moth.


Conservationists are urging people out on Halloween to alert them of any sightings of the Death’s-Head Hawk-moth, an unusual visitor to Britain from Southern Europe with skull and crossbones markings and the ability to shriek.

The Death’s-Head Hawk-moth is the largest moth to appear in Britain, sporting a wingspan of up to 12 or 13cm. As well as being a striking species visually, it has the unusual habit of entering beehives in search of honey, and if handled, emits a loud, shrill squeak by forcing air out of its proboscis – the long, tube-like appendage that butterflies and moths normally use to suck nectar.

“We have very few sightings reported to us of this fascinating species and would like to learn more about it,” said Dr Zoe Randle from Butterfly Conservation. “We are encouraging people to let us know if they see one this season and help us gain more information on where they like to visit.”

Unlike most hawk moths, the Death’s-Head Hawk-moth has a short proboscis and therefore cannot take nectar from deep-throated flowers. It feeds on sap from trees and honey from bees’ nests. The shriek it makes is supposed to subdue and control the worker bees, whose honey it is stealing.

Because of its skull-and-crossbones markings and its unexpected ability to make quite a loud sound, the Death's-Head has been an object of terror throughout the ages

Throughout Europe, the moth was thought to be a harbinger of war, pestilence, and death to man and beast alike. Its appearance in a candlelit room, especially if it managed to snuff out the candle, was an omen of death in the house. In France, dust from its wings was thought to cause blindness if it entered the eye. The moth brought fear and panic in Brittany when large numbers appeared at the time of a widespread pestilence.

The moth's awe-inspiring properties are markedly enhanced by the sounds it makes: these have been described as a 'dismal, melancholy cry' and like the 'plaintive squeaking of a mouse'. In Poland, where it is known as the 'wandering death-bird', its cry was heard as a voice of anguish, the moaning of a grief-stricken child.

The Death's-Head has entered modern mythology in its role as an emblem of evil in the book and film of The Silence of the Lambs.

If you have seen a Death’s Head Hawk-moth, please report your sighting to your local moth recorder. Details can be found at http://www.mothscount.org/

http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/article/9/216/report_any_sightings_of_a_mythical_shrieking_beast_this_halloween.html

Love among the butterflies

Our economy may still be suffering, but Britain is leading the world in at least one unlikely field: butterfly research.


Last month, the charity, Butterfly Conservation, played host to a vast international gathering of butterfly folk featuring specialists from all around the world, from Ireland to Japan. And the event coincides with the publication of what promises to be our best butterfly book for 20 years, by our top expert Professor Jeremy Thomas and acclaimed butterfly artist, Richard Lewington.
"Butterfly research has truly come of age in the past 20 years," Thomas says. "When I started out, you could count the number of European butterfly scientists on one hand. Now we have 100 people working on one group of butterflies (the Large Blues) alone. And for our new book, I have had to read around 3,000 scientific papers, all published since 1990."

What has happened? "The appeal of butterflies is widening. Once they were mainly a hobby for collectors. But thanks to better cameras, better field guides and close-up binoculars, more and more people, including gardeners, are discovering butterflies, and want to know more."

Thomas was our first full-time butterfly scientist. He cut his teeth on two seldom-seen woodland butterflies, the Brown and Black Hairstreak. "I wanted to know why they were rare. I was engaged to try to solve conservation problems, but as time went on I became fascinated by the wider intellectual challenge of butterflies. Of how they survive in the wild and what evolutionary paths have led to their present life histories."

He is most proud of his role in the reintroduction of the Large Blue. A strange butterfly whose caterpillar feeds on ant grubs during the latter part of its life, it disappeared from its last British site in 1979. With David Simcox, Thomas was able to reintroduce the species from Swedish stock to specially prepared sites in Somerset and Devon. Today it is thriving in several places and has become a great visitor attraction. But the project was successful only because Thomas had thoroughly investigated the Blue's bizarre life and its environmental needs.

Recently, Thomas and his brother Chris have discovered that a related butterfly, the Silver-studded Blue, has an even more intimate relationship with ants. "Chris found that the butterflies lay their eggs near the nests of black ants. They pick up the little caterpillars and take them into the nest where they live for most of the time, creeping out at night to feed on plants. The caterpillar mimics the scent of the ants, guaranteeing it friendly treatment. As prized members of ant society, they get the best of everything." Not that life in the nest is entirely a bed of roses. Thomas has discovered a parasitic wasp – "the most beautiful thing" – that attacks the caterpillars, keeping their protectors at bay with wafts of ant-deterrent vapour.

Thomas has a wonderful film of the butterfly emerging from the nest with ants still clinging to it, tapping the butterfly with their antennae and licking its body. The ants are obviously reluctant to part with their family member. "The more we find out about their secret lives, the more fascinating butterflies are," Thomas says. "Their mating behaviour, their relations with other insects, their long distance migrations (with a newly discovered GPS system in their antennae) – all are proving more intricate and amazing than we ever realised."

With such sophistication at their feeler tips, butterflies are hardened survivors. But today they face a landscape and climate in a rapid change not seen in 10,000 years. Thanks to mapping and monitoring schemes set up by Thomas and colleagues, and sustained by thousands of volunteers, we know what is happening in great detail. The challenge is what to do about it.

Can we save our endangered butterflies? Sir David Attenborough, president of Butterfly Conservation, believes that, in a global context, "things will get worse before they can get better. How can it be otherwise when there are three times as many people as when I was born?" Britain does not have all that many butterflies to lose – only 70 or so species. But as the world leaders in butterfly research and conservation, we surely cannot afford to lose a single one of them.

GOING UP
Brimstone The brightest butterfly of the spring, it thrives in hedges
Red Admiral The warming climate means this butterfly can now hibernate successfully
Geranium Bronze Sightings are increasing of this South African butterfly imported on potted geraniums

GOING DOWN
Small Tortoiseshell Numbers of this familiar garden butterfly have suddenly crashed
Mountain Ringlet Climate change has killed our only mountain butterfly
Pearl-bordered Fritillary It is disappearing and no one fully understands why

The Butterflies of Britain and Ireland by Jeremy Thomas and Richard Lewington is published by British Wildlife Publishing (rrp £14.99)

Bugs Britannica, a national chronicle of bug life by Peter Marren, will be published in May by Chatto & Windus.



By Peter Marren
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/outdoors/7690751/Love-among-the-butterflies.html