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Special care for some of Wales’ rarest butterflies and moths13/05/2010 10:40:18 Fewer than ten populations remain
May 2010: A moth and a butterfly, both on the brink of extinction in Wales, will be the focus of intensive conservation care this spring. Pearl bordered fritillary butterflies and belted beauty moths that have been reared in captivity will be released into habitats that meet their needs, giving them a chance for survival in Wales. Fewer than ten populations of pearl bordered fritillary butterflies remain in Wales, the majority of which are in Montgomeryshire. This spring, larvae and adult butterflies, which have been reared in captivity, will be released at Llanymynech Rocks - a Site of Special Scientific Interest and nature reserve owned and managed by the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust, with support and funding from the Countryside Council for Wales. The butterfly was last recorded here in 2002 but recent scrub clearance and the introduction of grazing by sheep has improved the grassland habitat sufficiently to be able to support a population again. Caterpillars released into wild ‘Egg batches from these females were allowed to hatch and the resulting larvae have been reared in captivity on violets by Nick Gretorex-Davies. Simon and Nick released 187 caterpillars at Llanymynech Rocks Nature Reserve a few weeks ago, placing them on violets, which they feed on. Further adult butterflies will be released in May this year. How to spot them... PEARL BORDERD FRITILLARY: The butterfly gets its name from the series of ‘pearls' that run along the outside edge of the underside of its hindwing. In spring, males can be seen flying swiftly and low across the breeding site in search of a mate. They are extremely difficult to follow because the colouring of the wings is well camouflaged against dead bracken, often found at these sites. Male and female belted beauty moths are strikingly different in appearance. Adult males have white to greyish wings with brown or black markings, whereas females can't fly as their wings are too small and they can crawl only very short distance during their adult life.
‘The reserve already boasts many species of butterfly, including small pearl-bordered fritillary, grizzled skipper, dingy skipper and green hairstreak. It would be a major achievement to re-establish the pearl bordered fritillary.' There has been a steady decline in the population of belted beauty moth at its only Welsh site, Morfa Conwy on the North Wales coast over the past ten to fifteen years. Despite efforts to rescue some of the habitat it relies on - short, open herb-rich dune grassland - the species is now on the brink of extinction in Wales. This spring, CCW is making a last ditch attempt to maintain the species in Wales. During May, captive-reared larvae will be released to Newborough Warren National Nature Reserve on Anglesey, where suitable habitat exists. For more information go to: http://www.ccw.gov.uk
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