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British Waterways Gives Rare Butterflies A Helping Hand

Grizzled Skipper Butterfly - Pyrgus-malvae

British Waterways, working in partnership with the Butterfly Conservation Society, has created a new habitat on the banks of the Oxford Canal to support the rare Grizzled Skipper butterfly.

Today British Waterways’ ecologists and volunteers from the Butterfly Conservation Society will be putting the final touches to the new habitat by planting Kidney vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria) at the site. Kidney vetch is the perfect plant for butterflies, attracting them to its usually yellow flowers, and hopefully helping to boost the number of the rare Grizzled Skipper butterfly along the Oxford Canal.

The rare Grizzled Skipper Butterfly (Pyrgus malvae) is a small low flying butterfly that can be found throughout England and Wales but is becoming increasingly rare. It’s extremely difficult to follow when in flight, but once settled, the black and white pattern on the wings, from which this species gets its name, is unmistakable. The butterfly occurs in small colonies of less than 100 adults and prefers warm sunny sites where it can bask in the sun.

According to a recent survey by the European Red List assessment of species one in ten species of butterfly face extinction in Europe and over a third have declining populations. This is mainly due to loss of habitats from farming and the change in traditional farming methods.

To help boost the population of this rare butterfly BW ecologists and volunteers from the Butterfly Conservation Society worked with BW contractors to clear an area of scrubland four metres wide and 580 metres long along the Oxford Canal (MAP) at Fenny Compton. As well as clearing the area of overgrown plants and weeds, four large butterfly banks were created. These banks will be planted with Kidney vetch and seeded with Bird’s-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus). Once grown, these plants will provide perfect living and breeding conditions for the butterflies.

Penny Foster British Waterways’ ecologist said: “This is a great project to work on, as we have created a lovely new habitat for these protected butterflies. The rich lime grassland areas at Fenny Compton are the perfect breeding ground for the Grizzled Skipper. Once the Kidney vetch has started to grow it will hopefully attract other butterfly species such as the Small Blue Butterfly and the Dingy Skipper to the area, and really boost the population of these rare insects.”

Kidney vetch is a pretty yellow flowering plant that prefers lime rich soil and is widely sown on open land. The flowers provide the adult butterflies with nectar, as well as them using the plants for laying eggs; the caterpillars will also use the plants for food.

Mike Slater Butterfly Conservations’ Project Manager for this area said ”It’s been fantastic working with British Waterways to conserve the endangered Grizzled Skipper. This is a core area for this species and I am confident that the work will not only preserve the colony but increase its size.”

Each year British Waterways launches its annual wildlife survey and with spring firmly here, the annual survey is a perfect family activity and will continue throughout the year until the autumn. This year’s survey will focus on the splendid regent of the waterways – the kingfisher, whose numbers are expected to be affected by the recent harsh winter. British Waterways wants nature novices and seasoned spotters to record sightings of all wildlife they see on their local waterways at www.waterscape.com/wildlifesurvey.