Tag: wildlife

80% of butterflies in the UK decrease as climate change affects species

The State of the UK’s Butterflies 2022 report, released today by wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation, has revealed the alarming news that 80% of butterflies in the UK have declined since the 1970s.

Decreases in butterfly populations on this scale are a huge cause for concern as butterflies are an integral part of the UK ecosystem and their precipitous decline is a clear warning signal of the wider biodiversity crisis.

In Scotland, butterfly species that require specialist habitats have greatly declined. But the figures show increases too, as many countryside-wide species have increased in Scotland. While this increase bucks the trend elsewhere in the UK, it’s a clear indicator of climate change.

  • While habitat specialists in Scotland have declined in abundance by 27%,  wider countryside species have increased by 26%.
  • Half of all Britain’s remaining butterfly species are now listed as at risk of extinction on the British Red List.*
  • However, the report also provides evidence that targeted conservation action can turn around the fortunes of threatened butterfly species.

Scientists at Butterfly Conservation are today warning that time is running out for UK’s butterflies as long-term trends show that most butterfly species have declined in either abundance, distribution, or both in the past five decades. The news follows the release of the new Red List of British Butterflies last May, which showed half of all the remaining species in Britain are now classed as threatened or near threatened.

Habitat loss across the UK has led to dramatic declines in those species that require flower-rich grassland, heathland, and woodland clearings to thrive. These specialist species have, on average, decreased by more than a quarter (27% decrease) in abundance and lost over two-thirds (68% decrease) of their distribution since 1976.

Butterfly species that can breed in the farmed countryside and urban areas have fared less badly, but as a group they have still declined by 17% in abundance and 8% in distribution.

However, despite the gloomy picture painted by the long-term trends, the report points to numerous examples proving that targeted conservation action can turn around the fortunes of threatened butterflies at site, landscape, and national levels.

In Scotland this includes conservation action for priority species such as Northern Brown Argus and Pearl-bordered Fritillary. But, while managed sites such as Mabie Forest in Dumfries and Galloway are showing increases in numbers, colonies are disappearing elsewhere in the landscape. This shows that conservation efforts and partnership working towards better land management in Scotland are important to our natural environment now, more than ever.

Alongside this, climate change appears to be a large factor in the increased abundance of some species in Scotland. For example, White-letter Hairstreak and Holly Blue have spread north from England and become established in Scotland, while other species, such as Ringlet, Peacock and Comma, have greatly extended their ranges in the country.

Tom Prescott Butterfly Conservation’s Senior Conservation Officer for Scotland said: “Scotland is the only UK country for which the all-species butterfly indicators show long-term increases in abundance and distribution.

“However, this hides the true picture, which is that those species requiring specialist habitat are in significant decline while those that live in the wider countryside are increasing as a result of climate change allowing them to increase their range.

“Thanks to tens of thousands of people who contribute sightings through projects such as the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme and Big Butterfly Count, we have amazing data to plot the changing fortunes of our butterflies.

“We use this to inform our conservation work and the work we have been doing to increase numbers of Pearl-bordered Fritillary at Mabie Forest Reserve in partnership with Forestry and Land Scotland is evidence that where conservation action has been carefully targeted and sustained in the long-term it has had real impact.”

Julie Williams, CEO of Butterfly Conservation, said: “This report is yet more compelling evidence of nature’s decline in the UK. We are totally dependent on the natural world for food, water and clean air.

“The state of our species and habitats shows that the natural world is in trouble. We need swift and effective action on this. The decline in butterflies we have seen in our own lifetimes is shocking and we can no longer stand by and watch the UK’s biodiversity be destroyed.”

The State of the UK’s Butterflies 2022 has been produced by Butterfly Conservation working together with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and British Trust for Ornithology. The report is based on nearly 23 million butterfly records, almost all of which were contributed by volunteer citizen scientists, that assesses the UK’s 59 species of breeding butterflies.

The full report can be found HERE

*More information on the latest Red List assessment of butterflies can be found here https://butterfly-conservation.org/news-and-blog/half-of-british-butterfly-species-on-new-red-list

Dobbies’ Little Seedlings get their five a day this September

Free sustainable workshop in Edinburgh store

Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre, is hosting a free session in Edinburgh for its Little Seedlings Club on Sunday 4 September. During this workshop, children aged 4 to 10 will learn how to grow their own fruit and how they can enjoy some of their five a day this autumn. 

Dobbies’ Little Seedlings Club provides exciting interactive learning activities that allow children in Edinburgh to understand, explore, and connect with plants, wildlife, and the environment around them.

September’s workshop is set to be fun-filled and educational with a key focus on how you can grow fresh fruit in your garden space. The workshop will cover the early history of different fruit, as well as diving into the science, illustrating how we classify those frequently misidentified as vegetables.

Children will also learn about the health benefits, along with how different fruits grow and how to plant their own at home. There will also be a crafting activity.

Dobbies’ Partnership and Events Manager, Sarah Murray, explained: “Our Little Seedling Club is very popular and we hope to encourage and nurture young people’s passion for growing their own crops.

“We’re looking forward to highlighting all the health and wellbeing benefits of fruit, as well as having lots of fun.”

Advance booking is required to secure a free spot at the September Little Seedlings Club.

For more information on how children can participate at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store, visit: events.dobbies.com. 

Has the ‘COVID effect’ worn off for nature lovers?

 Big Butterfly Count sees a drop in participants compared to 2020 and 2021, as conservationists urge the public not to forget the benefits of being connected to nature – and it’s not too late to take part!

Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation are urging people not to become disconnected from nature, after the start of their Big Butterfly Count saw a significant drop in people taking part, in comparison with the last two years.

Dr Zoe Randle, Senior Surveys Officer at Butterfly Conservation, said: “In 2020 and 2021 we saw a big increase in the number of people taking part in the Big Butterfly Count. During the COVID restrictions people were spending more time at home, and maybe without the day-to-day busyness and distractions, they noticed nature more and were able to enjoy spending more time outside.

“However, since Big Butterfly Count started on the 15th July, we’ve only had half of the Counts compared with the same time last year. It’s left us wondering whether, now there are no COVID restrictions, are people beginning to forget about nature and the wildlife that needs our help to survive?”

It’s something Butterfly Conservation’s Vice President, the TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham, is also worried about.

Chris said: “During lockdown many people used the opportunity of having a little bit more time to engage with nature, and many of them found some respite and solace there. Now we are asking people to re-connect and give something back to nature by taking part in the Big Butterfly Count.”

A lack of butterflies could also be putting people off taking part this year.

Chris adds: “Last year was our poorest year ever in terms of the amount of butterflies people were seeing. It’s too early to tell if this year will follow suit, but certainly anecdotally we are hearing that people feel there are fewer butterflies around.

“That might have put people off taking part in the Big Butterfly Count, but it’s equally important for people to tell us that because when it comes to submitting data we need to know where there aren’t these insects as well as where there are.

“Butterflies and moths are important indicators of the wider health of our environment. If they are struggling then so is the rest of the natural world. It is so important people continue to take part in the Big Butterfly Count. If we don’t know what is happening then we can’t deliver good quality conservation.”

Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count is a UK-wide survey open to everyone, of any age, living in towns, cities or the countryside. Taking part requires you to spend just 15 minutes in an outdoor space counting the amount and type of butterflies, and some day-flying moths, you see. It is easy to do and the more people who do it, the greater the benefits to our understanding of nature and how to help it. 

There were over 150,000 counts submitted to the Big Butterfly Count last year, more than ever before.

This year’s Big Butterfly Count runs from the 15th July to the 7th August. For more information and to take part simply visit www.bigbutterflycount.org or download the free Big Butterfly Count app.

Big Butterfly Count: Butterfly scientists call on public for help

Butterfly Conservation launches this year’s Big Butterfly Count with a warning that time is running out to help save species.

Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation are urging the whole nation to help Britain’s butterflies by taking part in the Big Butterfly Count.

Butterfly Conservation revealed in May that half of Britain’s remaining butterfly species are now on the Red List and threatened or near threatened with extinction. Last year’s Big Butterfly Count saw the lowest ever number of butterflies recorded. As butterflies and moths are an important indicator of the health of our environment, a reduction in their numbers is a cause for serious concern.

However, taking part in the Big Butterfly Count is one really positive way that everyone can help.

The information gathered is vital in helping scientists understand more about what is happening to the nation’s butterflies and therefore put in place the conservation measures needed to protect them. 

In recent years Butterfly Conservation has helped save two species from extinction in the UK and halted the decline of many others. The charity has proved that with the right information and targeted action, species can be brought back from the brink,

Dr Zoe Randle, Senior Surveys Officer at Butterfly Conservation says: “Thanks to the wonderful British public who take part in their thousands, the Big Butterfly Count is the largest natural history citizen science project involving insects in the world and provides us with a valuable snapshot of what is happening for butterflies across the whole of the UK.

“It can act as an early-warning system, letting us know how various environmental changes are impacting insects, and allows us to gather vital data from places that would otherwise be totally unrecorded.”

With the numbers of butterflies in decline, learning as much as possible about them is more important than ever. Zoe adds: “We really need people’s help this year to help us figure out where our butterflies are and what we need to do to save them. It’s not just the rare species of butterfly – the ones with restricted habitat or foodplants – that we are concerned about. Some of our previously commonly seen butterflies, like the Small Tortoiseshell, are also declining rapidly.”

The Small Tortoiseshell, which can be found all over the UK and was once a familiar species in gardens throughout the country, has declined by 79% since 1976. It’s one of the species included in the Big Butterfly Count, and Butterfly Conservation hope that data from citizen scientists will mean more can be understood about its fate.

Taking part in the Big Butterfly Count is not only good for butterflies – it’s good for humans too!

Dr Amir Khan, Butterfly Conservation Ambassador, is one of a number of famous faces supporting the Big Butterfly Count. He says: “Spending time in nature is hugely beneficial to our mental health. Just a short amount of time spent in the natural world can alleviate stress, and connecting with nature can help us feel happier and more energised.

“Watching butterflies for just fifteen minutes can be a wonderful and calming experience. It is good for you as well as benefitting butterflies by helping Butterfly Conservation gather the important data they need to understand how to better protect these special insects. It is truly a win-win situation for all of us.”

Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count is a UK-wide survey open to everyone, of any age, living in towns, cities or the countryside.

Taking part requires you to spend just 15 minutes in an outdoor space counting the amount and type of butterflies, and some day-flying moths, you see. It is easy to do and the more people who do it, the greater the benefits to our understanding of nature and how to help it. 

There were over 150,000 counts submitted to the Big Butterfly Count last year, more than ever before. Though worryingly, 2021 also saw the lowest average number of butterflies logged since the event began thirteen years ago. More counts are undertaken and submitted year on year, but it seems there are fewer butterflies and moths to be seen.

Butterfly Conservation scientists are keen to see if this is a trend that continues in 2022, and how the picture differs for butterflies across the whole of the UK. This means it’s more important than ever that the public take part and help to gather the data needed.

This year the Big Butterfly Count is sponsored by garden wildlife specialist Vivara and the DFN Foundation, a commissioning charity focused on influencing sustainable change in special needs education, supported employment, healthcare and conservation.

Sarah Hancocks, Marketing Manager for Vivara, commented: “We are so excited to be extending our partnership with Butterfly Conservation and our sponsorship of the Big Butterfly Count.

“We’re incredibly passionate about nature and know that all types of wildlife play a vital part in our ecosystem. That’s why we’re on a mission to help give parts of Britain back to nature and help restore the balance of biodiversity in back gardens across the country.

“The Big Butterfly Count is a fantastic way of doing this and furthering research into, and support of, butterflies.”

David Forbes Nixon OBE, Chairman of the DFN Foundation, said: “The DFN Foundation is delighted to once more be the official co-sponsor of this great event and support Butterfly Conservation in their vital work helping us protect butterflies from extinction.

“Last year was the biggest count to date, with over 150,000 counts submitted from people across the UK and I hope we can make it even better this year.

“As we enjoy summer, I encourage everyone around the country to take part and use this as an opportunity to connect with nature in an easy and fun way. Not only will it benefit the health and wellbeing of all who take part, no matter their age, but also help save species of butterfly that are crucial to our environment and ecosystem.”

This year’s Big Butterfly Count runs from the 15th July to the 7th August.

For more information and to take part simply visit www.bigbutterflycount.org or download the free Big Butterfly Count app.

Buzzin’: Bees’ Needs Week

At the start of Bees’ Needs Week, new research today (Monday 18 July) revealed that improving pollinator populations could help stabilise the production of important crops like oilseeds and fruit.

The new research, published by the University of Reading, found that crops visited by pollinators had more stable yields, with 32% less variation than those crops grown in the absence of pollinators.

Thousands of pollinators – bumblebees, butterflies, moths, flies and honeybees – are essential for food production and biodiversity. But they are under threat, facing growing challenges from climate change, pests and diseases, invasive species and habitat loss.

This year Bees’ Needs Week (18 – 24 July) makes a call on the public to take Five Simple Actions to help pollinators.

These actions are easy to do, and it doesn’t matter how much space is available – every action, big or small, counts. To sustain bee populations, everyone can:

  1. Grow more flowers, shrubs and trees
  2. Let your garden grow wild
  3. Cut your grass less often
  4. Don’t disturb insect nest and hibernation spots
  5. Think carefully about whether to use pesticides

Monitoring for insects in your local area is also a great way to help scientists understand what pollinator populations look like.

The Pollinator Monitoring Scheme is the first scheme in the world to generate data on the abundance of bees, hoverflies and other flower-visiting insects at a national scale. It will provide information that will help us measure trends in pollinator populations and target conservation efforts.

This summer, thousands of people will be taking part in a Flower-Insect-Timed Count (FIT Count) and as part of Bees’ Needs Week, the public are being encouraged to take part. Anyone can get involved by taking ten minutes to observe flowers and insects in good weather before sharing the information on the app.

FIT Counts can be completed anywhere, wherever there is an abundance of flowers, and every observation helps improve survey records and knowledge of pollinator activity.

https://youtu.be/FHIK5x8eMXo

Biodiversity Minister Lord Benyon said: “From bumblebees to moths and butterflies, pollinators are a critical part of our natural ecosystem, playing an essential role in upholding biodiversity and food production.

“Creating wildflower meadows, insect hotels or even a humble window box will boost nature. We can all play our part to support our vital pollinators.”

Marian Spain, chief executive of Natural England, said: “Pollinators are a crucial part of a healthy environment which we all depend on.

“There are many things we can do to help them thrive, from getting involved in monitoring their numbers to leaving any outdoor space we have to flourish. Collectively, even small actions all help pollinators do the job we need them to”.

Bees’ Needs Week, coincides with the ‘Superbloom’, a thriving natural landscape planted in the iconic moat at the Tower of London.

The University of Reading’s Bee Team will be on site today (Monday 18 July), showcasing their projects which display buzzing bumblebee colonies, the world of pollinators through the microscope, and activities to help the public to understand how everyday shopping relies on pollination.

Dr Jake Bishop, from the University of Reading’s Bee Team, who led the new study, said: “This research reminds us just how much we need to look after our pollinating heroes.

“Our study shows how important bees and pollinating insects are for our food security. Every gardener, farmer and landowner in the UK can make a big difference to bees by making small changes to how they mow, grow or spray.”

This Bees’ Needs Week, Defra will also be launching the 2022 Bees’ Needs Champions Awards which celebrate the outstanding action taken by community groups, businesses and farmers to protect pollinators.

To learn more about the awards and apply visit: Bees’ Needs – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

New plan calls for urban wetlands to help ‘level up’ wellbeing inequalities

Creating wildlife-rich wetlands like ponds, streams, wetland parks and rain gardens in deprived urban communities could help level up inequalities in wellbeing across the UK, according to a new report.

Currently, people in the poorest urban and ethnic communities are twice as likely as those in more affluent groups to live in neighbourhoods without good quality blue or green spaces. Some research suggests this differing access to nature-rich areas could be associated with health inequalities.

The Wildfowl & Wetland Trust’s (WWT) Creating Urban Wetlands for Wellbeing. A Route Map’ outlines how high-quality wetlands could help tackle these inequalities, often more effectively than other forms of nature.

The report highlights how wetlands can help low-income urban communities, which are frequently most at risk from the harmful impacts of poor mental health and the climate crisis, through relieving stress, cooling cities, reducing air and water pollution, alleviating flooding and boosting biodiversity.

In addition, the report outlines how blue spaces (environments that feature open water, such as wetlands) directly reduce stress more than green spaces alone. This could be due to the particularly wide range of stimuli .wetland nature provides which engage all the senses The light, soundscapes, changing patterns on water, and meaningful personal associations associated with aquatic settings may all reduce stress.

The powerful calming effect of blue space is further demonstrated by a study of 16,000 people across 18 countries, which found that frequently visiting ‘watery’ nature decreased mental distress. Just 10 minutes spent in urban wetlands can be enough to improve a person’s mood.  

People also socialise more in blue spaces, helping to build community cohesion and reduce social isolation. And restored linear wetlands, such as rivers, provide opportunities for physically active travel and leisure in space-limited towns and cities.

WWT is working with the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) and the NHS, prescribing wetlands in London for people experiencing poor mental health with limited resources.

Dr Ben Plimpton, Project Manager from the Foundation, commented: “Initiatives such as WWT and MHF’s Blue Prescribing at London Wetland Centre can be particularly effective at improving people’s mental health – and may sometimes prevent the need for crisis support.

“Initial assessment of social prescribing has shown that the average wellbeing value of wetland social prescribing was £4,848 per person, compared to £1,084 and £1,127 per person for arts engagement and sports participation respectively.

“Increasing structured access to city wetlands for those with limited resources, as our scheme does, could be one of the simplest ways to lift people’s wellbeing in urban areas.”

The route map details how nature-rich wetlands can be created in a range of urban settings at a variety of scales, allowing them to fit in any urban space, including:

  • installing simple drainpipe wetlands in backyards and gardens
  • building new rain gardens during street repair work and neighbourhood improvements
  • restoring streams and rivers flowing through neighbourhoods
  • creating parks centred on wetlands that provide a wellbeing resource for whole communities

It recommends creating and restoring wetlands where they can best reduce health inequalities, such as in areas without access to nature, where deprived communities and neighbourhoods are at risk of flooding and overheating as the climate crisis escalates.

The report urges governments, businesses and civil society to play their part in creating and restoring urban wetlands that can help to level up wellbeing.

In particular, restoring wetland nature to urban areas should be a major part of the Government’s plans to level up opportunity across the country, with a new legal duty on councils and developers to provide access to nature.

Rain garden at London Wetland Centre

Dr James Robinson, Director of Conservation at WWT, said: “Most human settlements grew around a water source and wetlands long used to be an integral part of our great towns and cities.

“However, increasingly new developments have swallowed many of them up. Worryingly, there are no UK-wide plans to increase the amount of blue or green nature in urban areas, despite the huge value they provide. London’s natural spaces alone save the NHS £950M annually.

“WWT are experts at protecting, restoring and building new wetlands but to do this at scale, including in urban areas, more support and funding from the public and private sectors is needed.

“The opportunities that wetlands offer to enhance and extend our lives are established – but they are not being grasped. WWT’s route map released today provides a clear plan of how this can be achieved.”

David Lindo, ‘the Urban Birder’, who supports WWT’s call for more urban wetlands, said: “I grew up in London and the River Brent was a lifeline for me as a child. I became absorbed in its wildlife and it sparked my lifelong love of birds and boosted my mental wellbeing.

“Everyone should have access to that and it’s imperative that decision-makers consider how to incorporate wetlands into our urban spaces – sooner rather than later. Wetlands could offer national and local government a win-win situation helping them reach their levelling up, climate change, nature and health targets all at the same time. It’s time to start thinking smart.”

WWT’s call for more urban wetlands is part of their wider Wetlands Can! Campaign, which is urging the public to pledge their support for a “blue recovery” by creating and restoring 100,000 hectares of wetlands throughout the UK to help combat the climate, nature and wellbeing crises.

wwt-creating-urban-wetlands-for-wellbeingDownload

Hanson Box 2022 to teach children about island of South Georgia

The South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT) has developed a range of new and exciting educational materials about the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands for inclusion in this year’s Hanson Box – an initiative by the Don Hanson Charitable Foundation which donates a box full of fun learning material, activities and lesson plans completely free of charge to 8000 schools in the UK and UK Overseas Territories. 

Each year’s box contains a different set of specially crafted resources designed to help teachers inspire their students. For the first time, materials about South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands will be included, thanks to SGHT and the Friends of the British Overseas Territories (FOTBOT).

SGHT paid for the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands contents of 5000 of the 8000 boxes, with FOTBOT contributing the remaining 3000. 

Six beautifully shot and incredibly engaging short films have been created by writer and film maker Stewart McPherson to sit alongside a booklet and a map of the island as well as two competitions whose winning entries will be displayed on South Georgia.

There are also links to download lessons about South Georgia for primary school students developed by teacher Dawn Clements, one of which features the journey of a character called Winona the Whale, to help young children understand the challenges of our marine mammals. 

The tiny island of South Georgia is an inspirational place hailed as a beacon of hope in international conservation terms, due to the recovery of its ecosystem.

Through the Hanson Box initiative SGHT can tell the island’s remarkable story to engage young people in the wonderful wildlife and conservation work that is taking place there and to encourage them that they can make a difference to environmental outcomes.

The films really bring to life this amazing story and include an overview of these sub-Antarctic islands, their bird life, marine mammals and marine life, their history and heritage, and the conservation of wildlife that is turning back the clock on two centuries of human impact. Working with the Hanson Box initiative, SGHT hopes to inspire a new generation of environmental custodians.

SGHT, the Scottish-based charity that has developed the educational materials for the Hanson Boxes, has been working on the island since 2005, in close partnership with the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands.

Its hugely successful Habitat Restoration Project has reversed two centuries of human-induced damage to the island’s wildlife, eradicating the mice and rats that arrived as stowaways on sealing and whaling vessels from the late 18th century onwards that preyed on ground-nesting and burrowing birds.  

As a result, millions of birds reclaimed their ancestral home when South Georgia was declared rodent-free in May 2018 – the largest invasive species eradication in the world.

Stewart McPherson, whose generosity and talent created the wonderful booklet, films, printed lesson plans and competitions for the box said: ‘South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are as captivating as they are important in terms of international conservation.

“That is why it has been a pleasure to work on such an exciting project which brings together such a wealth of information, which I hope will inspire young people to a greater understanding and wonder of our natural world and in particular the importance of these tiny islands.’

Alison Neil, Chief Executive of SGHT, said: ‘The work of SGHT focuses on the conservation of South Georgia’s heritage and helping to change the habitat there for the better.

“The opportunity to have materials included in the Hanson Box is incredible as we are delighted to share the wonder of this special place and hopefully encourage young people to get inspired about our natural world using the fantastic turnaround in South Georgia’s fortunes in recent years.’

photographed whilst working on the South Georgia Heritage Trust’s Rat Eradication Project in South Gerogia , Antarctica on February 08 2018. Photo: Oliver Prince

Andrew Fox and Simon Leary, Trustees of the Don Hanson Charitable Foundation, said: ‘We are delighted to work together with SGHT to donate high quality, educational resources to 8,000 schools across the UK.

“As hyper-concentrated breeding sites for tens of millions of seabirds and marine mammals which migrate across the Southern Ocean, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are of global importance.

“The South Georgia resource pack included in the latest Hanson Box is intended to inspire the interests of British students in this history, wildlife and landscapes of this fascinating UK Overseas Territory, as well as showcasing the inspiring work undertaken by the SGHT and the GSGSSI to safeguard these islands for the future.’ 

The specially created films can be found at:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8URLzDWi0M&list=PLQ_Dgt2f4Ly-MQ_pnkcxu8qzIPn1LAZ_P

To find out more about the work of SGHT in relation to the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands visit www.sght.org and to find out more about Hanson Boxes visit www.hansonbox.org  

Public urged to hunt for woodland moths

MOTH NIGHT 19th – 21st MAY

Moth enthusiasts, conservationists and the public will be heading for the woods for the UK’s annual Moth Night event this week. Running on the days and nights of Thursday 19th – Saturday 21st May, this annual celebration of moths is organised by Atropos, Butterfly Conservation, and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH).

Moth Night highlights the important role played by the 2,500 species of UK moths, unsung heroes of our native wildlife both as plant pollinators and essential food for many other animals.

Woodland, the theme of this year’s event, is a vital habitat for moths because their caterpillars feed on trees, shrubs and lichens, while woodland flowers provide nectar for adult moths. Woodland also provides relatively warm, sheltered conditions, ideal for a wide variety of springtime moths to fly in.

Mark Tunmore, editor of the journal Atropos and Moth Night founder, says: “Common broad-leaved trees such as birches, oaks and willows support hundreds of different moth species here in the UK, which in turn are a vital link in the food chain, particularly for bats and insectivorous birds.

“Great Tits and Blue Tits, for example, depend entirely on moth caterpillars as food for their chicks. At this time of year, woodlands are at their colourful best and so are their moth inhabitants, with a wide range of beautiful species on the wing.

“We are also encouraging daytime moth hunts this year as there are many day-flying species to be seen, including the stunning Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth, Speckled Yellow and Argent & Sable. In Scotland it is a particularly special time of the year for moths, with scarce species such as the spectacular Kentish Glory, Netted Mountain Moth and Small Dark Yellow Underwing flying.”

The abundance of moths has declined by one-third in Britain over the last 50 years and a recent study suggested that declines had been even more extreme in more wooded landscapes. However, some woodland moths have done well, benefitting from the increase in broadleaf woodland in the UK, which has more than doubled in area since the late 1960s.

Dr Richard Fox, Head of Science at the charity Butterfly Conservation, says: “Government commitments to increase tree cover are very welcome. Allowing natural regeneration of woodland and more tree planting will greatly benefit moths as well as helping to tackle the climate crisis.

“However, it needs to be the right trees in the right places. Planting non-native trees, such as conifers or Eucalyptus, or planting trees on wildlife-rich open habitats such as grasslands and heaths, will have a negative impact on biodiversity, including for moths.

“In addition, we need to redouble the protection of the UK’s remaining ancient woodlands; unique, irreplaceable habitats of great wildlife, and also historical and recreational, value. At this time of year, our ancient woodland feature moths such as the nationally scarce Marbled Pug, Barred Umber and Marbled Brown.”

Dr David Roy, Head of the Biological Records Centre at UKCEH, says: “For Moth Night 2022 we’re encouraging the public to look for and submit sightings of moths in woodland, but also in their gardens, parks and the wider countryside.

“There are public events that people can attend to see magnificent moths. Moths are excellent indicators of biodiversity and the quality of woodland and other habitats, so by submitting Moth Night sightings, people are doing citizen science and helping understand the impacts of land management and climate change.”

For more information on taking part in Moth Night, which runs 19-21 May 2022, see:  www.mothnight.info

How to take part in Moth Night 2022

While you can buy light-traps that do not harm the insects, specialist equipment is not required to attract moths. Leaving outside lights on, painting ‘sugar’ mixture on fence posts, or draping rope soaked in red wine over bushes can be particularly effective. 

There is advice at mothnight.info/taking-part/

For help identifying moths, people can check guides to species, the What’s Flying Tonight? app or contact moth enthusiasts via the Moth Night Facebook page.

Grow with Peter Rabbit at Dobbies

Sustainable workshop for National Children’s Gardening Week

Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, is hosting a free sustainable workshop on Sunday 5 June in Edinburgh specially created for kids in celebration of Peter Rabbit’s 120th birthday.

Taking place during National Children’s Gardening Week, children are invited to join a Grow with Peter Rabbit™ workshop at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store, which will include a range of exciting gardening-themed activities for children aged 4-10.

This special workshop marks the 120th birthday of Peter Rabbit and Dobbies is the official garden centre partner for the anniversary year. Children will delve into the world of Beatrix Potter, have the chance to explore Mr McGregor’s vegetable patch, learn how to keep their own fruit and vegetables safe in a sustainable way, and how to welcome wildlife into their garden.

Sarah Murray, Partnership and Events Manager said: “We’re hosting a very special Little Seedlings Club for National Children’s Gardening Week, which celebrates our partnership with The World of Peter Rabbit™ and shares ways in which children can be more sustainable.

“We’re also proud to share the news that Peter Rabbit will become one of our Little Seedling Ambassadors, with blog posts being shared on dobbies.com

“Our Little Seedlings Club is always popular and we are looking forward to welcoming young gardeners to our Dobbies’ Edinburgh store.”

Advance booking is required to secure your space for this free event at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store.

For more information on how your little one can take part, visit dobbies.com/events

SCRAN FIR BEES!

North Edinburgh Arts is working with local artist Natalie Taylor on a butterfly and bee friendly art project in Muirhouse and West Pilton.

Not only does this landscape art intervention offer nectar rich flowers for our struggling pollinators, but also it delivers a serious message in Scottish slang whilst adding a splash of colour to a busy roadside verge

SCRAN FIR BEES is a huge community artwork written large near the Red Bridge on Ferry Road, passed by hundreds of cars and buses every day, and highly visible from the cycle path bridge which passes over it nearby.