What’s new?
7 September 2009
The heat is on for Bedfordshire's butterflies
Wildlife Trust staff and volunteers have been out on grassland reserves in Bedfordshire with tiny thermometers to find out how butterflies cope with the range of weather conditions a British summer throws at them.
Surveys are being carried out on butterflies at Totternhoe Quarry, Totternhoe Knolls and Blow’s Down, near Dunstable; and Pegsdon Hills between Hitchin and Luton as part of the Dukes Vs Blues project studying three rare butterflies – The Duke of Burgundy, small blue and chalkhill blue. Nearly 5000 butterfly records have been collected from these reserves and readings were taken on a subset of these with a highly sensitive temperature probe that is pressed gently against the butterfly’s body. It is believed to be the first survey of this type ever undertaken.
Due to the considerable changes in land use over the past fifty years, the vast majority of species-rich chalk grassland has been lost in South Bedfordshire, with just a few protected areas remaining – increasing and protecting this habitat is a key aim of the Wildlife Trust and central to our Living Landscapes vision to create bigger, better and more joined-up spaces for nature both on our own nature reserves and on land managed by other landowners.
Ed Turner, Ecology Groups Officer for Bedfordshire said, “This survey allow us to find out more about each species ability to maintain their body temperature in different conditions - crucial for assessing the potential impacts of future climate change. It shows clear differences in habitat choice between species as well as a remarkable ability of many butterflies to buffer their temperature in the face of climate change.
“In spring butterflies can be up to 12 degrees warmer than the air temperature and butterflies that are active in the spring are better able regulate their temperature. Results showed a clear increase in activity with increasing temperature, highlighting the importance of sheltered and warmer areas on reserves. However it also indicates that species active in the summer find it more difficult to thermo-regulate in changing conditions.
“Butterflies are a great indicator of how other insects are faring and the increase in butterfly numbers on these sites is a great indication that they are also providing valuable habitat for other wildlife.”
For more information please contact Ed Turner, Ecology Groups Officer for Bedfordshire on 07738 243676 or Jo Fowler, Communications Manager on 01954 713551 or email jo.fowler@wildlifebcnp.org
Notes to Editor
Inspiring people to take action to protect local wildlife is the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough’s mission. We manage 128 nature reserves - all of them free to visit - and 95% of the population across the three counties live within five miles of one of our reserves. We are working to make these wildlife havens bigger, better and more joined-up - helping wildlife to adapt to a changing climate. By gathering valuable information about wildlife and working with other landowners the Trust also monitors and safeguards wildlife beyond the boundary of its reserves. For more information see www.wildlifebcnp.org