Pint-sized butterfly beats extinction in Hertfordshire
Thursday 24th June 2010
Britain's tiniest butterfly, the small blue, has made big news by returning to Hertfordshire after being extinct in the county for eight years. This dinky delight, which is barely bigger than a five pence piece, was spotted at Aldbury Nowers Nature Reserve near Tring recently, where Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust (HMWT) have been carefully managing the habitat to encourage butterflies to thrive.
It seems the unassuming little insect decided to put in a special appearance for National Insect Week, which runs until 27 June. Local resident Martin Hicks, who made the discovery, has surveyed the butterflies at Aldbury Nowers NR since 2003 every single week without fail during the summer months.
"Aldbury is fantastic for butterflies - we have species doing well here that are declining elsewhere, like the green hairstreak, dingy skipper and grizzled skipper. I really hit the jackpot on my 235th survey though! I could hardly believe it when I spotted the small blues."
The return of the species to Aldbury Nowers NR is thanks to extensive work carried out by Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust to encourage the plants that butterflies favour, such as kidney vetch in the case of the small blue. Particularly important is the grazing of the land by HMWT’s own flock of sheep, which creates just the right environment for fussy butterfly species.
Paul Thrush, Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust's Reserves Officer said: "It's great that the small blues are back. Four years ago we launched a major restoration project at Aldbury and part of the work we do involves removing scrub and vegetation, allowing rarer, smaller plants like kidney vetch to return. With the help of funding from SITA, Chilterns AONB and Natural England and the dedication of volunteers and HMWT staff, this reserve has become the best place in the county for butterflies."
Story by Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust