Home / Environment / Butterflies Return: Volunteers Plant Elms for Rare Species
Butterflies Return: Volunteers Plant Elms for Rare Species
16 Apr
Summary
- Volunteers planted over 400 disease-resistant elm trees.
- The white-letter hairstreak butterfly population has declined 80% since 1973.
- Eleven hairstreak butterflies and three caterpillars have been spotted so far.
A dedicated group of volunteers has undertaken a significant project to reintroduce the white-letter hairstreak butterfly by planting hundreds of elm trees. This species, vital to the Quantocks landscape, has faced an alarming 80% population decline since 1973, according to The UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme.
The Friends of the Quantocks group successfully planted 430 disease-resistant elm saplings across 38 locations. This effort is crucial as elm trees are the sole habitat for the white-letter hairstreak, which typically resides in the upper branches of mature trees. The project received funding from the farming in a protected landscape fund.
Recent observations have detected 11 white-letter hairstreak butterflies and three caterpillars in the area. Volunteers are optimistic about finding more of these elusive butterflies and potentially other species not seen for many years. This initiative represents a vital step in restoring the local ecosystem.
