Wildlife Surveys and Ongoing Projects

Our farm is the most important known breeding site for the Brown Hairstreak Butterfly (Thecla betulae) in Wales. Field studies 2002-2004 by Richard Smith and Michael Clark (Butterfly Conservation Report No S05-10  : 2005) show that our area had an egg count of 1,024 in comparison with the nearest best site of 114 eggs. Habitat management is critical for this sensitive species that is heavily dependent on areas of blackthorn in the 2-3 year age cohort. The Brown Hairstreak is already a Species of Conservation Concern and it is proposed to elevate it to Biodiversity Action Plan status. In October 2002 the species was added to Section 74 'List of Species and Habitats of Principal Importance for Biodiversity in Wales' by the National Assembl;y for Wales. For more details see Brown Hairstreak Survey or contact info@butterfly-conservation.org

This winter Butterfly Conservation Wales plans to undertake some management days on the farm, cutting some old growth blackthorn back in order to encourage a rotation of young growth suitable for the Hairstreaks to lay their eggs on.

The farm has some 17 km of old banked hedges, some of them ancient, and we have planted a further 3.2 km. We have also now removed 28 ha (62 acres) out of agriculture into mainly broad-leaved woodland and conservation land. Now we will consider the possibility of planting further stocks of blackthorn to encourage the Hairstreaks to lay further out from the prime focus areas.