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Early Spring butterflies

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For many of us it’s spotting the first butterflies that mean Spring is really here. The 59 species of UK butterflies (including 2 regular migrants) are some of our most attractive insects, but like many other species, their n umbers have declined dramatically over the last 50 years perhaps by as much as 50%. Major threats include  loss of habitat (especially food plants), continuing use of chemicals pesticides, and climate change. The earliest species on the wing are normally those that have overwintered in a dormant state as adult butterflies. The yellow B rimstone butterfly , named after an archaic word for sulphur, is one of the first butterflies we see flying in spring. That's because it steals a march on many other species by over-wintering as an adult, often among clusters of ivy leaves where its pale underwings camouflage it superbly.  The Brimstone has a very long proboscis, so it can reach nectar on flowers which most other UK butterflies cannot, such as runner beans ...
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Restoring our wildflower grasslands

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Glorious Cotswold Grasslands is an exciting and ambitious project which aims to create the largest network of wildflower rich Jurassic limestone grassland in the country – around 100 hectares in total, over three years.  In the 1930s, 40% of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) was covered in wildflower-rich grassland; today less than 1.5% remains.  This habitat was once abundant with beautiful wildflowers, and supported a vast diversity of wildlife, including butterflies, bees, bats, birds, and many other animals. Sadly, agricultural intensification and changing land management practices has led to the loss of almost all this grassland.  Over half of the country’s flower-rich Jurassic limestone grassland is found in the Cotswolds.  Glorious Cotswold Grasslands aims to reverse the decline in these habitats, by restoring and creating wildflower grasslands throughout the Cotswolds AONB. T he Cotswolds Conservation Board has been awarded a grant of ove...
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No pesticides - more bees

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Caroline: 'This is what I get beeing in my garden without pesticides' Most people are familiar with honey bees and bumblebees, but those who observe more closely will have noticed there are smaller furry bees moving from flower to flower. There are around 20,000 described bee species worldwide. Most of these bees are known as solitary bees with only 250 bumblebee species, 9 honey bee species and a number of social stingless bees worldwide. In Britain we have around 270 species of bee, just under 250 of which are solitary bees. These bees can be amazingly effective pollinators and as the name suggests tend not to live in colonies like bumblebees and honey bees. ' As a little head space activity I have been bee watching - something I started in lock down. This is what you get without pesticides' . (Caroline) Below are photos of some of the interesting early ground-nesting bees which were busy in Caroline's garden in the early Spring sunshine. I have also noticed many ...
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