CHELTENHAM ACTIVISTS NETWORK

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IT’S been a while since my last update on our Back from the Brink project here in the Cotswolds but I am pleased to report some very positive results.

Over the past three years we have run numerous training workshops teaching volunteers how to survey for our target species.

To date more than 120 people have helped carry out surveys allowing us to learn how these species are faring.

From these surveys we’ve discovered nine new sites for the Rugged Oil Beetle.

This nationally scarce species is active after dark during the autumn and winter months and has an important stronghold here in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds.

The Rock-rose Pot Beetle is even rarer having been known from only four sites in England, two of which are in Gloucestershire.

This year our surveys found more of these beetles here in Gloucestershire than had previously been found across all four sites over the past 150 years! Even more excitement came when two of our volunteers rediscovered the beetle at Rodborough Common near

Stroud where it hadn’t been seen since 1985.

On the butterfly front we’ve had fantastic success with bringing back the Large Blue to Rodborough Common.

The re-introduction last year of Large Blue caterpillars to the common resulted in a fantastic emergence of adults this summer, which last flew here 150 years ago!

We have also had some very good news for our Marsh Fritillaries.

For many years this butterfly has been known to breed at just one site in Gloucestershire, however surveys carried out in February discovered evidence of breeding at a second site.

Very encouraging news for a butterfly on the verge of going extinct in the county.

All this work really couldn’t be achieved without the financial support of the National Heritage Lottery Fund and the hard work of our dedicated volunteers and partner organisations, so fingers crossed for even more positive results in the future!

For more information visit naturebftb.co.uk/.