Establishment of Moth Species in Cheshire

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GasMacc1
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2017 11:10 am

Establishment of Moth Species in Cheshire

Post by GasMacc1 »

Establishment of Moth Species in Cheshire

Butterfly Conservation and Lancashire Wildlife Trust have recently been engaged in projects to re-introduce Large Heath butterflies in the north-west of England. At a recent meeting, I am told, they considered further potential projects. One candidate was the introduction of Manchester Treble Bar and Purple-bordered Gold species to sites in Cheshire.

As the moth-recording representative on the Cheshire & Wirral Butterfly Conservation committee, I was asked to canvass your views about possible sites in Cheshire for such projects to take place.

Whilst agreeing to pose the question, to the Cheshire moth groups on facebook and on the forum, I did pause to ask the Cheshire committee whether such projects are entirely risk-free.

As a result, a little flurry of discussion took place. As I suspected, the topic is not free from controversy! A recent article - using the term ‘maverick re-wilders” - was found!

A document - “Insect re-establishment: a code of conservation practice” (1986) by the Joint Committee for the Conservation of British Invertebrates (JCCBI) and published by the Amateur Entomologist’s Society - was also referenced. I have dropped a copy into the “Files” section of the facebook group. (RECORD says the doc at 22kB is too large to attach -?!).

In the document the JCCBI:
  • recommends that no specific proposal for insect re-establishment be condemned or approved without full discussion and consideration, with objectives clearly formulated.

    draws the distinction between re-establishment (where a species was formerly present, but has died out) and introduction (where a species was not known to occur).

    emphasises the importance of understanding the site ecology and preparing the site, the source of the species stock and subsequent monitoring of the effects of the re-establishment.
Be all that as it may, I will now ask the questions:
  • is the idea of introduction / re-establishment a good one?
    are Manchester Treble Bar and Purple-bordered Gold the right species to establish?
    where in Cheshire would be good sites?
I’d be very grateful for your views!

Thanks,
Dave Maddy.
Last edited by GasMacc1 on Wed Jan 06, 2021 12:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
RachelMC
Posts: 460
Joined: Mon May 17, 2010 1:04 pm
Location: Chester

Re: Establishment of Moth Species in Cheshire

Post by RachelMC »

I'm not sure why you weren't able to add a 22kb doc - but is this the document you refer to published online in a web page?
https://www.amentsoc.org/publications/o ... blish.html

Rachel
(RECORD Volunteer)
GasMacc1
Posts: 175
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2017 11:10 am

Re: Establishment of Moth Species in Cheshire

Post by GasMacc1 »

It is! Thanks very much, Rachel.
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