A rare, protected species of butterfly has been spotted at Hadleigh Great Wood, one of the many green spaces owned by Southend-on-Sea City Council.
Thanks to the efforts of Essex and Suffolk Water, (supported by conservation charities) the species has been encouraged to stay.
The Heath Fritillary butterfly was considered to be on the brink of extinction in the 1970s, but Ashley Pinnock, Conservation Specialist at Essex and Suffolk Water, spotted one whilst working at neighbouring Oakwood Reservoir three years ago.
Working alongside Essex Wildlife Trust and the Butterfly Conservation team, he pinpointed a plant called common cow-wheat as a food source and has spent the past three years carefully managing the plant to ensure the butterflies' ongoing survival.
Ashley said: “I love butterflies and was working away one day when I saw a Heath Fritillary fly past me, and I couldn't believe it. I immediately investigated what I could do to preserve and manage their habitat and in the past three years I've seen both male and female butterflies, but no caterpillars yet.
“Working with our partners we've learnt that the butterflies have been using Oakwood Reservoir as a stepping-stone between two woodlands, Hadleigh Great Wood and Pound Wood. It's so important, because these are rare butterflies, with just a few remaining strongholds in Britain where they can be seen. Allowing them to migrate from one location to the next is important for their breeding and genetics, to ensure the future of the species.”
The butterflies live for approximately three weeks and are spotted in the months of May and June. However, the work to the habitat for the coming year started back in November 2023.
Ruth Angrave, Nature Reserves Manager for Essex Wildlife Trust, said: “This crucial piece of work will connect two populations of this enigmatic butterfly and provide a corridor for this and other species to move between two important woodlands. This work is a great example of the benefits of partnership working can bring to species and habitats.”
In Hadleigh Great Wood the numbers have increased from seven sightings in 2016 to 75 in 2021, with a peak number of 148 in 2019. Since 2016, the number of Heath Fritillary butterflies in Pound Wood has increased from 40 in 2016 to 120 sightings in 2021.
Councillor Meg Davidson, cabinet member for environment at Southend-on-Sea City Council, said: “It is wonderful to hear of such great partnership working to make sure these rare and protected butterflies are given the best opportunity and conditions to thrive. The discovery shows how important it is to have connected habitats for the species to flourish.”