Extinct in England for over 40 years, our long lost chequered skipper has been reintroduced back to where it was last seen in the woods of the East Midlands and Springwatch went along for the ride!
It’s not often that we hear about a good news story in conservation like the successful reintroduction of the large blue butterfly. However, the events of the last week have certainly given us something to celebrate, giving us a moment to treasure, one that’s been hailed an important milestone for conservation.
The chequered skipper butterfly became extinct in England in 1976 mainly due to changes in woodland management. A decline in coppicing, establishment of conifer plantations, loss of ancient woodland, alongside the spread of myxomatosis that decimated our rabbit population, which in turn caused grassland habitat to turn to scrub. All these factors combined left the English population with lessoned food supplies, no habitat and therefore, little hope.
However, last week fifty chequered skippers have been relocated and reintroduced to Rockingham Forest, Northamptonshire, all the way from Belgium. A pretty long way when you think when there is still a population in Scotland! But after years of hard work by landowners, conservationists and volunteers, it was found that the Scottish population are reliant on a different food source not found in England. Scientists have been studying the woods in Belgium for some time and have relocated the butterflies from a woodland area which has the same food plants and similar rainfall as the woods of Northamptonshire. The chequered skippers favourite habitat is warm, damp but sunny grasslands near woodland, so Rockingham Forest is now once again the perfect spot!
The butterflies were taken from five different sites in Belgium to avoid impacting the previous breeding populations, with 40 females and 10 males being bought to England via the Eurostar! It’s hoped that egg carrying females will lay once they have settled into their new home, which would increase the English numbers even more.
Habitat restoration has been underway in Rockingham Forest in the hope that one day a reintroduction would be on the cards. Woodlands have been restored and access paths have been widened to allow wild flowers to thrive once again, particularly the false-brome, the chequered skippers primary food source. The forests restoration will not only benefit the chequered skipper, but also a host of species such as barbastelle bats, adders, and woodpeckers.
and project were both thrilled to have a successful release in Rockingham Forest. Both groups along have been instrumental in bringing back the chequered skipper as part of the wider Back From the Brink programme funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
We went along for the momentous day with our very own Chris Packham who was just as thrilled to see an extinct species be reintroduced back to its previous stronghold. The butterflies will be closely monitored by conservationists and volunteers to see how they adapt to their new home. We wish them all the luck for the future.
Welcome home to our chequered skipper, oh how we’ve missed you!