Woucha!! Today we had Mike from Butterfly Conservation, me, Mick, Tim and Mike and we started pulling up the new bramble growth. Boy are they prickly and defensive, but we pulled up loads and roots too. We also got rid of all the clumps of nettles.

Mike supplied us with 600+ plugs of Wild Strawberry. Six trays of them!!

This plant is the preferred food plant for Grizzled Skipper caterpillars.

We also have Kidney Vetch growing.

This is the sole food plant for the Small Blue caterpillars.

And lastly, we have Bird’s-foot-trefoil.

This is the preferred food plant for Dingy Skipper caterpillars.

All of the above butterflies are high priority because their numbers are in decline. All we need to do is help the right plants grow, and limit the growth of invasive plants like bramble, nettle and thistle, and we will hopefully have a sanctuary for these butterfly breeds to thrive.

Next workday is Monday 6th June. Back at Berrybanks getting the rest of the Wild Strawberry in. Just 500 to do!!

Great work today and great turnout on a bank-holiday.

Paul