| ![]() Blean Woods - Wildlife Heath Fritillary Butterfly ( mellicta athalia) ![]() |
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The heath fritillary is a small orange, brown and black butterfly which can
be seen in the woods on warm sunny days between the end of May and July.(click
on the butterfly to see a clearer picture.) In 1985 the butterfly was described
as "probably the most endangered butterfly in Britain now confined to a handful
of sites in SW England and Kent". Since then conservation organisations have
worked hard to protect the populations and in the Blean numbers have increased.
The Life Cycle of the Heath Fritillary.
Adult butterflies emerge from their pupae
at the end of May and June. When flying both males and females usually keep
close to the ground and only occasionally fly over tall trees and shribs.
The butterflies feed on nectar from a variety of plants especially brambles
and buttercups.
In the Blean the female will only lay their
eggs on common cow-wheat (Mealampyrum pratense). The eggs are pale
yellow and turn dark grey two days before hatching. They are laid in batches
of between 60 and 100 eggs. The eggs are laid close to the ground and hatch
after 15 to 23 days.
The caterpillars are pale cream with a
dark head at first but become dark brown. In August or September the caterpillars
stop feeding and form protective hibernaculae where they spend the winter.
In spring the larvae will bask in sunlight. The larvae pupate in May and June
and pupae for 2 to 3 weeks before emerging.
Conservation of the Heath Fritillary.
A number of activities within the Blean have helped protect the Heath Fritillary Butterfly;
Coppice management. This traditional technique
involves cutting trees on a 25 year cycle. It produces woodland with areas
of trees in different stages of growth. This provides a wider variety of habitats
than mature woodland. The caterpillars food plant, cow-wheat is only found
in such coppiced areas.
Ride management. Rides are the wide pathways
which can be found in woodlands. Rides have played an important part in the
conservation of the Heath Fritillary butterfly because they allow them to
move from one area of woodland to another increasing their distribution.