On Tuesday earlier this week, the Grizzled Skipper Project volunteers were out working along the Great Central Railway (south of East Leake) enjoying a touch of autumnal sunshine whilst raking to improve the habitat along the heritage railway line. There were 10 of us working our way along the steep cutting, clearing grass cuttings from sections of the sites. The main aim of the work party was to try to remove the arisings. This should help to maintain low nutrient levels on the grassland which in turn will maintain the floristic diversity at the site and as a result enable the site to continue to support a diverse range of invertebrate species (including the grizzled skipper butterfly). There are good populations of all three of the grizzled skipper’s key foodplants, creeping cinquefoil, wild strawberry and agrimony, within the cutting which is an excellent site for the grizzled skipper butterfly and is a great location to identify egg laying by the female grizzled skipper butterfly in the spring..

In addition to the main task we were also able to plant some of the foodplants, as plugs, into an area further to the south of this site, known as the Lime Sidings,  This area often sees grizzled skipper patrolling this area during the spring, so the idea is to introduce all three foodplants into this area to possibly try and increase the opportunities for egg laying in the future. The plug plants were all grown on by volunteers over the winter. Seed and plants, taken from existing sites, are provided to the volunteers to grow on in their gardens/greenhouses, to provide a resource that can be planted out at suitable locations each autumn/winter.  If this sounds like something you may be able to get involved with then please feel free to contact me to let me know your interest..

A big thank you to all the volunteers for all their hard work, we managed to get everything completed before the showery weather came along in the afternoon. A wonderful job was done that has helped to put one more Nottinghamshire site into a good condition in time for the grizzled skipper flight season next spring.

The next work party will be taking place, very soon, on Sunday 26th October. This time we will be heading to the Southeast of Nottinghamshire, close to Bingham. We will be working hay raking along a disused railway line close to Granby village and if time allows, we will also be undertaking some work to cut back some scrub too. We will be working from 10am to 3/3:30pm, so if you are free and you’d like to help, please contact me and I will send to you meeting instructions. Your help will be warmly welcomed.

Yesterday, the Grizzled Skipper Project volunteers visited their second site of the current autumn/winter. Working along the disused railway line near to Granby village, in south Notts, 22 volunteers braved a short blast of artic air to assist with the management of this site. The number of volunteers were bolstered by a very good turn out from NTU Conservation Society, and with this welcomed addition, we supported the largest grizzled skipper project turn-out since 202 and our pre-Covid work parties - it’s always great to work with a large group of volunteers.

As with the previous work party, held last week along the Great Central Railway, the main aim of the day, was to try to remove the arisings that were created a few weeks earlier when the grassland was cut. The result of raking off the grass and herbs, is to maintain and reduce the low nutrient levels on the grassland, which in turn will maintain the floristic diversity at the site and as a result enable the site to continue to support a diverse range of invertebrate species (including the grizzled skipper butterfly).

This site supports large amounts of creeping cinquefoil (a key foodplant of the grizzled skipper larvae/caterpillar). To increase the range of foodplants at the site our volunteers also planted out some agrimony and weeded through some of the ballast piles which in the past have been preferred locations for egg laying.

With such good numbers, we were able to make short work of the hay raking and just before we stopped for lunch we were able to clear some scrub from the northern section of this site that links through to Bingham Linear Park, another important site for Grizzled Skipper. We worked hard and made a good impact on the site. Over the next few years, we are hoping to clear the old trackbed of scrub, with the future aim of making a connected area of grassland habitat between the two sites, Bingham Linear Park and Granby Disused Railway. As ever, it was a very enjoyable day, and it was great to see the difference that people can make by giving up a few hours of their time.

Many thanks to everyone who came along and for all their hard work.  That’s the second site we have managed to put in a good condition in time for the grizzled skipper flight season next spring.

The next work party is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 4th November. We will be heading back to the south-west of Nottinghamshire, south of East Leake. We will be working at Grange Farm cutting back scrub from this interesting and biodiverse site. We will be working from 10am to 3/3:30pm, so if you are free and you’d like to help, please contact me and I will send to you meeting instructions. As always, your help will be warmly welcomed.

Yesterday, the Grizzled Skipper Project volunteers were out and about for the third working party of the winter season.

An enthusiastic group of 10 of us, ventured down to Grange Farm, in the Southwest corner of Nottinghamshire, to undertake work to manage this lovely site for the benefit of grizzled skipper (and other invertebrate species).

The work party focused on the northern clearing, at which several sightings of grizzled skipper were recorded by volunteers during the spring, earlier this year.

The aim of the work party was to cut back areas of regenerating scrub and to ensure that the site remains open (but sheltered) into the future. The site is an excellent wildlife site, that supports a mosaic of habitats, with open areas of grassland in between areas of scrub and woodland. There is also a large pond at the southern end of the site that is known to support a significant population of toads.

This site currently supports all three of the grizzled skipper’s main food plants, creeping cinquefoil, wild strawberry and agrimony. These foodplants are all members of the rose family and the female grizzled skipper will actively search these out during the flight season, laying her eggs on the underside of suitable leaves. When the eggs hatch, the caterpillars can feed and grow quickly on these plants, before moving onto other courser members of the rose family (bramble etc..) as their ability to eat courser material develops. Five years ago, as part of a volunteer work party, the volunteers planted agrimony at this site, as at the time it wasn’t present. This year there was lots of evidence that this plant is now doing well at the site. By having all three known larval food plants at the site, we are hoping that we can give the grizzled skipper the best chance possible to maintain and extend its population.

Finally, another point of note from yesterday’s working party was the rediscovery of Hound’s-tongue at this lovely site. This plant is an unusual plant in Notts only seen at a handful of sites. Last year, if you remember, we discovered one plant at the site and this year we found three. Hound’s tongue is usually associated with dry base rich (calcareous) grasslands.

Many thanks to everyone who came along yesterday and for all your hard work, it was a great day. 

Yesterday, the Grizzled Skipper Project volunteers were working along the public footpath north of Flawborough village. This site was once a long linear working gypsum seam which over recent years has developed into an important area for wildlife, supporting areas of scrub, grassland, bare ground, swamp, marsh and open water.

Sunday, saw a group of 10 of us, working at various locations along the footpath, managing the scrub. Our aims at this site, are to prevent scrub encroachment into some wonderful areas of species rich, nutrient poor grassland, whilst maintaining and increasing the number of sheltered pockets which will be enjoyed by grizzled skipper butterflies during the spring. We are creating a wavy fringe to the scrub, which helps to soften the transition between habitat types creating a broader ecotone. This should help to create more sheltered areas and micro-habitats that will create a wider range of conditions to support grizzled skipper and other invertebrate and plant species.

We had a very productive day and after the wet weather at the end of last week we were fortunate to enjoy a dry day.

This site currently support’s a good and scattered population of one of the grizzled skipper’s main food plants, creeping cinquefoil. As part of the day, we also planted the other two commonly used foodplants, wild strawberry and agrimony to suitable locations. This will hopefully increase the options for egg laying for female grizzled skipper as they seek suitable locations in the spring flight season.

Many thanks to everyone who gave up their time yesterday to support nature in Nottinghamshire, it was a very productive day.