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£10.99Volunteers are being sought by two wildlife charities to assist in identifying glow-in-the-dark caterpillars at night using ultraviolet lights. This innovative technique aims to streamline the process of surveying butterflies and moths, offering insights into their behavior and evolution. The project focuses on Bernwood Forest, the River Ray, and Otmoor Basin near Oxford, with conservation experts optimistic about the potential benefits of this new method. According to Steven Lofting, a conservation manager at Dorset-based Butterfly Conservation, this approach could revolutionize our understanding of the biology, distribution, abundance, and ecology of these insects.
Training in this groundbreaking technique is part of a larger initiative led by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT), which has received funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The program kicked off with the training of the first batch of volunteers at the Trust’s Finemere Wood nature reserve situated between Bicester and Aylesbury. These volunteers were tasked with spotting caterpillars belonging to the UK’s five hairstreak butterfly species – a crucial task considering the endangered status of the black hairstreak and the vulnerable status of the brown and white-letter hairstreaks.
Furthermore, BBOWT plans to apply for additional funding to support the Reconnecting Bernwood, Otmoor, and the Ray project, which aims to restore habitats for threatened species along the Oxfordshire-Buckinghamshire border. By collaborating with local communities, farmers, and landowners, the initiative seeks to enhance the abundance and range of hairstreak butterflies through habitat restoration efforts. Emily Coulam from BBOWT underscores the importance of the data collected by volunteers, emphasizing its role in shaping strategies to bolster these butterfly populations.
Butterfly Conservation and BBOWT have been conducting surveys on hairstreaks for years, although the traditional techniques have proven to be laborious and time-consuming. Volunteers often had to scour bushes for tiny eggs during winter months, using magnifying glasses to identify them accurately. The adoption of ultraviolet light is expected to simplify this process significantly, allowing for quicker and more efficient surveys. As noted by Mr. Lofting, the ability to illuminate these caterpillars with an ultraviolet light source can revolutionize the way surveys are conducted, potentially expediting efforts to safeguard these vulnerable species
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