Help Save the Marsh Fritillary Butterfly: A Call to Action for Land Managers

October 2024

Help Save the Marsh Fritillary Butterfly: A Call to Action for Land Managers

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Cumbria Connect is rallying farmers, land managers and landowners in the Lowther and Eden Valleys to help identify a crucial plant for the survival of one of Britain’s rarest butterflies, the Marsh Fritillary. By mapping where Devil’s Bit Scabious is growing, Cumbria Connect aims to support the butterfly’s recovery and create vital “stepping stones” to allow this species to spread throughout the landscape.

The Story of the Marsh Fritillary

Once widespread across the UK, the Marsh Fritillary butterfly faced steep declines due to the loss of wet grassland habitats, leading to its extinction in Cumbria by 2004. However, hope was rekindled in 2007 with the launch of the Cumbria Marsh Fritillary Project, which reintroduced the butterfly in several sites across the region.

Last summer, this rare butterfly was rediscovered by the RSPB Wild Haweswater team in the meadows of Swindale Valley and nearby Shap. This remarkable finding underscored the resilience of nature and the importance of continued conservation efforts.

A Blooming Success in 2024

This year, surveys conducted by the Wild Haweswater team have uncovered even more promising signs of recovery.

Annabelle Kennedy, Senior Farm and Conservation Advisor at Cumbria Connect, shared:

“In 2023, they found 23 webs—the intricate structures that the caterpillars spin to protect themselves from predators and to regulate their temperature. This year they have discovered 101 webs, each containing dozens, sometimes hundreds, of caterpillars busily feeding on Devil’s Bit Scabious—their essential food source.”

These caterpillars rely entirely on Devil’s Bit Scabious, a late-blooming purple wildflower, for survival. Its presence is essential for the butterfly’s lifecycle, from caterpillar to adult.

Grazing: A Key to Success

Land management plays a critical role in the growth of Devil’s Bit Scabious. Grazing by Fell Ponies and cattle is essential to maintaining the open, well-lit conditions this plant requires. By munching away at the coarser vegetation, grazing ensures that Devil’s Bit Scabious stays compact and gets enough sunlight to thrive.

This approach has proven effective in Swindale Valley, where careful grazing practices have supported the Marsh Fritillary’s resurgence. The collaboration between farming and wildlife conservation here is a shining example of harmony between agriculture and biodiversity.

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How You Can Help

If you’re a farmer or landowner in the Lowther or Eden Valley, you can play a vital role in saving the Marsh Fritillary. Cumbria Connect is urging you to survey your fields and meadows for Devil’s Bit Scabious.

Annabelle said:

“I’ve already been contacted by farmers to let me know they have Devil’s Bit Scabious.  We’ve been invited to return to their farms in the summer next year to see if there are any Marsh Fritillary Butterflies. We’d love for others to get in touch so that we can map where in the landscape it is growing and support with planting schemes where there are gaps.”

By identifying existing Devil’s Bit Scabious and planting new areas, Cumbria Connect can create stepping stones for the butterfly to move and establish populations across the landscape.

Get Involved

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Your sightings of Devil’s Bit Scabious could be crucial for the long-term survival of the Marsh Fritillary. Together, we can help these delicate butterflies reclaim their place in Cumbria’s meadows.

To report a sighting or learn more about how to contribute, email farming@connectfornature.org.uk.

Let’s work together to ensure the Marsh Fritillary butterfly thrives in Cumbria once more.