Location of reintroduced chequered skipper butterflies revealed
Butterfly Conservation is expecting many wildlife enthusiasts to visit the location in summer to catch a glimpse of the species.
The location of the recently reintroduced rare chequered skipper butterfly species has been revealed for public viewing.
Chequered skipper butterflies, with their distinctive yellow markings, have not been seen in the wild in England since 1976.
In order to allow the population to become stable, the location of the butterflies was kept secret as Butterfly Conservation and Forestry England worked hard to ensure the species' success.
Butterfly Conservation has now revealed that the chequered skipper population is in Fineshade Wood, Northamptonshire – allowing wildlife enthusiasts the opportunity to go and see this rare species in person.
The reintroduction of this species is part of the Back from the Brink conservation project - butterflies were collected in Belgium in 2018 and 2019 to be released in Fineshade Wood.
The organisation is hoping to establish further chequered skipper populations in additional sites, and ultimately ensure long-term sustainability for the species.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
