Moth work yields results
23/09/09
The end of
August saw the annual mothwatch at the Footprint
celebrating the success of the conservation work
that has been taking place right outside its
windows. Thanks
to the work of The National Trust, an uncommon
native plant, Touch-me-not Balsam is growing in the
woodland adjacent to the building. Touch me not
Balsam is the only food source of the rare and
protected Netted Carpet Moth but with the plants’
reintroduction sightings of the moth are
increasing.
“Getting Touch-me-not Balsam back has involved a lot of work,” said the National Trust’s warden Roland Wicksteed, “The ground needs to be disturbed and the seed spread around for the plant to grow.”
Traditionally, this would have been done by grazing wild boar, but Roland had a more contemporary and innovative way of undertaking this. “We asked children from Ambleside Primary School to do their best cattle impressions and trample the ground where the plants need to grow. They had great fun and really helped to boost the plants’ numbers.”
The mothwatch was run at the Footprint by The National Trust’s Kelley Sproston-Heath (Communities and Learning Officer) and Benjamin Knipe (Warden) with assistance from Roland Wicksteed. The moth experts bringing equipment and expertise were Sarah Bradley (Moth Officer, Cumbria Branch Butterfly Conservation), Rob Petley-Jones (Natural England), John Knowler (Butterfly Conservation Scotland) and Martin Tordoff.
As soon as the traps were set a variety of winged insects were attracted, observed, counted and released, including, much to everyone’s delight, several fine and healthy Netted Carpet Moths.
“Getting Touch-me-not Balsam back has involved a lot of work,” said the National Trust’s warden Roland Wicksteed, “The ground needs to be disturbed and the seed spread around for the plant to grow.”
Traditionally, this would have been done by grazing wild boar, but Roland had a more contemporary and innovative way of undertaking this. “We asked children from Ambleside Primary School to do their best cattle impressions and trample the ground where the plants need to grow. They had great fun and really helped to boost the plants’ numbers.”
The mothwatch was run at the Footprint by The National Trust’s Kelley Sproston-Heath (Communities and Learning Officer) and Benjamin Knipe (Warden) with assistance from Roland Wicksteed. The moth experts bringing equipment and expertise were Sarah Bradley (Moth Officer, Cumbria Branch Butterfly Conservation), Rob Petley-Jones (Natural England), John Knowler (Butterfly Conservation Scotland) and Martin Tordoff.
As soon as the traps were set a variety of winged insects were attracted, observed, counted and released, including, much to everyone’s delight, several fine and healthy Netted Carpet Moths.