A rare butterfly has been found near Keswick.
Thirteen Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries were found on Derwent Common, on a track leading up to Force Crag Mine, above Braithwaite.
The butterfly is in severe decline across many parts of England. Martin Wain, of Butterfly Conservation, carried out the survey. He said there was no known record of the butterfly along Coledale Back on the flank of Grizedale Pike.
The survey is part of a three-year, £3 million project on Our Upland Commons, helping to secure the future of upland commons in England, led by the Foundation for Common Land and made possible by grants from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Esmée Fairbairn, Garfield Weston Foundations and local funders.
Martin said: “Butterflies can be really choosy about where they live, making them great indicators of habitat changes.
“It’s a really good to see the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterflies doing well on the Common. Plus it shows the habitat this butterfly likes can be created or restored.
“In this case, fencing around trees is protecting their food. Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterflies lay their eggs on Marsh Violet, which their caterpillars eat. And Marsh Thistle provides nectar for the adults to feed on.
“Butterflies tell us a lot about climate and habitat change, and also about local nature recovery. It is great for the project that we have this record, of the butterfly on this huge upland common, and on the first day of looking. What else might we find?
Lakes project officer, for the Our Upland Commons project, Alan Robinson says: “The survey has only just begun. It’s the sort of record that shows managing commons in different ways brings multiple benefits. It’s really important that we talk to those involved in managing the commons. We hope they will be interested in what we are doing and what that could mean. I will be getting in touch very soon.”
