All the holly blue butterflies you will see next spring are sitting around as pupae at the moment. The spring generation – late April-end of May – feeds on holly and the summer generation – late June-early August – feeds on ivy. Spare a thought for butterflies this Christmas.
Author: Mark
Born Bristol, UK
Educated: Cleeve House School Bristol, Bristol Grammar School and Downing College Cambridge
Ph.D. University of Aberdeen, Winter activity of pipistrelle bats.
NERC post-doctoral Research Fellow, Edward Grey Institute, Oxford University
Former Conservation Director of the RSPB, 1989-2011
MP letters
I told you that I went to see my MP Louise Mensch a little while ago and she said that she would write to the Treasury asking for the evidence that the Habitats Regulations are a brake on the UK economy and to Defra asking about implementation of the Birds Directive (given the decline in…
British Wildlife
You can find an article by me in the current edition of British Wildlife – it’s about farming and doesn’t mention Peter Kendall. It does mention farmer-bashing, Defra Ministers, the Farmland Bird Index and asking for our money back – but that’s enough clues, you will have to read the article to fill in the…
Red kites
I see red kites quite often over my garden in east Northants now – practically every day if the weather is OK and I spend enough time looking. I saw one as I was on my way to the Post Office on Tuesday, and on both Tuesday and Wednesday, on trips to London, I saw…
You are directly affected, but Defra has forgotten you
Defra has started a consultation on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy – don’t panic, you have until 5 March to respond. But Defra only wants views from those who may be affected by these proposals. And that appears to mean English farmers, environmental groups, rural communities, non-governmental organisations and other interested parties. But there…