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As my home county and the county I currently reside in, Essex and its flora and fauna are of particular interest to me. With some of the worrying developments along the Thames (notably the West Thurrock Marshes) it was good to read some positive news for the Grizzled Skipper, Pyrgus malvae (Wisbey, 2008: pg.5) and the Heath Fritillary, Melitaea athalia (Grimshaw, 2008: pg.7) in the Winter issue of Essex Wildlife.

Langdon nature reserve has managed their meadows with periodic sheep and cattle grazing, preventing growth of young trees and the more rapidly growing plants and grasses, allowing smaller plants survive. This meadow management has allowed the populations of P. malvae to increase.

Little Haven nature reserve has a growing colony of M. athalia along a managed area of coppiced trees under power lines which also has lots of Common Cow-wheat, Melampyrum pratense, one of the main foodplants for the species. As this is a UK BAP priority species with decreasing distribution and populations, this is fantastic news.

Reference:
Wisbey, J. (2008) Grizzled Skippers at Langdon, Essex Wildlife, November 2008, No. 77.
Grimshaw, S. (2008) Heath Fritillary now well established at Little Haven nature reserve, Essex Wildlife, November 2008, No. 77.