www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

There is an article in today's Sunday Telegraph (page 18) about David Attenborough's support for Butterfly World , a £25 million project which would be "the world's largest walk-through butterfly enclosure".

The illustration shows b/w photos of High Brown Fritillary, Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Wood White, Duke of Burgundy & White Letter Hairstreak

I am not sure if the enclosure is for British Butterflies.

Charles

If it's the project near St Albans, there is a website here

http://www.butterfly-world.org/

This will contain a large dome for tropical butterflies and areas of wildflower meadows/downland for native species.

thanks Matsukaze... that looks like it

charles

I've just watched Clive Farrell and David Bellamy being interviewed about this project on GMTV. Bellamy was extremely enthusiastic about it but I must say that it seems to be an enormous and very ambitious project.
Alex

Maybe an enormous & ambitious project will grab the attention of the public... many of whom have attention spans shorter than those of butterflies.

charles

The press release was sent to me today - I've posted it here:

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/reports_ ... _world.php

My conclusion is that this initiative will definitely raise awareness, and some funds will be going directly towards research and conservation. All in all - sounds very ambitious, and a very worthy project!

Cheers,

- Pete

I seem to recall the architect was honoured by BC at last November's AGM. I guess they should know best whether he is a serious conservationist or a commercial cowboy. This was on the BC site:

http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/a ... _m25_.html

today's Times has a rather longer article on the same subject... this time with colour illustrations of butterflies & a morpho moth

charles

Well I, for one, will be winging my way over there as soon as it opens (sooner if Pete can wangle a preview visit for UKB members )

Martin.

A similar article in the Guardian today - including a photo gallery with a few photos from a certain Peter Eeles...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/g ... =332951897

In this Guardian article, #5 in the thumbnail series doesn't look much like a grizzled skipper (pyrgus malvae) to me. If I had to guess (always unwise where pyrgus are concerned) I'd go for olive skipper (P. serratulae) which of course does not occur in the UK.

Over to you, Guy.

An interesting series of pictures and descriptions there.
Three, I note, from a certain Mr. EEles.
Why on earth did they have to use a set specimen for the White-letter Hairstreak?

Hamearis

Hi Roger,

Your post begs a question - if another species of Pyrgus were to colonise the UK, how long would it be before anyone would notice?