Marsh Fritillary Project
Marsh Fritillary butterflies are to be found in large numbers at Trelusback thanks to the work being carried out to improve and enlarge the area of suitable habitat. Over eighty larval webs were found when the site was surveyed in the late Summer of 2022.
Volunteers from Cornwall Butterfly and Moth Society and Kernow Conservation have worked to clear parts of Trelusback to increase the amount of suitable habitat. South West Lakes Trust and Cornwall Wildlife Trust volunteers have planted the newly cleared areas with Devils-bit Scabious seedlings. The Marsh Fritillary site still needs further work due to invasion by bracken, willow, gorse and bramble. When the site is finished the levels of Marsh Fritillary should increase substantially. It is hoped that these butterflies will spread back to neighbouring sites which until only a few years ago contained substantial numbers of larval webs.
Volunteers from Cornwall Butterfly and Moth Society and Kernow Conservation have worked to clear parts of Trelusback to increase the amount of suitable habitat. South West Lakes Trust and Cornwall Wildlife Trust volunteers have planted the newly cleared areas with Devils-bit Scabious seedlings. The Marsh Fritillary site still needs further work due to invasion by bracken, willow, gorse and bramble. When the site is finished the levels of Marsh Fritillary should increase substantially. It is hoped that these butterflies will spread back to neighbouring sites which until only a few years ago contained substantial numbers of larval webs.
Photograph taken at Trelusback by Rowena Castillo-Nicholls of Cornwall Butterfly and Moth Society