Heath Fritillaryhas Marked Little Butterfly’Snational Range

Hist. Soc.31; 66-72 Hist. Soc.32; 50-57 Name: George AM(2002). Relevant LondonHAPs: Protected status: London status: status: UK © Greater London Authority/London Biodiversity Partnership 2007 London Biodiversity ActionPlan -PrioritySpecies PRIORITY Shirt, DB(ed.).(1987). Society) Plant CW(1987).Thebutterflies of theLondon Area. (LondonNaturalHistory Press) Conservation/Centre for EcologyandHydrology(OxfordUniversity George AM(2006). Asher Jetal.(2001). species Butterfly Conservation, data account References: Conservation priorities: Council/Ruislip &DistrictNaturalHistorySociety maintaining aself-sustaining population here.Managingauthority; Hillingdon Borough present itis too earlytostatethesuccess of the introduction intermsofthebutterfly common cow-wheat was considered anideal introduction site asitsupports alarge andthrivingcolonyof licence issued byEnglishNature.This Hillingdon), under aconservation Woods NationalNatureReserve(LB recently beenintroduced toRuislip Greater Londontheheath fritillaryhas marked little butterfly’snational range. In modestly expandedthis beautifully- SPECIESaction hashalted thedecline andeven although determined conservation east Kentand theWest Country, was reduced tojustahandful ofsites in has furthercontenders. At onetimeit butterfly, althoughthisdubious title now considered theendangered UK’smost The heathfritillarywasuntil recently Citation:

The HeathFritillaryProject The HeathFritillaryProject Melampyrum pratense LondonThe Milleniumatlas ofbutterflies inBritain andIreland BAP British RedDataBooks: 2.Insects historic decline.

UK BAP Priority UK BAP Melitaea athalia Heath fritillary butterfly • • Woodland biological diversityinEngland’(CRoWAct,2000) ‘Species of principal importance for theconservationof • Recently introducedto1 site. Ruislip WoodsNNR Monitor establishmentfromintroducedstockwithin NNR for atRuislipWoods management Continue optimum 5(full W&CA, Schedule protection) Melitaea athalia , the species’ mainlarvalfoodplant.At . Rare, RDB2 (Shirt, 1987).Severe . Rare,RDB2(Shirt, . Journal ofthe Ruislip& District Nat. . Journal ofthe Ruislip& District Nat.