Since 2012, we’ve worked with Lancashire Wildlife Trust (LWT) to restore the species to Heysham Moss, where it hadn’t been seen for over 100 years.
After acquisition of the site in 2004, LWT undertook restoration work at Heysham to ensure the habitat was suitable for the species. A rearing programme was initiated in 2013 with gravid female butterflies collected from Winnmarleigh Moss.
We also constructed bespoke enclosures at the zoo to receive the butterflies for egg laying and rearing larvae to pupation. In 2014 and 2015 pupae have been transported to Heysham Moss, and adult butterflies released once emerged. A third and final rearing cycle is in progress.
Ongoing monitoring is in place for 2017-2020 to assess the sustainability of the reintroduced population of large heath butterflies at Heysham Moss.
Key facts
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adult butterflies released at Heysham over two years
Mating butterflies observed at the release site after each release
Awareness raised about fragile lowland bogs and their species
Large heath life cycle completed in the wild at Heysham between 2014 and 2015
OUR TEAM OF EXPERTS WORK IN SIX REGIONS AROUND THE GLOBE – REPRESENTING SOME OF THE PLANET’S MOST BIODIVERSE HABITATS. Discover more about our SCIENCE AND CONSERVATION work.