New habitat for special butterfly

Butterfly Conservation says the Grizzled Skipper is in decline

A butterfly that is in decline in the UK has been spotted in a wildlife area created as part of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway project.

The Grizzled Skipper was initially found in the old railway cutting at Over which was to be redeveloped for the busway.

A new habitat for the butterfly was then designed adjacent to the cutting.

The area is one of 16 being created by the County Council as part of the ecological plan for the busway.

The Grizzled Skipper is one of the first small butterflies to emerge each year, with the first adults often seen in mid April.

Despite surviving in a range of habitats, such as disused railway sites and quarries, clearings and unimproved grassland, the charity Butterfly Conservation says the species seems to be in rapid decline.