Butterfly Junction
Butterfly Junction is a patch of scrubland on an abandoned industrial site close to the Create Centre and Ashton Avenue bridge. The site proved to be an excellent habitat because of its relatively undisturbed location. FrANC members carry out an annual winter management programme to protect the area for butterfly and day moth breeding by clearing rubbish, cutting back brambles and other vegetation that threaten to shade the grassy area.
FrANC members and others have been monitoring the area for butterflies and day moths for several years and take part in the nationwide annual Big Butterfly Count during a three-week period each summer in July/August.
When FrANC first started noting the different species of butterflies and day moths there were more than twenty. In common with much of the rest of the UK, there has sadly been a sharp decline in both species and numbers in recent years.
The Avon New Cut
Species
Marbled white, ringlet and skippers breed here on grasses - as does the common blue butterfly, probably on bird’s-foot trefoil.
Others such as gatekeepers, small tortoiseshell, red admiral and peacock regularly pass through the site to feed or rest. (Butterflies list)
Speckled Wood
Gatekeeper
Red Admiral
Painted Lady
Marbled White
Common Blue- male
Peacock
Orange Tip
Common Blue- female
Red Admiral
Ringlet
6 Spot Burnet
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Important butterfly food grasses such as cock's foot, red fescue, and yorkshire fog have been found on the site, as well as seven species identified as 'Avon Notable'.
They are blue fleabane, rat's tail fescue, ferngrass, flattened meadow grass, sea-couch, small toadflax and great lettuce.
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The Leaflets and books section includes a leaflet about Butterfly Junction and other leaflets published by Butterfly Conservation to aid butterfly identification during the annual Big Butterfly Count, together with a FrANC Survey Form for recording observations.
All are available to download by clicking the images below.
