United Kingdom
January 9, 2015
Noting a rather difficult weather-related period of time for all pollinators, in 2013 the team at the farm, where the company’s new crop protection products are evaluated, decided to start taking more active measures to promote a wide diversity of insects, including bees, butterflies and moths. This included mowing more often and removal of clippings and the establishment of marjoram as a forage crop. In addition, an area of the farm was resown using a two year wild bird seed mix, with a view to obtain more flowers and thus more food for pollinators.
At the beginning of this year, a review of the data collected so far has revealed some encouraging results. To highlight a few, out of the 23 species of butterflies recorded, 10 to 11 are stable residents. With regard to moths, a total of 140 species were recorded to date and there is scope for this number to increase exponentially with new trappings planned for the next few months.
Andy Blant, farm manager at Great Chishill said, “It seems highly likely that these developments are not a coincidence, but a result of Bayer’s active involvement in taking the necessary measures to offer all pollinators a suitable environment to thrive in.”
Included in the list are a number of relatively uncommon butterflies and moths found at the farm, such as the Small Copper, Small Heath and Brown Argus.
Jim Reid, an experienced entomologist at Chesterford Park and an active butterfly recorder in Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire, carried out the surveys. After reviewing the data, Jim said: “With many acres of flower-rich grassland, numbers of individuals may run into hundreds on large nature reserves. Such areas are not practical on a working farm, but the areas set aside at the Bayer site allow for over fifty individuals of the commonest species to be recorded on a single visit, showing that they are well established residents. This is indicative of a site favourable for pollinating insects.”
Andy Blant concluded, “Aside from their critical role as pollinators, butterflies and moths are excellent indicator-species for the state of our countryside and Bayer will continue to promote and monitor their wellbeing closely.”
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