Latest news with #WildlifeTrusts
BBC News
4 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
How have UK insects been affected by 2025's hot, sunny weather?
Certain insects - including ladybirds, butterflies and wasps - are thriving after the warmest and sunniest spring on record across the numbers, the main food source of ladybirds, boomed according to the Royal Horticultural Society after a warm start to the the relative lack of rain this spring and summer could lead to lower insect and amphibian numbers next year since eggs may not be laid and wetland areas are drying up. Insect numbers are difficult to quantify but research suggests that in the longer term, the UK's flying insect population is in decline. An abundance of aphids Whilst the long term picture for the decline of flying insects looks pretty bleak, there is no denying that this year has been a visibly bumper Brown is director of climate change and evidence at The Wildlife Trusts, a federation of 46 independent wildlife conservation charities in the UK. She said: "Many people across the UK are noticing more ladybirds, wasps and other insects this summer – off the back of a very poor year last year for species like butterflies."These are all species that thrive in warm, dry conditions. Earlier in the year the Royal Horticultural Society correctly predicted that we were in for an abundant year for aphids. Whilst that has proved a bit of a headache for gardeners, aphids form an important part of the food chain and are eaten by birds and other Hayley Jones, principal entomologist at the Royal Horticultural Society, says that their numbers are now beginning to drop off as their natural predator - the ladybird - is taking over and playing catch up. 'Extraordinary' year for early butterfly sightings Another much loved flying insect, the butterfly, is often seen as an important indicator of the general health of the immediate environment. These have been in general decline since the Richard Fox, head of science at the Butterfly Conservation charity, says that 2025 has been quite extraordinary in terms of early sightings with 18 species spotted at least two weeks earlier than average and a further 24 species seen at least a week is in contrast to last year's 'butterfly emergency', declared when the lowest numbers of butterflies were ever recorded. This followed a cloudy, wet spring and cool summer. Some varieties, such as the dark green fritillary did not have a single sighting in like all insects, are ectothermic (cold-blooded) and need the warmth and light of the sun to regulate their body temperature and give them energy to fly. This year's warmth has helped them move through their lifecycle quickly meaning their survival rate has been remarkably good; spending less time as caterpillars and as potential bird food. Lepidopterist Martin Wills, who records numbers at Hutchinson's Bank Nature Reserve in south London, confirmed that it has been a fantastic butterfly season so far with record numbers of early sightings. You can take part in 2025's Big Butterfly Count which is on until 10 August and go to BBC Weather to find out what the weather is doing in your area. Bumper year for lavender Not far from Hutchinson's Bank Nature Reserve in south London lie some of the UK's most beautiful lavender fields which are fantastic habitats for butterflies and especially bees. Lavender thrives in sunny, warm conditions with dry summers and mild winters. This year in the UK it has come into full bloom much earlier than usual, meaning more bees and butterflies earlier in the year. Lorna May, the owner of Mayfield Lavender in Surrey, told BBC Weather she had seen a tenfold increase on last year in honey production which she put down to the happy and soaring bee the number of pests have increased too including the tiny, shiny rosemary beetle which has exploded in number this year. To avoid using pesticides, an army of volunteers remove the beautiful bugs by cause for concern of an early lavender bloom for Lorna May is that the plant may die earlier and this could in turn have a notable effect on the local biodiversity for the rest of the summer. According to Kathryn Brown of The Wildlife Trusts, climate change is making things more chaotic for said: "We're waiting to see the statistics for this year, but it's likely that we are seeing greater 'boom and bust' cycles for wildlife as we experience increasing erratic weather patterns." The latest State of the UK Climate report published by the Met Office remarks that weather extremes are now becoming the new normal and that hotter, drier summers will become more of the 10 warmest UK springs have occurred since 2000, with the three warmest since course, wildlife are sensitive not only to weather extremes but also to the use of pesticides and loss of it is often overlooked how important insects are to our biodiversity, playing vital roles in almost every ecosystem. From pollination, to being an essential food source, to helping the decaying process. The Wildlife Trusts suggests you can help declining populations by mowing your lawn less often, supporting local rewilding projects and creating ponds.
South Wales Argus
6 days ago
- General
- South Wales Argus
Public urged to back ban on destructive fishing in protected areas
The Wildlife Trusts are calling on members of the public to lend their voice to support for moves to ban 'bottom trawling' – in which fishing gear is dragged across the seabed destroying habitats and scooping up a wide array of species – in protected areas of English seas. A consultation is being run by the Marine Management Organisation until September 1, which includes bans on bottom trawling in 41 offshore marine protected areas (MPAs) that have been designated thanks to the importance of their seabeds, in moves to better protect 30,000 square kilometres of sea. The call from The Wildlife Trusts to support the bans comes as polling for the charities reveals that eight out of 10 people agree that marine wildlife should be treated with the same care as species on land. Conservationists say bottom trawling bans can help restore important marine habitats (Alexander Mustard/2020VISION/PA) The survey of more than 2,000 people by Savanta also revealed that many people did not realise bottom trawling could still take place in many protected areas – with more than a third (36%) believing an MPA designation meant all wildlife and seabeds are protected from damaging activities. Daniele Clifford, marine conservation officer for The Wildlife Trusts, said the UK's seas were full of 'incredible marine life', with habitats from cold-water corals to sandbanks, muds and chalk reefs supporting species from fish to whales, and storing huge amounts of carbon. But much of that marine life is threatened, facing pressures such as destructive fishing practices. Putting in marine protected areas was a 'tried and tested' method to help nature's recovery, but while many had been designated in British waters, they were not doing well because they were still being affected by pressures such as bottom trawling, she said. The fishing method can destroy the habitat on the seabed, and the nets 'literally sweep up everything in their path', Ms Clifford said, creating a huge amount of bycatch, besides the one or two species targeted, which is then thrown back. 'If land-based nature reserves were being bulldozed, there would be an outcry. 'And yet bottom trawling has been going on for many years in these MPAs. It's about time proper management was implemented,' she said. 'We know that when you reduce pressures on marine life, it helps support their recovery. It's possible to recover our seas, we just need to remove those pressures.' Unlike on land where active management may be required to help habitats and species recover, seas are more able to bounce back on their own if those pressures are removed, Ms Clifford said. 'You allow nature to do its thing and recover naturally. 'The benefit of this measure is our seas will recover – and we know people want healthy seas,' she said, adding restoring wildlife in MPAs had benefits for wider ocean health and fish stocks. The UK's seas are full of marine life but much is threatened, conservationists say (Alex Mustard/2020VISION/PA) Where bans have already been implemented in inshore MPAs, Ms Clifford said there were 'astonishingly' signs of recovery quite quickly, pointing to cold-water corals starting to recover within two to three years of restrictions in Lyme Bay, on the south coast, along with increases in scallops and lobsters. And off the coast of Sussex, largely vanished kelp beds are being helped to recover in a major marine rewilding project thanks to restrictions on bottom trawling introduced in 2021. The kelp was hit by stormy conditions in the 1980s and bottom trawling, leaving only 4% of the habitat remaining, affecting both an array of wildlife using it for shelter and food, and society which benefits from its role in reducing storm impacts and supporting fish stocks. The habitat's restoration is 'a long process,' according to George Short, kelp recovery co-ordinator for Sussex Wildlife Trust, one of the partners in the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project. 'One of the key things about our work is letting nature lead in its own recovery. 'It's been impacted for decades, it's not an overnight recovery,' she said. But nearly five years into the project, monitoring shows mussel beds – which form the hard bed on the seabed that kelp grows on – are starting to recover, as are the black sea bream once targeted by the trawling, she said.
South Wales Guardian
6 days ago
- General
- South Wales Guardian
Public urged to back ban on destructive fishing in protected areas
The Wildlife Trusts are calling on members of the public to lend their voice to support for moves to ban 'bottom trawling' – in which fishing gear is dragged across the seabed destroying habitats and scooping up a wide array of species – in protected areas of English seas. A consultation is being run by the Marine Management Organisation until September 1, which includes bans on bottom trawling in 41 offshore marine protected areas (MPAs) that have been designated thanks to the importance of their seabeds, in moves to better protect 30,000 square kilometres of sea. The call from The Wildlife Trusts to support the bans comes as polling for the charities reveals that eight out of 10 people agree that marine wildlife should be treated with the same care as species on land. The survey of more than 2,000 people by Savanta also revealed that many people did not realise bottom trawling could still take place in many protected areas – with more than a third (36%) believing an MPA designation meant all wildlife and seabeds are protected from damaging activities. Daniele Clifford, marine conservation officer for The Wildlife Trusts, said the UK's seas were full of 'incredible marine life', with habitats from cold-water corals to sandbanks, muds and chalk reefs supporting species from fish to whales, and storing huge amounts of carbon. But much of that marine life is threatened, facing pressures such as destructive fishing practices. Putting in marine protected areas was a 'tried and tested' method to help nature's recovery, but while many had been designated in British waters, they were not doing well because they were still being affected by pressures such as bottom trawling, she said. The fishing method can destroy the habitat on the seabed, and the nets 'literally sweep up everything in their path', Ms Clifford said, creating a huge amount of bycatch, besides the one or two species targeted, which is then thrown back. 'If land-based nature reserves were being bulldozed, there would be an outcry. 'And yet bottom trawling has been going on for many years in these MPAs. It's about time proper management was implemented,' she said. 'We know that when you reduce pressures on marine life, it helps support their recovery. It's possible to recover our seas, we just need to remove those pressures.' Unlike on land where active management may be required to help habitats and species recover, seas are more able to bounce back on their own if those pressures are removed, Ms Clifford said. 'You allow nature to do its thing and recover naturally. 'The benefit of this measure is our seas will recover – and we know people want healthy seas,' she said, adding restoring wildlife in MPAs had benefits for wider ocean health and fish stocks. Where bans have already been implemented in inshore MPAs, Ms Clifford said there were 'astonishingly' signs of recovery quite quickly, pointing to cold-water corals starting to recover within two to three years of restrictions in Lyme Bay, on the south coast, along with increases in scallops and lobsters. And off the coast of Sussex, largely vanished kelp beds are being helped to recover in a major marine rewilding project thanks to restrictions on bottom trawling introduced in 2021. The kelp was hit by stormy conditions in the 1980s and bottom trawling, leaving only 4% of the habitat remaining, affecting both an array of wildlife using it for shelter and food, and society which benefits from its role in reducing storm impacts and supporting fish stocks. The habitat's restoration is 'a long process,' according to George Short, kelp recovery co-ordinator for Sussex Wildlife Trust, one of the partners in the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project. 'One of the key things about our work is letting nature lead in its own recovery. 'It's been impacted for decades, it's not an overnight recovery,' she said. But nearly five years into the project, monitoring shows mussel beds – which form the hard bed on the seabed that kelp grows on – are starting to recover, as are the black sea bream once targeted by the trawling, she said.
North Wales Chronicle
6 days ago
- General
- North Wales Chronicle
Public urged to back ban on destructive fishing in protected areas
The Wildlife Trusts are calling on members of the public to lend their voice to support for moves to ban 'bottom trawling' – in which fishing gear is dragged across the seabed destroying habitats and scooping up a wide array of species – in protected areas of English seas. A consultation is being run by the Marine Management Organisation until September 1, which includes bans on bottom trawling in 41 offshore marine protected areas (MPAs) that have been designated thanks to the importance of their seabeds, in moves to better protect 30,000 square kilometres of sea. The call from The Wildlife Trusts to support the bans comes as polling for the charities reveals that eight out of 10 people agree that marine wildlife should be treated with the same care as species on land. The survey of more than 2,000 people by Savanta also revealed that many people did not realise bottom trawling could still take place in many protected areas – with more than a third (36%) believing an MPA designation meant all wildlife and seabeds are protected from damaging activities. Daniele Clifford, marine conservation officer for The Wildlife Trusts, said the UK's seas were full of 'incredible marine life', with habitats from cold-water corals to sandbanks, muds and chalk reefs supporting species from fish to whales, and storing huge amounts of carbon. But much of that marine life is threatened, facing pressures such as destructive fishing practices. Putting in marine protected areas was a 'tried and tested' method to help nature's recovery, but while many had been designated in British waters, they were not doing well because they were still being affected by pressures such as bottom trawling, she said. The fishing method can destroy the habitat on the seabed, and the nets 'literally sweep up everything in their path', Ms Clifford said, creating a huge amount of bycatch, besides the one or two species targeted, which is then thrown back. 'If land-based nature reserves were being bulldozed, there would be an outcry. 'And yet bottom trawling has been going on for many years in these MPAs. It's about time proper management was implemented,' she said. 'We know that when you reduce pressures on marine life, it helps support their recovery. It's possible to recover our seas, we just need to remove those pressures.' Unlike on land where active management may be required to help habitats and species recover, seas are more able to bounce back on their own if those pressures are removed, Ms Clifford said. 'You allow nature to do its thing and recover naturally. 'The benefit of this measure is our seas will recover – and we know people want healthy seas,' she said, adding restoring wildlife in MPAs had benefits for wider ocean health and fish stocks. Where bans have already been implemented in inshore MPAs, Ms Clifford said there were 'astonishingly' signs of recovery quite quickly, pointing to cold-water corals starting to recover within two to three years of restrictions in Lyme Bay, on the south coast, along with increases in scallops and lobsters. And off the coast of Sussex, largely vanished kelp beds are being helped to recover in a major marine rewilding project thanks to restrictions on bottom trawling introduced in 2021. The kelp was hit by stormy conditions in the 1980s and bottom trawling, leaving only 4% of the habitat remaining, affecting both an array of wildlife using it for shelter and food, and society which benefits from its role in reducing storm impacts and supporting fish stocks. The habitat's restoration is 'a long process,' according to George Short, kelp recovery co-ordinator for Sussex Wildlife Trust, one of the partners in the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project. 'One of the key things about our work is letting nature lead in its own recovery. 'It's been impacted for decades, it's not an overnight recovery,' she said. But nearly five years into the project, monitoring shows mussel beds – which form the hard bed on the seabed that kelp grows on – are starting to recover, as are the black sea bream once targeted by the trawling, she said.
Rhyl Journal
6 days ago
- General
- Rhyl Journal
Public urged to back ban on destructive fishing in protected areas
The Wildlife Trusts are calling on members of the public to lend their voice to support for moves to ban 'bottom trawling' – in which fishing gear is dragged across the seabed destroying habitats and scooping up a wide array of species – in protected areas of English seas. A consultation is being run by the Marine Management Organisation until September 1, which includes bans on bottom trawling in 41 offshore marine protected areas (MPAs) that have been designated thanks to the importance of their seabeds, in moves to better protect 30,000 square kilometres of sea. The call from The Wildlife Trusts to support the bans comes as polling for the charities reveals that eight out of 10 people agree that marine wildlife should be treated with the same care as species on land. The survey of more than 2,000 people by Savanta also revealed that many people did not realise bottom trawling could still take place in many protected areas – with more than a third (36%) believing an MPA designation meant all wildlife and seabeds are protected from damaging activities. Daniele Clifford, marine conservation officer for The Wildlife Trusts, said the UK's seas were full of 'incredible marine life', with habitats from cold-water corals to sandbanks, muds and chalk reefs supporting species from fish to whales, and storing huge amounts of carbon. But much of that marine life is threatened, facing pressures such as destructive fishing practices. Putting in marine protected areas was a 'tried and tested' method to help nature's recovery, but while many had been designated in British waters, they were not doing well because they were still being affected by pressures such as bottom trawling, she said. The fishing method can destroy the habitat on the seabed, and the nets 'literally sweep up everything in their path', Ms Clifford said, creating a huge amount of bycatch, besides the one or two species targeted, which is then thrown back. 'If land-based nature reserves were being bulldozed, there would be an outcry. 'And yet bottom trawling has been going on for many years in these MPAs. It's about time proper management was implemented,' she said. 'We know that when you reduce pressures on marine life, it helps support their recovery. It's possible to recover our seas, we just need to remove those pressures.' Unlike on land where active management may be required to help habitats and species recover, seas are more able to bounce back on their own if those pressures are removed, Ms Clifford said. 'You allow nature to do its thing and recover naturally. 'The benefit of this measure is our seas will recover – and we know people want healthy seas,' she said, adding restoring wildlife in MPAs had benefits for wider ocean health and fish stocks. Where bans have already been implemented in inshore MPAs, Ms Clifford said there were 'astonishingly' signs of recovery quite quickly, pointing to cold-water corals starting to recover within two to three years of restrictions in Lyme Bay, on the south coast, along with increases in scallops and lobsters. And off the coast of Sussex, largely vanished kelp beds are being helped to recover in a major marine rewilding project thanks to restrictions on bottom trawling introduced in 2021. The kelp was hit by stormy conditions in the 1980s and bottom trawling, leaving only 4% of the habitat remaining, affecting both an array of wildlife using it for shelter and food, and society which benefits from its role in reducing storm impacts and supporting fish stocks. The habitat's restoration is 'a long process,' according to George Short, kelp recovery co-ordinator for Sussex Wildlife Trust, one of the partners in the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project. 'One of the key things about our work is letting nature lead in its own recovery. 'It's been impacted for decades, it's not an overnight recovery,' she said. But nearly five years into the project, monitoring shows mussel beds – which form the hard bed on the seabed that kelp grows on – are starting to recover, as are the black sea bream once targeted by the trawling, she said.
