taking of badgers for sport, for pets and for
their pelts is now illegal. Existing badger pets
can be kept but new ones will need a licence.
Where necessary, the NERO will be able to have
areas declared as Areas of Special Protection for
Badgers.
It remains to be seen what effect the Act will
have, and whether any prosecutions will be
affected under its provisions. The gassing of
badgers has been illegal for some years but this
practice is still widespread and to my knowledge
no prosecutions have ever been made,
Bob Cowlin.
Moths in Hainault Forest.
Hainault Forest is a deciduous forest consisting
mainly of Beech, Hornbeam, Oak, Ash, Maple &
Silver-birch. The forest is bordered by a large
playing field and golf course to the east, pasture
along it's northern borders and the G.L.C. Tree
Banks to the south. The western side is defined
by Manor. Road running between Chigwell Row and
Lambourne End.
The Forest contains many small clearings
providing open spaces and a variety of food for
woodland insects. A few of the Forest's moths
have a very small area which they inhabit; this is
because such things as nectar and larval food
plants are restricted in their distribution, so
the insects that depend on them have to remain
within the plants immediate area in order to
survive. Some can only be found in and around
one clearing they are so localized. Others like
the Sixspot Burnet, Narrow-bordered Five-spot
Burnet and Mother Shipton moths are found only
around small patches of Trefoils and Clovers in
the Tree Banks.
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