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Overall, 1990 was again a successful year for
observing bats, but it may not have been as
successful for the bats themselves. The
summer drought, following cold weather in June,
may have led to fewer insects being available
and bats being unable to put on sufficient
weight for a successful hibernation. Only
next year will tell!
JOHN DOBSON
ESSEX BUTTERFLY ACTION
Essex Butterfly Action is a joint action plan
by the Essex Wildlife Trust and Butterfly
Conservation. It aims to:
locate the remaining colonies of the rarest
butterflies and ensure the conservation of
these colonies
survey butterfly numbers and habitat features
on conserved land (not just nature reserves,
but also country parks, set—aside farmland
and roadside verges) as a way of monitoring
the success of the habitat conservation
management techniques used in these areas
re-establish locally extinct species of
butterflies in Essex on suitably managed land
and to monitor the success of the new
colonies.
Help is needed NOW for the first two parts of