Gavray Drive Meadows, Bicester

This local wildlife site on the east side of Bicester, Oxon has been under threat of development for housing for some years.  Several UK BAP butterfly species are known from the meadows and its hedgerows but one of the most recent ecological surveys carried out for the potential developers (in 2013, I believe) brought to light the existence of a small Forester colony there.  This is yet another priority species resident at the site and one which we weren't aware of.  The Forester exists in a network of small (and therefore vulnerable) colonies on suitable grassland sites in the area.  Most of them are in Bucks but a couple have recently been found just across the border in Oxfordshire, at BBOWT's new Meadow Farm reserve and now at Gavray Drive.  Pat Clissold kindly sent the picture below of a Forester taken at Gavray Drive on 18th June 2014 so at least we now have a 'proper' record of it for the county moth recorder rather than just the hint of one from a survey which will probably never reach him!  Pat also sent a nice shot of a Burnet Companion taken at Gavray Drive on 2nd June and I've included that too, just to remind us of Summer.  Dave Wilton

Forester, Gavray Drive 18th June 2014

Burnet Companion, Gavray Drive 2nd June 2014