By Simon Browne, Andrew Emmerson and Diana Moss
It is obvious even from a first visit to Danes Moss North that the mixed scrub mosaic, wet woodland, acid grassland and stands of tall ruderals support an abundance of wildlife. Despite this, however, the site is the subject of outline planning permission for development including a new road and 950 houses. The ecology report submitted with the planning application mentioned only two Lepidoptera species, Cinnabar moth and Small Heath. For the last three years the Save Danes Moss campaign has been recording wildlife at Danes Moss North to demonstrate the extraordinary biodiversity of the site and to show why it should never be built on.
Lepidoptera have been a particular focus and over the summer of 2022 a series of moth trapping evenings with Steve Hind, Dave Maddy, John Rayner, Tim Ward and David Tomlinson of the Cheshire Moth Group and members of the Save Danes Moss campaign began to reveal the true value of the habitat at Danes Moss North. By the end of the summer the list of moths recorded on site was nearly 400 including 159 species recorded on a single evening at the end of June.
In addition to the recording sessions traps have been opened at public sessions to introduce the local community to the otherwise largely hidden world of the moths of Danes Moss. This has also been a very popular ending to the early morning dawn chorus walks held in May each year.
Although we have not replicated the regular moth trapping events of the summer of 2022 the recording has continued and in addition to the variety and abundance of moths several notable species have been recorded.
- Yellow-headed Bagworm Diplodoma laichartingella: 16 previous county records, the last
from 30 years ago - Campion Groundling Caryocolum viscariella: only a single previous county record
- Scarce Bagworm Moth Bankesia conspurcatella: prospective redbook species and county first record in 2022
- Bordered Straw Heliothis peltigera: Locally rare and scarce
- Maple Pug Moth Eupithecia inturbata: Locally rare and scarce
- Lunar Hornet Moth Sesia bembeciformis: Locally rare and scarce
- Gold Swift Moth Phymatopus hecta: Locally rare and scarce
- Bulrush Veneer Moth Calamotropha paludella: Rare and scarce species
- Little Longhorn Moth Cauchas fibulella: first county record since 1963
Further trapping at different times of the year and on different parts of the site would undoubtedly increase the total number of species found here and expand the list of notable records.
It is also a rich site for butterflies with 21 species recorded on Danes Moss North. It is possibly the only site in Cheshire East where Dingy Skipper are regularly recorded. There is also a good population of Small Heath across the open grassland on the site and Dark Green Fritillary have also been recorded. A further three species of butterfly; Green Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreak and Painted Lady have been recorded on the Cheshire Wildlife Trust Reserve to the south. With a total of 24 species over the whole of Danes Moss this is one of the richest sites for butterflies in the east of the county.
The moth records have played a crucial part in demonstrating the range and abundance of wildlife on the site. Being able to quote these figures at meetings with developers and others involved in decision-making about the future of the site has been pivotal in ensuring that the development proposals are reconsidered. Although the future of Danes Moss North is not yet determined there is no doubt about the value of the Lepidoptera records, and other on-going recording, in ensuring that the biodiversity of this extraordinarily rich habitat is taken into account in any decision making.
The Danes Moss Trust would like to thank the Cheshire Moth Group for all the help and support in collecting and compiling records for Danes Moss North and the invaluable part this has played in the campaign to oppose plans for development.
Moth and Butterfly Recording in Cheshire
The Cheshire Moth Group monitor moths and compile records for Cheshire. Butterfly Conservation is the UK-wide charity dedicated to conserving butterflies, moths and their habitats and the local volunteer-led Cheshire and Wirral Branch and its members contribute to research through surveying for butterflies and day-flying moths along the 64 transects which are walked each summer in Cheshire and Wirral. The branch also publishes a newsletter twice a year and runs a programme of field trips and an annual members day. If you are interested in supporting the work of Butterfly Conservation or joining the local branch visit butterfly -conservation.org/ or butterfly- conservation.org/ in-your-area/ cheshire-and- wirral-branch for more information.
