We are working to save some of Britain’s rarest butterflies. Our priority area contains two colonies of marsh fritillary butterflies. They have become isolated, due to habitat loss between the two sites. We intend improve habitat connection between the two sites, by providing 10,000 Devil’s-bit scabious (Scabiosa succisa) plants to be planted in the area between the two colonies. We need your help to make this happen.

Habitat loss and particularly lack of availability of Devil’s-bit scabious is the biggest threat to marsh fritillary butterflies. The two colonies in our priority area are 5 km apart. One is on Knowstone Outer Moor and one is on Witheridge Moor. The butterflies can only fly 50 to 100 metres in one go. Most of the land between the two colonies is not suitable habitat, due to a lack of their foodplant (Devil’s-bit scabious) and a lack of long grass for the caterpillars to hide and hibernate in. This area used to be dominated in species-rich, culm grassland, which allowed marsh fritillaries to migrate freely between colonies. Modern farming techniques have removed most of their habitat and now we have isolated colonies, rather than a healthy meta-population.

We have commissioned a local business to grow 10,000 Devil’s-bit scabious plants to create habitat between the two isolated colonies. We will give these plants away to anyone who can plant them within our priority area. Some will go to farmers, to plant on rough grassland and field margins. Some will go to residents of the area, to plant in their gardens. Some will be planted on our Nature Reserve, which is called Higher Comfort Nature Reserve and some will be planted on Rackenford Common. If people have land that they’d like to create marsh fritillary habitat on, but are not able to do the planting themselves, we’ll try to organise volunteers to carry out the planting. We intend to carry out the planting in September and October.

Our Devil’s-bit scabious plants in their plugs.

Jenny Plackett, Conservation Manager for South West England at Butterfly Conservation, said: “The Marsh Fritillary is one of our most threatened butterflies in the UK, and the culm grasslands in North Devon are a stronghold. Planting the caterpillar foodplant, Devil’s-bit Scabious, in areas of damp grassland between the existing breeding areas, will create important stepping stones to help the butterfly move throughout the landscape, which is really important in maintaining a strong population. We’re delighted that the Devon Culm project will be working with local schools and communities, encouraging everyone to value these beautiful butterflies and the rare habitats on their doorstep.”

Marsh Fritillary “Soft Landing” by Pedro Landers

If you have suitable land, whether it’s a farm, or your back garden and you’d like to help our local population of marsh fritillaries thrive, please fill in the form below to request some plants. If you know of someone else who might be interested, please let them know about this project.

Marsh Fritillary “Eye Level” by Pedro Landers

Also, if you know of any Devil’s-bit scabious growing in our priority area (mapped at the bottom of this page) please let us know by using the contact form under the map. The more we understand about the existing distribution of it, the more strategically we can plan the planting.

Marsh fritillary butterfly. Photo by Kevin New

As well as their foodplant (Devil’s-bit scabious), marsh fritillaries need long grass for the caterpillars to hibernate in. Female marsh fritillary butterflies will choose larger, greener plants to lay eggs on, so clumps of Devil’s-bit scabious are more attractive than single plants. If the grass is too short, it leaves the caterpillars exposed to predators. If it’s too long, it shades out the Devil’s-bit scabious and makes it difficult for the butterflies to locate it to lay their eggs. A tussocky sward of 8cm to 25cm tall on wet ground is ideal. The caterpillars require a large amount of Devil’s-bit scabious to eat when they emerge from hibernation, so the more we can plant out, the better. One of the big factors affecting the survival of marsh fritillaries and insects generally is the use of chemicals, particularly insecticides. It is therefore important to avoid their use.

Devil’s-bit scabious is a perennial plant, which grows to approximately 60cm tall and produces beautiful purple flowers from June until October. It’s not a fussy plant. It flourishes in moist, but well drained soil in full sun or partial shade, but can survive in a wide variety of soils. It’s not particularly susceptible to any diseases, but can be damaged by slugs and can be shaded out if grass growth is too vigorous. Extensive cattle grazing creates a really good structure for their establishment. In a garden, this can be recreated by cutting back grass around the plants. Once the plug plants are planted, they will take 2 to 5 years to reach full size and we hope they will spread by seed, to create more valuable habitat in the area. The seeds are fairly easy to harvest if you wish to propagate more plants.

Narrow-bordered bee hawk moths, which are rarer than marsh fritillary butterflies, also rely on Devils-bit scabious. There is a healthy colony on Witheridge Moor. It is hoped that the Marsh Fritillary Project will help them to expand their range. As Devil’s-bit scabious is a late flowering plant, it provides nectar for pollinators at a time in the year when nectar is in short supply. This is especially important, due to climate change disrupting the seasons, risking pollinators being out when their normal sources of nectar are not available. Devil’s-bit scabious is also incredibly beautiful and planting 10,000 plants will enhance the natural beauty of this, already beautiful, area.

How You Can Help

If you have somewhere in the priority area (see map at bottom of this page) where we can plant Devil’s-bit scabious, or you are willing to volunteer to help with the planting, please let us know using this contact form.

Donating to Devon Culm

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Our bank details are:

Bank: The Cooperative Bank
Account Name: Devon Culm
Sort Code: 08-92-99
Account Number: 67265260

When donating by bank transfer, please fill in this form if you are a UK taxpayer and would like us to collect the gift aid on all qualifying donations you have made in the last 4 years and all subsequent donations until you notify Devon Culm otherwise.

Marsh Fritillary Life Cycle

Eggs, are laid on Devil’s bit scabious plants, where they can be found from May to July They are laid in batches of 200-350 eggs. Over 1,000 eggs can be laid on a single devil’s bit scabious plant. 1,000 hungry caterpillars will quickly consume a devil’s bit scabious plant, so it’s important that there are other foodplants nearby. The eggs start off yellow and darken to purple-brown.
After about three weeks, the eggs hatch. The caterpillars are a little over 1mm long when they hatch out and are pale yellow. They immediately start spinning a web, which they live in communally.
During hibernation, they grow to approx 30mm. They darken to black and develop white speckles. At this stage they eat a lot of devil’s bit scabious. If there isn’t enough, they will eat other vegetation, especially honeysuckle, but many die of starvation if there is insufficient devil’s bit scabious.
Pupae are formed from April and can be found until June The pupae are found attached to leaves, deep within tussocks or dead leaves.
Butterflies are on the wing in May and June. The butterflies have died by the time the devil’s bit scabious flowers. They feed on nectar from other plants. These plants include: buttercups, bramble, bugle, marsh marigold and thistles. They have a wingspan of 42 to 48mm

Devon Culm Priority Area

Mapping existing Devil’s-bit scabious

If you know of any Devil’s-bit scabious already growing in the area, please let us know by filling in this form. This will help us to create habitat strategically to fill in gaps in existing habitat.