Wildlife survey at newly expanded Insh Marshes turns up rare beauties

RSPB "still discovering" wealth of nature at recently expanded Insh Marshes

August 2013. Staff from RSPB Scotland have expressed delight at the wealth of wildlife they are discovering at the newly expanded Insh Marshes nature reserve. This follows an intense period of surveying at the Dell of Killiehuntly, a new section of the reserve acquired earlier this year following a successful appeal to RSPB members and supporters.

Site manager Karen Birkby said, "The reserve has always been well known for its importance for breeding and wintering birds. However the recent work we have done underlines its importance for an extensive range of other wildlife too.

Moth & Damselfly

"Although dark-bordered beauty moth, northern damselfly and string sedge are possibly not as well known to the public as otters and ospreys they are very important indicators of the wealth of nature found at Insh Marshes. We have been encouraged by what we are finding. We are particularly pleased to have found a good number of the beautiful, but very rare, dark-bordered beauty moths this year. Insh Marshes is one of only a handful of places in Britain that this moth can be found. It is an indicator of the richness of the area."

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Skunk Cabbage invades Scotland

RSPB Scotland has warned that Skunk Cabbage, an invasive plant species from America, is encroaching on its Insh Marshes reserve in Scotland, posing a threat to native wild plants.  

Karen Sutcliffe, site manager of the reserve in Strathspey, said: “American Skunk Cabbage is wildly available in garden centres for use in boggy gardens. However, it can all too easily get into the wider countryside where it can become an invasive pest. Unfortunately, it has reached Insh Marshes, where there is a danger of it getting out of hand and out-competing our native species. Fortunately we have a great team of volunteers at Insh Marshes who have been working hard to eradicate it from the reserve. But it’s a big job, as we have to be careful to remove all the roots and, of course, we would rather spend our time doing other conservation work.” 

She added: “I would ask any gardeners who have this plant to keep an eye on it and not to let it get into any nearby watercourses.” 

Skunk Cabbage is a close relative of the familiar Arum Lily, which is native to Britain and a member of the same family, the Araceae. Skunk Cabbage originates from north-east Asia and western North America, where it grows in waterlogged areas alongside rivers and lakes, and produces a strong scent that is very attractive to pollinating insects. The species outcompetes native wetland plants like Yellow Flag and several reed and sedge species, and is already established at many sites across England.

Continued:  http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/channel/newsitem.asp?c=11&cate=__12684