Presentations at the Richmond Birdwing Conservation Network northern habitat corridor project launch kicked off at the Samford District Bowls Club, Samford Valley at 11.00am on 9 June 2019.
A list of speakers and presentation topics is included below. Additional downloadable presentations will be available shortly – please check back again soon.
Speakers
- Dr Christine Hosking, RBCN
Dr Hosking provided an overview of the Northern Habitat Corridor project and the history of the RBCN.
- Richard Bull, RBCN
Presentation: Richmond Birdwing Butterfly (Ornithoptera richmondia): Life History & Host Vine
Richard described the life of the Birdwing butterfly and the close association with host plant Pararistolochia praevenosa. Richard showed us how to attract the butterflies to our backyards by planting vines and nectar-producing flowers for the adults.
- Dr Ian Gynther, RBCN
Dr Gynther described the precarious, patchy distribution of the Richard Birdwing due to habitat fragmentation over the past 200 years. He then explained how a captive breeding program at two locations was helping with the recovery of the species by providing genetic diversity to supplement the isolated wild Birdwing populations and create new ones. His colleagues had developed innovative ways of feeding artificial nectar to the adult butterflies. Larvae proved to be the best way of reintroducing the species to the wild.
- Matt Cecil, Wildlife Queensland / RBCN
Presentation: Richard Birdwing Conservation Network Corridor Development
Matt Cecil showed how the vine-planting project will link the established Sunshine Coast populations of the butterfly via Woodford and Mount Mee with Samford and north Brisbane, providing ‘stepping stones’ for the female Birdwings to move across the landscape to lay their eggs.
- De-Anne Attard, Moreton Bay Regional Council
De-Anne explained how private properties in our area can become part of the Birdwing corridor project.
- Peter Storer, RBCN and Michael O’Sullivan, Samford and Districts Progress Association
Peter gave a brief overview of the Samford Eco-Corridor project and Michael O’Sullivan outlined the support provided by the Samford Progress Association and encouraged young people, in particular, to get involved.
- Ross Kendall, Butterfly and Other Invertebrates Club (BOIC)
Ross described the 9 other swallowtail species that may be encountered in South-East Queensland. A full-colour handout was available showing these species and all their local host plants.
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