Forterra is celebrating the presence of vulnerable butterfly species, the dingy skipper, at the company’s Kirton Brickworks branch near Ollerton

A rare butterfly is being monitored by a manufacturing business after being spotted at its site near Ollerton.

Forterra is celebrating the presence of a vulnerable butterfly species, the dingy skipper, at the company’s Kirton Brickworks branch after a colony of the butterflies took hold along a disused railway line that runs through the site.

This comes after Forterra has worked with ecologists at its Kirton site to develop long-term restoration and habitat management plans.

The Kirton site is home to a rich variety of invertebrates, including several butterflies such as green hairstreaks, common blue butterflies, and brown argus butterflies.

Historically, the dingy skipper was rare in Nottinghamshire, mostly confined to derelict railway lines by 2003.

As the dingy skipper is especially dependent on specific environmental conditions, it is particularly vulnerable, because unlike other butterflies, it only flies during warm, sunny spells and relies on bare ground to bask, making it highly sensitive to changes in vegetation.

Ecologists found that without intervention, the habitat would have scrubbed over, ultimately leading to the colony’s disappearance.

But thanks to restored mineral sites like Kirton, it is now beginning to recolonise wider areas across the county.

Forterra’s ecological advisor, Phil Parker, said: “In most parts of Britain, unmanaged land gradually reverts to woodland: lakes dry out, grasslands vanish. But it’s precisely this habitat that species like the dingy skipper rely on. Quarry sites like Kirton offer that rare opportunity to preserve these conditions.”

Forterra follows a detailed management plan to maintain the habitat, which includes regular scrub clearance, mowing, and the scraping back of soil to expose basking areas to not only benefit the dingy skipper, but also support other grassland species and reptiles that move along railway corridors.

“Populations are monitored every three years,” added Phil, “and this allows the team to adapt its management practices. An ecosystem, even a small one, exists in a very delicate balance. Following a cool wet spring in 2024, insect numbers in general, and dingy skipper numbers in particular, struggled.

“The warm spring weather in 2025 has been more conducive to invertebrates. Although the invertebrates have not yet returned to their former numbers, there are signs that a variety of them are recovering, including the dingy skipper. This all illustrates how finely balanced habitats and species are and how important it is that they are looked after and appropriately managed.”

Tim Darling, Head of Land and Mineral Resources at Forterra, said: “Quarry restoration gives us a unique chance to enhance biodiversity in ways that wouldn’t otherwise happen. At Kirton, we’ve been able to support a nationally vulnerable species, which is something we’re proud of and are striving to improve on at other sites within the business.”