Vlog

Dr Andrew Bladon

Andrew Bladon

Areas of interest

I am a conservation ecologist interested in the impacts of climate and habitat change on species’ distribution and abundance, and passionate about testing conservation interventions to reverse species’ declines. My research cuts across traditional ecological disciplines, to understand how fine-scale temperature and habitat variation influence the behaviour of individual organisms, and the mechanisms by which these behavioural responses have broad-scale, population-level impacts. Working with practical conservation organisations and policy-makers, I use my research to develop and test conservation management strategies which support species’ survival in a changing world.

Postgraduate supervision

Current students

  • Matt Lewis (PhD, 2026–present): “Keeping pace with climate change: facilitating species dispersal through productive landscapes”. Co-supervisors: Dr Amelia Hood, and
  • (PhD, 2025–present): “Temporal and spatial impacts of conservation actions on British reptiles and amphibians”, co-supervision withDr Brian Pickles, in partnership with
  • (PhD, 2024–present): “Fine-scale temporal trends in moths monitored with the Automated Monitoring of Insects (AMI) system”. Co-supervisors:Dr Sofia Gripenberg,Ի
  • (PhD, 2022–present): “The impact of climate change on the thermal ecology of cold-adapted butterflies”, co-supervision with , Dr Steven Ewing, and

Completed students

  • (PhD, 2022–2026): “How can nature reserves be managed to maintain suitable microclimates for butterflies and other species as climates continue to change?”, co-supervision with , University of Cambridge, in partnership with the
  • (research Masters, 2023–2024): “Dragon Tales: Unravelling the story of patterns and biases of major global threats to Odonata”
  • (research Masters, 2023–2024): “What are the impacts of temperature extremes on Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera?”
  • (PhD, 2019–2023): “Cool as a Caterpillar: Understanding the Responses of Butterflies to Temperature Across the Life Cycle”, co-supervision with , University of Cambridge
  • Matt Lewis (research Masters, 2019–2020): “An Assessment of the Habitat Preferences, Behaviour, and Drivers of Population Change of the Small Heath Butterfly, Coenonympha pamphilus, in the UK”, co-supervision with , University of Cambridge
  • Tate Lavitt (research Masters, 2019–2020): “Habitat Preference and Ecology of Duke of Burgundy Butterflies at Different Latitudes Across the UK”, co-supervision with , University of Cambridge

Teaching

  • Part 1 BI1FEC1: Field Ecology (co-convener)
  • Part 2 BI2QP3: Quantitative and Professional Skills (co-convener)
  • Part 2 BI2UKFC: UK Biodiversity Field Course (co-convener)
  • Part 2 Introduction to Entomology (guest lecturer)
  • Part 2 Conservation Science in Practice (guest lecturer)
  • Part 3 Advanced Conservation Biology (guest lecturer)

Masters teaching

  • MSc Research Entomology (supervisor)

Research projects

Current research projects

  • (NERC Maximising UK Adaptation to Climate Change, 2025–2027)
  • (CCI Collaborative Fund, 2024–2025)
  • understanding the threats to global insect populations (NERC Highlight Topic, 2021–2025)

Previous research projects

  • (BBSRC Transforming UK Food Systems, 2023–2024)
  • testing conservation actions to conserve butterflies and other insects in the face of climate change (People’s Postcode Lottery Nature-based Solutions Fund and CCI Knowledge Exchange Studentship, 2021–2023)
  • Diet, disease and distribution: can the microbiome of the White-tailed Swallow explain its climatic range restriction? (University of Cambridge Borysiewicz Fellowship, 2022–2023)
  • (2019–2021)
  • Managing reserves for tomorrow’s climate (Isaac Newton Trust / Wellcome Trust ISSF / University of Cambridge Joint Research Grants project, 2018–2019)
  • (NERC, 2012–2016)

Awards and honours

University of Cambridge Borysiewicz Fellow (2022-2023)

Professional bodies/affiliations

  • Royal Entomological Society
  • British Ecological Society
  • Society for Conservation Biology

Impact, Enterprise and Outreach

Courses

News reports

  • (2021)
  • (2021)
  • (2019)

Podcasts episodes

  • (2021)
  • (2021)
  • (2020)

Online research articles

  • (2024)
  • (2023)
  • (2023)
  • (2022)
  • (2021)
  • (2020)
  • (2019)

Online research blogs

  • (2021)
  • (2021)
  • (2019)
  • (2018)

Podcast

Selected publications

  • Ashe-Jepson E, Turner EC,Bladon AJ(2025) Local microclimates can both amplify and mitigate extreme temperatures associated with climate change.Frontiers of Biogeography, 18, e164843.
  • Millard, J.,Skinner, G.,,Cooke, R.,Outhwaite, C.,Rodger, J.,Barnes, L.,Isip, J.,Keum, J.,Raw, C.,Wenban-Smith, E.,Dicks, L.,Hui, C.,Jones, J.,Woodcock, B.,Isaac, N.,Purvis, A.(2025)Diversity and Distributions, 31(5).ISSN:1472-4642|doi:
  • Cooke R*, Outhwaite CL*,Bladon AJ, Millard J, Rodger JG, Dong Z, Dyer EE, Edney S, Murphy JF, Dicks LV, Hui C, Jones JI, Newbold T, Purvis A, Roy HE, Woodcock BA & Isaac NJB (2025) Integrating multiple evidence streams to understand insect biodiversity change.Science,388(6742), eadq2110.
  • Bladon EK, Christie AP, Smith RK, Sutherland WJ &Bladon AJ(2025) Butterfly and moth conservation: results from a global synopsis of evidence.Journal of Insect Conservation,29(19).
  • Dong Z,Bladon AJ, Jaworski CC, Pywell RF, Woodcock BA, Meek WR, Nuttall P & Dicks LV (2025) Species-habitat networks reveal conservation implications that other community analyses do not detect.Ecological Applications,35(1), e3073.
  • Bladon AJ, Cooke R, Millard J & Outhwaite CL (2024) Practical solutions to climate change for insect conservation. Chapter 9 in: Pryke JS, Samways MJ, New TR, Cardoso P & Gaigher R (eds)Routledge Handbook of Insect Conservation, Routledge, Oxfordshire, UK. Pages 108–118.
  • Outhwaite CL, Cooke R, Millard J &Bladon AJ(2024) Pervasive and synergistic effects of climate change. Chapter 8 in: Pryke JS, Samways MJ, New TR, Cardoso P & Gaigher R (eds)Routledge Handbook of Insect Conservation, Routledge, Oxfordshire, UK. Pages 92–107.
  • Marshall CAM, Wade K, Kendall IS, Porcher H, Poffley J,Bladon AJ, Dicks LV & Treweek J (2024) England’s statutory biodiversity metric enhances plant, but not bird nor butterfly biodiversity.Journal of Applied Ecology,61(8), 1918–1931.
  • Ashe-Jepson E, Anderson J, Hitchcock GE, Wallis S, Wingader K,Bladon AJ& Turner EC (2024) Habitat associations of day-flying Lepidoptera and their foodplants within nature reserves in Bedfordshire, UK.Journal of Insect Conservation,28, 891–908.
  • Hayes MP, Ashe-Jepson E, Hitchcock GE, Clark R, Hellon J, Knock RI,Bladon AJ& Turner EC (2024) Heatwave predicts a shady future for insects: impacts of an extreme weather event on a chalk grassland in Bedfordshire, UK.Journal of Insect Conservation,28, 923–933.
  • Toro-Delgado E, Vila R, Talavera G, Turner EC, Hayes MP, Horrocks NPC &Bladon AJ(2024)Regional differences in thermoregulation between two European butterfly communities.Journal of Animal Ecology,93(2), 183–195.
  • Ashe-Jepson E, Bru E, Connell E, Dixit MK, Hargrave J, Lavitt T, Lam M, Prosser R, Roberts BJ, Thompson B,Bladon AJ& Turner EC (2024) Hot topics in butterfly research: Current knowledge and gaps in understanding of the impacts of temperature on butterflies.Insect Conservation and Diversity,17(1), 1–15.
  • Ashe-Jepson E, Hayes MP, Hitchcock GE, Wingader K, Turner EC &Bladon AJ(2023) Day-flying Lepidoptera larvae have a poorer ability to thermoregulate than adults.Ecology and Evolution,13(10), e10623.
  • Ashe-Jepson E, Arizala Cobo S, Basset Y,Bladon AJ, Kleckova I, Laird-Hopkins BC, Mcfarlane A, Sam K, Savage AF, Zamora AC, Turner EC & Lamarre GPA (2023) Tropical butterflies use thermal buffering and thermal tolerance as alternative strategies to cope with temperature increase.Journal of Animal Ecology,92(9), 1759–1770.
  • Laird-Hopkins BC*, Ashe-Jepson E*, Basset Y, Arizala Cobo S, Eberhardt L, Freiberga I, Hellon J, Hitchcock GE, Kleckova I, Linke D, Lamarre GPA, McFarlane A, Savage AF, Turner EC, Zamora AC, Sam K &Bladon AJ(2023) Thermoregulatory ability and mechanism do not differ consistently between neotropical and temperate butterflies.Global Change Biology,29(15), 4180–4192.
  • Sharps E*, Hawkes RW*,Bladon AJ, Buckingham DL, Border J, Morris AJ, Grice PV & Peach WJ (2023) Reversing declines in farmland birds: How much agri-environment provision is needed at farm and landscape scales?Journal of Applied Ecology,60(4), 568–580.
  • Bladon AJ, Bladon EK, Smith RK & Sutherland WJ (2023) Butterfly and Moth Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions for butterflies and moths.Conservation Evidence Series Synopsis. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
  • Sutherland WJ, Robinson JM, Aldridge DC, Alamenciak T, Armes M, Baranduin N,Bladon AJ, Breed MF, Dyas N, Elphick CS, Griffiths RA, Hughes J, Middleton B, Littlewood NA, Mitchell R, Morgan WH, Mosley R, Petrovan SO, Prendergast K, Ritchie EG, Raven H, Smith RK, Watts SH & Thornton A (2022) Creating testable questions in practical conservation: a process and 100 questions.Conservation Evidence Journal,19, 1–7.
  • Ashe-Jepson E,Bladon AJ, Herbert G, Hitchcock GE, Knock R, Lucas CB, Luke SH & Turner EC (2022) Oviposition behaviour and emergence through time of the small blue butterfly (Cupido minimus) in a nature reserve in Bedfordshire, UK.Journal of Insect Conservation,26, 43–58.
  • Christie AP, White TB, Martin PA, Petrovan SO,Bladon AJ, Bowkett AE, Littlewood NA, Mupepele AC, Rocha R, Sainsbury KA, Smith RK, Taylor NG & Sutherland WJ (2021) Reducing publication delay to improve the efficiency and impact of conservation science.PeerJ,9:e12245.
  • Amano T, Berdejo-Espinola V, Christie AP, Willott K, Akasaka M, Báldi A, Berthinussen A, Bertolino S,Bladon AJ, Chen M, Choi C-Y, Bou Dagher Kharrat M, de Oliveira LG, Farhat P, Golivets M, Hidalgo Aranzamendi N, Jantke K, Kajzer-Bonk J, Kemahlı Aytekin MÇ, Khorozyan I, Kito K, Konno K, Lin D-L, Littlewood N, Liu Y, Liu Y, Loretto M-C, Marconi V, Martin PA, Morgan WH, Narváez-Gómez JP, Negret PJ, Nourani E, Ochoa Quintero JM, Ockendon N, Oh RRY, Petrovan SO, Piovezan-Borges AC, Pollet IL, Ramos DL, Reboredo Segovia AL, Rivera-Villanueva AN, Rocha R, Rouyer M-M, Sainsbury KA, Schuster R, Schwab D, Şekercioğlu ÇH, Seo H-M, Shackelford G, Shinoda Y, Smith RK, Tao S-d, Tsai M-s, Tyler EHM, Vajna F, Valdebenito JO, Vozykova S, Waryszak P, Zamora-Gutierrez V, Zenni RD, Zhou W & Sutherland WJ (2021) Tapping into non-English-language science for the conservation of global biodiversity.PLoS Biology,19:e3001296.
  • Sutherland WJ, Taylor NG, Aldridge DC, Martin P, Rhodes C, Shackelford G, Beard S, Belfield H,Bladon AJ, Brick C, Burgman M, Christie AP, Dicks LV, Dobson AP, Downey H, Hood ASC, Hua F, Hughes AC, Jarvis RM, MacFarlane D, Morgan WH, Mupepele AC, Marciniak SJ, Nelson C, O'hEigeartaigh S, Rios-Rojas C, Savolainen R, Sainsbury KA, Smith RK, Sundaram LS, Tankard H, Thornton A, Watkins J, White TB, Willott K & Petrovan SO (2021) A solution scan of societal options to reduce transmission and spread of respiratory viruses: SARS-CoV-2 as a case study.Journal of Biosafety and Biosecurity,3(2): 84–90.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobb.2021.08.003
  • Petrovan SO, Aldridge DC, Bartlett H,Bladon AJ, Booth H, Broad S, Broom DM, Burgess ND, Cleaveland S, Cunningham AA, Ferri M, Hinsley A, Hua F, Hughes AC, Jones K, Kelly M, Mayes G, Radakovic M, Ugwu CA, Uddin N, Verissimo D, Walzer C, White TB, Wood JL & Sutherland WJ (2021) Post COVID-19: a solution scan of options for preventing future zoonotic epidemics.Biological Reviews,96(6): 2694–2715.
  • Hayes MP, Ashe-Jepson E, Hitchcock GE, Knock RI, Lucas CBH,Bladon AJ& Turner EC (2021) Consistent oviposition preferences of the Duke of Burgundy butterfly over 14 years on a chalk grassland reserve in Bedfordshire, UK.Journal of Insect Conservation,25, 611–628.
  • Bladon AJ, Donald PF, Collar NJ, Deng J, Dadacha G, Wondafrash M & Green RE (2021) Climatic change and extinction risk of two globally threatened Ethiopian endemic bird species.PLoS ONE,16(5): e0249633.
  • Bladon AJ, Lewis M, Bladon EK, Buckton S, Corbett S, Ewing SR, Hayes MP, Hitchcock GE, Knock RI, Lucas CBH, McVeigh A, Menéndez R, Walker J, Fayle T & Turner EC (2020) How butterflies keep their cool: physical and ecological traits influence thermoregulatory ability and population trends.Journal of Animal Ecology,89(11), 2440–2450.
  • Littlewood NA, Rocha R, Smith RK, Martin PA, Lockhart SL, Schoonover RF, Wilman E,Bladon AJ, Sainsbury K, Pimm S & Sutherland WJ (2020) Terrestrial Mammal Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions for terrestrial mammals excluding bats and primates.Synopses of Conservation Evidence Series. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
  • Bladon AJ& Smith RK (2019) Effects of conservation interventions on terrestrial and freshwater invertebrates: a protocol for subject-wide evidence synthesis.
  • Bladon AJ, Donald PF, Jones SEI, Collar NJ, Deng J, Dadacha G, Abebe Y & Green RE (2019) Behavioural thermoregulation and climatic range restriction in the globally threatened Ethiopian Bush-crowZavattariornis stresemanni.Ibis,161, 546-558.
  • Simmons BI, Balmford AP,Bladon AJ, Christie AP, De Palma A, Dicks LV, Gallego-Zamorano J, Johnston A, Martin PA, Purvis A, Rocha R, Wauchope HS, Wordley CFR, Worthington TA & Finch T (2019) Worldwide insect declines: an important message, but interpret with caution.Ecology and Evolution,9, 3678–3680.
  • Bladon AJ, Morris AJ, Siriwardena G & Peach WJ (2018) Evaluating the farm-scale responses of birds to Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) 2008–2017.Natural England Report, LM0467.
  • Bladon AJ, Morris AJ, Grice PV, Phillips J & Peach WJ (2018) Selective use of bespoke habitat management areas by target farmland bird species.Aspects of Applied Biology,139,Ecosystem and Habitat Management: Research, Policy, Practice, 3–14.
  • Bramer I, Anderson BJ, Bennie J,Bladon AJ, De Frenne P, Hemming D, Hill RA, Kearney MR, Korner C, Korstjens AH, Lenoir J, Maclean IMD, Marsh CD, Morecroft MD, Ohlemuller R, Slater HD, Suggitt AJ, Zellweger F & Gillingham PK (2018) Advances in monitoring and modelling climates at ecologically relevant scales.Advances in Ecological Research,58, 101–161.
  • Jones SEI,Bladon AJ, Collar NJ, Dadacha G, Denge J & Donald PF (2018) Varied diet and opportunistic foraging in the Ethiopian Bush-crowZavattariornis stresemanni: an Endangered generalist.Ostrich,89(1): 41–46.
  • Bladon AJ, Chown D, Peach WJ & Morris AJ (2017) Assessing the effectiveness of HLS agreements deploying the Farmland Bird Package 2011–2016.Natural England Report,LM0463.
  • Bladon AJ(2017) The effects of temperature on the Ethiopian Bush-crow and White-tailed Swallow. PhD thesis. University of Cambridge, UK.
  • Bladon AJ, Jones SEI, Collar NJ, Dellelegn Y, Donald PF, Gedeon K, Green RE, Spottiswoode CN, Töpfer T & Wondafrash M (2016) Further notes on the natural history of the Ethiopian Bush-crowZavattariornis stresemanni.Bulletin of the African Bird Club,23(1): 27-45.
  • Bladon AJ, Töpfer T, Collar NJ, Gedeon K, Donald PF, Dellelegn Y, Wondafrash M, Denge J, Dadacha G, Adula M & Green RE (2015) Notes on the behaviour, plumage and distribution of the White-tailed SwallowHirundo megaensis.Bulletin of the African Bird Club,22(2): 148-161.
  • Kirby WB, Bellamy PE, Stanbury AJ,Bladon AJ, Grice PV & Gillings S (2015) Breeding season habitat associations and population declines of British HawfinchesCoccothraustes coccothraustes.Bird Study,62(3): 348–357.

Publications

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