Latest news

Volunteers sought for Pearl-bordered Fritillary survey:

Owing to the efforts of Butterfly Conservation staff and volunteers over the past 20 years, approximately 270 Pearl-bordered Fritillary sites have been identified in Scotland, with the caveat that some could have been the very similar Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary.

As many of these sites have not been visited in the last five years, and some have not been visited for several decades, the aim is to direct volunteer effort there.

The best time to survey is during the first three weeks in May, when the flight period of the Pearl-bordered Fritillary doesn't overlap with that of the Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary.

For further information about this project, please visit Glasgow & South West Scotland Branch website.

The weather this week has changed abruptly to summer conditions, resulting a number of reports of butterfly sightings.

Audrey Turner sent us this fine photo of a Green Hairsteak taken on Monday 5th May on moorland with heather and blaeberry, west of Aviemore and the A9, just a bit north of Graigellachie NNR. Green Hairstreaks were also reported from the Dufftown area (Moray) and Loch Fleet (SE Sutherland).

David Barbour received a report of an Orange Tip from Onich, near Fort William, on 6th May.

On 7th May, Speckled Wood butterflies were reported from a garden in the Scorguie area of Inverness; Loch Eye, near Fearn in Easter Ross; Culbin Forest, on the track between Wellhead car park and Lake of Moy. On the same track the contributor saw five Peacock and four Green-veined White. A search for Green Hairstreak at Buckie Loch (Culbin Forest) drew a blank.

Jimmy McKellar has been up the canal banks between Inverness and Dochgarroch, where he has seen quite a lot of butterflies, including Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Green-veined White and Speckled Wood. He saw one moth, a Hebrew Character.

Thanks to Jane Bowman who has sent us this photograph of the Ringed Carpet. She found it on a fencepost that was also occupied by a female Rannoch Brindled Beauty. Both species are listed as Nationally Scarce A, so this was a very exciting find. Click on the image to enlarge it.

Jane also found her first Common Heath of the year on heather at 350m. Normally this moth does not appear on the wing until May.

All records from Glen Moriston.

This is a photo of a Dingy Skipper butterfly taken at Rosemarkie on 17th June 2007 by Sandy Sutherland.

Although the sighting occurred last summer, it's worth a mention here because this is the first record of the Dingy Skipper from this site since 1986.

Although the Dingy Skipper is becoming increasingly scarce nationally, there are still a few colonies along the southern Moray Firth coast, towards the inner Moray Firth.

It is easily overlooked, as its colour merges with patches of bare ground which it favours.

Look out for it from early May, and if you see any, please let us know!

Jane Bowman has sent us pictures from Glen Moriston of a Small Chocolate-tip moth, its larva and cocoon. She writes, "I have the caterpillars every summer on sallow in the garden, but had never seen the moth. Collected a couple of leaf "spinnings" last autumn, placed in pot, and hoped for best. Surprise, surprise there was one fluttering about (this morning). A very tiny moth, but really delightful. Unfortunately it's emerged way too soon. Now outside in snow showers, presumably doomed but at least it's back in the sallow where it was born and hopefully its siblings are still tucked up warm...ish!!!"

Jimmy McKellar reports that one of the Ruby Tiger larvae which he found on 16/02/08 has spun up into a cocoon, while the other is still active.

Maybe they aren't parasitised after all! No doubt Jimmy will send further reports on their progress.

The picture on the left shows the cocoon enclosing the larva, while the one on the right shows the other larva fully grown.

Tim Meredith reported a Peacock butterfly at Fodderty, grid ref NH357602.The Peacock and Small Tortoisehell are resident butterflies which overwinter as adults, and emerge from hibernation in Spring.

A student at Inverness College reported seeing a Small Tortoiseshell in the car park at Midmills Building, Inverness. Betty Cowan also saw one at Gordonhall Farm, near Ruthven Barracks, Kingussie (NN768996)

So far we have received reports of 3 Red Admiral sightings. Branch Treasurer Alex Stewart saw one at Dochgarroch Locks, near Inverness. So did Hilary Swift, who saw one in her garden at Inverdruie, near Aviemore. The 3rd sighting came from Assynt Field Club member Clarinda Chant, at Torbreck (NC0924), where the daytime temperature exceeded 11 degrees Celsius.

Although regarded as a migrant species, early sightings such as these suggest that some overwintering Red Admirals may survive through to Spring in this area.

Please look out for more early appearances! If you do see anything interesting, please e-mail Jimmy McKellar so that we can add your news to this page!

In the Inverness area, Friday 5th October was fairly warm, with a good deal of sunshine and light breezes. In most years it would be reasonable to expect to see Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, perhaps Painted Lady, and the odd Green-veined White, Small Copper or Speckled Wood on the wing. In the late morning I cycled from North Kessock to Redcastle, following the south-facing shoreline of the Beauly Firth - usually a productive route - but didn't see a single butterfly. In the afternoon, while cutting a cypress hedge, I disturbed a hibernating Peacock. Roy Leverton, in Banffshire, reported that Small Tortoiseshells emerging from August on were going straight into hibernation. Branch Chairman Jimmy McKellar painted a similar picture in his contribution to Butterfly Conservation Scotland's Autumn e-newsletter 2007. He adds that the best place to look for butterflies at this time of year is on flowering ivy.

Has it been any different in your area? We'd be delighted to hear from you, especially if you live on the west coast, or in the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland.

Bill Slater

Highland Branch AGM will be held on Sunday 11th November 2007 from 11:15 to 13:15 at Charleston Communty Complex, General Booth Road, Inverness. It is appreciated that this is Remembrance Sunday, but we were unable to obtain a room on the Saturday. The Agenda for the AGM appears in the latest Branch News-sheet (No 12), in PDF format.

After the AGM, Tony Mainwood will give a presentation on "Butterfly recording and moths count in Sutherland".

During the afternoon, Jeff Waddell will run a training session in using MapMate biological recording and mapping software, at a level designed to get people started. If you would like to take part, please contact Tony Mainwood, and let him know whether you can bring your own laptop.

We are already looking to 2008, and provisionally four butterfly field trips have been proposed. Click on the Field Trips link for further details.

There will also be a number of moth events, details of which will become available later. Please note that National Moth Night in 2008 will take place on 7th June.