Details of unusual or unseasonal sightings are especially welcome for inclusion on this page,
although any contributions are welcome. Please send your contributions to
contact@highland-butterflies.org.uk.
Highland Branch welcomes contributions not just from Highland and Moray, but from the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland.
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11/11/2018 |
Anne Gray found a group of 6 Satellite moths clustered on a rotting
apple in her Gairloch garden. This species doesn't seem keen
on light traps and Barry Blake reports that it is the first coastal
record for this species for VC105 between Lochalsh and Loch Broom.
Thanks to Anne for her photo below.
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14/10/2018 |
After days of high winds, rain and poor moth catches Barry Blake
risked a trap on the Inverewe Estate in marginal conditions.
Result, nearly 100 frisky moths, including 51 Feathered Thorns
(something of a record for VC105) and the first Mottled Umber
recorded on the coast between Lochalsh and Ullapool. Bit of an
odd moth year in these parts.
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02/09/2018 |
It was a great day for butterflies in Mike Taylor's Boat of Garten
garden today, as well as the first ever Comma for his garden,
bringing the garden butterfly list to 19, there was the first garden
Painted Lady of the year. Other species seen in Mike's garden
today were 4 Red Admirals, 7 Peacocks, Small Tortoiseshell,
Green-veined White, Small White and Small Copper.
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19/08/2018 |
Mary Eagleson found a Knot Grass caterpillar in Glen Sguaib
today.
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14/08/2018 |
Tony Mainwood photographed a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in his Golspie
garden.
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09/08/2018 |
Mike Taylor photographed a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in his Boat of
Garten garden and also saw one in the garden on the 3rd of August.
Other records Mike knows of are one near Keith on the 31st of July
and one near Tomatin on the 2nd of August so it is worth looking
out for any others.
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25/07/2018 |
Andy Williams saw Northern Brown Argus, Small Copper, Small Heath,
Scotch Argus & Meadow Brown at a site near Grantown-on-Spey.
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31/07/2018 |
Andy Williams saw plenty of Dark Green Fritillaries and Scotch
Argus at Loch Broom near Ullapool.
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15/07/2018 |
Pete Moore saw his first Scotch Argus butterfly of this year at Insh
Marshes RSPB Reserve.
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13/07/2018 |
Pete Moore saw his first Dark Bordered Beauty moth of this year
at Insh Marshes RSPB Reserve.
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19/06/2018 |
Andy Williams saw 7 Common Blue and 3 Small Blue on the track
leading out of Scrabster Harbour to the Lighthouse - where
volunteers have been planting Kidney Vetch.
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13/06/2018 |
At a site on the bank of the river Feshie in Glenfeshie Bob
Turner and I saw Small Blue, Small Copper, Dingy Skipper and our
first Red Admiral and first Common Blue of the year.
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08/06/2018 |
I trapped a male Ghost moth in my Aviemore garden, I've trapped a
few females before, but this is the first male.
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08/06/2018 |
Dean Macaskill saw 30 individual Small Blue butterflies at Coul
Links. He also saw his first Northern Brown Argus of the
year there as well as 12 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries.
Moths there included a few Fox moths, Silver Y, Wood Tiger, 3
Mother Shipton, 1 Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth and 3 Six-spot
Burnets.
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07/06/2018 |
Dean Macaskill saw a Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth feeding on
Bird's-foot Trefoil at Badninish near Dornoch
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04/06/2018 |
Dean Macaskill saw a Small Heath, a Small Blue and a Wood Tiger
moth on Dornoch dunes. The previous Friday he trapped a
Scorched Wing at Loch Brora.
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01/06/2018 |
Bob Turner and I saw our first Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary of
the year at a site just outside of Grantown-on-Spey.
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31/05/2018 |
After 12 years of trying, Mike Taylor found a Small Blue at a
site just outside of Boat of Garten, the first time the butterfly
has been recorded there since the 1990s. Well done to Mike
for his persistence.
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27/05/2018 |
Bob Turner and I found a Dingy Skipper at a site just outside
Grantown-on-Spey which appears to be a new site for them.
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27/05/2018 |
Mike Taylor was looking for Small Blues at a historical site
for them near Boat of Garten. He didn't find any - yet - but
did find a Dingy Skipper, which although not recorded from that
site before, was recorded from about 200m away in 1993! Mike
also saw Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth, Orange-tip, Green-veined
White and Small Copper.
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24/05/2018 |
Toby and Michelle Green saw up to 50 Small Blue on the wing at the
new site south of Sluggan Bridge that they found for the butterfly
last year. There were also 2 Small Copper.
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10/05/2018 |
I saw several Speckled Wood butterflies in Darnaway Forest
south of Forres.
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10/05/2018 |
Mike Taylor saw some Small Dark Yellow Underwing moths, the single
at a known site near Carrbridge and there were also two mating pairs
at a known site near Nethybridge.
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08/05/2018 |
Tony Mainwood saw his first three Pearl-bordered Fritillaries
of the year at Rogart.
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07/05/2018 |
A first for my Aviemore garden, a Kentish Glory in the moth trap.
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05/05/2018 |
Bob Turner and I saw our 1st Orange Tip of the year beside the
Spey near Grantown-on-spey. We also saw Green-veined Whites
and Small Tortoiseshells. In Abernethy Forest, not far from
the Osprey Centre we also saw our 1st Green Hairstreak of the
year, with 2 more a bit later near Boat of Garten.
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30/04/2018 |
Andy Williams saw his first Peacocks of the year with at least 8 on
the wing at Loch Achilty in Strathconon, there were also 4
Green-veined Whites
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28/04/2018 |
Barbara Brodie saw Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral
in Culloden Woods and a Green-veined White in her Culloden garden.
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15/04/2018 |
Steve North found a Pale Pinion in a light trap at Ruilick near
Beauly. This species seems to be expanding its range
northwards. |
09/04/2018 |
Hilary Swift saw a Small Tortoiseshell in Grantown-on-spey
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07/04/2018 |
Pete Moore found some unusual visitors in his moth trap at
Ballinlaggan - two Palmate Newts!
.JPG)
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12/03/2018 |
Bob Turner found a Chestnut moth in his Aviemore garden.
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18/02/2018 |
Pete Gordon saw 2 Red Admirals flying near Kilmuir on the Black Isle. |
