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Butterflies in highland (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Ddack
- Start date
Dmacaskill
Well-known member
Hi Dave
I don't have any specific sites for you but if you have a look at www.highland-butterflies.org.uk
there is an events page with two trips in may to target Green hairstreak and Pearl-bordered frit near Aviemore, email the leaders for more details, not sure who is leading but i am sure you would be very welcome to go along.
Dean
I don't have any specific sites for you but if you have a look at www.highland-butterflies.org.uk
there is an events page with two trips in may to target Green hairstreak and Pearl-bordered frit near Aviemore, email the leaders for more details, not sure who is leading but i am sure you would be very welcome to go along.
Dean
Farnboro John
Well-known member
I've had Pearl-bordered Frit at Garten by the Northern Damselfly pool (towards the Boat from the reserve centre).
John
John
llendorin
Birdwatching Noob Extraordinaire!
According to the 'Atlas of Butterflies in Highland and Moray', Green Hairstreak are most often seen in the central Spey Valley, so anywhere near Aviemore with a decent amount of Blaeberry and Gorse should be good
Pearl-Bordered Fritillary has quite a local distribution, and is declining, so it's hard to give specific examples of sites, as the active sites are also declining, sadly :-(
Basically, open woodland areas, with plenty of violets... Abernethy Forest is probably your best bet there.
Hope that helps
Pearl-Bordered Fritillary has quite a local distribution, and is declining, so it's hard to give specific examples of sites, as the active sites are also declining, sadly :-(
Basically, open woodland areas, with plenty of violets... Abernethy Forest is probably your best bet there.
Hope that helps
earthdragon64
Lurker
I'm leading the Pearl-bordered Fritillary meeting referred to in the link, anyone is welcome to come along. One word of warning though, although the track we'll be walking on is quite good, it's pretty steep in places and it's a bit of a slog to get to where the Frits are.
Anyone wanting more info can PM or email me.
Regards, Audrey.
earthdragon64
Lurker
A good place with a chance to see both species is Craigellachie NNR just to the west of Aviemore.
http://www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/craigellachie/
It's a beautiful reserve with a huge variety of insect life, as well as plants and quite a few birds. For example it's one of my best local spots for Wood Warbler. Moths, Butterflies and Dragonflies are also in abundance, particularly on sunny days. You can also see Frogs, Toads, Palmate Newts, Lizards and Slow Worms.
The best place to see the Frits and Green Hairstreaks is by following the Viewpoint Trail, which is steep in places, up past a large, flat water tank to a more open area just above the tree line. If you follow the trail up past that to the viewpoint and then to the top of the hill there are fantastic views over Rothiemurchus Fish Farm to the Cairngorms. It's a bit of a slog though.
In general, for the Frits, you're looking for south-east to south-west facing slopes with bracken with plenty of Violets, the larval foodplant, and Bugle, which the adults seem to like nectaring on.
Green Hairstreak seem to like woodland edges with plenty of Blaeberry, I've seen them on the Speyside Way, the section between Aviemore and Boat of Garten.
http://www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/craigellachie/
It's a beautiful reserve with a huge variety of insect life, as well as plants and quite a few birds. For example it's one of my best local spots for Wood Warbler. Moths, Butterflies and Dragonflies are also in abundance, particularly on sunny days. You can also see Frogs, Toads, Palmate Newts, Lizards and Slow Worms.
The best place to see the Frits and Green Hairstreaks is by following the Viewpoint Trail, which is steep in places, up past a large, flat water tank to a more open area just above the tree line. If you follow the trail up past that to the viewpoint and then to the top of the hill there are fantastic views over Rothiemurchus Fish Farm to the Cairngorms. It's a bit of a slog though.
In general, for the Frits, you're looking for south-east to south-west facing slopes with bracken with plenty of Violets, the larval foodplant, and Bugle, which the adults seem to like nectaring on.
Green Hairstreak seem to like woodland edges with plenty of Blaeberry, I've seen them on the Speyside Way, the section between Aviemore and Boat of Garten.
