Delight in colourful gems of the countryside
My observations of butterflies Part One (and another weightier matter)
Each year since 2018, I have undertaken butterfly surveys on the same piece of land in Highland Perthshire. These are focussed on July and August, when I do two each month, but I also aim to do at least one in April, May and June to catch the early flyers.
Being in the north of the UK, the number of species I spot here is limited compared to a friend in Hampshire, where two or three times as many can be found. They also appear about a month later and will often have fewer broods than in the balmy south.
There is plenty of information available about butterflies – two of my most used resources are the Butterfly Conservation website and Life Cycles of British & Irish Butterflies1 by Peter Eeles. Those will give you detailed descriptions, facts and figures, so I won’t go into them here.
Instead, this is a more light-hearted look at their personalities, as I have ascertained them through repeated observation of the species that live on or turn up on my patch. There are a few others, such as Scotch argus, small blue and pearl-bordered fritillary that I occasionally see elsewhere in Scotland, but I am only including my local ones here – 18 is enough!
To avoid making this post too long for email, I’m splitting it in two. Here are the first nine (and a preview of another matter that I am now turning my mind to).
Peacock
Everyone recognises our most colourful and long-lived butterfly, its eyespots borrowed from a peacock’s tail feathers. You may find one hibernating in your garden shed or visiting your buddleia in summer. Nettles are vital to secure the next generation. Hundreds of eggs laid on one plant become a mass of writhing black caterpillars that emerge from their pupae in late summer to be next year’s parents.
Small tortoiseshell
“Why do they call me small when I’m bigger than a lot of other fellas around, especially when my big brother is virtually extinct in this country? I’m certainly no softie - I survive through the winter so you can see me out and about on any fine day during the year.”
Comma
An occasional visitor to Highland Perthshire, as it expands its range northward, individuals could be mistaken for a decayed leaf when roosting. But when sunbathing, they are as brilliant as a fritillary. They fall into two camps, pale ones who breed quickly to fit two generations into the year, and darker ones who take their time to hatch adults who will overwinter.
Green hairstreak
How many people - especially in Scotland - have spotted one of these tiny flashing jewels? Wearing a brown topcoat they could pass as a brown moth as they dodge among shrubs. But see one land and close its wings, and you will be dazzled by its emerald undershirt.
Small copper
Another titch, the small copper is a hedonist. It loves to drink flower nectar and sunbathe on rocks, where it shines like a sheet of burnished metal in the light. I always rejoice when I see the first on one of the year. A home-lover, it saves its energy, not travelling far afield.
Orange-tip
A herald of spring, the orange tip is the spirit of the season, associated with bluebells, May blossom and cuckoo flower - its favourite food. As the hedgerows turn green, males can be seen chasing rivals in a spiralling chase and making love to grey-tipped females on any convenient leaf. With the splash of bright colour they can’t be missed, unless they land and close their wings when the camouflage pattern on the underside can hide them from view.
Large white
This familiar butterfly is spurned as the cabbage white and considered a pest, with large batches of caterpillars turning vegetable patches to skeletons. It is a creature of gardens and brassica fields. It may be showy with its black markings, but enjoys domestic life so I seldom see it gadding about on my transects across rough pasture and woods.
Small white
More adventurous than its larger cousin the small white roams more widely seeking sunny spots such as vegetated sea cliffs rich in wildflowers. The female sticks her bum in the air to ward off unwanted advances and only last her eggs singly, so her offspring do less damage to leaves.
Green-veined white
This is the energetic member of the white family. Highly athletic, it flies far and fast over wild ground. The leaf-like pattern of green veins is visible when it folds itself away. Although usually a loner, groups may gather around wet muddy places to drink mineral rich water.
Wind farm threat
For the past few weeks I have been travelling and insulated from issues at home. While I was away, the Glen Lednock wind farm application appeared on the Energy Consents Unit website. This is on Invergeldie Estate, bought by Oxygen Conservation, as I mentioned in a previous post. They have hived off its development to a sister company Low Carbon.
The deadline for representations – for or against – is 21st July. So I will be turning my mind to writing my objections to its inappropriate siting (to the detriment of landscape, wildlife – such as breeding golden eagles that will be displaced – and people).
Some of our community have organised a drop in event for 10.30am - 12 noon on Friday 11 July to make other locals aware of the scale of what is proposed and the effects it will have. I’ll be attending then writing here once I’ve gathered my thoughts.
Published by Pisces Publications (2019) ISBN 9781874357889
Lovely photos. I am seeing lots of peacocks this year as well as small tortoiseshells, commas, gatekeepers and red admirals. And of course, as a gardener, far too many large and small whites!
A few years ago we had a real influx of painted ladies, but I have only seen a couple this year.
This is lovely Felicity, it is always a joy to see the range and colour of butterflies. I’ve not seen such a range as you, mind I’ve not been out as much as usual. I do miss the glories of the butterflies that we used to see in France, it’s one of the wake up calls to me of how depleted our wildlife is in the UK now.