Caithness Volunteers Plant for Blue Butterfly

Volunteers this weekend helped to safeguard the most northerly colony of small blue butterflies which is located within the dune system at Dunnet Bay.

More commonly found in the coastal sites of south England, the nearest colony in the north to Dunnet Bay is at Dornoch making its location in Caithness very important. This tiny butterfly is on the wing in May, and is one of the first butterflies to appear each in Caithness.

Mary Legg, Highland Council’s Senior Caithness Ranger said: “There is some damage to the Dunnet site caused by coastal erosion and this is resulting in a loss of the butterflies’ food plant, kidney vetch. As part of the habitats enhancement project in the Caithness Biodiversity plan, it was decided to increase the area of dune under the vetch by planting plugs inland from the site eventually having some growing within the rides and open areas of Dunnet Forest. This should help secure the long term existence of the colony.”

The plants were grown from local seed collected last summer and brought on by Shinval Garden Centre, Glengolly near Thurso.  The countryside volunteers braved the heat wave to plant out the plugs and the project was organised by the Caithness countryside rangers.
 
The event was an action from the Caithness biodiversity action plan. The Implementation programme is funded by The Highland Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, leader plus and the Scotland Making it work together programme.