Big Butterfly Count Results

The Big Butterfly Count finished yesterday after three weeks' of observations, and it's now possible to see what was reported in the local area. Very few people took part along the coast from Helmsdale to Littleferry, at most eight. There were two reports from Dunrobin Castle grounds, and two people seem to have put in several reports each from Helmsdale, while there were also two reports from Littleferry and one from Rhives Farm in Golspie. Our family reports were from our back garden, from the coast path just to the north of Golspie, and from Golspie burn's big glen.

Many of the reports, like ours, were of zero species. The most species reported in one 15-minute period was three, in our back garden, a peacock, a small tortoiseshell and two small whites. In addition, the largest number of butterflies of any one species was three, common blues along the coast path.

Helmsdale reported the only green-veined whites while Golspie reports were mainly of common blues, small tortoiseshells, speckled woods, small whites, and peacocks.

The results must be a real cause for concern. For example, my reports, all from our garden, included 15 of 'no species', 11 of 'one species', 3 of 'two species' and one of three.

The full analysis for the country is available later in the year.