Butterflies of Assynt

Ian Evans (March 2010)

1.  Introduction.  19 species of butterflies have been recorded in Assynt, out of the 30 that are known to occur in Highland, and some 70 in the British Isles as a whole.  Our local butterfly fauna is therefore limited, as you would expect in the north-west of Scotland.  However, we do have good populations of species such as the large heath, small pearl-bordered and dark green fritillaries that are scarce further south.  Some ‘new’ species have also spread into Assynt in recent decades, such as speckled wood, peacock and orange-tip, and with climate change, others may well follow.  So, recording butterflies locally is well worthwhile, and the purpose of the notes that follow is to give you some idea what to expect.

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