Monday, 15 June 2026

Bank Holiday Butterfly Survey

 Today in Scotland we were given a bank holiday for some reason. I hadn't managed to do a butterfly survey yet this survey week (the survey year starts on 1 April, so this year the survey week starts on Wednesdays) as the weather hadn't been good enough. It was just about good enough this morning, so Crafty Green Boyfriend accompanied me on a survey at Lauriston Farm (Edinburgh's agro-ecology project). We didn't see a huge number of butterflies (two Speckled Woods, one Small Tortoiseshell and four Ringlets) but we enjoyed the walk anyway. The Buttercups are beautiful at the moment

and we enjoyed listening to this Song Thrush singing  

We found this interesting looking (but sadly dead) moth on a pavement, and I've looked it up and it's a Heart and Dart, which I'd never heard of before. 


 It has a very distinctive marking on its head


 

3 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Great photos, I love the Song Thrush!
Take care, enjoy your day and the new week ahead.

RamblingWoods2.com said...

So many insects are in trouble, but people have more sympathy for butterflies than they do for native bees… beautiful buttercups

Crafty Green Poet said...

Hi Michelle, I think people are becoming more aware of native bees nowadays, certainly in the UK. But I agree, butterflies are generally seen as the celebrity insects.