Pearl-bordered Fritillary Sites in West Highlands requiring surveys in 2010

There are 69 sites in the west Highlands where the last record of Pearl-bordered Fritillary is prior to 2003. Volunteers are needed to visit these sites in 2010 to confirm that Pearl-bordered Fritillary is still present.

The map below shows these sites and if you place your mouse over the site name, the name and date of last Pearl-bordered Fritillary record will appear in a little window and if you click on the site name, a 2 X 2 km square OS map of the site area will open in a new window. These maps can be printed out and taken out into the field (you will also need the relevant OS map). Not all 69 site names are shown on the map below owing to lack of space where sites are close together but there are 69 red dots- all sites are listed in the Table below.

The Table below the map shows more information. Sites close together have been given a common site name and the individual names shown on the maps are called compartment names. Date of last record relates to the most recent year in which Pearl-bordered Fritillary was recorded here whereas date of last visit relates to the year in which someone last visited the site. These two dates will differ where the last visit failed to record Pearl-bordered Fritillary. This does not mean that Pearl-bordered Fritillary is no longer present here, it may be that the weather was poor or the timing of the visit was not ideal. Such sites need further visits to confirm whether or not Pearl-bordered Fritillary is present.

If you are able to visit one or more sites in 2010, it would be appreciated if you could complete a Pearl-Bordered Fritillary Timed Count Sheet for each site which records some details of habitat characteristics such as abundance of Dog Violet & Bugle as well as numbers of butterflies. This form should also be used to note down whether any management of the site is required. There are two main issues to look out for:

• scrub regeneration - Pearl-bordered Fritillary requires open sunny habitats so developing scrub needs to be removed before new woodland shades out the site.
• dense bracken litter - while some bracken litter is an essential component of a Pearl-bordered Fritillary habitat, too much litter smothers both the foodplant, dog violet and nectaring plants. Most sites are bound to have some areas of dense bracken litter which won't be problem but where a high proportion of the site has dense bracken litter, management will be required to make the site more favourable for Pearl-bordered Fritillary.

And please remember to record any other butterflies that you come across.

The ideal way of recording Pearl-bordered Fritillary numbers and distribution is with a GPS device. There are some relatively inexpensive models available eg Garmin eTrex Venture is £136.10 from Amazon.co.uk and can store the positions of up to 500 butterflies with Waymarks. Data is then downloaded onto a computer using software provided with the GPS device. If you want to learn how to use GPS to record butterflies and learn about the Chequered Skipper, then please come along to the Chequered Skipper weekend at Glasdrum on 29 & 30 May 2010. There are a few GPS devices owned by the branch that can be lended out to branch members after the Chequered Skipper weekend. Please if you would like to borrow one.

Taking photographs of sites with a digital camera is a great way of providing information on the state of a site. A photograph must be linked to a grid reference, site and date, so please record these data in a long descriptive file name and

Click here for a printable word document of the map and table of sites below.

Site Name	Compartment Name	Last Record	Last Visit	Grid Reference (Click for OS map)
Loch Arkaig	Caonich	?	2004	NN061922
Loch Arkaig	Arcabhi	1999	2004	NN053924
Loch Arkaig	Forestry	1997	2004	NN0891
Loch Arkaig	Ardechive	1997	2004	NN1490
Loch Arkaig	Achnasaul	1997	2004	NN1589
Roybridge	Roybridge Village	1997	1997	NN285807
Roybridge	Achluachrach	1997	1997	NN307813
Roybridge	Tulloch	1997	1997	NN325808
Roybridge	Tom an Teine	1985	1985	NN219801
Clunes	Lochside	1997	1997	NN215895
Loch Garry	East of Ardochy House	2001	2001	NH2202
Loch Garry	West of Ardochy House	2001	2001	NH206023
Loch Garry	Inchlaggan	1997	1997	NH1701
Loch Garry	Munerigie	1997	1997	NH2602
Loch Garry	Beinneun Forest	1978	1978	NH2208
Loch Shiel	Gaskan	1998	1998	NM801728
Loch Shiel	Druim an Laoigh	1998	1998	NM7770
Loch Shiel	Castle Tioram	1997	1997	NM664723
Loch Shiel	Scamodale	2002	2002	NM844735
Morvern	Poll Arinnis	1961	1961	NM6545
Morvern	Beinn Ladain	1996	1996	NM6857
Sunart	Resipol	1978	1978	NM7264
Moidart	Ardmolich Wood	2001	2001	NM705712
Ardgour	Glen Galmadale	1997	1997	NM865540
Ardgour	Glen Gour	1997	1997	NM930650
Ardgour	Rubha Ruadh	1998	1998	NM967615
Ardgour	Ardgour House	1978	1978	NM995639
Ardgour	Doire Donn SWT	1997	1997	NN0570
Ardgour	Camusnangaul	1992	1992	NN087749
Fort William	Tom an t Sluit	2001	2001	NN138791
Morar	Ardnish	1996	1996	NM7181
Morar	Torr an Tsagairt	1975	1975	NM6785
Glen Loy	Caledonian Canal	1997	1997	NN145811
Glen Loy	Camiskey	1999	1999	NN147800
Knoydart	Glac an Tobair	1997	1997	NG741004
Kinloch Hourn	Glac Nan Sgadan	1997	1997	NG943075
Kinloch Hourn	Torr a Choit	1977	1977	NG9307
Kinloch Hourn	Kinloch Hourn	1977	1977	NG9507
Loch Duich	Eilean Donan	1997	1997	NG887253
Loch Duich	An Lethallt	1997	1997	NG907233
Loch Duich	Inverinate	1997	1997	NG9421
Loch Duich	Invershiel	1977	1977	NG938196
Kinlochewe	Coulin Lodge	2000	2000	NH0056
Kinlochewe	Loch Coulin	1999	1999	NH0155
Loch Maree	Talladale	1996	1996	NG9170
Glenelg	Gleann Beag	1997	1997	NG8217
Torridon	Moine Mhor	1982	1982	NG8746
Loch Gairloch	Shieldaig Wood	1997	1997	NG818720
Loch Gairloch	River Kerry	1997	1997	NG835724
Loch Ewe	Loch an Draing	1997	1997	NG775898
Loch Broom	Coille a Choire	1982	1982	NH1591
Loch Kishorn	Airigh-drishaig	1983	1983	NG7636
Black Isle	Munlochy Bay	1997	2004	NH665536
Strathcarron	Glen Calvie	1993	1993	NH4687
Culrain	Carbisdale Wood	1978	1978	NH561952
Enard Bay	Inverpolly	1981	1981	NC075135
Glen Affric	Affric Lodge	1998	1998	NH188233
Glen Affric	Chisholm Bridge	1998	1998	NH210243
Glen Affric	Allt Nah Imrich	1998	1998	NH235266
Glen Affric	Beinn a Mheadhoin	1998	1998	NH230250
Glen Affric	Dog Falls	1998	2004	NH285284
Strath Bran	Loch a Chuilinn	2001	2001	NH283619
Cannich	Invercannich	1998	2004	NH230250
Cannich	Strathglass	1996	2004	NH3634
Cannich	Corrimony RSPB	1997	2004	NH368284
River Beauly	Crask of Algas	1997	2004	NH454414
Strathfarrar	Strathfarrar NNR	1999	2001	NH347394
Strathfarrar	Struy	1998	1998	NH3940
Strathpefferr	Bottacks	1988	1988	NH4860