butterflies – Paisley Natural History Society

GNHS and PNHS outing to Boylestone Quarry, Barrhead

Saturday 26th July 2025 Boylestone Quarry is a geological SSSI on the outskirts of Barrhead. The site was quarried for road metal but has been disused for decades. The main mineralogical interest of the quarry is the presence of prehnite (calcium aluminium silicate). The walls of the quarry also feature a good example of twoContinueContinue reading “GNHS and PNHS outing to Boylestone Quarry, Barrhead”

Join in the Big Butterfly Count

Brown and white butterfly on yellow flowers

The Big Butterfly Count started yesterday, Friday 18th July and and runs until Sunday 10th August. Male Common Blue butterfly It is an annual UK-wide survey organised by Butterfly Conservation. By taking part we can help them assess the health of our environment simply by counting the amount and type of butterflies (and some day-flying moths) thatContinueContinue reading “Join in the Big Butterfly Count”

Outing at Dykebar and Hollybush, Paisley

group of people wearing waterproofs and carrying umbrellas in a woodland standing next to a log on the ground

14 June 2025 A small group of six, brave enough to come out, despite the wet weather, set off through the woodland shelterbelt at Dykebar hoping to get protection from the rain. The plan wasn’t as effective as we’d hoped, but without the downpour we would never have seen what turned out to be theContinueContinue reading “Outing at Dykebar and Hollybush, Paisley”

PNHS Greenan shore outing

group of 6 people standing in foreground with hill in the background

Saturday 3rd May 2025 An adventurous five members turned up in glorious sunny conditions and despite the strong westerly breeze there was plenty of Green-veined Whites and Orange-tips already flying about. This trip was about seeing the Lesser Whitethroat and hopefully the Holly Blue butterfly as I had seen both in amongst the coastal HawthornContinueContinue reading “PNHS Greenan shore outing”

PNHS outing to Cashel Forest

A group of people standing in a wood with bracken in the foreground

6 July 2024 The weather looked promising as we made our way to the eastern Loch Lomond banks for the postponed Cashel Forest trip. Although the temperature was rather low for July, it proved to be a lovely day with only a short shower at lunch time. Society members were treated to a tour ofContinueContinue reading “PNHS outing to Cashel Forest”

Glow-worm weekend on Isle of Cumbrae

Close-up of a beetle with two lower segments of its body glowing bright green and perched in a grassy area.

22-23 June 2024 Fintry Bay We arrived on the Isle of Cumbrae at lunch time and headed over to the Fintry Bay Café, with beautiful views over the Clyde Estuary. After a delicious lunch we made our way along the coast towards Millport and discovered the walking track uphill to Millport Golf Club. Our routeContinueContinue reading “Glow-worm weekend on Isle of Cumbrae”

Call for Bog Squad volunteers

Group of people with saws cutting down young birch trees

Butterfly Conservation are running a couple of Bog Squad work parties at Sergeantlaw Moss this winter and looking for volunteers to come along and help out. Weather permitting the days are:Saturday 2nd DecemberandSaturday 13th JanuaryTime: 10am – 3pm (but leaving early is not a problem)Tools are supplied and gloves if you want them, but youContinueContinue reading “Call for Bog Squad volunteers”

Peatlands of Gleniffer

Bog with clumps of flowering yellow Bog Asphodel and pink Cross-leaved Heath in foreground and grassy hill with trees in background

Introduction The general area occupying undulating and slightly elevated land to the the south of Paisley is part of the Gleniffer Braes. As can be seen from the soil map below there are substantial areas of peatland within this area. Some are intact and some degraded or afforested. ©Crown Copyright Scotland’s Soils maps, Scottish GovernmentContinueContinue reading “Peatlands of Gleniffer”

Streak of the Purple Hairstreak

PNHS member, Kirsty Menzies, has had another successful year raising Purple Hairstreak butterflies from eggs collected from windblown twigs at Hurlethill. This year she managed to raise 10 butterflies, all males, and was lucky enough to see one emerge from its chrysalis. Here you can see the butterfly streaking across an old oak leaf justContinueContinue reading “Streak of the Purple Hairstreak”

Glorious grasslands

PNHS has had a botany-filled fortnight starting with the first of our study group visits to Whinnerston Braes on 29 June followed by our Beginners Botany outing on 6 July. Whinnerston Braes is a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its flower-rich grassland and a group of us went along to have a look andContinueContinue reading “Glorious grasslands”