Butterfly Conservation – Paisley Natural History Society

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”

Holly Blue butterflies spotted in Renfrewshire

Silvery blue butterfly feeding on a holly flower with its underwing showing.

Have you seen any Holly Blue butterflies? The Holly Blue had been slowly moving North in the Glasgow and Southwest area over the last 5 years particularly. During 2023 the species went through a massive explosion in numbers and range in Scotland, particularly on the East coast. This has continued in 2024. Spread on theContinueContinue reading “Holly Blue butterflies spotted in Renfrewshire”

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”

First Large Skipper for Renfrewshire

At the last PNHS talk one of our members, Dee Murray, mentioned the unusual butterfly she spotted in her garden during the summer. Dee is interested in butterflies and records them along a local transect, but this was one she hadn’t seen before. She saw it on 29th July when finishing up a cup ofContinueContinue reading “First Large Skipper for Renfrewshire”

Join in the Big Butterfly Count

The Big Butterfly Count started on Friday 15th July and if you haven’t already started counting there’s plenty time as it runs until Sunday 7th 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 amountContinueContinue reading “Join in the Big Butterfly Count”

Large Heath butterfly survey workshops

Want to know the difference between a Large Heath (Coenonympha tullia) and other similar species or to learn more about them and the best way to survey for them? Then take a look at the series of free workshops being run by Butterfly Conservation as part of their Large Heath Scottish survey 2022. The adultContinueContinue reading “Large Heath butterfly survey workshops”

Upcoming Butterfly Conservation events

General butterfly ID and recording / general guided walks Calderglen Country Park (7th May) Garnethill Park and Ruchill Park Glasgow (8th May)Green Hairstreak hunts: Lenzie Moss (17th May and 7th June) Green Hairstreak butterfly, Moss Mulloch, May 2018 Details on how to book onto these events can be found in the events listings on their website here.

Spring into action…for butterflies

At their Scottish Spring Gathering in March Butterfly Conservation put out a call for volunteers and suggested a number of projects people could get involved in. If you missed it you can watch the gathering on You Tube and find out about some of the butterfly and moth work being done in Scotland. Small Copper,ContinueContinue reading “Spring into action…for butterflies”