moths and butterfliesof the Scottish uplands

This leaflet describes some ofour beautiful and fascinating uplandand montane moths and butterflies,and the special habitats andlandscapes they occupy.

Butterfly Conservation is a UK charity of 12,500members, over 600 of whom live in Scotland.

In Scotland, Butterfly Conservation advises landowners onhabitat management for butterflies and moths; collaborateswith others on landscape-scale nature conservation projects;carries out surveys and monitoring on our most threatenedspecies; trains volunteers to enable them to take actionfor butterflies and moths; makes recommendations to theScottish Government on its environmental policies; andencourages everyone to cherish their butterflies andmoths - in their gardens, parks, crofts, farms and businesses.

You can join online at www.butterfly-conservation.org

This leaflet was part-funded by the Cairngorms NationalPark Authority Community Investment programme.

Butterfly Conservation ScotlandBalallan House 24 Allan Park Stirling FK8 2QG

Tel: 01786 447753 Email: scotland@butterfly-conservation.org

www.butterfly-conservation.org

Photographs by: Julie Stoneman, Uwe Stoneman, Roy Leverton,Will Boyd-Wallis, Mark Parsons, Richard Sutcliffe, Paul Kirkland,Yvonne Malcolm, Paul Pugh and Ken Wilmott.Text by Yvonne Malcolm.

Butterfly ConservationCompany limited by guarantee, registered in England (2206468)Registered Office: Manor Yard, East Lulworth, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 5QPCharity registered in England & Wales (254937) and in Scotland (SCO39268)

Designed by cellcreative 01942 681648.Printed on 100% recycled paper made from post-consumer waste

In the Cairngorms the uplandzone starts at around 300m,and the montane zone startsat around 800m. But if you gonorth or west the zones startlower down, approachingsea-level in the Western Isles,Sutherland, Orkney andShetland. So, you could finda butterfly or moth at sea levelin Shetland that could onlybe seen on the high topsin the Cairngorms.

The high rolling plateauis characterised by late-lyingsnow, boulder fields, screeslopes, steep corrie walls, vastdistances and thin soils makingit a special and fragile homefor the plants and animalssurviving there.

The area is incrediblyimportant for upland andmontane species. All of thespecies described in thisleaflet occur there.

THE UPLANDSUplands are mostly moorland,grassland, woodland, scruband blanket bog. They are oftena mixture of all these, a “habitatmosaic”, and some species needmore than one type of habitatto complete their life cycle.

Much of the uplands is moorland,dominated by ling heather (Calluna),but if you look a little more closelyyou can see a patchwork of otherdwarf shrubs. In some areas,such as those with richer soilsor steeper slopes, there are moregrasses. The wettest areas,usually flat or gently slopingground, form blanket bogs.

Woodlands and scrub are lesscommon, mainly because deer,cattle and sheep have beennibbling at any saplings thathave grown for centuries.

MONTANE HABITATSAbove the tree line, it is cold,windswept and inhospitablefor much of the year, and thegrowing season is very short.Only lichens, mosses, sedges,rushes and low-growing shrubscan grow in the thin soilsbetween the areas of bare rock.

The moths and butterfliesthat live here are well adaptedto this hostile environment.For example, many moths taketwo years to complete theirlife-cycle (see page 14).

The remoteness of the highmountain environment andthe unpredictable and inclementweather makes surveying andmonitoring difficult. As a result,little is known about the distributionand life cycle of many of ourmontane species - which iswhy we need your help!

We can divide Scotland’s high ground intotwo zones; high ground or uplands - land aboveenclosed farmland, and the montane zone - landabove the tree-line. Butterflies and moths livein different conditions within each zone.

The Cairngorms National ParkAlmost a third of UK land over 600m, by farthe largest area of montane habitat in Britain,is within the Cairngorms National Park.

Upland Moors Montane Zone

DISTRIBUTION ANDCATERPILLAR FOODPLANTThis is a common moth,found in the uplands throughoutScotland, and also on lowlandheathland. It’s caterpillarsfeed mainly on heathers,but also on other woodyplants and bramble.

LIFE CYCLEAND ADAPTATIONSThe adults fly in April and Mayand caterpillars can be seenfrom June to August. Theyoverwinter as pupae in brown,pear-shaped cocoons, withopenings like lobster pots withoutward-pointing spikes. Thenewly emerged moth can getout but predators can’t get in.

One of the most spectacular of ourmoorland species, the day-flying EmperorMoth is characterised by giant eye spotson both pairs of wings. The fully growncaterpillar is unmistakable with its brightpink or yellow spots!

Upland MothsEmperor MothSaturnia pavoniaWingspan 55 - 85mm

Emperor Moth (female)

DISTRIBUTION ANDCATERPILLAR FOODPLANTThis is a common species,found on moorland throughoutScotland. Its caterpillars feedon heather and blaeberry.

LIFE CYCLEAND ADAPTATIONSThe adults fly in May andJune and the caterpillars canbe seen from July onwards.In Scotland and northernEngland the moth has a twoyear life cycle, overwinteringonce as a small caterpillarthen spending a secondwinter as a pupa.

Male Northern Eggar moths can be seenduring the day flying fast and erratically overmoorland scouting for females. The broadpale band of colour on the forewings is easilyseen in flight. The female is paler and muchlarger and than the male - she carries a heavyload of eggs and needs bigger wings to fly.

Northern EggarLasiocampa quercus callunaeWingspan 68 - 96mm

Northern Eggar

DISTRIBUTION ANDCATERPILLAR FOODPLANTIt is a very common speciesfound throughout Scotlandon lowland heathland andmoorland, its caterpillarsfeeding on heather.

LIFE CYCLEAND ADAPTATIONSThe adults are active duringthe day in May and June,especially in bright sunshine.The caterpillars are found inmid to late summer, and themoth spends the winteras a pupa.

The Common Heath is sometimes abundant,and to see dozens of them flying over themoors in the sunshine can be a memorablesight on a fine day. The males can bedistinguished by their large feathery antennae,used to detect the female’s pheromonesfrom hundreds of metres away.

Common HeathEmaturga atomariaWingspan 22 - 34mm

Common Heath

DISTRIBUTION ANDCATERPILLAR FOODPLANTAnother heather-feeder, thisis also a common specieson heathland and moorlandthroughout Scotland.

LIFE CYCLEAND ADAPTATIONSThe adults can be active onbright days, but also fly at nightand readily come to light. Theadults fly from June to August,and it overwinters as a caterpillar.

With an unforgettable name, the True Lover’sKnot can be distinguished by its rich reddishbrown colour and Celtic knot-like patternon the forewings, which gives us the clueas to how its name was derived.

True Lover’s KnotLycophotia porphyreaWingspan 26 - 34mm

True Lover’s Knot

DISTRIBUTION ANDCATERPILLAR FOODPLANTThe Netted Mountain Moth maybe more widespread in Scotlandthan records would suggest,due to under-recording. The solecaterpillar foodplant is bearberry(Arctostaphylos), and colonies canthrive where this is abundant, inareas often called “Arctostaphylosheath” (see the section on habitatmanagement) The NettedMountain Moth is also presentin Highland Perthshire, Morayand Easter Ross.

LIFE CYCLEAND ADAPTATIONSThe adults are day-flying fromApril through to early Junealthough dates vary with altitude -the higher colonies can emergemuch later in the season. Thecaterpillars are found in late Mayto early July and it overwintersas a pupa.

Listed in both the UK BiodiversityAction Plan (UKBAP) and theCairngorms Local BiodiversityAction Plan (LBAP). See over.

The day-flying Netted Mountain Moth isa rare and declining species. The CairngormsNational Park is it’s UK stronghold. This smallmoth, characterised by wavy black bandsacross its grey wings, can be confusedwith the female Common Heath. However,it flies faster and is smaller and darker.

Netted Mountain MothMacaria carbonariaWingspan 23 - 25mm

Netted Mountain Moth

DISTRIBUTION ANDCATERPILLAR FOODPLANTThe Cairngorms National Parkis a stronghold for this moth,but there are also records fromHighland Perthshire and Moray.Like the Netted Mountain Moth,the caterpillar’s sole foodplantis bearberry. It may occur inthe montane zone as wellas the upland zone.

LIFE CYCLEAND ADAPTATIONSThe adults fly by day from lateApril into June. In the sunshinethey have a fast, buzzingbee-like flight and can oftenbe seen nectaring on flowers,especially those of bearberry.They may sometimes be foundresting on rocks or posts. TheSmall Dark Yellow Underwingis a caterpillar from June to July,and it overwinters as a pupa.

The Small Dark Yellow Underwing is a UKBAPand Cairngorms LBAP species. It is a smallmoth, characterised by large white kidney-shaped spots on the dark forewings, and darkbands on the yellow underwings, althoughthese are hidden when at rest.

Small Dark Yellow UnderwingAnarta cordigeraWingspan averages 24 - 28mm

Small Dark Yellow Underwing

The UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP)highlights the UK’s most threatened speciesand habitats, and outlines ways their conservationshould be co-ordinated.

Local Biodiversity Action Plans (LBAPs) identifyregional and local priorities for conservation.They usually include additional species andhabitats as well as all of the UKBAP speciesthat occur in the area.

LBAP’s are partnerships of local authorities,statutory agencies, voluntary conservationbodies and individuals who are working togetherto promote conservation in their area. MostLBAPs put on training events and run projectsto help everyone get involved in promotingand conserving local wildlife.

For more information on the LBAPs in your area,visit www.biodiversityscotland.gov.uk

A training day for the tourism industry,supported by the Cairngorms LBAP

Biodiversity Action Plans

DISTRIBUTION ANDCATERPILLAR FOODPLANTRestricted to Scotland, it isa mountain specialist occurringon high moorland, summits andridges, and is rarely seen belowthe tree-line. It’s UK stronghold isprobably the Cairngorms NationalPark, but it has also been recordedin Wester Ross, Caithness, Argylland Galloway. The caterpillars onlyfeed during the short mid to latesummer nights, on a range ofdwarf shrubs such as bearberry,crowberry, blaeberry and cowberry.

LIFE CYCLEAND ADAPTATIONSThe adults are day-flying frommid May to June, and are activein bright sunshine and also onwarm, cloudy days. They flyin a bee-like fashion just a fewcentimetres above the ground,perhaps keeping low to avoidthe windy conditions of thehigh tops.

The Broad-bordered White Underwing islisted on both the Cairngorms and Dumfries& Galloway LBAPs, and can be identifiedby its greyish brown forewing and whiteunderwing with a dark border anddark crescent.

Broad-bordered White Underwing

Montane MothsBroad-bordered White UnderwingAnarta melanopaWingspan 26 - 32mm

DISTRIBUTION ANDCATERPILLAR FOODPLANTIn the UK it is confined toScotland, but is widespreadin the Cairngorms and has alsobeen recorded in Ross-shire,Sutherland and Perthshire.The moth is rarely found belowthe tree-line, and the caterpillaris thought to mainly feedon crowberry.

LIFE CYCLEAND ADAPTATIONSThe adults fly in June and Julyin sunshine, but may be foundcrawling spider-like on the groundwhen it is too cold or windy to fly.Their dark colour allows themto more readily absorb heat whilebasking. Numbers of adults seemto be greater in odd-numberedyears e.g. 2007, and it is thoughtthat the caterpillars have a two-year life cycle, overwinteringtwice in order to reach maturity.

The Black Mountain Moth’s very roundedwing tips give it an unusual shape. It is alsodistinguished by its dull black colourationand the black spots on its forewings.

Black Mountain MothGlacies coracinaWingspan 21 - 28mm

Black Mountain Moth

DISTRIBUTION ANDCATERPILLAR FOODPLANTThe entire UK population of thismoth is confined to a couple ofsites in the eastern Cairngorms,on south-facing dry grassyheath between 700 - 850m.

The caterpillars feed on mainlycrowberry, but will also eatcowberry, blaeberry and heather.

LIFE CYCLEAND ADAPTATIONSThe adults fly from late Juneinto July flying in spells of warmsunshine. They may overwinteras caterpillars once or twicedepending on the conditions.

The Mountain Burnet is the onlymontane burnet in Britain, and islisted on the Cairngorms LBAP.

The burnets are a group of spectacularday-flying moths and include some of therarest insects in the country. With blackclub-like antennae and conspicuous redmarkings on their glossy black wings, theyare sometimes mistaken for butterflies.

Mountain (or Scotch) BurnetZygaena exulans subchraceaWingspan 24 - 34mm

Mountain Burnet

DISTRIBUTION ANDCATERPILLAR FOODPLANTThe moth occurs above tree-lineat various sites in the Cairngorms,Highland Perthshire, and theSouthern Uplands, where thecaterpillars feed on crowberry.

The Northern Dart also occursnear to sea level on Harris,Lewis, Orkney and Shetland.

LIFE CYCLEAND ADAPTATIONSThe adults are on thewing from June to August.They fly at night and are rarelyseen during the day. The mothoverwinters twice as a larvaand, unlike the Black MountainMoth, the adults appear tobe more common in even-numbered years, e.g. 2006.

The Northern Dart is a UKBAP andCairngorms LBAP species. With blackor dark brown on the forewings and redand grey markings, this moth is beautifullycoloured and camouflaged on rocks.There are no similar species foundin the same habitat.

Northern DartXestia alpicola alpinaWingspan 34 - 40mm

Northern DartLarvae grow slowly in the harsh environment

Many montane species have adapted toa two year life cycle due to the short growingseason and lack of feeding time.

The record breaker is a species of Greenlandmoth that takes fifteen years to completeits lifecycle!

The advantages ofa two year life-cycle

If the flight period is hamperedby poor weather, and few adultssurvive to breed successfully,there is at least a chance that theoverwintering larvae and pupaewill survive to hatch the followingyear and be more successful.This may also prevent excessivebuild up of parasites - flies andwasps - whose grubs feed insidethe caterpillars and kill them!

DISTRIBUTION ANDCATERPILLAR FOODPLANTIts UK distribution is restricted tothe upland moors and mountainsof Scotland, an it has beenrecorded in the Cairngormand on Orkney and Rum.

It is usually seen in grassyareas beside streams, but littleis known about its ecology.The caterpillars are thoughtto feed on grasses andherbaceous plants.

LIFE CYCLEAND ADAPTATIONSThe adults fly throughJune into August.

There are many species of so-called‘micro-moths’. Udea uliginosalis has nocommon name and is a type of micro-mothcalled a ‘pyralid’. Many micro-moths aredifficult to distinguish, but this is one of thelarger species and is fairly distinctive withits pale colour and relatively long wings.

Udea uliginosalisA ‘micro-moth’Wingspan 25 - 31mm

Udea uliginosalis

The Scotch Argus can beseen as high as 650m in theCairngorms, but can also occurat sea level. It flies over damp,grassy moorland, especiallyareas dominated by purple-moorgrass (Molinia), one of its maincaterpillar foodplants, althoughit can feed on other grasses.

Wetter, boggy areas support theLarge Heath, whose caterpillarsfeed on cotton-grasses. Adultsare reluctant to take to the wingexcept on the sunniest days,and spend much time nectaringon cross-leaved heath.

The caterpillar of only one Scottishspecies feeds on heather, thatof the beautifully iridescent GreenHairstreak. It can also feed onwhin (gorse) and blaeberry, thelatter probably being its mainfoodplant in Scotland. The adultsfly in May and June, but are muchmore commonly found on thelower slopes.

Other butterfly's you might findin sheltered, species-rich, floweryhabitats in the uplands includeGreen-veined White, CommonBlue, Small Copper, MeadowBrown and Small Heath.

It’s always a bit of a surprise to see butterflies in thehills, but most years we receive records of migratingPainted Ladies and even Small Tortoiseshells,a butterfly you normally think of as living in gardens!You won’t see many butterflies on exposed moorlands,but there will be more in sheltered places. You will seethem especially along burns where the soils are oftenricher, which means more caterpillar food plantsand nectar plants for the adults.

Upland and Montane ButterfliesLots of different butterflies live in the uplands,and you can often see them in the montane zone.But there is only one true montane butterflyin the UK... The Mountain Ringlet.

Large Heath Scotch Argus

Small Tortoiseshell

DISTRIBUTION ANDCATERPILLAR FOODPLANTThe distribution of the MountainRinglet is centred on theBreadalbane Hills and the westcentral Highlands, where it is foundbetween 450 and 800m. The bestplaces to see it are on the CreagMeagaidh and Ben Lawers NNRs.

Further west it can be found aslow as 250m at Glasdrum NNR,and it also occurs on Ben Lomond.It is rare in the Cairngorms, onlyoccurring in Glen Doll area.

It breeds mainly on gentlesouth-facing slopes supportingspecies-rich grassland. The adultsare often seen nectaring on thyme,and the caterpillars probably feedon a range of grasses.

LIFE CYCLEAND ADAPTATIONSMountain Ringlet adults fly fromlate June into August, but usuallyonly in sunshine. The caterpillarsover-winter, and are thought toonly feed at night, but little isknown of their ecology.

The Mountain Ringlet is the only butterfly to breed inthe montane zone. The Mountain Ringlet is a medium-sized, dark brown butterfly with an orange band andblack spots. It may be confused with the larger andmore common Scotch Argus, but this usually occursat lower altitudes, and has prominent white eyespots.The Mountain Ringlet is a UKBAP species, and is alsolisted in the Stirling, Highlands and Cairngorms LBAPs.

Mountain Ringlet

Mountain RingletErebia epiphronWingspan 28 - 38mm

“Arctostaphylos heath”,dominated by bearberry(Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) isa particularly rare and threatenedhabitat, and is very importantfor two UKBAP species, NettedMountain Moth and Small DarkYellow Underwing.

Bearberry cannot compete wellwith ling (Calluna vulgaris), soit occurs on heather moorlandwhere the ling is kept in check bythe soil conditions, topography,grazing or burning.

Too little muirburn can allowling to shade out the bearberry,and good muirburn practicethat creates a patchworkof small burns is beneficial.

In areas without burning,grazing allows bearberry tosurvive by keeping the heatherdown, but too much relaxationof the grazing pressure can leadto the loss of the bearberry.

Centuries of management by grazing andburning have produced Scotland’s uniqueheather moorland, and the wildlife livingthere. Since the 1940s, large areas of heathermoorland have been lost to forestry, whilechanges in grazing patterns have resultedin the spread of bracken and other areasof heather-dominated moorlandbecoming grassland.

Good muirburn favours bearberry

ConservationHabitat management

We are concerned about ourspecialist upland and montanespecies however, as cool andhumid habitats could disappearor become more fragmented.

Researchers at York Universityhave shown that in Scotland andCumbria, the Mountain Ringlethas shifted its range upwardsin recent years, probably inresponse to the warmer weather.But obviously, our montanespecies can only move sofar upwards until they runout of mountain!

The effects that a warmingclimate may have on ourupland and montane speciesare unknown, but by learningmore about their ecology anddistribution, we will have morechance of conserving them.

Unfortunately we know relativelylittle about the ecology andhabitat requirements of manyupland and montane moths.

The distribution of many butterfliesand moths is changing significantlyin response to the warmer weather wehave been experiencing. Several specieshave colonised Scotland from the south,while others are being recordedat higher altitudes.

Montane species are retreating uphill

Climate change

THE INFORMATIONWE NEED INCLUDES:

� Date� Species name� A six-figure (ideally)

grid reference� Name of the area or nearest

village, town or mountain� Your name and contact

details (we may needto verify the record andcan provide feedback)

We may be able to identify whatyou have seen from good digitalphotographs. You may also liketo visit www.ukmoths.org.uk

For more information onmontane and other species,or to find out where to send yourrecords, please contact us at:

Butterfly ConservationScotland, Balallan House,Allan Park, Stirling,FK8 2QG Tel 01786 447753

A greater understanding of thedistribution and habitat requirementsis needed to conserve our upland andmontane species. You can help usby sending us your butterfly andmoth sightings.

Recording training day supported byCairngorms and Stirling LBAPs

How you can helpWe need to know more

Email:scotland@butterfly-conservation.orgwww.butterfly-conservation.org

ACCESS RIGHTSAND RESPONSIBILITIESEveryone has the right to be on most land and inland waterproviding they act responsibly. Access rights and responsibilitiesare explained in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code at:www.outdooraccess-scotland.com

The key things are to:� take responsibility for your own actions� respect the interests of other people� care for the environment.

MOUNTAIN SAFETYScotland’s mountains can be wild and unpredictable places.Anyone venturing into the hills should be well prepared and awarethat conditions can change very quickly. Always let someone knowwhere you are going so they can alert the authorities if you do notreturn at your expected time. It is advisable to check the weatherforecast before you set out. Essential items to carry with youin the mountains include:

Clothing - walking trousers (not jeans), thermal topfleece top, thick socks, walking boots.Equipment - waterproof jacket & hood, waterproof overtrousers,spare warm clothing, hat & gloves, first aid kit, survival bag, food& drink, map & compass, whistle, watch, torch, mobile phone.

This information was kindly supplied by:The Mountaineering Council of Scotland www.mcofs.org.uk

...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................

Notes