As an update to my previous post.
I have been taking part in the Scottish Borders Northern Brown Argus surveys recently. I have seen a disappointingly low number of butterflies, possibly because of the weather on the days when I have been able to survey the local area. The area is becoming quite overgrown, as it has not been grazed for about the last 15 years. It is a bit of a worry that the Rockrose may become completely swamped.
However, last week I surveyed the valley above our house including a large area of grassland above the valley. I found quite a number of patches of Rockrose and I was amazed that on almost every patch I found Northern Brown Argus eggs.
When I arrived home I thought I should check out my area of Rockrose and I was delighted to see quite a number of eggs here. So, it seems as though there may have been more than one Northern Brown Argus here. Despite me regularly checking the area, I only saw the one. Hopefully next year there will be more.
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For some reason my camera just wouldn't focus on the eggs, so I took the above picture with my phone!
Good morning Nick, :=) All this is wonderful news. The Northern Brown Angus were so near you in the meadow above your house, and paid a visit to the Rock-rose you planted. I hope the eggs do well,...I know you will be checking on them. Good Luck!
ReplyDeleteAll the best. :=)
Thank you Sonjia. It is thrilling that the Northern Brown Argus have found my Rockrose. I the whole project was a bit of an experiment to see if it was possible to recreate an area similar to that where the NBA are found. Now, of course I will need to make the area bigger, so that it is more viable for a colony of Northern Brown Argus!
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