The Nature of Scotland â Autumn 2011 â Issue 13
The Nature of Scotland â Autumn 2011 â Issue 13
The Nature of Scotland â Autumn 2011 â Issue 13
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NEWS<br />
Purple haze in Paisley<br />
A colony <strong>of</strong> rare butterflies was discovered this summer at a<br />
new site on the outskirts <strong>of</strong> Glasgow.<br />
<strong>The</strong> purple hairstreaks were found in Shaw Wood<br />
in Thornly Park, Paisley. <strong>The</strong> discovery highlights the<br />
recent success <strong>of</strong> the butterfly in <strong>Scotland</strong>. <strong>The</strong> species<br />
is widespread in parts <strong>of</strong> England but far less common in<br />
<strong>Scotland</strong>.<br />
<strong>The</strong> purple hairstreak is one <strong>of</strong> our most beautiful and<br />
overlooked butterflies. <strong>The</strong> male boasts striking, deep-purple<br />
upper wings and tiny black tail streamers.<br />
Purple hairstreaks <strong>of</strong>ten go unnoticed as they’re typically<br />
found in tree tops. <strong>The</strong>y live in self-contained colonies,<br />
always on oak trees, and rarely take flight except on sunny<br />
days.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> purple hairstreak has been doing quite well<br />
recently in <strong>Scotland</strong>,” commented Tom Prescott, species<br />
conservation <strong>of</strong>ficer for Butterfly Conservation.<br />
“In fact it may be under-recorded as it’s quite tricky to<br />
spot. It normally involves lying on your back and looking for a<br />
small silhouette fluttering around the top <strong>of</strong> a tree! Certainly,<br />
the butterfly has shown evidence <strong>of</strong> moving north in recent<br />
years, with a colony even being found in the Highlands.”<br />
www.snh.gov.uk 19