Would you like to be involved in our Marsh Fritillary monitoring? Come along and help us with our Marsh Fritillary web count.

2pm Saturday 6th September

Unlike most butterflies, monitoring is done by counting caterpillar webs rather than adults. Females lay large egg batches (up to 350), and the caterpillars spin conspicuous whitish webs on their foodplant, Devil’s-bit Scabious, in summer.  It’s a perfect time of year with its flowers so vibrant and easy to spot. These webs protect them from predators and a parasitic wasp (Apanteles bignellii) that can cause heavy losses.

We are fortunate to have the Marsh Fritillary at Tayvallich, a UK BAP priority species and part of the Scottish Biodiversity List. Its presence is one reason this landscape is recognised as one of ten Prime Areas for Lepidoptera (PALs) in Scotland.

Hope to see you there. Meet at Tayvallich Village Hall to share lifts to the estate. All ages welcome and no previous experience required. Please wear suitable footwear for rough ground.

Please get in touch with Tayvallich Estate Manager Ewan Paterson for more details: ewan.parterson@highlandsrewilding.co.uk.