First Ayrshire record for Speckled Wood butterfly

Speckled wood butterfly recorded in Ayrshire fo rthe first time. Credit Wildlfe Extra.

The butterfly is common throughout much of Europe, but has not been previously recorded on mainland Ayrshire. In Scotland, it is most commonly seen in Argyll.

The Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) is a medium sized, dark brown butterfly with dappled yellow or white markings on its upper wings and it flies between April and September. The males are normally to be seen along woodland edges, resting in sunny spots between short bursts of flight. The females are less active and spend more time nearer the woodland canopy.

The sighting was made by Culzean's Senior Ranger Deirdre Mackinnon. She said: "Although I did not know what the butterfly was at the time, I immediately recognised it as something completely different. It was so beautiful in the sunshine - the wing markings shining golden against their almost black background. I hope that he found a mate and that we can look forward to seeing more Speckled Woods at Culzean."