Welcome to Highland Branch of Butterfly Conservation

Butterfly Conservation is a registered charity dedicated to the conservation of butterflies and moths.

If you live in the region and are a member of Butterfly Conservation you automatically become a member of Highland Branch which covers Highland, Moray, the Western Isles, and Orkney and Shetland

HB Mainland HB Northern Isles

Map of Highland Branch area, the black line to the right of the mainland and Western Isles map denotes the branch boundary, and the pink lines show the vice-county boundaries. Orkney and Shetland are on the map on the right.

Branch Activities

Our activities include recording butterflies and moths, organising events, field trips and work parties, and publishing annual newsletters, most of which can be downloaded from our Newsletter page.

Clifden Nonpareil Suprise!

It is often said that opening a moth trap is like opening Xmas Day presents – you never know what you are going to get. I’m sure that Peter Stronach, who lives near Grantown-on-Spey in Highland, was delighted with his “present” when he looked in his garden moth trap on the morning of September 21^st and was amazed to find a Clifden Nonpareil. What a stunning moth!

This species is resident in the south of England but an immigrant elsewhere, with most Scottish records along or near to the east coast, suggesting origins in northern Europe. Records of immigrants in the UK have increased in the 21^st Century, but there have been only a handful of records in North Scotland and Peter’s record is a vice-county “first”.

Clifden Nonpareil ©Peter Stronach

Clifden Nonpareil, photos ©Peter Stronach

To contact Highland Branch on any matter relating to butterflies and moths in the Branch area, please email unicorn64@btinternet.com and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Enquiries relating to identification are welcome, and contributions for the Latest news page can also be submitted in this way.

To submit records of butterflies and moths from the Branch area, including the Hebrides and Northern Isles, please send them to the appropriate Butterfly Recorder or County Moth Recorder, whose contact details can be found on the Your records page.

Social Media

You can find us on Facebook at Butterfly Conservation - Highland Branch

There is also a private Facebook group Highland Moths & Butterflies which enables people to share photos, ask each other for help with identification and generally chat about moths and butterflies.

Twitter Logo You can also find us on Twitter BC Highland on Twitter