BUTTERFLY FIELD TRIP – LOGIE QUARRY near Kildary

Target Species: Dingy Skipper and Small Blue

Date:  Saturday 4 June

Time:  10am

Meeting place:  The old entrance to the disused Logie quarry at NH 7739 7613. If travelling north up the A9 from Alness/Invergordon, turn left off the A9 about one mile north of Kildary. The quarry entrance is about one-third of a mile along the minor road.

If travelling south from Tain, turn right off the A9 one and a quarter miles after the turn-off to Arabella and Nigg.

Description:  The sand and gravel substrate of this old quarry provides ideal growing conditions for Kidney Vetch, the foodplant of Small Blue. Unfortunately, over the years, most of the open areas loved by KV have been taken over by tree regeneration and the KV has been shaded out. Work parties in autumn 2021 cleared some of the regenerating trees and scrub, and planted kidney vetch and bird’s-foot trefoil – caterpillar foodplants of Small Blue and Dingy Skipper respectively.

Today’s outing will visit the work site, see how well the plants have taken and hopefully find butterflies taking advantage of them.

Approx duration: To lunchtime, and beyond if the weather is good.

What’s needed:  Packed lunch

Leader name: Pete Moore

Leader contact details:  email: tonuptwitcher@gmail.com  

Tel: 07866 578079 or 01479 872261

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