There are eight different butterfly species resident in Orkney and two that are regular migrants, the Painted Lady and Red Admiral. The table below shows those that are resident and records of their presence in the North Isles.
| Island | Common Blue | Green-veined White | Large White | Meadow Brown | Small Tortoiseshell | Peacock | Dark Green Fritillary | Large Heath |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rousay | ||||||||
| Egilsay | ||||||||
| Wyre | ||||||||
| Shapinsay | ||||||||
| Sanday | ||||||||
| Stronsay | ||||||||
| Auskerry | ||||||||
| Eday | ||||||||
| North Ronaldsay | ||||||||
| Westray | ||||||||
| Papa Westray |
For this project we are focusing on three species; the Common Blue, Meadow Brown and Large Heath, but sending in records of any of the other species listed would be helpful too.
The Large Heath
The Large Heath has not been recorded in the North Isles but it is present elsewhere in Orkney, in areas of upland blanket bog, where the caterpillar’s main food plant, Hare’s Tail Cotton grass is present. Rousay offers good habitat for this species, although it has yet to be recorded there. Have you seen it? Click here to find out more about this species.
The Common Blue
This little butterfly has been recorded in all the inhabited North isles, with the exception of Papa Westray. However, as the map below shows, there are relatively few sightings in many of the islands. More records would help create a clearer picture of their presence and distribution over the whole area. Click here to find out more about this species.
Meadow Brown
The Meadow brown has been recorded in some of the islands but there are no records from Stronsay, Papa Westray and North Ronaldsay and there are relatively few records from Eday, Sanday and Westray. Have you seen the Meadow Brown in these islands? Click here to find out more about the Meadow Brown.
Where to send your records
Send your records to the county recorder of butterflies and moths, Sydney Gauld email: [email protected]
or to the Orkney Wildlife Information and Records Centre, email: [email protected]