Scottish Small Blue Week

Small Blues are declining in Scotland, and are now mostly found on coastal sites in Moray, Caithness, Angus and Berwickshire where the particular foodplants for Small Blue caterpillars grows. In Scotland the caterpillars only feed upon Kidney Vetch, which can be recognised by its bright yellow flowers that are covered in soft hairs.

The butterflies prefer warm sites sheltered from the wind, and are most often found in sand dunes and coastal grassland between late-May and late-June. Knowing exactly where Small Blues are found helps to target on-the-ground conservation work.

Look out for this little elusive butterfly in summer and try to get a photo and send in details of sightings.

If you see a Small Blue, let us know! You can easily send in sightings in one of the three following ways:

• iRecord Butterflies app: a free app (available for Android and Apple devices) that allows you to send in sightings of any butterflies you see.
• The Butterflies for the New Millenium recording webage: a website where you can enter records of butterflies you see.
• Email: you can also email butterfly recorder Glyn Edwards on [email protected]