Saturday 17th June 2023, 10:00am-3:00pm

Contact

55.695692258449, -4.1686248779297

Large Heath Butterfly Survey Training Workshop

Whitelee Forest, East Renfrewshire

The Large Heath is a specialist of wet, boggy peatlands in northern Britain, Ireland and a few isolated sites in Wales and central England. Historically peatlands have been overlooked as a habitat, resulting in the drainage of lowland raised bogs for agriculture, afforestation and commercial peat extraction. Such habitat loss has led to this species declining, especially in England and Wales. Scotland remains a relative stronghold for the species in the UK, but with many lowland raised bogs being in unfavourable condition in Scotland, we are keen to gather a better picture of how Large Heath are faring across this habitat.

Aim

The aim of this field workshop is to encourage attendees to carry out their own targeted surveys this year for Large Heath at locations where the butterfly has not been recorded for some years.  Additionally, we will be surveying an area of upland bog within Whitelee Forest which has not been surveyed for Large Heath before. The butterfly exists nearby at Ardochrig Farm and Mossmulloch and there is still deep peat found in the area we will be surveying, in partnership with the Whitelee Rangers Service.

The workshop will provide information on identification, distribution, ecology and survey methods.

Booking

The session is free and anyone can attend, however, please let us know that you are coming along so we can send directions to the meeting point.

Please note that the session will involve walking on difficult terrain, across boggy areas with uneven/ wet ground  and wellies are advised.

To book a place, please click here.

For more information see here or contact: @email