Primary pupils’ big effort for butterfly CARNOUSTIE: Woodlands pupils to fore in efforts to safeguard country’s smallest butterfly

Angus primary school pupils are leading an effort to protect Scotland’s smallest butterfly as part of a nationwide conservation project.

Part of the Angus coastline is a stronghold of the rare small blue, and youngsters at Carnoustie’s Woodlands Primary have taken cupido minimus to their hearts by becoming the first school in the country to champion the butterfly.

Earlier this year residents from Easthaven visited the school to raise awareness of the species, which is rare in Scotland and has a declining population.

The Angus coast and Easthaven environs is one of the areas of the country where the small blue can be found, and the Woodlands youngsters have created a poster and logo to promote the first Small Blue Week in Scotland, which runs from Monday.

Residents in Easthaven planted the kidney vetch plant on which the butterfly thrives in partnership with Butterfly Conservation and Tayside Biodiversity Partnership in April, with the aim of creating a corridor of the plant to Carnoustie.

They have also installed a new interpretation board at the village’s heritage point to inform the public about butterflies and encourage people to report sightings.

Paul Kirkland, Butterfly Conservation, said: “We are really thrilled at the enthusiasm for Small Blue Week.

“It serves to highlight the tremendous amount done by volunteers to help safeguard our smallest butterfly, and raise awareness of the challenges it and many other pollinating insects face”.

The awareness week will see volunteer surveyors visit sites along the Angus coast to monitor the population of the butterfly.

There will be a chance for volunteers to get together and for new volunteers to be trained on June 4 between 1pm and 4pm at Barry Buddon, the stronghold for the butterfly in Angus.

The Small Blue can be seen from late May to early July.

Information on the survey training day and the species can be downloaded via taysidebiodiversity.co.uk.

Catherine Lloyd from the Tayside Biodiversity Partnership said: “The small blue has been found at several sites along the Angus coast from Buddon Ness to Kinnaber, north of Montrose.

“However, its sole larval food plant is kidney vetch, so the work carried out by volunteers to plant it and maintain this important habitat for the small blue is of great importance”.

Extensive work has been undertaken in recent years by head greenkeeper Craig Boath and his team at Carnoustie Golf Links.

The posters created by the children will be displayed at Carnoustie Golf Hotel throughout Small Blue week. gbrown@thecourier.co.uk

Picture: Steve MacDougall. Carnoustie Primary pupils leading the way in the launch of Scotland’s first small blue butterfly week near the heritage point in Easthaven.

P4 pupil Ellie SoutarCoffin was dressed for the occasion.