Butterfly breeds again in Scotland

A declining butterfly may have started breeding in Scotland for the first time in 130 years, after eggs were discovered by amateur naturalists.

A handful of White-letter Hairstreak eggs were found on Wych elm trees at Lennel, Berwickshire by Iain Cowe, Butterfly Conservation has confirmed. The butterfly recorder spotted one of the creatures about 10 miles north-east of the area last year – the first sighting in Scotland since 1884.

Finding the eggs not only confirms the butterfly is breeding in the area, but one of the eggs was an old, hatched shell – suggesting the breed may have been there since at least 2016.

The White-letter Hairstreak, which has a distinctive “W” marking on the underside of its wing, was widespread across England and Wales, but has suffered a 72per cent decline over the last decade.

Samantha Herbert