1 in 3 butterflies on at-risk red list

MORE than a third of Scotland’s butterflies are on a ‘red list’ of species under threat, a report has found.

Wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation (BC) warned time is running out to save some of the species.

BC scientists assessed all species in Great Britain against the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s criteria of extinction risk. Of the 37 butterflies that breed in Scotland, 13 are on the red list – including the grayling, pictured. Dr Richard Fox of BC said: ‘The previous red list had eight Scottish species listed as threatened, so the number has increased by 25 per cent.’