Selfless butterfly lovers plant food for rare species at Dunnet

Members of the Caithness Environment Volunteers (CEV) met at the Dunnet Forest car park last week to plant more than 200 kidney vetch plants as part of an environmental programme.

The vetch is the only food for caterpillars of the rare small blue butterfly. The most northerly colonies in Scotland are at Castlehill, Castletown and in the dunes at Dunnet. The butterfly will feature in a ‘Species on the Edge’ project in Caithness next year.

The CEV group formed earlier this year as a merger of the Caithness Countryside Volunteers and the Caithness Biodiversity Group. One of the aims of the group is to undertake small projects, such as the vetch planting, which should enhance the environment and biodiversity in the county. Other recent projects include St John’s Pool maintenance, weeding at Achvarasdal broch, painting the Loch of Mey bird hide and juniper planting at Berriedale.

The group's volunteers work closely with the High Life Highland Countryside Rangers and the next project is Ranger-led, tidying the wildflower verges at Castlehill on September 18. New social media arrangements are under development. The CEV still uses the Caithness Countryside Volunteers’ Facebook page and if you would like notification of future Volunteers’ activities please email Caithnesscountrysidevolunteers@outlook.com

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