Butterflies on National Trust Land

[Lee Hurrell]

I bought a birthday card in WHS over the weekend and chose a lovely card with a Peacock on buddleia.

On the back it said that the National Trust was the most important landowner for butterflies in Britain and that all of our resident species bar 2 could be found on National Trust land.

Does anyone know which 2?

I'm going to guess Heath and Glanville Fritillary....

Cheers

Lee

[Rogerdodge]

Lee
Good brain teaser.
I think you may be wrong on both counts.
I think (but may be wrong) that Hurst Castle is NT, and has a small but struggling populaton of Glanvilles,
Also the majority of Exmoor Heath Frit sites are on NT land.
My guess is Scotch Argus and Chequered Skipper.
I don't think the NT is in Scotland, and I don't think Arnside Knott is NT.
Any other guesses?

p.s. Arnside Knott IS National Trust - so that knocks Scotch Argus on the head.
However, I stand by Chequered Skipper, and now guess that Mountain Ringlet is the 2nd????????????

[m_galathea]

The NT have a big presence in the Lakes. My money would be on Swallowtail.

[Rogerdodge]

m_galathea,
You are right about NT and Mountain Ringlet.
Sadly the NT also own Wicken Fen
So that leaves Chequered Skipper and one other.
Help

[m_galathea]

Didn't the Swallowtail die out there and all of the reintroductions fail though?

[Dave McCormick]

Hmm, for second, I am not sure...Would Reals wood white count as one? Does the NT mean all sites throughout Britian including IOW and Northern Ireland?

[lee3764]

The Glanville Fritillary is found at Compton Bay on south coast of Isle of Wight which is owned by The National Trust so Its not that species! Its not Large Blue either! (Collard Hill). I think that the Heath Fritillary is found on National Trust land on Exmoor so that species is discounted! I'll plum for Black Hairstreak and Chequered Skipper.

[Lee Hurrell]

Well at least we have one question for Matthew Oates at the photo workshop!

Cheers

Lee

[Piers]

I'm inclined to agree with Lee3764.

The Swallowtail occurs at NT's Horsey Mere so that specie is ruled out, although Alexander was quite right in as much as attempts to reintroduce the Swallowtail to Wicken have come to nothing.

Chequered Skipper has to be one as it isn't found in England anymore, and Black Hairstreak by a process of elimination.

Felix.

[Lee Hurrell]

Interesting if it is Black Hairstreak as I imagine that species is at least a little more widespread (?) than Glanville Frit, Heath Frit, Swallowtail etc.

I know Bernwood Forest is Forestry Commission rather than NT, maybe that's why.

Cheers

Lee