www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Any bright ideas about potential butterfly sites in North West Wales?...
I know about Great Orme Head, but there seems little info about other sites, even on the Wales section of the Butterfly Conservation website (?!). I did notice a mention from SelbyPaul and LCPete about the Pearl-Bordered Fritillaries near Porthmadog - that site is very close to where we will be staying in July - so any info about any other sites near Porthmadog would be very much appreciated.
NB: After a bit of digging, I found information about a Nature Reserve at Morfa Dyffryn, but info about butterflies there seems scant... rather like the clothing of the users of the area... it is apparently best known as a Naturist Reserve. I'm not sure that wandering around the beach with a long lens would be a wise move ... although if the water is cold I suppose I may be able to spot a few Small Blues

Cheers,

Trev

I believe there are isolated colonies of Large Heath in and around that vicinity.

Try using the UKBMS website for more information.

http://www.ukbms.org/SpeciesFactsheets. ... eciesId=30

Hi Trev
It was Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary near Portmadog I mentioned. The location is the path along the railway east of Criccieth. It's where there is a profusion of Birds Foot Trefoil under the railway tracks. You can't miss it. There are quite a few good Marsh Fritillary sites around. Not been to any myself, but worth doing a google search.
For the more commonish butterflies, Newborough Forest and dunes are quite good. Dark Green Fritillaries and Common Blue for example.
Paul

Many thanks for the replies...
All very welcome. I'd hate to get back and find out we were sitting virtually on top of some unusual species without realising it.

Trev

Spotted a Dark Green Fritillary at Morfa Harlech last week. A few years ago I saw a Clouded Yellow there too.