Volunteer Cornwall Butterfly Conservation. Pearl-bordered Fritillary Species Champion.
Joined February 2022
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142 Photos and videos
60 Silver-studded Blues at Poldice Valley today! Significant colonies inhabit Cornwall’s heathlands (many on old mining sites) & coastal dunes, mostly in the west. This nationally rare species still faces tough battles against developers on dunes to keep habitats safe.
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Jun 7
CBC field trip to Greenscoombe Wood today: despite heavy cloud and rain forecast, we saw an amazing 83 Heath Fritillaries. Imagine if it had been sunny! The overcast conditions meant the butterflies stayed settled, making them easy to spot, count, and photograph.
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May 29
Large skippers have been flying in Cornwall for a couple of weeks now. The male has a thick black line through the centre of the upper forewing—actually a scent brand of special scales used to attract females.
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May 28
Marsh fritillaries flying today on Bodmin Moor. Living in damp meadows and boggy grassland, needing Devil’s-bit Scabious to survive. Like the pearl-bordered and small pearl-bordered fritillaries, they're under threat—with populations down 66% in England since 1990.
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May 26
Bunny’s Hill, Cardinham, this morning: a whopping 217 Small Pearl-bordered Fritillaries in just 45 minutes, in blazing temperatures. Absolutely incredible.
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May 24
Pearls still around on Bodmin Moor. Numbers seriously down, though. Increasing numbers of Small Pearls. Too hot!!
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May 23
No Pearls on the Coast Path this afternoon—flight season’s over for the pearl‑bordered fritillaries along the Cornwall coast. But consoled to find this Large Skipper soaking up the sun instead.
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May 15
While their caterpillars rely entirely on violets, adult Pearl-bordered Fritillaries need plenty of early spring nectar to fuel their flights. Bugle, dandelion, bluebells are vital, and they also happily visit newly blossomed bird's-foot-trefoil.
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May 10
Cornwall Butterfly Conservation field trip to Pendrift on Bodmin Moor today was a special one: 70 Pearl‑bordered Fritillaries seen plus 7 Small Pearl‑bordered Fritillaries. A lovely sight but the emergence of the Small PBFs reminds us our Pearls have only a few days left to fly.
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May 9
Pearl-bordered fritillary nectaring on bluebell at Fellover Brake, Bodmin Moor. Following a very wet winter, cold easterly winds the past few weeks, and only the occasional sunny spell, numbers are running well below typical levels.
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Apr 29
Pearl-bordered Fritillary snacking on Sheep's-bit. One of 44 seen on Cornish coast path this morning. Rain on the way unfortunately.
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Apr 28
Pearl-bordered fritillaries are finally out on Bodmin Moor. In Cornwall they first appear on the Coast Path near Looe, then at Marsland near Bude, and finally on Bodmin – a sequence shaped by altitude, temperature, exposure and microclimate.
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Apr 26
26 Pearls seen at Marsland Hard Hills yesterday afternoon, matching last year’s peak count, so we’re hopeful for an even better year this year. @savebutterflies
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Apr 24
Strong cold easterly winds on Cornwall Coast Path for over a week. Yet Pearl-bordered Fritillaries show big spirit! 20 seen today—small in size, but mighty! Come on you Pearls! @Cornwall_BC @savebutterflies
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Apr 18
15 Pearl-bordered fritillaries this afternoon on the Cornwall coast path. Lovely to see them again. @savebutterflies
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Mar 4
I thought it was just a battered Small Tortoiseshell on a muddy patch… but something wasn’t quite right. Then it clicked—it was far too big! My first-ever Large Tortoiseshell, emerging in the sun after months of Cornish rain. @savebutterflies @Cornwall_BC
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Andrew Thomas retweeted
Come and join us on our Open Day! 🦋
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Andrew Thomas retweeted
Please come and join us for our Open Day! 🦋
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Andrew Thomas retweeted
Come and join us! 🦋
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31 Aug 2025
When there was no water supply this morning I didn’t expect this to be the reason…
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