Forester Surveys in Argyll during 2012
Andrew Masterman 10 May 2012
Forester (Figure 1) is an atypically marked Burnet moth in the sense that it does not have any crimson
markings but its metallic green colouration nevertheless makes it a spectacular moth. And it is a rare moth, a
UK BAP priority species, being confined in Scotland to the Argyll coast and parts of the Solway coast. In
England, there is a good scattering of post 2000 records but there has been a large decline.
Figure 1 Forester at Loch Feochan June 2008: Credit Andrew Masterman
Little is known about the ecology of the Forester. Richard South in 1907 wrote that “it occurs locally in
meadows, frequently damp ones where there is plenty of Ragged Robin which it prefers to all others. Widely
distributed over England but in Wales only recorded from Capel Curig & Barmouth in North Wales. In Scotland,
its range extents to Moray & in Ireland, it is found in Wicklow, Cork, Clare, Westneath, Monaghan, Sligo,
Galway & Tyrone.” Clearly, Forester was much more widespread 100 years ago and it is a species that has
clearly been adversely affected by the loss of unimproved grasslands over the last 50 years.
Heath & Emmett in the 1980s write of Forester “late May to early July, inhabiting damp meadows, rides &
clearings in woods, sandhills, chalk downs & limestone hills. Moth flies in sunshine, rests on foliage in dull
weather. Both sexes are attracted to and feed at flowers, esp those of Ragged Robin. Although local, Forester
is the commonest and most widely distributed spp of its genus in the UK, its range extending from southern
England into Wales & northward to Argyll & Inverness-shire. Widely distributed in Ireland.”
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Paul Waring says “flies in sunshine, both sexes spend much time feeding at flowers such as Ragged Robin, Field
& Devil’s-bit Scabious, clovers & Viper’s Bugloss, even in cloudy weather. Mating pairs are seen in the
afternoon and males sometime fly again an hour or so before sunset on warm evenings. Open habitats,
ranging from damp neutral grassland to limestone grassland, chalk downland, acid and sandy heathland,
mature coastal sand-dunes and woodland rides & clearings.”
Of distribution, Waring writes “Local & well distributed in England & Wales where many colonies have been
lost as a result of intensification. Very local in western Scotland, in Argyllshire and the islands of Jura, Lismore
& Mull. Widespread but local in Ireland.”
Waring’s list of nectar plants is odd in that Field Scabious and Clovers are characteristic of dry grassland
whereas Ragged Robin and Devil’s - bit Scabious are characteristic of wet grassland. Vipers-Bugloss is
characteristic of dry coastal cliffs. This contradiction can probably be explained by the wide range of habitats
listed by Waring which includes limestone grassland and chalk downland but this diversity of habitats may only
relate to England. It may be the case that in Scotland, there is a single habitat type and one would suspect that
this is more likely to be wet than dry. But the purpose of this 2012 survey is to gather data on the habitat of
Forester in Argyll to see if it can be characterised which would aid searches for new sites and permit
management plans for its conservation to be improved.
Figures 2 & 3 show the distribution of historical records for the northern and southern parts of its distribution
in Argyll respectively. It is undoubtedly under-recorded and may be more widespread in these areas. Waring
mentions that it occurs on Lismore but there are no records for this island which is dominated by limestone
rocks, which should favour Forester. A list of grid references is shown in Table 1.
A proforma for recording any Forester observations and habitat details is an accompanying document,
forester-surveys-2012-proforma.doc.
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Figure 2 Distribution of Forester records around Oban.
Figure 3 Distribution of Forester records around Kilmartin.
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Table 1 Grid references of Forester observations in Argyll
Site
Gridref
Argyll>Loch Craignish>Eilean Righ
NM8001
Date
1899
Tutt
Argyll>Oban>Loch Nell
NM8927
1899
Tutt
Argyll>Oban>Upper Soroba
NM8627
1960
Pelham-Clinton, E.C.
Argyll>Seil
NM760180
1960
Pelham-Clinton, EC
Argyll>Loch Feochan>Minard>Ardentallan
NM822236
1975
Langmaid, Dr J.
Argyll>Oban>Minard>Ardentallan
NM8223
1978
Langmaid, J. & Agassiz, D.
Argyll>Seil>Ballachuan
NM756146
1990
Young, Dr M.
Argyll>Seil>Ballachuan
NM761146
1995
Christie, I.
Argyll>Seil>Ballachuan
NM760148
1995
Barbour, Dr D.
Argyll>Kilmichael Glen>Creag Bhreac
NR884967
2009
Corinne Mills
Argyll>Seil
NM760180
24-Jun-47
Downes
Argyll>Oban>Upper Soroba
NM864270
15-Jun-57
Pelham-Clinton, E.C.
Argyll>Seil
NM7514
14-Jul-63
Pelham-Clinton, EC
Argyll>Kilmartin>Carnassarie
NM8401
07-Jun-84
Raymond, J.
Argyll>Seil>Loch Seil
NM801198
27-Jun-84
Wormell, Mr P.
Argyll>Connel>Achnacloich
NM956330
01-Jun-86
Barbour, Dr D.
Argyll>Connel>Achnacloich
NM956330
01-Jul-97
David Barbour
Argyll>Seil>Loch Seil
NM801199
07-Jun-04
John Knowler
Argyll>Oban>Barrandroman
NM842228
22-Jun-04
Jamie Mellor
Argyll>Oban>Barndromin
NM842228
22-Jun-04
Jamie Mellor
Argyll>Loch Feochan>Moleigh>Kilmore
NM878262
01-Jun-06
Pete Hardy
Argyll>Connel>Ardnaskie
NM964330
01-Jun-06
Bob Black
Argyll>Seil>Loch Seil
NM801199
01-Jun-08
Bill Jackson
Argyll>Oban>Barrandroman
NM842226
03-Jun-08
Andrew Masterman
Argyll>Scarba
NM730042
13-Jun-08
Stephen Mason
Argyll>Kilmartin
NR84009901
23-Jun-08
Carl Farmer
Argyll>Oban>Kilninver
NM8419
13-Jun-10
Clive Craik
Oban>Druim Mor
NM848286
19-Jun-10
Steve Murphy
Argyll>Seil>Ballachuan
NM76071499
20-Jun-10
Carl Farmer & Scottish Wildlife Trust
Argyll>Oban>Lochan a'Bhuilg Bhith, nr
NM87632790
26-Jun-10
Carl Farmer
Argyll>Kilmartin>Carnassarie Farm
NM838012
27-Jun-10
Prescott Tom, Leverton Roy & Huff Amy
Argyll>Kilmartin>Carnassarie Farm
NM83870111
27-Jun-10
Prescott Tom, Leverton Roy & Huff Amy
Argyll>Kilmartin>Carnassarie
NM82790190
20-Jul-10
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Recorder
Carl Farmer