Duke of Burgundy. Photo: Wren Franklin

Duke of Burgundy. Photo: Wren Franklin

There is a group of Dorset Branch members surveying Duke of Burgundy on Dorset sites. The first sightings came from Giant hill on the 29 May and they are now being reported from many of their known locations. Wren sent us these two photographs of a fresh male from Giant Hill (Cerne Abbas) on 4 May.  He says that “it looks like they could peak later this week or over the following weekend – fingers crossed for good numbers”.

You can find out more about the Duke on our species page about this butterfly, including a map of where it has been previously recorded; if you click on the coloured square representing a sighting, it will tell you the grid reference for that kilometre square (most easily seen if you set the map to full screen).  The second photograph above gives a good idea of how small the Duke is: that’s a bramble leaf he’s on.