Site of the Month: Mabie Forest (May 2023)

Mabie is a large forest on the edge of Dumfries, owned and managed by Forestry & Land Scotland. It has a network of footpaths and bike trails, but the best area for wildlife tends to be around Lochaber Loch, which is managed as a nature reserve in partnership with Butterfly Conservation. It supports over 20 of Scotland’s 32 resident butterflies, including Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria euphrosyne, which will be flying in May, as well as Dark Green Fritillary Speyeria aglaja and Forester Moth Adscita statices. There’s also a hide overlooking the loch, where you might see Great Crested Grebes Podiceps cristatus and, if you are lucky, a fishing Osprey Pandion haliaetus.

 

Peter Norman

SWSEIC Project Officer