Pearl-bordered Fritillary and Sand Crocus in Cornwall

20 April 2023, the weather is sunny and warm with a soft breeze. Me and Rob decided to go and look for two rarities – Pearl-bordered Fritillary Boloria euphrosyne in Struddicks, Seaton/Murrayton area near Looe and Sand Crocus Romulea columnae in Polruan, Lantic Bay area.
 
We're so delighted and pleased to have seen and photograph these two rarities. We saw 5x Pearl-bordered Fritillary and 11x Sand Crocus flowers.

Once widespread across the UK, this rare Pearl-bordered Fritillary is now highly threatened in England and Wales. We’re really luck in Cornwall because we have a few sites that this butterfly can be seen. Because of the micro-climate in Struddicks, Seaton/Murrayton area, this is usually the first place in Cornwall to see them. We have been coming to this area to see this gorgeous butterfly since 2014.

20 April 2023: 5x Pearl-bordered Fritillary
26 April 2022: 15++ Pearl-bordered Fritillary
11 May 2019: 30++ Pearl-bordered Fritillary
18 May 2018: 20++ Pearl-bordered Fritillary
16 April 2017: 4x Pearl-bordered Fritillary
25 April 2016: 8x Pearl-bordered Fritillary
15 April 2015: 13x Pearl-bordered Fritillary
19 April 2014: 40++ Pearl-bordered Fritillary

The Sand Crocus Romulea columnae was found growing on the clifftops in Lantic Bay area in 1879 and 1881. There's been a few searches for this rare flower but it was not seen again until 2002. The only other site to see this rare flower is on Dawlish Warren in Devon and in the Channel Islands.

20 April 2023: 11x Sand Crocus
12 April 2022: 15++ Sand Crocus

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