The moth-er lode: Conservationists flutter to Cairngorms for bumper egg release - Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS)

4,000 dark bordered beauty moth eggs have been released in the Cairngorms National Park in a bid to establish a new population of this endangered species. The release represents a tenfold increase on the number introduced at the same site in 2025.

A 20-strong team made up of wildlife conservation charity the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), RSPB Scotland and Butterfly Conservation, carried out the release. The eggs were bred by RZSS as part of the Rare Invertebrates in the Cairngorms (RIC) project.

RZSS conservationist Adam Button said: “It was quite the occasion, bringing together so many faces from the project - including our CEO, David Field - to release this remarkable species. There was a real sense of celebration and optimism in the air. It was a wonderful day and I look forward to returning to see how the eggs have fared.”

The dark bordered beauty moth was once widespread across northern England and Scotland. Habitat loss has caused a serious population decline, and it is now restricted to just three small sites: Deeside and RSPB Insh Marshes in Scotland, and Yorkshire in England.

The eggs were taken to a hillside clearing at Kinrara, part of WildLand Cairngorms, which receives careful habitat management. This location is rich with aspen suckers, wildflowers and thick, damp mossy ground cover. This environment is perfect for the moth species.