I’d never seen Mountain Ringlets before so continuing the theme of seeing more butterflies this year I drove north and visited Ben Lawers today.The great variety of mountain plants is why Ben Lawers NNR has been in the care of the National Trust for Scotland since 1950. It’s also why it has multiple designations for its natural heritage.
The site is equally, if not more, important for its lower plants, the lichens and bryophytes (liverworts and mosses). With over 600 species recorded, again including a concentration of national rarities, Ben Lawers is arguably the most important individual site for lichens in Britain.
Over 30 nationally rare mosses and 5 nationally rare liverworts have been recorded at Ben Lawers NNR, which puts the importance of the site for bryophytes in perspective. Several mosses are found nowhere else in Britain, eg Roaldia revoluta.
It is also home to the Mountain Ringlet and is our only true montane species and is found on mountains above 550m amidst the spectacular scenery of the Scottish Highlands.
I arrived at the site just after lunch and started the walk up the gravel path through the tree line.An Osprey flew overhead and Tree pipit's were seen on the way up.
I eventually made it up to the area where the Mountain Ringlets were meant to be.
![May be an image of dragonfly](https://scontent.fltn4-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/451328107_10227374653500952_7170032792071286416_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=aa7b47&_nc_ohc=2nW1GgIE0c4Q7kNvgFfZxvq&_nc_ht=scontent.fltn4-1.fna&oh=00_AYAgHrd6i8bar_wh4iLsY50p0sGmgmX8WZrZkGFxjlMuaA&oe=66A5C86D)
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