Winter Butterflies

We are used to living with alot of snow. It makes us happy if it stays put rather than being chased away by rain and wind. Everything is light, bright and clean. Those who enjoy winter sports like to have even deeper snow, and a thick, solid snow cover also lets the farmer sleep well at night. Snow insulates against the cold, promising good yields the next year. Even though the winter may be long and harsh and the mountains and fjords may be treacherous and full of hazards, the climate is mild and pleasant. In combination with our traditional farming methods, this has resulted in a rich diversity of plant and animal species. As an example, along the south-facing mountainsides on the north bank there is a large area of thermophile deciduous forest. A nature reserve has been established to protect one of the best developed broadleaf forests in the region. And just imagine: fearsome rockslides and avalanches provide a home to the very smallest and most beautiful creatures. The dangerous screes on the mountain slopes are home to the protected Clouded Apollo butterfly, the only Norwegian butterfly found nowhere else but on the west coast. The adult butterflies can find a rich supply of nectar-producing flowers, as well as fumewort, which is the only plant on which its larvae can live. The Norwegian Red List also includes the large Six-Spot Burnet, a beautiful butterfly sporting black wings with six red spots. Its favourite habitat is natural meadows. When the landscape is no longer cultivated and becomes overgrown, and when the meadows are treated with fertilizers and other modern methods, the plants that sustain the Six-Spot Burnet disappear, and the butterfly along with them. However, it’s still here, somewhere. If you are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of it.