A NEW collection of stamps featuring butterflies which have been spotted in the Isle of Man has been launched by the Isle of Man Post Office.
The eight stamps have been designed by wildlife illustrator Richard Lewington with supporting text provided by Jeff and Gail Jeffcoate of the Manx Wildlife Trust.
19 species of butterfly can be spotted in the Isle of Man during the course of the year – a third of the total number in Britain, although some of them are surviving better here than across the Irish Sea.
The stamp collection features the small tortoiseshell, wall common blue, dark green fritillary, green veined white, comma, speckled wood, and the red admiral.
The butterfly species in the Island have been here for thousands of years and can't or don't venture across the sea. The green veined white is a widespread Manx species and can be seen anywhere from the coast to the hill-tops, although it does favour sheltered damp places. The dark green fritillary is the Island's only fritillary (there are eight species in Britain) but is doing well here.
The Isle of Man has gained two new species in the past decade. The comma and speckled wood were not "Manx" species. They were recorded on the east coast at first in small numbers, having presumably crossed the sea from Cumbria, but can now be seen anywhere.
The World Wildlife Fund logo appears on three of the stamps and the special souvenir sheetlet as a way of celebrating the 50th anniversary year of the organisation.
The Butterfly Collection is available in the following:
- Mini/CTO – set of eight stamps: £4.96
- Presentation Pack: £5.71
- First Day Cover: £5.66
- IOM Value Stamp Booklet: £4.44
- Souvenir Sheetlet: £9.92
