Yesterday I took a party from B.E.E.S on a nature walk around Raw Nook LNR. The weather was warm but very dull and I was a bit worried there would be few insects about to show and discuss with the group. However, I WAS IN FOR A SHOOK!
The weather did start to improve and with 3 young eager children, with good eyesight we started to find an array of wildlife, like Froglets, Grasshoppers and various bugs and beetles.
In fact one bug proved to be a site first (Cinnamon Bug )
The boys enjoyed counting the froglets and Toads both in the meadow and at the shrinking pond.
A total count of 33 froglets and 5 Toads was achieved.
Migrant Hawker dragonflies were about as well as a single Brown Hawker.
Butterflies then started to appear and a rather smart Painted Lady was in the meadow along side low numbers of Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Small Whites, single Ringlet, Holly Blue and Red Admiral and a female Common Blue which was really nice to see.
We then started to walk to the very top of Raw Nook LNR by the heather and found another two Painted Lady butterflies.
It was whilst walking in the area the Sue Dunn shouted ‘ What is this butterfly?
I looked in disbelieve as I SHOUTED IT’S A WALL BROWN!
The reason for the surprise was my last recoding of this butterfly which use to breed here was on the 24/6/2009…17 years ago
And there was even better news the butterfly looked as though it had just emerged so could well be breeding again at the site after all these years!
