Butterfly Survey

St. Wulstan's Local Nature Reserve Group

Malvern Wells, Worcestershire, UK

Butterfly Survey

Also: Managing the Reserve, Glow Worms

One of the glories of our Reserve is walking through on a warm summer’s day and disturbing clouds of butterflies. This year Ann Bowker, our secretary, has joined The British Butterfly Conservation Society and is setting up a transect as part of their national scheme to record numbers and varieties. Twenty-one species have been found on the Reserve, including a host of
marbled whites on the path going down towards the wetland, and many meadow browns, ringlets and small heaths.

Ably assisted by Jan Bowden and Shelagh Gibson, Ann has chosen an hour-long walk round all the different habitats in the Reserve and divided it into sections. The trio has been provided with software for recording and Ann will be going on a course to learn how to use it. They are buying a net and books to help with identification. Ian Duncan, our local expert, has offered to go round with them on their first walk.

From the 1st April to the end of September they will be taking the same walk once a week, in fine weather, and recording the butterfly types and numbers they see in each section, together with temperature, cloud cover and wind.

So, if you see any interesting butterflies in the Reserve this summer, do let Ann know when and where (see the Who's who page), so that the team will be able to look out for them.