Discover the latest news and sightings from Snakeholme Pit Butterfly Reserve below...
You can report your sightings and send your photos from Snakeholme to John Davison @email
If you would like to visit the site or any of our other sites in Lincolnshire, please take a look at our Events.
Work parties usually run 10 am - 3 pm.
Workparties: Workparties will be on an ad-hoc basis.
Next workparty:
Wednesday 22nd March 2023
You can also take a look at all the wildlife discovered at Snakeholme, from birds to flowers and everything in between, here:
David Lawrence Drone Video
Snakeholme Pit Blog 2022
Photographers, please don't trample the vegetation.
I know most have long lenses, so please try a distant in-focus shot from the path and crop later.
Monday 31st October
Paths received the final winter trim.
As did the buddleia
The bottom meadow was also cut and raked to finish off the work year.
Saturday 15th October
The banks are developing scrub so quickly that we are trying a different cutting regime.
They have been split into 4 sections starting at the far end and sections 2 and 4 have been cut this year.
Thursday 15th September
Catchment Sensitive Farming decided to help out and have a training day at Snakeholme.
They raked up the meadows cut last week.
Trimmed back the hedgerows.
Cleared Rockery area.
Common Lizard decided to seek high ground away from the rakes.
Migrant Hawker had already done so.
Dock and Box Bugs were also present.
Resulting cut Sallows and raked Meadows.
Our heartfelt thanks to them.
Tuesday 6th September
Then this grinning maniac got to work.
Result....
The meadow receives its annual cut.
Still Fauna about.........
Thursday 1st September
Butterflies still about but small numbers, mostly Large, Small & Green-veined White, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Red Admiral, Small Copper, Speckled Wood and Comma.
Also seen but not too often the small moth - Chinese Character.
A few Willow Emerald Damselflies still around.
What was abundant were Dock Bugs, stopped counting at 50.
Another unusual find is the larva of the Pear Slug Sawfly - Caliroa cerasi
Phil Bowler e-mailed.........An afternoon at Snakeholme Pit resulted in one very fresh female Brown Hairstreak being seen fumbling around in short shrubs on the bank before flying off into the higher blackthorn. Very little else seen:
Large White 1
Small White 6
Green-veined White 5
Small Copper 3 fresh - third brood?
Brown Argus 3
Common Blue 1 female
Red Admiral 1
Comma 1
Speckled Wood 5
Saturday 20th August
Keith Walton emailed: "Visited Chambers Farm Wood today and was disappointed by the lack of butterflies, so went to Snakeholme Pit for dragonflies. Walking on the path near the gate I noticed a fresh Meadow Brown fluttering around, but was distracted by a chocolate-brown butterfly which dashed across in front of me - a female Brown Hairstreak! Amazingly three or four were in the area of the entrance gate, two were very elusive, but two photographable."
Wednesday 10th August
Derek Fox reports........
Butterfly numbers have dropped quickly in the last two weeks only 60 butterflies seen of 10 species. The only positive was seeing 19 Brown Argus and 11 Common Blue with two females ovipositing on section 5. Whites also low in numbers -1 Brimstone, 9 Small, 1 Large and 5 Green-veined.
Most Brown species also getting to the end of there flight period with only 4 Gatekeeper and 6 Meadow Brown.
Most concerning of all, only one Red Admiral and no other Nymphalidae species seen, the dry hot weather is also burning nectar sources off very quickly.
Thursday 28th July
Lots of butterflies today.
Quite a few Latticed Heath Moths about and this Vapourer larva.
A good day for damselflies, not so much True Dragonflies.
Purple Loosestrife & Fleabane looking their best.
Sloe (Blackthorn), now with berries.
Other Fauna.........
Derek Fox reports.....
Best transect recording day for this season, 181 butterflies of 16 species.
Lots of out standing things to report,19 super Red Admiral, 21 Peacock,6 Comma, 3 Silver-washed Fritillary and the first Painted Lady I have recorded this year. Brown Argus seen in nearly every section with a grand total of 16. There was also 4 Common Blue and a very fresh Small Copper.
Browns, all still going strong - 40 Gatekeeper, 33 Meadow Brown but only one Ringlet seen.
Plenty of Whites on the wing - 4 fresh Brimstone,13 Green-veined White, 10 Small and 7 Large, no Small or Essex Skippers seen but to my surprise one fresh Large Skipper on section 4.
The Willow emeralds along the waters edge was magical - dozens everywere.
Friday 22nd July
Aud Spring visited.....
When the gardening group couldn’t get up the lane to the Butterfly garden, we had a walk round Gosling's Corner and then Snakeholme.
We were all so impressed with Snakeholme – it was magnificent. The meadow inside the gate, so colourful and alive with insects. The steep bank down to the left – beautiful with Knapweed, Fleabane and Meadowsweet, lots of butterflies and other insects. We spent ages exploring the low path by the lake -lots of Willow Emerald Damselflies, plus plus – see photos.
Top Left to Bottom Right
Buff-tip Moth Larva
Common Purple and Gold Moth
Dark Bush-cricket
Green-veined Whites
Shaded Broad-bar Moth
Small China-mark Moth
Willow Emerald Damselfly
Willow Emerald Damselfly Exuvia
Harvestman
Thursday 21st July
Derek Fox reports........
Although a cloudy day with no breeze and the temperature around 22*c, I recorded 108 butterflies of 10 species.
Gatekeeper numbers of 45 were the biggest count of any species for the day, Meadow Brown 18 and Ringlet 12 (first time this season less Ringlets seen). Pleasing to see 9 fresh Peacock, 4 Red Admiral and 6 Comma, all in good colour. Still one Silver-washed Fritillary zipping about the Stainfield end of the reserve. Not to many whites about - 8 Green-veined, 3 Small and 2 Large.
Although it was warm with no sun at all, I did not see any Skippers or Blues. I can only think this is down to lack of sun.
Tuesday 12th July
Not a lot of sun but hot & muggy. Managed to cut the paths.
Quite a few butterflies about including Large, Small & Green-veined White, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Small Skipper, Red Admiral, Comma, Peacock, Brimstone and Painted Lady. Where are the Blues............?
Love still seemed in the air.
The Willow Emerald Damselflies are now out and abundant.
Other Fauna......
Thursday 7th July
Derek Fox reports.....
White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary, also some fresh male Gatekeepers.
Thursday 22nd June
Derek Fox reports..........
On a very warm sunny day I recorded 42 butterflies of 12 species.
Most numerous were Ringlet (15) and Meadow Brown (8). Considering the weather, I was expecting much greater numbers of these 2 species. Also present were Brimstone (4), fresh Small Skipper (3) Large Skipper (only 1), some fresh whites Large (1), Small (4) and Green-veined (1), Small Tortoiseshell (2), Red Admiral (1) and Speckled Wood (1), mud puddling on the bed of the stream.
One Hutchinsonii Comma kept settling on my arm taking salts from my sweat.
A very disappointing transect with most butterflies in very small numbers.
Thursday 16th June
Nice hot sunny day but butterflies took their time coming out.
Eventually though, Large Skipper, Red Admiral, Large White, Painted Lady, Meadow Brown and Ringlet.
Hard to find again this year but 2 Bee Orchids and 1 Common spotted Orchid.
Other Fauna...........
Thursday 9th June
Thursday 2nd June
Paths cut. Nice bright sunny day but butterflies still only emerging in one's and twos's.
Tally eventually included :- Large, Small & Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Small Copper, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Large Skipper, Brimstone and Orange-tip.
A fair number of Brimstone larvae on the Buckthorns.
Only seemed to be Four-spotted Chaser in Dragonflies.
Damselflies though included Azure, Large Red, Red-eyed, Blue-tailed and Banded Demoiselle.
Other Fauna.........
Tuesday 17th May
Warm sunny day but still no great numbers of butterflies.
Mostly Brimstone, male & female but also Large and Green-veined White, Orange-tip, Common Blue and Brown Argus.
Latticed Heath in the meadows but a few larvae about.
Odd Dragonfly but fair few Damselflies about including Large Red, Azure, Blue-tailed and Banded Demoiselle.
A lot of new vegetation but some on the way out.
Definitely a Beetle Day...........
Tuesday 10th May
Sunny, warm but wind
Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Orange-tip, Speckled Wood and all the whites were out. There was also quite a few Brimstone, one female egg-laying on Common Buckthorn. Whilst this egg was starting the journey, one small larva was on the second leg.
Chaffinch singing away merrily.
Thought there would be more Damselflies out, maybe the wind again.
A couple of moths about, the micro Vetch piercer (Grapholita jungiella) and the Latticed Heath
Other Fauna.......
Tuesday 26th April
Cool with sunny intervals.
Paths cut.
Not many butterflies flying apart from Orange-tip and Green-veined White.
Early-purple Orchid in flower - a new record for the Reserve
Bugle showing well.
Lots of small tadpoles at the moment.
Thursday 21st April
Nice warm day and greeted with a field of Cowslips.
Surprisingly only a few butterflies on the wing - Small & Green-veined White, Orange-tip (all male),Peacock and Brimstone.
The Brimstones were laying eggs on the Buckthorn.
Other Flora
Goes by other names such as "Lords & Ladies" or "Cuckoo-pint".
Other Fauna
Aderflies also out now.
Friday 15th April
Grey Heron on water.
Thursday 14th April
Derek Fox reports..............
9 Butterflies recorded of five species, 4 Brimstone (3 male and 1 female), 2 Green-veined White, 1 Small White, 1 Comma and 1 Peacock.
Flora starting to show well, still lots of Lesser Celandine, Bugle coming into flower on sections 5&6, Violets on section 6. Adder's-tongue showing well on two areas. Blackthorn blossom starting to go over. Also some nice patches of Forget me-knot along the hedgerow. Cowslips in flower all over the reserve.
Friday 8th April
Saturday 2nd April
Spring workparty - Only 3 of us but we made a difference..........
Flora
Adder's-tongue starting to emerge.
Dog Violets as well
Fauna
Usual pair of Mallard on the water.
Monday 28th March
Five butterflies recorded of four species, 2 Comma, 1 Brimstone (male), 1 Small tortoiseshell and one very fresh Green-veined White.
Lots of Lesser Celandine in flower all over the Reserve and Blackthorn in full blossom.
Only two pairs of Toads showing in the pond, but lots of strands of spawn from recent activity.
Thursday 17th March
Toads starting to become active.
Tuesday 22nd February
Water levels still high after storms - more to come?
Tuesday 15th February
I think it is what the barber refers to as a No.1
