We joined in the Big Butterfly Count this Summer and we really enjoyed it! It is an event that first started in 2010. The Big Butterfly Count helps to identify the trends in butterflies in the environment and gives the experts an idea on whether or not anything needs to be put in place to prevent species becoming extinct.
As part of the event you are asked to choose a bright (preferably sunny) spot and spend 15 minutes looking out for and recording the butterflies you see. You can print out a fabulous sheet here - particularly great for children as it make it much easier to identify the ones they are seeing.
We visited such a delightful spot today. Hanbury Church. I visited here with Little N around 3 weeks ago and I was really taken back by the amount of butterflies! I had never seen so many in one spot. There wasn't quite as many today as the thistles were no longer blooming, however we still saw a good handful!
Little N is 2 and a half at the moment so I wasn't sure if this was something she would enjoy or not. I printed her off a sheet with a pen and clipboard and away she was. She got really excited when she spotted a butterfly and popped ticks on her chart that we downloaded from the link above. It was a hit with her for sure!
There are 20 Butterflies you are asked to look out for, here they are with our findings:
Large White - 6
Small White - 0
Green-veined White - 1
Brimstone - 0
Marbled White - 0
Large Skipper - 0
Gate Keeper - 11
Ringlet - 1
Speckled Wood - 0
Comma - 0
Painted Lady - 0
Small Tortoiseshell - 2
Red Admiral - 0
Peakcock - 0
Common Blue - 0
Holly Blue - 0
Small Copper - 2
Silver Y Moth - 0
Six-Spot Burnet Moth - 0
I am sure if I had done this with Little N 3 weeks ago we would have spotted many more (I will know to do it earlier next year) but we still spotted 24 of them. Here are some of the ones we spotted! I was kicking myself a little as I didn't have the zoom lens so I promise better close up photos if we manage to fit another one in this year.
There were lots of people out walking too and they were really interested to find out what we had been doing. It was a great talking point and they said they would look to take part next year.
Aswel as doing the Big Butterfly Count we had a walk around the grounds of the church. The area was buzzing with bumble bees and clicking with crickets. Under the brambles we spotted a Quail escorting her babies through the brambles. The Mother Quail even popped out of the brambles right in front of us to see if it was safe to come out. On seeing us she jumped back down to her babies and they scuttled away.
The visit wouldn't have been completed without visiting the church which is so peaceful and calm. We were very lucky to have the church to ourselves at the time. It's so quiet and I felt like we were the only people in the world in there! I love when places of worship have open doors! Regardless of the religion, it is so lovely to be welcoming of the locals and people who travel to see too!
Large stained glass windows decorate the buildings. It was pretty impressive! It has been standing since 1210 and is a Grade 1 listed building! It has possibly the most stunning view point in Worcestershire!
What a wonderful hour we had. Out exploring Nature and the local environment around us. Little N had fun and so did we. It didn't cost a penny and we came away content and pleased at our findings.
Will you be taking part in the Big Butterfly Count this year? You still have time! The website is open to submit your results throughout July and August. You can do it as many times you like in as many different locations. We may do another one over the weekend!! Dont forget your camera! See what shots you can get of the butterflies!
To find out lots more about this event and how you can help head on over to - Big Butterfly Count.
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