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Marbled white butterfly

Guy Edwardes/2020VISION

Summer Wildlife

Where to see butterflies

Beautiful butterflies

Summer is one of the best times of year to see beautiful butterflies. On a hot summer’s day, find yourself a grassy hillside and watch as a cloud of butterflies tumble around you. Take a look at some of our best sites for butterflies, and find out what to look out for below.

Top sites for butterflies

Red Hill Lincolnshire Wolds
Nature Reserve

Red Hill

Red Hill is one of the most attractive and interesting fragments of ancient downland which once covered much of the chalk wolds.
Mill Hill Quarry
Nature Reserve

Mill Hill Quarry

Sun-loving butterflies, such as wall, common blue and small copper, and many bumblebees frequent the warm, south-facing slope.
Meadow crane's bill
Nature Reserve

Robert's Field

This grassland site is currently undergoing restoration, and is a noted inland site for the green hairstreak butterfly.
Speckled wood
Nature Reserve

Swinn Wood

The woodland flora attracts butterflies including speckled wood, comma, purple hairstreak and green-veined white.

What to look out for

Look for the caterpillar’s food plants and flowers where butterflies will be finding nectar. Bird’s-foot trefoil, horseshoe vetch, rock-rose and knapweeds are all favourites. On dull days, look out for butterflies resting on grass stems. 

From the elusive marbled white butterfly to the tiny, delicate small blue, keep your eyes peeled and if you're lucky, you might even spot the painted lady, a pretty summer migrant from the continent.

Purple Hairstreak
Species

Purple Hairstreak

The Purple Hairstreak is an elusive butterfly with a brilliant purple sheen. It is entirely reliant on oak trees and can be spotted...

Marvelous moths

Flowers continue to release their scent in the evenings to attract moths, but did you know, some moths also fly in the day time - and some are just as attractive as butterflies! Here are some marvelous moths to look out for this summer.

Wildlife garden

Tom Marshall

Plant for pollinators

 

Set up a nectar cafe in your garden and invite a cloud of beautiful insects by providing a source of nectar. Take a look at our suggestions for plants and flowers through the seasons.

Take action

Get in touch

Share your sightings with us using #LincsWildlife, email your photos to info@lincstrust.co.uk or follow us on social media.