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 2pm - 4pm. For more details contact Derek Fox: 01522 754 214 or 07724 999 287.
Workparties:
14th March 2020
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 Species
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pdf 1.08 MB
Snakeholme Pit Blog 2019
8th December: And the waters receded..............
11th November: Phil & Val Emmett visited the Reserve today to view the effect of the flooding.
27th September:
In between the rain, we managed to burn the brash left after the Conservation Volunteers, as well as brushcut & rake of the bank section.
17th September:
27th August:
24th August: .........Another new record
After Derek's Brown Hairstreak comes Willow Emerald Damselfly from Mark & Sally Johnson.
![Willow Emerald Damselfly [male] at Snakeholme (Mark Johnson) 240819](/sites/default/files/styles/srcset_medium/public/2019-08/willow_emerald_damselfly_male_at_snakeholme_mark_johnson_240819.jpg?itok=3kDGWHtz)
![Willow Emerald Damselfly [female] at Snakeholme (Mark Johnson) 240819](/sites/default/files/styles/srcset_medium/public/2019-08/willow_emerald_damselfly_female_at_snakeholme_mark_johnson_240819.jpg?itok=yUfrLaD-)
23rd August: Derek Fox reports....
"Meadows all cut today.
Great new record today,
Brown Hairstreak on section 2,
about 10 yards away from the Buddleia.
It flew off before I could get a picture."
21st August: Phil Lee reports......."this afternoon, at least 100 Small Red-eyed Damselflies were on the pool and surrounding vegetation."
13th August:
A bit of a wind but not too bad a morning.
13 species of butterfly on the wing - All 3 Whites, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Common Blue, Brown Argus, Small Copper, Speckled Wood, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell and Red Admiral. Colin Pumfrett also saw 2 Silver-washed Fritillaries.
There was a Latticed Heath Moth on the Hemp Agrimony and larvae of Elephant Hawk-moth, Pebble Prominent and Buff-tip.
Other Fauna........
August 3rd: Derek Fox reports........."A day to remember for me with 18 species being recorded. The first time ever I have seen three White-letter Hairstreaks all busy nectaring on Hemp Agrimony and four Silver-washed Fritillaries at the Stainfield end of the reserve, all flitting around the Betony and Knapweeds. Fresh Brimstone, Brown Argus and Common Blue starting to show again, found one pair mating and another male trying to force them apart, which I found that rather unusual. Still good numbers of Gatekeeper and Meadow Brown but Ringlet and Small Skipper very low in number. Lots of Whites still about, they seemed to favour the Purple Loosestrife on section 4. Other species seen were 15 Painted Lady, over 40 Peacock, mostly on the Buddleia. There with some really fresh Red Admiral on there as well as 6 Comma.
As I said earlier, a day I will remember for many years. How rewarding it as been seeing the amount of butterflies nectaring on the Hemp Agrimony we planted a few years ago."
30th July:
Managed to get the paths cut and some more of the hedge cut back before the showers came.
Vandals stole the Reserve sign....again!!!!
Must be coincidence that the school holidays have just started the same time as it was stolen last year.
On a brighter note, lots of butterflies about today. The list includes all the Whites & Browns plus Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Painted Lady, Comma, Small Skipper, Holly Blue, Peacock & Brown Argus.
The best butterflies though were 5 Silver-washed Fritillary and a White-letter Hairstreak on the Hemp Agrimony.
Other Fauna....
26th July: Derek Fox reports........"It was great to record 65 Peacocks after only seeing 2 the week before. There were over 116 assorted Whites with Small White being the most in number. I counted 36 Gatekeepers, including a mating pair, 22 Meadow Browns and 20 Ringlets (the week before Ringlets were three times more common). Other species recorded were 1 Brown Argus, 1 White Admiral, a rare visitor from the nearby Stainfield Wood, 4 Red Admiral, 1 Comma and a Speckled Wood - all on the Buddleia. It being partially cloudy, not many Skippers recorded - 6 in total (2 Small, 1 Large and 1 Essex)."
23rd July:
Warm weather and sunshine bringing out lots of insects. Butterflies included Large, Small & Green-veined White, Brimstone, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Small Skipper, Small Copper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet & Gatekeeper.
It was really the day of the true Dragonflies with lots of them egg-laying.
21st July:
20th July 2019:
9th July: Cloudy start but sun came out eventually. Managed to get the paths cut and a bit more of the hedge trimmed.
Quite a lot of Whites on the wing, mostly Green-veined but the odd Large & Small. Also saw my first Gatekeeper of the season together with a few Meadow Brown and lots of Ringlet. Speckled Wood, Comma, Painted Lady and Small Skipper also put in an appearance.
A few female Ruddy Darter and male Banded Demoiselle were flying, together with Six-spot Burnet. The Buddleia was in full bloom.
Other Fauna.......
2nd July: Nice afternoon with Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Brimstone, Purple Hairstreak, Painted Lady, Large, Small & Green-veined White on the wing. A lot of Six-spot Burnet about and a Clouded Border aberration.
Other Fauna..........
June 26th:
LOUTH U3A FAUNA, FLORA AND ORNITHOLOGY FIELD TRIP 26 JUNE 2019
On a dull, chilly day in June ten of us visited the lush, wildflower areas that bound the sides of Snakeholme Pit. Amongst the many species that were coming into bloom and blooming we were excited to find Bee Orchids whilst a number of 6-Spot Burnet moths’ black and red colouring provided a good contrast to the yellow and greens of the flowers and grasses.
June 18th: Brief respite before the next rain session enabled us to get the paths cut and clear around the seat. A few butterflies on the wing included Brimstone, Large Skipper, Speckled Wood and Meadow Brown.
Flora
A couple of Orchid species have popped up.......
Fauna
A few Dragonflies on the wing - Common Blue, Azure, Blue-tailed and Large Red Damselflies. Also a male Banded Demoiselle, Southern Hawker and lots of Four-spotted Chasers.
Both Dark and Roesel's Bush-cricket were present.
A good selection of Long-horn Beetles........
June 16th: Contrasting shots by Derek Fox of the Reserve after the rains. The Bridge end is flooded but the Ox-eye Daisy Bank looks magnificent.
June 11th: Workparty had to be cancelled due to the rain
May 20th: Philip Johnson reports seeing a Marsh Fritillary.
May 14th:
Lovely sunny day, too warm to work really but Derek cut the hedge, Ken trimmed the top of the Buddleia and I mowed the paths.
Surprisingly few Butterflies on the wing considering the weather. A lot of male & female Orange-tips, Brimstones, Peacocks, Holly Blues, Common Blue and a Small Copper.
Moths seen included Cinnabar and Blood-vein. Still quite a lot of tadpoles in the pool together with dozens of small fry. Expected more damselflies but only came across Large Red.
Other Fauna........
30th April: Day started cool but a few butterflies came out once the sun got going. These included Orange-tip, Green-veined White and Peacock.
Other Fauna..........
23rd April:
Nice sunny day but only Peter, Derek & myself were there for the workparty.
Still, we managed to get the paths cut, part of the hedge trimmed and raked together with an assortment of smaller jobs.
Lots of Common Bugle on the bank. Usual pair of Mallard on the water and Great Spotted Woodpecker across the road in Stainfield Wood.
Butterflies on the wing included Peacock, Speckled Wood, Green-veined White, Orange-tip and Comma. The Brimstones have also started laying eggs on the Buckthorn.
Other fauna seen....................
29th March: Phil Lee reports.....Large Tortoiseshell seen again. We saw it several times but never in a position where we could photo it. It was always high up on Blackthorn blossom and by the time we had located it and made sure it was it, it would change position or fly up sparring with other butterflies.
Also came across a Snake's-head Fritillary in the meadow.
Butterflies at Snakeholme were, 4 Peacock, 3 Brimstone, 3 Small White, 2 Comma, 1 Small Tortoiseshell and 1 LARGE TORTOISESHELL. Also a day-flying Streamer.
28th March: Seems to be all happening there now. Got an e-mail from Graeme Baker.......
I am a member of the North East Branch of BC and travel a number of times each year to visit your reserves with my brother in law Denis Tyler who is one of your branch members. We visited Chambers and after a successful couple of hours photographing the Spring butterflies ( including my first of the season Orange Tip) we went to Snakeholme Pit Reserve.
Arriving at 3pm our attention was drawn to what appeared to be a large, faded “over wintered “ Small Tortoiseshell basking on the bank side adjacent to the pool. On closer inspection we were both of the opinion that this butterfly may be something a lot more special and took a number of photographs (attached).
Turns out to be a Large Tortoiseshell
Spring starting to arrive
March 18th: Derek & I finished the work started by Peter and gave the buddleia a trim.
March 16th: The rain wasn't as bad as expected so Peter made a start on clearing the banks.