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:
T.B.A.
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 2023
Thursday 28th December
Water starting to recede and the hedge has been cut.
Sunday 5th November
"Water, water, every where, nor any drop to drink.
(Samuel Taylor Coleridge - The Rime of the Ancient Mariner)
Wednesday 18th October
Mild, pleasant afternoon - Comma and Small White on the wing.
Saturday 7th October
7 volunteers came to help the annual maintenance of the Bank area of the Reserve. This year it was the turn of Sections 1 & 3.
Other areas incorporated.......
Richard Davidson also looked for Brown Hairstreak Eggs.
Monday 25th September
More Grass Snakes about. Far better shots by Gordon Bowes than I could ever get.
Thursday 21st September
Quite a nice sunny day though very few butterflies - only Brimstone, Red Admiral and Large White.
Thanks to the Lincolnshire Conservation Volunteers for raking off the hay last Sunday.
Quite a few Dragonflies including Sothern, Migrant and Brown Hawker. Most of the Willow Emerald Damselflies seemed to be paired up.
Unexpected but nice surprise was the Grass Snake.
Anyone know when the Hawthorn berries come out?
Sunday 17th September
Lincoln Conservation Volunteers, despite being a small group of eight volunteers, managed to rake off the hay from the meadows.
They also collected a bag full of litter from the lay-by.
Thursday 7th September
Very hot day with virtually no wind.
Thanks once again to Colin
Brown Hairstreak, Vole and Lizard seen whilst cutting.
Sunday 3rd September
Keith Walton e-mails.........
Ron Henderson, Graeme Baker and I visited Snakeholme Pit on Sunday 3rd of September. We were only there for about an hour but found Common Blue,Brown Argus, Holly Blue, Small Copper,Large White, Small White, Green Veined White, Comma,Peacock, Brimstone all in single digits and 2 late Gatekeepers.
The surprise was 5 Brown Hairstreak between 13.30 and 14.00 hours.
Wednesday 30th August
Occasional sun but warm.
After the previous Wednesday this seemed an anti-climax. Only the Whites, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral seemed about with 2 Silver-washed Fritillary still hanging on.
The Buff-tip larvae had got a lot bigger.......
There were a lot of Dragonflies about including what looked liked a "Chaser" exuvia
Clockwise: Migrant Hawker Male & Female, Southern Hawker, Common Darter.
Wednesday 23rd August
Very warm and eventually sunny day.
With the sun came the butterflies - Large, Small & Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Peacock, Common & Holly Blue, Gatekeeper, Silver-washed Fritillary, Brimstone, Speckled Wood and Brown Hairstreak.
Also a Comma larva.........
Moth included adults of Silver Y and Straw Dot. The Herald and Buff-tip larvae were still about.
Lots of Dragonflies including Emperor, Migrant Hawker, Brown Hawker, Common & Ruddy Darter and the usual Willow Emerald Damselfly.
Other Fauna........
Tuesday 22nd August
Sunday 20th August
Richard O'Connor e-mailed............
I thought I should report that today, I found a female Brown Hairstreak in the meadow area at the above site. She was just a foot or two above ground level, carefully examining Blackthorn suckers near the main path, before laying eggs on them. I believe this butterfly is known at this site?
I was seriously chuffed – a new species for me!
Thursday 17th August
Warm day with intermittent sun.
Slow start but the butterflies emerged with the sun. All 3 Whites, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Copper, Common & Holly Blue, Brown Argus, Brimstone, Speckled Wood and a fresh Brown Hairstreak. Silver-washed Fritillary were flying the length of the Reserve.A worn Purple Hairstreak flitted along the hedgerow top.
Nice to be greeted by the Robin.
Latticed Heath, Silver Y and Dingy Footman adults.
as well as Buff-tip larvae.
Other Fauna....
Tachina fera is common on the Reserve but 2 new ones - Harvestman Opilio canestrinii and Brassica Shieldbug (Eurydema oleracea).
Tuesday 15th August
Friday 11th August
Eric Doughty found a Brown Hairstreak.
Thursday 10th August
Hot and sunny for a change......
The Purple Loosestrife in the hollow was working overtime today. There must have been 50 Brimstone in that one area alone. 5 Holly Blue about today, 2 on the Loosestrife as well.
6 Silver-washed Fritillary spread all across the Reserve. Other species included Large, Small & Green-veined White, Red Admiral, Peacock, Comma, Brown Argus, Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Gatekeeper.
Lots of Dragonflies
Emperor, Ruddy & Common Darter, Brown Hawker, Willow Emerald Damselfly and Small Red-eyed Damselfly.
Shaded Broad-bar moths flying and a couple of larva found.
Saturday 29th July
Bernard Featherstone e-mailed.......
Maureen & I had an enjoyable day at Snakeholme today, a wonderful array of flowers and Butterflies.
Good numbers of Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Small and Large White but only a small number of G V White, not counted.
Red Admiral 20+, Comma 20+, Peacock 20+, Common Blue 5, Holly Blue 2, S W Fritillary 4, Brown Argus 2.
One each of White Admiral, Brimstone, Purple Hairstreak, Speckled Wood and Small Tortoiseshell.
A good Butterfly count, but we failed to see a White-letter Hairstreak.
A good few Willow Emerald, Brown Hawker 2, Migrant Hawker 2 Southern Hawker 1.
A good day out.
Friday 28th July
Warm and sunny with lots of butterflies.
Other Fauna.........
Keith Walton e-mailed.....
During a visit to Snakeholme Pit, the following butterflies were seen. Peacock-86, Red Admiral-51, Silver Washed Fritillary-20, Holly Blue-8,Brimstone-9, Comma-15,White Admiral-1.
Good number of Migrant Hawkers.
Thursday 20th July
Warm with sunny intervals.
Jackpot!!!
Exceptional day for Butterflies.
Butterflies included Large, Small & Green-veined White, Large & Small Skipper, Red & White Admiral, Common Blue, Comma, Painted Lady, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Ringlet and Brimstone.
Excellent to report not just the species but also in good numbers.
It's a purple haze at the moment with the Loosestrife and Betony out.
Never seen so many Silver Y moths out at once.
Also
Disturbed 2 Little Egrets in the Beck.
Emperor Dragonfly hawking and lots of Ruddy Darter.
Must have been a hundred Willow Emerald.
Also
Other Fauna.......
Friday 14th July
Not the best of days but a few things about before the rain descended........
Friday 7th July
Very hot day
Lots of butterflies but mainly Browns - Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper & Ringlet. Whites, Red Admiral, Skippers and Speckled Wood could also be seen.
Definitely a day for Dragonflies...
Very few Burnet Moths today.
Birds included Buzzard, Moorhen, Garden Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Wren, Goldfinch, Chiffchaff, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Blackcap, Coal Tit and Carrion Crow.
Friday 30th June
Helen Kirk visited.......
Decided to take a look at Snakeholme Pit, a Lincolnshire Branch of Butterfly Conservation nature reserve just a few miles distant from Chambers Farm Wood as I'd never visited it before. A fascinating site of around two acres with three different areas to it. First gem was a male Banded Demoiselle in vegetation along the stream edge to the east and then a Kingfisher's distinctive piping as it moved along the waterway. Double figures of Ringlet and Meadow Browns, a couple each of Green-veined Whites and Gatekeeper. Perhaps a dozen Six-spot Burnet Moths on various flower heads but tucked down low out of the wind was a small golden green longhorn moth with a snazzy punk yellow hair do and the obviously long antennae. It was not one I was familiar with so managed a couple of record photographs and thought no more about it till I got home and downloaded it. The nearest I could get it to was Nemophora cupriacella. Now a bit of research suggests it's not a particularly common moth so I begin to doubt my ID and decided to run it past Martin Gray who promptly responded with " Certainly is and quite a rarity, only the 5th Lincolnshire Record - duly recorded." Well, quite a result for a Yorkshire visitor to this site for the first time. Just goes to show there's always something interesting to be found even on not ideal weather days!
Thursday 29th June
Warm day with sunny intervals.
Lots of Meadow Brown about together with Ringlet, Large & Small White, Large & Small Skipper, Comma, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood.
Dragonflies included Broad-bodied Chaser, Four-spotted Chaser, Emperor, Large Red Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Ruddy Darter and Banded Demoiselle.
Moths included Silver Y, Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet and the larvae of the Cinnabar, Sallow Kitten together with Pebble Prominent.
Other Fauna......
A new record from Keith Walton - Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) - male.
Friday 23rd June
Warm and pleasant day.
Ringlet, second of the summer Browns now out.
Other butterflies were Large White, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood and Large Skipper.
Orchid count continues - now up to 11 Bee & 10 Common Spotted.
Birds about were Pheasant, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Wren, Woodpigeon, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff, Moorhen, Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit & Blackcap.
Quite a few Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnets have emerged.
Other Fauna......
Tuesday 13th June
Hot day but few butterflies again. Perhaps the sun is sapping the nectar from the plants.
Large & Green-veined Whites, Common & Holly Blue, Brimstone and Meadow Browns. This one seemed to have large eye-spots on the underside.
Emperor Dragonfly now out.
Broke my duck with Common Spotted-orchids with not just 1 but 5. Bee Orchid count now up to 8.
Birds included Moorhen, Wren, Chiffchaff, Skylark, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Blackbird, Long-tailed Tit, Garden Warbler, Blackcap and Whitethroat.
A couple of Moths, Latticed Heath and Yellow Shell.
Other Fauna......
Crown Rust - Puccinia coronata is a rust fungus with orange aecia which galls the leaf blade and petioles of Buckthorn and Alder Buckthorn causing them to become twisted and distorted.
Thursday 8th June
Decent sunny day but still few butterflies. Maybe it is the temperature which is still relatively cool for this time of year.
Still, Small & Green-veined White, Brimstone, Orange-tip and Common Blue.
A couple of Yellow Shell Moths about.
Lots of Four-spotted Chasers together with Azure and Large Red Damselflies.
Birds included Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Robin, Jackdaw, Skylark, Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, Wren, Collared Dove (strangely not recorded), Bullfinch, Redstart (a new Reserve record) and Long-tailed Tit.
Looking like no Common Spotted-orchid this year but Bee Orchid spikes now up to 5. Fantastic display of Ox-eye Daisies.
Other Fauna......
Friday 2nd June
Lot's of Damselflies & Dragonflies plus 3 Bee Orchid spikes.
Tuesday 30th May
Very cool with only a solitary Holly Blue on the wing.
Still things to see.......
Tuesday 23rd May
Still very few butterflies despite a decent day.
Large, Small & Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Orange-tip, Holly & Common Blue and Brimstone.
Latticed Heath again.
Lots of Large Red and Azure Damselflies together with newly emerged Four-spotted Chasers.
Birds included Pheasant, Blackcap, Chaffinch, Blackbird, Stock Dove, Willow Warbler, Goldfinch, Woodpigeon, Skylark, Robin, Wren and Moorhen.
Other Fauna...
Wednesday 17th May
Sunny and warm day with Small & Green-veined Whites, Peacock, Orange-tip and Common Blue on the wing.There were also male Brimstones and a female laying eggs on the Buckthorn.
Latticed Heath was flying and a few settled micro-moths.
Birds included Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Moorhen.
Other Fauna........
Tuesday 9th May
Nice sunny day. Butterflies on the wing included Orange-tip, Speckled Wood, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Brimstone and all 3 Whites.
Other Flora & Fauna..........
Wednesday 3rd May
Sunny day. Large, Small & Green-veined White on the wing. Others included Brimstone, Speckled Wood, Common Blue, Holly Blue and Peacock.
Other Fauna.......
Tuesday 25th April
Lovely sunny day but very few butterflies, Green-veined White, Orange-tip, Peacock and Brimstone.
Two more floral additions.........
First Dock Bug of the season...
Tuesday 18th April
Lovely sunny day again.
Nice to see Orange-tip out. Others included Green-veined White, Peacock, Brimstone and Comma.
Just the odd moth - a Latticed Heath
The flora is particularly spectacular at the moment with the Lesser Celendine, Cowslips and Bugle starting to come out.
The usual pair of Mallard were on the water together with Grey Heron and Moorhen.
A female Mallard is already sitting on Eggs.
Tuesday 4th April
Full sun but still cool temperatures.Peacock and Brimstone on the wing as were Dark-edged Bee-flies.
Also
Monday 27th March
Temperature needs to improve a bit but a lovely sunny day.
Grey Heron and a pair of Mallard on the water - the Tawny Owl still about. Spring flowers emerging..........
The Fly, Phytomyza ilicis lays its eggs in May or June, at the base of the petiole of a young leaf (on the underside).
The larva initially feeds in mid-rib, later producing a characteristic irregular upper surface linear-blotch. Pupation is internal.
Wednesday 22nd March
Lovely day for a workparty, the Toad activity in the water makes you think Spring has arrived.......
Sunshine also brought out the people - can't remember the last time we had 7 on a workparty.
Good day for birds with Red Kite (new Reserve record), Tawny Owl and Kingfisher.
Also had time to do a bit more pruning
Thanks to all the volunteers for their hard work
Tuesday, 7th March
Beautiful day, unlike the icy snow forecast. First light cut of the paths.
