Last month I mentioned the Painted Lady, a particularly attractive and interesting butterfly that you may have spotted on your buddleia. This is one of the Vanessid family of butterflies, which also includes Red Admiral, Peacock, Large and Small Tortoiseshells and the Comma. The Painted Lady is the same size as the more commonly seen Red Admiral butterfly, and like that species it is a migrant which does not survive the winter in the UK. It is a strong flier and can hurtle around in warm weather making it hard to get a good look at its markings. But if you are able to study a fresh individual busy nectaring on a flower, you will see a deep orange/pink background colour, patterned with black blotches and spots and black wing-tip dotted with white. If the sun goes in, and the butterfly closes its wings, their undersides are revealed. These are even more beautiful with, as well as a bold pink band with black and white highlights on the forewing, a complicated pattern of varied buff shades separated by veins to create a subtle stained-glass effect on the hind wing. This is then complemented by a series of small blue “eyes” on the rear edge.

As a long-distance migrant that spreads northwards across Europe from North Africa, the numbers we see each year can fluctuate wildly. This spring saw good numbers and some think that this may turn out to be the best Painted Lady summer since 2009, when an estimated 11 million of them reached the UK. While in this part of the country it doesn’t yet appear to be a bumper year, there are still plenty around. What has struck me is the number of individuals that I have come across which are significantly smaller than usual – about the size of a Small Tortoiseshell. It’s possible that this is a result of the heatwaves earlier in the year. This might have caused the larvae to pupate more quickly than usual, preventing development to full size. I think it unlikely that lack of larval food plant is the cause, as the thistles that they favour are so common and widespread. The small Painted Ladies I have seen have still seemed to be strong fliers so it may not affect the ability of the species to continue its northward spread. The butterfly has been recorded in most parts of the UK and, in good years, gets as far north as the Shetland Islands. As one of only a small handful of butterflies recorded there, it must bring an exotic touch of north African colour as it powers across the rugged hills and moors.

Towards the end of summer, the reverse migration will begin. By a series of migrations across multiple generations, the species will head back to North Africa, from where it originated, with each generation contributing to the overall journey. The ability to fly at up to 30 mph and at over 500 feet helps it to cover large distances, to complete this incredible migratory voyage.

​Andrew Graham

We'll be looking out for the heathland birds and butterflies of the New Forest with Keith Lea, Consultant in woodland management and Vice Chair of Salisbury Natural History Society.

No dogs. Start time at Hale Purlieu 10am. Anticipated end time: 1pm

A mid summer walk in search of heathland butterflies, notably Grayling and Silver Studded Blue, heathland & woodland birds and heathland/bog flora. A moderate 3 mile circular walk within this beautiful part of the New Forest National Park.

Meet at the Nadder Centre for 9 am departure or meet at the National Trust Car   Park, Lady's Mile Rd, Hale Purlieu, SP6 2QZ for 10am start  What3words:///hardback.dices.cactus

Distance, Difficulty and Footwear - Please dress accordingly to the weather and bring water & snacks. Mostly flat walking but uneven.

If you would like to join us please contact us and let us know if you will be meeting us at Nadder Centre to car share or at the starting location.

It's too hot tonight to do this on Wed 15th July. We'll put another post up with the new timing soon.

Further to the blog post on 18th May, this is a reminder that we are taking part again in the National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme and we need more volunteers to help us.

Can you give us a hand on on Sat 25th July 2026 (extension to Sun 26th if necessary) when we install the cameras?

We will be taking down cameras on Mon 24th August 2026 (extension to Tues 25th if necessary) and will need help again.

We also need volunteer spotters to identify animals in trail camera footage online.

If you would like to get involved in any of these, please get in touch
via the contact page and we'll pass your message on to Inés. All training provided!

Please join us in ragwort pulling from the Community field, behind the skatepark and Nadder Centre at 6:30pm on Wed 15th July. 

We pull the ragwort in preparation for the field being cut for hay and any cinnabar moth caterpillars will be rescued and put on other ragworts in a non-harvested location.

Bring a picnic and enjoy this summer's activity!

On Sunday 12th July we are off to Dinton Beeches looking for butterflies and other flora and fauna.  We will take a leisurely walk around the tracks and rides of the woods looking for the varied butterfly species which can usually be found there at this time of year.

Meet at Nadder Centre for 11:00am departure or meet on the track on the south side of the Dinton Beeches part of the wood at 11:30am. OS: SU 007 348 What3words: ///grapevine.sulked.lighter

The expected end time is 2.30pm so please bring a picnic and drinks.
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If you would like to join us please contact us and let us know if you will be meeting us at Nadder Centre to car share or at the starting location.

At this time of year, there are many varieties of purple and violet flowers in bloom, and these attract many insects, especially butterflies and bees. This preference appears to be related to the way that they see light. While we see light in the red/green/blue spectrum many insects see it in the blue green and ultraviolet (UV) range. As purple and violet flowers, such as meadow cranesbill and meadow clary, naturally reflect more UV light, they will stand out in a sward, making them easier to spot by the insects.
 
Not only do many plants have flowers of a similar colour, many of those flowers are similarly shaped. Brown, black and greater knapweeds all have slightly spherical flowerheads topped with a purple flower. These are tall, tough plants that can be found in great drifts in rough grassland and on roadside verges. Easily separated from knapweeds by their spines, thistle flowers are nonetheless quite similar. There are many different species of thistle, adapted to different environments and with varied shaped and sized flower heads. Some have large upright flowers, others smaller or drooping ones. But all are recognizable thistle-like, just variations on the classic Scottish thistle flower. Thistles and knapweeds are members of the daisy family, and their flowers are made up of numerous individual florets, so they are known as composites. After flowering, the white or buff coloured seed heads, called the pappus, provide food for small birds, such as Goldfinches. As well as providing a great source of nectar for insects, thistles are the food plant for the Painted Lady. This butterfly can complete its life cycle within 3 to 5 weeks, given the right conditions, and comes to this country as a migrant from the Atlas Mountains. As the butterflies head northwards, successive generations keep the migration going until, during the best years, they may get as far north as Iceland before the final generation heads south again, perhaps using winds at higher altitudes to help them.
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There are good numbers of Painted Ladies around at the moment, so we may be in for a bumper summer. Look out for them on garden buddleia - another purple flower attractive to butterflies. Indeed, many of the garden plants we plant to benefit pollinators – nepeta/catmint, lavender, asters, borage, salvias, alliums – have purple/lilac flowers. But that is just the day flying insects. Moths are more attracted to the flowers that show up in the dark – white and bright yellow – for example, nicotiana and evening primroses. As always, variety is the key, so there are no hard and fast rules about what will attract insects to your garden, but these days many plants and seed packets indicate whether they are pollinator friendly to help guide us.

Andrew Graham

On Wednesday 8th July we are having a farm walk. Led by Keith Lea, Keith is a consultant in woodland management and Vice Chair of Salisbury Natural History Society. 

A summer evening farm walk exploring different habitats (River Sem, woodland, ponds, hedgerow and farmland) at Priors Farm where nature conservation is a high priority. No dogs. Searching for birds, dragonflies & damselflies, butterflies and general flora to be found here.

​If you would like to join us please contact us and let us know if you will be meeting us at Nadder Centre to car share or at the starting location.

​Meet at the Nadder Centre for 5.45pm departure or meet at the farm for a 6pm start. Priors Farm, Tokes Lane (East Knoyle) SP79BP. What3words: ///workroom.bedrooms.sofas
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The expected end time is 8.30pm.

From May into June a striking sight in hedgerows and scrubby areas is the elder. This large shrub or small tree is common throughout Britain and is easily identified by its large creamy flowerheads or umbels which smother it at this time of year. Elders rarely grow as tall as 15m, and are quite short-lived; a 60 year-old elder is a veteran. Elder generally has a short trunk with corky, furrowed bark and relatively few branches. It will grow back vigorously when cut, which allows it to survive repeated cutting in a hedgerow. New growth has soft, bright green stems.

Those big flowers provide a nectar source for many insects and are eaten by some of the smaller mammals. Later in the year they turn into glossy, purple-black berries which hang down in big bunches. These provide food for birds and mammals and the seeds, when deposited in the droppings of the animals that ate the berries, germinate easily on disturbed ground. As a result, elder is often found around badger setts or fox earths.

Elder wood is very poor for burning and its smaller branches have a pithy centre. This can be hollowed out, and, in the past, hollowed stems were used with bellows through which to blow air into the centre of a fire. Consequently, it has been suggested that the name elder comes from the Anglo-Saxon 'aeld', meaning fire.

A number of ornamental varieties have been developed with purple or black leaves, coloured flowers, or deeply cut leaves. Because of their modest size and good response to pruning, these are popular in gardens and support wildlife.

In the past, leaves, bark and berries were used to make different coloured dyes used in the production of Harris Tweed. These days, the most common reference to elder comes in the ubiquitous elderflower cordials on sale everywhere. But the flowers and berries can be used in a variety of ways, as long as you avoid the raw berries, which are poisonous. Cooked berries, which are rich in vitamin C, can be used to augment blackberries in a pie or used to make cordials and wine.

The flowers, which should be collected when fresh – before they start to smell unpleasant – and shaken to remove insects, and can be dried for later use in cordials or wine. I’m sure there are many in the village who will have marvellous recipes. My favourite is elderflower champagne, although I haven’t made it for a while after too many exploding bottles brought a degree of customer resistance in the kitchen.

​Andrew Graham

​We will be walking out onto Collard Hill where, as well as other summer butterflies and flowers we will hope to see the fabulous Large Blue butterfly which has been successfully reintroduced to this site.

Please contact us if you'd like to join the trip and tell us whether you'll meet us at at the site or at the Nadder Centre to car-share. No dogs.

Meet at the Nadder Centre for 10:30am departure or meet at 11.30am at the Ivythorn Hill National Trust Car Park south of Street, Somerset. OS:ST488340. What3words: ///timed.deck.dream

Distance, Difficulty and Footwear - We will be walking 3 or 4 km at a very gentle pace. Collard Hill is steep and the ground uneven so to explore it fully you will need to be prepared for and able to handle those slopes. Stout walking shoes and possibly a walking stick are recommended.  Bring a packed lunch and refreshments.

Anticipated end time on site: 2:30pm. Return to Nadder Centre by 3:30pm.