Wye National Nature Reserve  | - Click on the image above to view gallery
|
|
 Green Hairstreak Butterfly The coombes in the area, such as the Devil’s Kneading Trough, were created towards the end of the last ice age, between 9000 and 8000 BC. During this period of intense freezing and thawing of the chalk surface, torrents of water from melted snow and ice flowed down the slopes, carving out the chalk and forming the coombes.
It is in these coombes that many species of wild flowers and butterflies that love the extensive chalk downland survive. It has been estimated that in just one square metre of short turf, you may find 40 different plant species. Many many years ago I did a biology field trip to this reserve to do just that but I really can’t remember now how many species I counted on that day. Many orchid species thrive here too some of the common ones but also the very rare Late Spider Orchid which is a protected species.
 Devils Kneading Trough  View of Devils Kneading Trough from below
The first time I visited the nature reserve this year was the 18th May when I was helping to look for any Duke of Burgundy butterflies as in the past they have been recorded on the site. I didn’t see one myself but am pleased to report one was found I did see plenty of other butterflies however and spent ages watching a lovely little Green Hairstreak waiting for the sun to come out so it would show up the beautiful colours of its scales better. This image I was so pleased with it’s been my desktop wallpaper ever since. There was also a rather obliging Dingy Skipper too which I always think looks far more like a moth than a butterfly.
I returned a week later just to see if I could find any Duke of Burgundy’s but had no luck. They really are such a tiny butterfly you really do have to have a lot of luck to see them. On this occasion I followed the nature trail which takes in a lot of different areas and takes you initially down the steep steps to the bottom of the slope beside the Devils Kneading trough. A sign at the top of the slope asks you if this is the best view in Kent? Well I’m not exactly sure it’s the best view but on a clear day you certainly can see a very long way. There is a local legend that says if you run around the edge Devils Kneading Trough seven times you will hear the devils laughter.
 Painted Lady Butterfly  Brimstone Butterfly
Natural England makes use of many animals to help keep the site well grazed which then encourages the flowers that live on the chalk downland to thrive and hopefully increase in number too. I don’t know what breed of cattle it is on the reserve but they have to be one of the most docile I have ever come across. Even with very young calves they don’t seem very concerned if you walk past them which you have to to pass through a kissing gate. On the nature trail which is just over a mile long I also found some goats grazing in an area of woodland which also seemed friendly when I went to have a closer look at them although with their horns I didn’t get too close.
Early August finds me back at Wye for a day when I thought I would have a good walk around the whole site visiting areas I hadn’t before. I walked along part of the North Downs Way which passes through the nature reserve. I carried with me the GPS which I was amazed told me by the end of the day I had walked just over seven miles which was quite a surprise. It certainly was a very enjoyable day I had gone hoping I would find quite a few butterflies and I certainly wasn’t disappointed.
 Friendly Goats  Friendly cows
On Arrival in the car park I was stunned at just how many different species of butterflies were feeding on a patch of thistles which included Brimstone, Peacock, Red admiral, Comma and Painted Lady.
I really enjoyed my good walk around the nature reserve and discovered areas I hadn’t been to before which certainly encourages me to go back. During the rest of the day I also saw plenty more butterflies which I found very encouraging as elsewhere I haven’t seen that many so far this year.
 |
