Butterflies of Torquay, Devon 2015….
There are two areas in Torquay which I visit regularly. One is Daddy-hole Plain, a large area of grass with a coastal path running close by. The other area is Cockington Water Meadow where a small stream runs alongside a meadow edged with trees and wild flowers.
I photograph wildlife in these areas every week…butterflies, moths, insects, birds and in spring deer.
Daddy-hole Plain.
Cockington Water Meadows.
These are some of the butterflies I’ve seen this year:
This year we were told to expect millions of Painted Lady Butterflies. I waited and waited but only saw half a dozen or so on the coastal path in Spring. Disappointing but not surprising. Wildlife is all about surprises..good and bad.
Last year there were several sites in Torquay that were thick with Red Admirals, but again this summer the same sites held absolutely none. I saw the occasional solitary Red Admiral but not in the numbers of last year.
Peacocks and Tortoiseshells were early spring visitors. Seen in a local wood they brightened up the pathways with their vibrant colouring and markings. After the spring showing, very few of either butterfly appeared in summer.
Green-veined Whites and Large and Small Whites flitted over the Woods and Water Meadows. The Whites seem to be a hardy bunch and can be relied on for a good show. They were still mating a week ago…
Speckled Woods too flew in the Water Meadows…brown and cream in colouring I find it one of our prettiest butterflies.
Brimstones were in abundance, but only in one local country park….Stover. They almost disappeared when hanging from a plant with leaves of a similar colour. A pale greenish yellow they flitted from flower to flower, bright in the sunshine.
Another pale yellow butterfly seen only once this year on the coast path was the Clouded Yellow.
Orange Comma Butterflies I caught sight of regularly along one section of the coastal path. The site has now been completely destroyed by the local Countryside Trust who want the slopes returned to bare rock. It will be interesting to see how many of the many butterflies and insects I have captured on film at this site return next year.
Meadow Browns and Gatekeepers in the water meadows…..a rarer sight this year then last.
Holly Blues have had a good year. Delicate and sky blue in flight, but almost hidden when at rest with their pale blue, spotted wings together. Seen in a garden and along the coast path.
A Marbled White, absolute beauty…..the first I’ve ever seen on the coast path and the only one so far.
Another butterfly I hadn’t seen before was the the Purple Hairstreak. Tiny and easily missed….. this one was on the coastal path, tucked away in an area rarely visited.
No Wall Browns this year and Orange Tipped Whites few and far between.
I repeatedly visited sites where I usually see a fair amount of butterflies, but they were almost bare this year.
The cutting down of large areas of land in local nature reserves in the Spring and the cooler wet weather didn’t help. Red Valerian is attractive to most butterflies and unfortunately its the first thing cut down.
There are few other things in wildlife that can lift the heart like a beautiful butterfly…I hope you enjoy Devon’s little beauties.
devon2mother 