Share

Spotlight On: Heysham Nature Reserve, searching for autumn's butterflies

Reed beds on the wetlands at Heysham Nature Reserve
Photo by Alan Wright

In part two of his blog from Heysham Nature Reserve, Alan Wright seeks an autumn butterfly and other species appearing on a warm day.
Common cluster fly resting on a leaf in the autumn sunshine

Common cluster fly resting on a leaf in the autumn sunshine
Photo by Alan Wright

After a couple of colder days I wasn’t expecting much insect action at Heysham Nature Reserve, although our knowledgeable reserve manager Reuben told me speckled wood butterflies had been seen only a few days before my visit. I was determined to see one.

My first sighting was a nursery web spider sitting on a bramble leaf in the sunshine. It soon moved when it detected my presence but I could see it watching from under some greenery. A common cluster fly was showing off its golden hairy back in the sunlight, not worried about my presence.

Nursery web spider hiding under leaves

Nursery web spider hiding
Photo by Alan 

I was staring into the bramble and hawthorn scrub when I saw some movement as the dappled sunlight hit a patch on the ground. I was getting some looks from passers-by as they wondered why someone was leaning on a fence staring into a patch of brambles?

The first movement was a bird, a wren dibbing around looking for insects, protected by the bramble cover. I could see the shape of the bird and its sticky up tail, such a distinctive and pretty creature. I didn’t get a good enough look to see the eye mask.

Wood speckled butterfly resting on dark green leaf

Wood speckled butterfly restoring its energy
Photo by Alan Wright

Then, there it was, a speckled wood bathing in the sunlight that was safe in this mini copse under a hawthorn cover, filled with red berries. This should be a busy patch for birds as well as insects at this late stage of the year.

The butterfly was seeking energy from the sunlight, but it was moving around in regular hops and flutters in case predators or nosey Wildlife Trust officers were around. I got close enough to see this pretty brown insect and its small, cream-ringed eyespots, three on each hindwing and one on each forewing, but I couldn’t get a photograph to prove my sighting.

Wood speckled butterfly resting on a green leaf

Wood speckled butterfly resting in the autumn sun
Photo by Alan Wright 

Heysham Nature Reserve is of particular value for butterflies in summer. On sunny days the dipping pond and wetland is busy with dragonflies and damselflies. I did spot a couple of late-flying damselflies, but I wasn’t close enough to identify them. Insects are likely to be busy around the reserve on warm days until the end of October, but then things will quieten down until spring. Whenever you visit this nature reserve you do get a sense of calm whether it is buzzing with nature or providing cover for winter.

All of our reserves depend on funding from members, charitable funds or business. We are launching an appeal this year to raise funds for the amazing work our passionate officers are doing across Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside.

In my final blog I will look at some of the birds showing off at Heysham Nature Reserve in autumn and winter.

Related blog posts