Menu

Barnack Hills and Holes

Chalkhill Blue Butterfly (Lysandra coridon)

 

Found mainly in the South East of England, on chalk or limestone (calcareous) grassland or downs, where the wild flower “Horseshoe Vetch” is growing in abundance, a native plant essential to the life cycle of the Chalkhill Blue.

Emerging Mid July to late August, the adult Butterflies may be seen on the wing in warm sunshine, in search of females or briefly resting to nectar on wild flowers. During periods of cool or overcast weather, they will often rest-up on or near the top of knapweed, grasses or other tall plant stems.

Paired Chalkhill Blues

Paired Chalkhill Blues

Quick Info

Chalkhill Blue Butterfly (Lysandra coridon) Male on plant stem Barnack hills and holes

Chalkhill Blue Butterfly (Lysandra coridon) Male resting on plant stem

The male has blue upper-wings with white fringes, the female is brown with orange spots. The under-wings are grey to mid brown with black spots.

The Chalkhill Blue is part of the Lycaenidae Group of butterflies, in British Isles this group of species includes:- the “Common Blue”, “Large Blue”, “Green Hairstreak”, and the smallest British butterfly the “Small Blue”, to name but a few.

Chalkhill Blue Butterfly- Female - on grass stem wing open Barnack Hills and Holes

Chalkhill Blue (Lysandra coridon) – Female on grass stem

© Urban Butterfly Garden 2010-2024

Rare Orchids – Barnack Hills and Holes

 

Photographs of some of the 8 rare wild orchids, growing amongst the many other species of wildflowers, birds butterflies and other wildlife at Barnack Hills and Holes Nature Reserve. The Reserve also known locally as Barnack Hills and Hollows, consists of 54 acres of nationally important undulating calcareous or limestone grassland, located in the village of Barnack near the town of Stamford in Lincolnshire.

Early-Purple Orchid
(Orchis mascula)

Early-Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) Barnack Hills and Holes, native flower

Early-Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula)

  • Height: up to 40cm.
  • Can be seen: April – June.
  • Photographed: Barnack Hills and Holes, 23rd April 2011.

Fragrant Orchid
(Gymnadenia conopsea)

Fragrant Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea) at Barnack Hills And Holes

Fragrant Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea)

  • Height:up to 40cm
  • Can be seen:June to July
  • PhotographedBarnack Hills and Holes, 13th June 2010.

Man Orchid
(Aceras anthropophorun)

Man Orchid (Aceras anthropophorun) Barnack

Man Orchid (Aceras anthropophorun)

  • Height: up to 25cm
  • Can be seen: May to June
  • Photographed: Barnack Hills and Holes, 13th June 2010.
  • Where: South-South East England

Frog Orchid
(Coeloglossum viride)

Frog Orchid (Coeloglossum viride) Barnack

Frog Orchid (Coeloglossum viride)

  • Height : up to 20cm.
  • Can be seen : June – August.
  • Photographed : Barnack Hills and Holes, 30th June 2010.

Pyramidal Orchid
(Anacamptis pyramidalis)

Pyramidal Orchid meadow Wild Flowers

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis)

  • Height: up to 30cm.
  • Can be seen: : June – August.
  • Photographed: Barnack Hills and Holes, 6th July 2010.

Bee Orchid
(Ophrys apifera)

Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera), Barnack Hills and Holes

Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera)

  • Height: up to 30cm.
  • Can be seen: June – July.
  • Photographed: Barnack Hills and Holes, 25th June 2012.
Photographs © Urban Butterfly Garden 2010-2024

Small Heath Butterfly (Coenonympha pamphilus)

 

The Small Heath is a widespread butterfly, it can often be found in many open areas such as meadows, railway embankments, heaths and other rough grassy places across the British Isles. It is also the smallest of the ‘brown’ group of Butterflies found in the Britain.

Small heath butterflies are well camouflaged in the grassy places where they are found, always resting with wings closed tilted towards the sun on a warm patch of ground or low down on grass stems. Easily disturbed they will often fly low to the ground, always landing with wings closed they may also tuck down the orange fore-wing if danger is close.

Quick Info

  • Family Group: Nymphalidae – Browns.
  • Wingspan around: 30mm.
  • Habitat: Meadows, Disused quarries, embankments, Waste ground, Hills and downs.
  • Adult Nectar Plant: Common Daisy (Bellis perennis), Buttercups. (others will be added).
  • Photographed: June 16 2010.
  • Location: Barnack Hills and Holes (NNR)
Small Heath Butterfly (Coenonympha pamphilus)

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus)

Small Heath butterflies are double-brooded and can seen flying in greater numbers May-June and August-September, the caterpillars feed on grasses.

The under-side of the wings are always seen when landed, the fore-wing is most noticeable, being mainly orange with a prominent eye spot and a grey margin, the hind-wing is mainly brown with a grey margin . The upper-side of the wings are rarely seen except in flight and are orange-brown with grey margins with a small eye spot on the wing tips.

© Urban Butterfly Garden 2010-2024