Langdon Hills Butterfly Surveys

My partner Natasha has been taking part in butterfly surveying at Langdon Hills Country Park since last Summer. This Country Park is part of the Langdon Living Landscape, one of the best areas for butterflies in whole of Essex. The survey route covers a number of species-rich meadows, interspersed with semi-natural woodland and hedge-lined rides. I accompanied Natasha on June 28th and made a note of interesting species, butterfly or otherwise! Cattle were present in Johnson's No.2 field, doing their bit for conservation.

Meadows can be incredibly rich habitats!

Martinhole Wood:
Other: Black Bryony, Scaly Male Fern, Bluebell, Wood Dock, Dog's Mercury, Wood Avens, Honeysuckle.

Johnson's No.1 (Meadow)
Butterflies: Meadow Brown, Marbled White, Common Blue (we think), Essex/Common Skipper, Comma.
Other: Meadowsweet, Birds-foot Trefoil, Red Clover, Tufted Vetch, Yellow Rattle, Ox-eye Daisy, Self-heal, Tragopogon seedhead (Goatsbeard or Salsify).

Horse Ride
Butterflies: Comma.

Johnson's No.2 (Meadow)
Butterflies: Large White, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood.
Other: Field Rose, Pheasant, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Wild Carrot, Ox-eye Daisy, Self-heal, Cinquefoil, Shrew.

If you're interested in getting involved with butterfly surveying, Langdon Hills Country Park has a number of survey routes in both the One Tree Hill and Westley Heights areas of the park. Contact Langdon Hills Country Park for more information. If volunteering isn't your thing, then I'd still recommend taking a walk around the Country Park to see some of the brilliant butterflies!