Butterflies
Our UKBMS transect
in 2022 we set up and walked a transect across the Reserve, counting the butterflies. This important data is submitted to the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, and forms part of the county and national data set. Starting at the car park in Watts Wood, the nine sections of the transect covers most habitats and takes a couple of hours to complete.
Eight volunteers of varying experience have been involved.
Eight volunteers of varying experience have been involved.
Data 2025
Notable:
More than three times as many butterflies counted as in 2024.
4 common blues counted in 2024, 424 in 2025
The first Silver washed fritillary recorded in Watts Wood.
Despite there being very few small tortoiseshells counted this year, one of the last butterflies recorded was this species.
We have left half of the Memorial Meadow and South Glade long this year, to see if this supports butterfly pupae numbers, which may be reflected in counts in 2026.
More than three times as many butterflies counted as in 2024.
4 common blues counted in 2024, 424 in 2025
The first Silver washed fritillary recorded in Watts Wood.
Despite there being very few small tortoiseshells counted this year, one of the last butterflies recorded was this species.
We have left half of the Memorial Meadow and South Glade long this year, to see if this supports butterfly pupae numbers, which may be reflected in counts in 2026.
Data 2024
Data 2023
Data 2022
Comma
Common blue
Small skipper
Six-spot burnet (day flying moth, not butterfly)
Pair of meadow browns
Small white
Gatekeeper
Brimstone (male)
Meadow brown
Small tortoisehell
Peacock
Photos by Vera Holmes
7 July 2018
Ashing Lane Nature Reserve got a visit from a group of local members of Butterfly Conservation, it was very interesting and we saw quite a range of species of butterflies, moths, dragonflies and damselflies. We started our walk in Watts Wood, then Beatles Pond and the south edge of South Wood, round the lake in Coop Wood, then through Middle and North Wood and back on the footpath through the meadows.
Some of the group have kindly shared their photos to add to our records.
Some of the group have kindly shared their photos to add to our records.
Butterflies and moths:
Watts Wood
Painted Lady
Green veined white
Large White
Small White
Small tortoiseshell
Ringlet
Meadow Brown
South Wood
Six spot burnet
Cinnabar caterpillars on ragwort
Coop Wood
Brimstone
North Wood
Peacock
Gatekeeper
New Meadow
Common Blue (very small individuals)
For more about local butterflies and activities to support them, go to Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire
Watts Wood
Painted Lady
Green veined white
Large White
Small White
Small tortoiseshell
Ringlet
Meadow Brown
South Wood
Six spot burnet
Cinnabar caterpillars on ragwort
Coop Wood
Brimstone
North Wood
Peacock
Gatekeeper
New Meadow
Common Blue (very small individuals)
For more about local butterflies and activities to support them, go to Butterfly Conservation Lincolnshire
Gatekeeper Photo: Stephen Howell
Green-veined white Photo: Stephen Howell
Large white Photo: Stephen Howell
Meadow Brown Photo: Stephen Howell
Ringlet Photo: Stephen Howell
Six-spot burnet Photo: Stephen Howell
Small skipper Photo: Stephen Howell
Azure damselfly Photo: Photo Alan and Linda Woodward
Female Emperor dragonfly egg laying in Coop Lake, Azure damselfly being curious.
Photo: John Davison
Another female Emperor egg laying
Photo: John Davison
Male Emperor Photo Alan and Linda Woodward
Four spot chaser
Photo: John Davison
Four spot chaser
Photo: John Davison
Male Banded Demoiselle Photo Alan and Linda Woodward
Female Banded Demoiselle Photo Alan and Linda Woodward
Black tailed skimmer Photo Alan and Linda Woodward
Dragonflies and Damselflies
Beatles Pond
Azure damselfly
Banded Demoiselle
Brown hawker
Coop Lake
Southern hawker
Emperor (including females egg laying)
Common darter
Black tailed skimmer
Four spot chaser
For more about dragonflies and damselflies, go to the British Dragonfly Society
Beatles Pond
Azure damselfly
Banded Demoiselle
Brown hawker
Coop Lake
Southern hawker
Emperor (including females egg laying)
Common darter
Black tailed skimmer
Four spot chaser
For more about dragonflies and damselflies, go to the British Dragonfly Society
10 August 2017 - a lovely shot of a common blue butterfly, taken by Rod Newborough
Butterflies in July 2017
2 July small tortoiseshell on white clover
2 July two six spot burnet moths on vetch
8 July 2017 Gatekeeper
8 July 17 Meadow Brown
16 July small skipper on red clover
17 July 2017 peacock butterfly caterpillars on nettles
17 July 2017 look over the east handrail of the footbridge going into north wood to see these wonderful wriggly creatures
17 July 2017 not butterfly caterpillars, but cinnabar moth larvae on ragwort
Many thanks to Mark Johnson for the use of his photos. Other pictures from Susie Mendel, Rod Newborough and Su Colman.
Privet hawk moth caterpillar
Small skipper on clover
Common Blue butterfly
Yellow shell moth
Tree festooned with "webs" of Ermine moth larvae
Damselflies
Broad bodied chaser
July 2016 Large Skipper