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.

Data 2024

Data 2023

Data 2022

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.

​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

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

10 August 2017 - a lovely shot of a common blue butterfly, taken by Rod Newborough

Butterflies in July 2017

Many thanks to Mark Johnson for the use of his photos.  Other pictures from Susie Mendel, Rod Newborough and Su Colman.