Lynchcombe Steps

Bracken clearing – Lynchcombe, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_0484

Lynchcombe

Catching-up on the start of summer on the Lynchcombe nature reserve.  Sitting on the sides of the Mendip Hills in Somerset this is a wonderful spot to get away from it all.

Bracken continues to invade much of the reserve and the Somerset Wildlife Trust has been busy clearing as much as possible.

Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) – Lynchcombe, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_0735

Every year some butterflies species do better than others.  This year was a bumper year for marbled whites.

Marbled White (Melanargia galathea) – Lynchcombe, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_1901

But even these cannot compete with the numbers of meadow browns.  I have counted over 400 of these in a single butterfly transect walk around the reserve.

Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina) – Lynchcombe, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_1774

The small butterflies are probably most people’s favourites.  Small coppers seem to have disappeared this year, but brown argus have been out in higher numbers than common blues.

Brown Argus (Aricia agestis) – Lynchcombe, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_8055

And, if they keep breading like these then they need to called the common argus.

Brown Argus (Aricia agestis) – Lynchcombe, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_7970

Beautiful Demoiselle was a surprise find.  Most dragonflies and damselflies appear around the reserve each summer.  They must just be passing through as there are no streams or ponds nearby.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) – Lynchcombe, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_4016

After recently failing to photograph chimney sweeper moths up on Priddy Mineries, it turned out that in Lynchcombe it was much easier.

Chimney Sweeper (Odezia atrata) – Lynchcombe, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_0503

And finally…

Sheep sometimes do the funniest things.

Sheep – Deerleap, Mendip Hills, Somerset, UK. ID JB_1274