Devon SSSI nature reserve and eco lodges - Maggie's Blog


30 May




We're pround to have gold level approval from the Devon Wildlife Trust. Click here for more on our environmental policies.
Heath spotted orchids and painted ladies...

The heath spotted orchids are just coming on on Popehouse Moor, and the southern marsh orchids are properly in flower now.
And of course we have painted ladies - part of this year's massive invasion of butterflies. I was in Sussex earlier in the week and my parent's garden was heaving with them. Apparently someone estimated 18,000 going past the coast in Norfolk. More of a good handful on Popehouse Moor.

These butterflies would have hatched out in North Africa and have spent the last couple of months moving north.  Usually we'd be encouraged to submit sighting to Butterfly Conservation through their website to help track the migration, but since the colourful butterflies have already been seen in Scotland and people have been reporting hundreds, I doubt that applies this year unless you have a good number to report.