Brush up on butterflies!

Its the start of the butterfly season with many species taking to the wing.

There are many species on site to interest the keen amateur - some not so easy to spot.

Look out for the butter-coloured Brimstone, most commonly spotted by the gate on Marbury Lane by the canal bridge. Preferring grassy areas with some scrub or close to woodland.

Common blue butterflies appear from a warm May throughout the summer season. Areas around the Flashes and Carey Park offer the best chance as they prefer the open lime-based grasslands created by the dumping of lime slurry.

Dingy skippers are the hardest to spot. Look out along the central bund of Ashton's and Neumann's Flashes were they can be spotted basking on the footpaths or flitting throughout the glades of birdsfoot trefoil. An LBAP species, this rare butterfly is a dull brown, speckled white.

Good luck and enjoy. For a full list of species check out our wildlife pages.