The Two Tunnels Nature Blog

Butterfly Species: Holly Blue (1) Speckled Wood (1) Female Holly Blue - Tucking Mill 28-05-2019 Sometimes you can't win. I set off expecting to see plenty of butterflies given that the sun was out, and the temperature was around 16 degrees C. However, once I emerged from the tunnel at Tucking Mill the clouds had formed over the cycle path and there they stayed for my entire trip. Female Holly Blue (Underside) - Tucking Mill 28-05-2019 I saw just two butterflies on this trip. An ageing Holly blue and a speckled wood. The Holly blue is an interesting species. It has two broods a year, in spring and in later summer.  It can be seen almost anywhere in parks, gardens and in the countryside. It's easy to spot as it flies around shrubs and over trees unlike many other ‘blue’ species which are mainly grassland specialists that fly much lower to the ground. It’s caterpillar feeds on Holly blooms in the spring and Ivy blossom in the autumn. It's also known for its great ...

Butterfly Species: Brimstone, Orange Tip, Small White In addition to monitoring the butterfly populations along the cycle path near Tucking Mill and Midford, other volunteers are looking for butterflies along another stretch of the cycle path that runs between Radstock and Kilmersdon. 11th May 2019 In Rob's absence this count was carried out by Shona on the 11th of May. The temperature was quite cool at 16 degrees and it was both sunny and cloudy. However, she did manage to see several butterflies. Two male brimstones, three Orange Tips and one Small White. The Orange Tips consisted of two males and one female. 22nd May 2019 Rob Ladd was out on the cycle path between Radstock and Kilmersdon again today. The weather was rather cloudy with some sunny intervals and there was light breeze with the temperature around 19 degrees. Rob manage to see two Small White one Orange tip and two Brimstones. Intriguingly he also mentioned seeing one small, brown/orange butterfly on ...

Butterfly Species: Grizzled Skipper (1) Dingy Skipper (1) Common Blue (2) Speckled Wood (1) Brimstone (2) Speckled Wood - Midford 21-05-2019 It was a reasonably warm, bright, sunny day as I set off down the cycle path for my weekly butterfly count. The cloud was broken, and the sun was out, although for early May it was still quite cool. The temperature was hovering around 18 degrees Celsius. At the Tucking Mill section of the cycle path I once again saw the two ‘Skipper’ butterfly species I had seen on my previous this trip. The Grizzled Skipper I first saw on my last trip along the cycle path. This is a new species for me this year. I have seen a number of these butterflies on and around the cycle path in the area around the path, but this is only the second time I have seen it on the embankments here. Alas, they were too quick to photograph this time! As I cycled further along the path, I note that the brambles growing along the edge are now starting to come into bloom...

Butterfly Species: Brimstone (5) Grizzled Skipper (1) Dingy Skipper (2) Orange Tip (1) Holly Blue (2) Speckled Wood (1) Green-veined White (1) Dingy Skipper - Tucking Mill - 13-05-2019 A nice sunny day, temperatures reaching 17c and plenty of butterflies in flight! A much better day than my last trip. Today, I took the Two Tunnels route as usual, and cycled (and walked) out to the Wellow Trekking Centre. On returning, I paused at the Tucking Mill viaduct and took a walk along the footpaths away from the cycle-path. More of that later. Grizzled Skipper - Tucking Mill 13-05-2019 All the usual species were to be seen, plus one new one, The Grizzled Skipper! I have seen this species already this year close to the cycle-path, but not actually on the cycle-path. It was busying itself at the top of the embankment at Tucking Mill along with two Dingy Skippers. Both these species seem much more abundant this year. I have seen them both in several locations around the Tucking Mi...

Butterfly Species: Orange Tip (3) Speckled Wood (2) A quiet trip along the cycle-way today with only two species identified. The weather, although sunny, came with a brisk northerly breeze which kept the temperature down to around 12c. This is 'marginal' temperature wise for butterflies to fly. This time last year I recorded 38 butterflies and eight different species. The temperature then was 19c which explains much of the difference! Towards the Wellow end of the path I came across a patch of flowering Garlic Mustard. This is the principal foodplant of the Orange Tip Butterflies. Their (usually orange) eggs are easy to find just below the flower heads. Sadly I could not find a single one which is a little puzzling given the species has been flying in this location for at least a couple of weeks.

Butterfly Species: Brimstone (4) Orange Tip (4) Peacock (1) Holly Blue (1) Speckled Wood (1) Female Brimstone - Midford 30-04-2019 The weather was good for my last trip along the path in the month of April. Fine, sunny and temperature hovering around 15c. This time last year I saw Brimstone, Comma, Holly Blue, Orange Tip and Speckled Wood. No Comma this time but all the others were to be seen in various sections of the path. The above picture is a female I found nectaring near Midford. Nearby is a Buckthorn bush, one of a few I have managed to find along this section of the cycleway. This is the Brimstone's primary foodplant. I have yet to find any Brimstone eggs on the Buckthorn but there is still time. The Brimstone butterflies should still be flying well into May. Peacock - Midford 30-04-2019 The Peacock butterfly I came across was looking very worn and battered so I would be surprised to see this species again before the next generation appears later in the su...

Radstock to Kilmersdon - Butterfly Species: None recorded. Beech Leaves On Saturday 27th April I was attending a family wedding in Bath and Rob Ladd was out on the cycle-path between Radstock and Kilmerston. It was a cold day in Bath with temperatures reaching a high of 10c during the midday period and it wasn't much better in Radstock. Rob reported 'a cool, strong breeze and 12c' which is not good butterfly weather! Warmth is an important precursor to butterfly flight. Some species are better that others in getting airborne in cold weather, but most don't fly if the ambient temperature is below 13c. Indeed, the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme advises Transect walkers to stay at home if the temperature is below this level. Although I think it was unlucky not to see any butterflies on the wing, Rob's experience seems to bear this out.

Over the past year I have been surveying just one stretch of path designated a Greener Greenway by Sustrans. There are many more miles of path in the the Bath area which I would like to survey for butterflies and happily I have been joined by another volunteer to do just that. Rob Ladd has offered to survey an interesting looking stretch of path that runs south from Radstock towards Kilmersdon. This route is almost entirely rural and runs adjacent to the type of countryside that would provide good habitat for butterflies. Rob's First count was on Thursday 18th April between Radstock and Kilmersdon Sewage works.  His report is below... Weather overcast from 10.00 to 10.30 and then sunny until 11.30. temperature about 15 degrees.  Peacock (2) Brimstone (2) Orange Tip (3) Small white (2) Closer to home, Frank another volunteer is also on the lookout for me as he travels along the paths near Bath. Frank reported... Lyncombe Vale (between two tunnels) – Holly Blue ...

Butterfly Species: Speckled Wood (9) Brimstone (8) Small White (2) Orange Tip (2) Speckled Wood - Midford, 20th April 2019 A nice warm sunny afternoon with temperatures hovering around 22c was the backdrop to my trip down the path. There were fewer butterflies than I expected given the conditions. Sometimes this  happens. It's almost as if it is too hot. However as I progressed down the path towards Midford the first Brimstone of the day, and one of eight altogether,  made an appearance. Speckled Wood butterflies were fluttering gently in the shady areas. These are now in full flight and the commonest butterfly today. Garlic Mustard Plant and Orange Tip egg on flower head ( top, left and below) I only saw Two Orange Tip butterflies on this trip. I saw my first along this stretch on the 11th April. Last year, I first recorded this species on the 26th April a full two weeks later. The principle food-plant is Garlic Mustard and the females will lay their Orange s...

Butterfly Species: Brimstone (4) Orange Tip (2) Peacock (2) Speckled Wood (3) The weather was fine and sunny with a maximum temperature of 11c as I set of along the path today. The low temperatures were a concern as butterflies need warmth to fly. At this time of year I would have preferred the temperature to be a degree or two higher to stimulate more butterflies into flight. However, the strong sun and sheltered habitat encouraged a number of butterflies to show themselves. Brimstone Butterfly - Midford 11th April 2019 The male Brimstones were as busy as ever, tacking along the cycleway in search of females and nectar. The former were nowhere to be seen. Female Brimstones are usually later to emerge from hibernation but I would expect to see them at this stage of the season. Seeing the first Speckled Wood butterflies of the year came as no surprise. These butterflies hibernate as both pupae and larvae. The butterflies emerging now are likely those which over-wintered ...

 Butterfly Species: Brimstone (2) Peacock (1) As the sun came out on the Sunday 24th February and I set off along the path towards Midford and Wellow, I had already been thinking about the spring and summer ahead. I would like to continue to monitor the butterflies along this Sustrans Greener Geenway and would like to share this task with other like-minded people. Last year I concentrated on the path between the end of the Combe Down Tunnel and Midford, with some additional forays towards Wellow. Should I repeat the same pattern this year, or should I survey a new stretch of the path... or with help, both? But that's for another day. With the temperature rising to around 14c and the wind abating, I was not surprised to see several butterflies winging their way along the path. The bright yellow wings of two male brimstone butterflies caught my attention as they busied themselves along the embankment. Further along the path I noticed a solitary Peacock sunning its...

Gatekeeper Butterfly - July 2018 I have to admit that when I set out on this journey I did not imagine the diversity of butterfly species I would encounter. My memories of this abandoned railway track from the 1960's are very different from the cycle-path of today. Back then it was more open, sunny and far less wooded area and the section between Tucking Mill and the abandoned Midford station was not easily accessible until the cycle-path was opened in 2013. Over the course of the spring and summer I have made twenty-one trips along the 'Two Tunnels' route From Bath to Tucking Mill and Wellow. Along the way I have counted over 700 butterflies of 26 different species.  Click here to enlarge There have been some surprises. One of the highlights of the year was the number of Silver-washed Fritillaries I encountered. Between the 28th June and the 8th August, I managed to count 33, mainly around the Tucking Mill section of the path. That's a higher coun...

Butterfly Species: Speckled Wood (5) Small White (5) Monday 24th September will probably have been my last weekly butterfly walk of the season. The weather is cooling fast and the autumn colours are appearing. I now need time to collate and review the past months and and reflect on what has been an unusual summer for butterflies. Despite the changing seasons there are still some butterflies to be seen out and about along the path. Small Whites and Speckled Woods can be seen fluttering in the shafts of oblique sunlight beaming through the trees. My first record of the Specked Wood was on my April 26th walk. Since then I have completed 19 walks and recorded this butterfly on all by five of these. They have been an almost continuous presence companion and its fitting they will be the last to leave the path as the winter approaches. Burnet Moth Cocoon - 24-09-2018 The vegetation along the embankments is now turning autumnal  with some signs of the summer past lingeri...

Butterfly Species:  Comma (1) Green Veined White (2) Small Copper (1) Small White (2) Speckled Wood (6) The butterflies are disappearing fast. A total of just twelve were spotted on today's trip with the perennial Speckled Wood coming out on top. Six were seen fluttering in sunny sheltered spots along the path. Their condition was variable. Some were worn and faded (such as the one above), others were relatively fresh as if defying the coming Autumn. I had reached the Pub at Midford before seeing a single butterfly. There I found the first of two Green-veined Whites of the trip. Further along the path my brain was triggered by the characteristic shape of a Comma butterfly sitting on a hazel leave, wings closed mimicking a ragged Autumn leaf. It was its shape and contrasting dark grey colour that drew my attention. This butterfly will soon hide itself away for the coming winter when its camouflage will hopefully be more effective! Small Copper - Wellow 10-09-2018 Nea...

Butterfly Species:  Comma (1) Green Veined White (1) Large White (1) Meadow Brown (1) Red Admiral (1) Small White (3) Speckled Wood (2) Red Admiral - Midford 31-08-2018 The last day of August and a quiet day along the path. The weather was pleasant with broken cloud and spells of warm sunshine (20c). There are now very few butterflies to be seen along the path. The most common species today was Small White. They could still be seen fluttering along the embankments when the sun shone. As I entered the Devonshire Tunnel a solitary Peacock butterfly was flying gently into the tunnel ahead of me. These butterflies, along with several other 'Vanessid' species hibernate in the adult stage. This made me wonder just how many of our overwintering butterflies have already entered hibernation despite the warm conditions and how they would fare over the winter. The Buddleja bushes were still showing some flowers and this is where I met a freshly emerged Red Admiral. These are ...

Butterfly Species: Brown Argus (1) Common Blue (2) Green Veined White (1) Red Admiral (1) Small Copper (1) Small White (11) Speckled Wood (7) Small Copper - Tucking Mill 24-08-2018 A much cooler and cloudier day today with temperatures peaking at around 16c. This is quite cool and falling short of ideal temperatures for butterfly spotting. The weather has entered a generally cooler and cloudier period with occasional rainfall. The grass in urban areas are showing their resilience by greening rapidly after the long summer drought. But despite the weather there was one welcome surprise along the path near Tucking Mill. A freshly emerged Small Copper butterfly busying itself on the steep embankment. This is the first of this species I have spotted this summer and brings the species total this year to a pleasing 26! Bumblebee - Near Tucking Mill 24-08-2018 The Buddleja is still blooming in patches along the path and this is attracting a number of bumblebees. Interestingly th...