The Two Tunnels Nature Blog

Species: Common Blue (4) Ringlet (1) Comma (8) Silver-washed Fritillary (1) Meadow Brown (7) Small Skipper (6) Marbled White (9) Black-tailed Skimmer - Tucking Mill Viaduct 24-06-2023 A late afternoon visit on a warm (26c) but cloudy day led to few butterflies being about, but some interesting sightings nonetheless. A Black-tailed Skimmer was basking on the path that traverses the Viaduct. Not a species I have seen before in this location.  Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly - Tucking Mill 24-06-2023 Also near the path was another Odonata species, this time a Damselfly. A Beautiful Demoiselle flew past and perched on a tree. Comma - Horsecombe Vale 24-06-2023 In Horsecombe Vale I had just a brief glimpse of a Silver-washed Fritillary but there were a number of Comma butterflies still flying. Variimorda villosa  'Tumbling flower beetle' - Horsecombe Vale  24-06-2023 It was in the valley I saw an unusual looking beetle feeding of a Bramble blossom. After some online research I...

Species: Grizzled Skipper (1) Meadow Brown (2) Dingy Skipper (3) Speckled Wood (2) Common Blue (3) Pyramidal Orchid - Tucking Mill 10-06-2023 The 10th June was a warm but cloudy day. I arrived at Tucking Mill for a short visit at around 11.00am. There were few butterflies around but the trip proved worthwhile. There was a wonderful array of orchids and other flora growing in the dry grassland, including Pyramidal Orchids (Photo above). Common Spotted-orchid   - Tucking Mill 10-06-2023 Alongside the Pyramidal Orchids , Common Spotted-orchids could be seen in a number of areas, including the section of the embankment which was racked to remove dead grasses earlier in the year. Red-tailed Mason Bee Nest - Tucking Mill 10-06-2023 Also on the embankment the grassy nests of the Red-tailed Mason Bee I had identified on a previous visit, could still be seen. Common Rock-rose - Tucking Mill 10-06-2023 The field where I spotted what I believe to be Cistus Forester moths was ablaze with t...

Species: Small Copper (1) Dingy Skipper (6) Common Blue (3) Comma (1) Orange Tip (1) Grizzled Skipper (10) 'Forester' or 'Cistus Forester' moth - Tucking Mill - 27-05-2023 On Saturday 27th May I made a late afternoon visit to Tucking Mill, arriving at about 4:45pm. It had been a warm and sunny day and the temperature was still around 20c. Beautiful Demoiselle Damselfly - Horsecombe Vale 27-05-2023 The Beautiful Demoiselle damselflies that appear in the valley during summer were showing in small numbers, flying upwards into the trees when disturbed. Grizzled Skippers - Tucking Mill - 27-05-2023 The main purpose of my visit was to check up on the Grizzled Skippers. I had been wandering how numerous they would be this year following the hot conditions last year which desiccated their grassland habitat. Grizzled Skipper - Tucking Mill - 27-05-2023 I shouldn't have worried. I managed to identify ten individuals basking in the field and many more 'probable' Grizzl...

Species: Small Copper (2) Brown Argus (1) Common Blue (3) Grizzled Skipper (7) Dingy Skipper (11) Brimstone (3) Orange Tip (3) Holly Blue (1) Black-headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa coccinea) - Horsecombe Vale 20-05-2023 The weather was fine on the 20th May and I arrived at around 3pm. The conditions were sunny with broken cloud and the temperature of 18c. In Horsecombe Vale there were several beetles flying around. One was a bright red Black-headed Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa serraticornis) .  Red-tailed Mason Bee Nest- Tucking Mill 20-05-2023 I was keen to visit the grassy embankment where I spotted a Red-tailed Mason Bee camouflaging its snail-shell nest during my last visit a week ago.  Red-tailed Mason Bee - Tucking Mill 20-05-2023 I was  surprised to see how large the heap of dry grass had got. Very impressive. I also managed to find a second nest close by.  Grizzled Skipper - Tucking Mill 20-05-2023 At the Grassland slopes that rise above the Combe Down Tu...

Species: Green Hairstreak (2) Grizzled Skipper (2) Brimstone (1) Green-veined White (1) Red Admiral (2) Comma (1) Orange Tip (3) Speckled Wood (3) Peacock (5) Holly Blue (4) Dingy Skipper (10) Orange Tip (Female) - Horsecombe Vale 13-05-2023 The afternoon of May 13th was sunny and warm when I arrived at Tucking Mill. The temperature was around 17c. Dingy Skipper - Tucking Mill 13-05-2023 Dingy Skipper butterflies were well and truly on the wing, with at least ten seem this time around. Most were active, darting around, low over grass. They were present in three distinct locations. The embankment alongside the fields owned by Wessex Water, the footpath up from Horsecombe Vale towards Combe Down and the fields to the east of Combe Down Tunnel.  Grizzled Skipper - Tucking Mill 13-05-2023 Grizzled Skipper butterflies were starting to appear, but only two were counted. These can usually be seen flying alongside the Dingy Skippers in the same three locations. Burnet Companion - Tucking ...

Species: Brimstone (4) Comma (2) Green Hairstreak (1) Green-veined White (1) Grizzled Skipper (2) Holly Blue (1) Large White (2) Orange Tip (5) Peacock (5) Red Admiral (1) Common Lizard - Tucking Mill 07-05-2023 The weather was fine for my visit to Tucking Mill on the 7th May. Finally, there was more sun than cloud and the temperature was up around 16c. I first headed to the embankment where during the early spring several of us Sustrans Volunteers had raked the dead grass to give the smaller plants a chance to thrive. I first visited the old reptile mat where I was pleasantly surprised to see a Common Lizard sunning itself. This was my first clear view of this species in this location. Slow Worms  - Tucking Mill 07-05-2023 Beneath the mat were several Slow Worms, four in total as far as I could see. Two-coloured Mason Bee - Tucking Mill 07-05-2023 Apart from the reptiles the embankment was quiet with no butterflies showing. However, on my way back along the embankment I noti...

 Species:  Brimstone (8) Comma (3) Holly Blue (5) Orange Tip (5) Peacock (15) Brimstone on Bluebell - Horsecombe Vale 28-04-2023 The day was fine with the sun shining between periods of cloud. The temperature was a tad warmer than my last visit at 14c. I cycled out to Midford to start my survey and it was there I saw several of the eight Brimstone butterflies I would see that day. Spring flowers were more evident despite the cool temperatures during April. As I cycled back past Midford Station, I caught sight of a Brimstone feeding off the bluebells that line the path at this time of the year. (See top). Violets - Tucking Mill 28-04-2023 Making my way back towards Tucking Mill, I stopped to see if there was any activity on the grassy embankment. Violets were beginning to show through the grass, but there were no butterflies and few other insects.  Further along the top of the embankment, the reptile mat revealed two Slow Worms. I have become to expect to see at least one ...