Great Places to See Spring Butterflies in Cumbria
Thursday 21st April 2016
Brimstone butterfly. Photo: Amy Lewis
New guide from Cumbria Wildlife Trust
Cumbria has such a wide range of wildlife habitats: from coastal sand dunes to the west, limestone grasslands in the south and a large area of peat bog in the north; there are places for all kinds of butterflies to thrive.
Combine this with the fact our county has butterflies most at home in Scotland and those from the warmer south of our island, means we boast 41 species altogether – quite a lot for a northern county. Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s guide to Great Places to See Spring Butterflies in Cumbria recommends great woodlands, meadows, industrial places and areas of the coast to spot beautiful butterflies.
Look out for white butterflies at Allithwaite near Grange-over-Sands; visit Whitehaven to see small blue butterflies or explore Finglandrigg Wood near Wigton to spot marsh fritillary butterflies.
Just one quick look through Cumbria Wildlife Trusts’ Great Places to See Spring Butterfies in Cumbria and you’re sure to find a nature reserve, woodland or beach near you to visit.
Charlotte Rowley of Cumbria Wildlife Trust said: “Most people know their garden butterflies like red admirals or peacocks by sight but there are so many other species of butterflies that can be found outside of our gardens in woodlands, on the coast or in meadows. There’s 41 species in Cumbria altogether, but we’ve chosen ten beautiful butterflies and ten great places to see them in this guide to help people get started on learning more about this well-loved group of insects.”
Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s guide, Great Places to See Spring Butterflies, is available for free at www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/great-places-to-see-spring-butterflies