A difficult summer for many of our butterflies - but not for the shade-loving Speckled Woods of Humberston

 

Speckled wood in repose - it likes a bit of sunshine but not too much of it

THERE has been a population explosion of  a butterfly that dwells on the fringes of a Humberston holiday village.

Partly because of cool weather, it has been a disappointing summer for many butterfly species but the speckled wood appears to have bucked the trend.

Just like many people, speckled woods enjoy warmth and sunshine, but only if there is opportunity for shade.

These are the dappled conditions that prevail along wooded stretched of the Tetney Trail bridleway that runs past the holiday village formerly known as Thorpe Park but now renamed Cleethorpes Beach.

Over the last weekend, there were dozens of the insects flitting from nettle to nettle (one of their favourite plants), especially on either side of the park's new Oakwood Drive extension once occupied by  the Tertia Trust. 

The species went into decline in the 1920s, when it was probably all but lost to North East Lincolnshire, but it now seems to be extending its range in Britain, possible as result of climate change. 

    

Nettles are a favourite food plant of many butterfly species, but, sadly, the council sprays them in parks and other green spaces  to the detriment of  these and other beneficial  pollinating insects  

    

The speckled wood butterflies have been conspicuous along certain stretches of the Tetney Trail - for instance, near the entrance to Oakwood Drive