It’s been a summer of butterflies on The Hook nature reserve this year, with numbers well up on last year. Every week from April to the end of September volunteers carry out a transect, walking the same route and counting the species and numbers. Our records are sent through to form a national picture of how butterflies are doing.

By week 15 last year, volunteers had counted 273 – this year it was 1064. So the number of butterflies is well up, helped by the dry weather which has enabled them to fly, feed and breed. However, the range of species is narrower than in previous years standing at 17, compared with 21 previously. We have not yet seen Small Copper, Painted Lady or Brown Argus, although these have been seen in Nottinghamshire.

We’ll be looking to see if the reserve is offering the range of plants needed for butterflies and caterpillars to feed and breed. If there are gaps, we’ll then find out how to fill them.

Find out how you can get involved in The Big Butterfly Count and some of the brilliant birds that have been spotted recently on The Hook in our July newsletter. Or sign up to get monthly updates in your inbox.