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Be one of the few to catch a glimpse of this rare butterfly.
The 2008 Large Blue open day at Collard Hill in Somerset will take place on Sunday 22 June 2008 between 10am-5pm. The Large Blue Hotline number is 01793 817732.
The Large Blue was declared extinct in 1979. A major conservation project, which began in the 1980s with scientific input from the government's Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, has subsequently created sites across the South West and the butterfly is flourishing once again. Collard Hill is one of 11 known Large Blue sites in England but it’s the only one that is fully accessible to the public during the short summer weeks when this rare beauty takes to the air.
Matthew Oates, one of the leading butterfly experts in the UK and National Trust Nature Conservation Adviser, says, ‘Last year over 600 visitors came to see Large Blues at Collard Hill. The Trust is looking forward to welcoming visitors of all levels of expertise again this June.’
Collard Hill National Trust
Collard Hill News
Collard Hill is all about Large Blue butterflies, as it is the only place in the UK where the public have access to see this very rare butterfly during the few weeks in summmer when it is flying.
The butterfly flies along a quarter of a mile stretch of steep, south-facing slope at Collard Hill, especially in the middle and eastern sectors of the National Trust slope.
The butterfly flies along a quarter of a mile stretch of steep, south-facing slope at Collard Hill, especially in the middle and eastern sectors of the National Trust slope.
Collard Hill is all about Large Blue butterflies, as it is the only place in the UK where the public have access to see this very rare butterfly during the few weeks in summmer when it is flying.
The butterfly flies along a quarter of a mile stretch of steep, south-facing slope at Collard Hill, especially in the middle and eastern sectors of the National Trust slope.
The slope is exposed to southerly and westerly winds, and on windy days the butterfly will seek the shelter of the scattered scrub patches. (The slope to the east of the cross slope barbed wire fence is in private ownership and does not support the butterfly.)
Location: Collard Hill is just east of the B3151 between Street and Somerton.
Parking: Anyone wishing to visit the site should park by Street Youth Hostel car park just off the B3151 south of Street. Then follow the blue way-marked signs to the Large Blue site. People can visit Collard Hill to see the Large Blue anytime during its flight season between mid-June and mid-July.
Grid reference: ST 488 340.
The butterfly flies along a quarter of a mile stretch of steep, south-facing slope at Collard Hill, especially in the middle and eastern sectors of the National Trust slope.
The slope is exposed to southerly and westerly winds, and on windy days the butterfly will seek the shelter of the scattered scrub patches. (The slope to the east of the cross slope barbed wire fence is in private ownership and does not support the butterfly.)
Location: Collard Hill is just east of the B3151 between Street and Somerton.
Parking: Anyone wishing to visit the site should park by Street Youth Hostel car park just off the B3151 south of Street. Then follow the blue way-marked signs to the Large Blue site. People can visit Collard Hill to see the Large Blue anytime during its flight season between mid-June and mid-July.
Grid reference: ST 488 340.
Large Blue Flies High at Collard Hill
Be one of the few to catch a glimpse of this rare butterfly.
The 2008 Large Blue open day at Collard Hill in Somerset will take place on Sunday 22 June 2008 between 10am-5pm. The Large Blue Hotline number is 01793 817732.
The Large Blue was declared extinct in 1979. A major conservation project, which began in the 1980s with scientific input from the government's Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, has subsequently created sites across the South West and the butterfly is flourishing once again. Collard Hill is one of 11 known Large Blue sites in England but it’s the only one that is fully accessible to the public during the short summer weeks when this rare beauty takes to the air.
Matthew Oates, one of the leading butterfly experts in the UK and National Trust Nature Conservation Adviser, says, ‘Last year over 600 visitors came to see Large Blues at Collard Hill. The Trust is looking forward to welcoming visitors of all levels of expertise again this June.’
Butterflies and the National Trust
- The National Trust is the largest and most important landowner for butterflies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- All (but two) of the resident British butterfly species live on Trust land.
- It has many of the best UK sites for individual butterfly species, and many of the rich butterfly sites are home to scarce species.
- The National Trust puts massive effort into conserving populations of rare butterflies, as well as improving life for commoner species.
Large Blue Project
The Large Blue Project involves the National Trust which owns many of the Large Blue’s former sites, Butterfly Conservation, English Nature, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), Network Rail, Millfield School and county Wildlife Trusts for Gloucestershire and Somerset.
To date the butterfly has been reintroduced to sites in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Gloucestershire. There are currently about 11 Large Blue sites in England.
The Large Blue Project involves the National Trust which owns many of the Large Blue’s former sites, Butterfly Conservation, English Nature, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), Network Rail, Millfield School and county Wildlife Trusts for Gloucestershire and Somerset.
To date the butterfly has been reintroduced to sites in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Gloucestershire. There are currently about 11 Large Blue sites in England.
These maps are intended as a guideline only; you must check the exact location of the reserve yourself. Wildlife Extra assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or usefulness of the information on this website.
