This short, shady stretch of footpath, with lush plants such as skullcap, loosestrife and Water Forget-me-not, is a favourite place for two butterflies in particular.
High up in the tree canopy, Purple Hairstreak butterflies feed on honeydew produced by aphids feeding on sap from the trees. Occasionally in the early morning, they will come down lower, allowing us to see their rich dark colouration.
The Green-veined White is another butterfly that is keen on this spot. It looks exactly as the name suggests – it has beautiful veining on the hind wing which is very noticeable when it settles on a flower.
Other butterflies that like this spot are the Speckled Wood, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper and Brimstone.
Look out also for dragon- and damselflies commuting between the ponds and the meadows, the beautiful marsh thistles and, on hot summer nights, glow worms.
