Wood white near Bristol/Bath anyone?

[eccles]

As title says, I'd love to have wood white as a life tick this year (although the word 'tick' currently fills me with apprehension). Can anyone suggest any sites near my neck of the woods east of Bristol?
Thanks.

[m_galathea]

Hi eccles,

I'm not familiar with the area, but a look at UKB and the NBN suggest that Asham Wood near to Frome might be worth a look:

http://ukbutterflies.co.uk/distribution ... od%20White
http://data.nbn.org.uk/interactive/map. ... 0000516430

Alexander

[Matsukaze]

The record for this 10km square in the Millennium Atlas is not from Asham Wood - it is from private woodland nearby, where I've looked for it (with permission) without success the last two springs. The habitat might just be capable of supporting a small population, but in all probability it is extinct here. I don't know about the situation in Gloucestershire, but the only Somerset colonies are in the Blackdowns now.

Asham Wood and its nearby area is well worth checking out though and is grossly under-recorded. There are Silver-washed Fritillaries in the wood, and it and the abandoned quarries nearby have historically held some of the rarer spring species, but no-one has looked for many years, partly through difficulties in gaining access to the quarries...I am hoping for a break in the clouds this weekend and Asham is on the short-list of sites to visit.

Pics of the area here http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/phpBB2/v ... =19&t=2916 - some of the quarries can be accessed by footpath but are dangerous, more so than they look because the cliff faces are extremely unstable.

[wavelea1]

I haven't seen one in this area since I started either.

All my sightings are from around the Oxford area - particularly White Cross Green Wood .... but even there I think they were bit sparse last year. I never saw mention in the site log and those that I spoke to had not seen one either.

Mike

[Denise]

Looking at Alexanders link,
http://data.nbn.org.uk/interactive/map. ... 0000516430

There seems to be a spot in Harry Stoke. I'll do a bit of delving today as the weather is so grotty.

(Wavelea1, Please check your PM's)

Denise

[Matsukaze]

I had a look at Asham Wood today. Mostly, I got soaked, but the few minutes before the clouds rolled in gave two butterflies, a Large White and a Grizzled Skipper. As far as I know this is the first record of Grizzled Skipper from this 10km square this century, but with an abundance of foodplant in sunny but sheltered locations it could potentially be a good site for them. Nectar sources could be a problem as the only likely plant in good numbers other than the foodplant was Bugle - do Grizzled Skippers nectar from it?

Also more than enough wych-elms around to suggest the wood supports White-letter Hairstreak, and an abundance of sallow. I must find out where to get hold of some of that shrimp-paste Matthew Oates uses to lure the Purple Emperor...

The only problem with Asham Wood is that the adjacent quarries are used (illegally) by off-road motorbikes and quad bikes, and it is far from a peaceful place as a result.

[eccles]

A belated thanks to replies to this topic. A shame that we don't seem to have them in our area.