This site is described in the Somerset Butterfly walks book, but I got the impression not many people have been there. Staple Common is forestry commission land, but to get to the wood white site you need to leave the gravelled track. There is no clear path, and the vegetation is between one and two feet high. Underfoot is uneven, and you can't avoiding having to go through brambles, nettles, crossing streams and going through marshy patches. Shortly after entering the woods a huge owl passed three feet infront of me, and I spooked a deer that jumped across my path. Along with the weird braying sounds of animals in the distance, all it needed was Doug McClure to run out chasing a native in skins to complete a scene from the Land that Time Forgot.
In the end it was worth it, but water resistance shoes, tough long trousers and a machete are recommended if anyone intends visiting the site.
The wood whites were on a narrow ride that runs up to Ruttersleigh Common, approx ST263161. I counted a dozen or so, feeding, egg laying and courting.
There were a few speckled woods, large skippers, small whites and red admirals around too.
A Green Silver Lines landed on me too.
After escaping from the wood I walked on to the Mount Fancy reserve, and then Thurlbear Quarrylands, but they were very disappointing. One Small Pearl Bordered fritillary at Mount Fancy East, where I got chased by the Exmoor ponies, and at Thurlbear the fact that the second most frequent species was red admiral, at a count of 2, says it all. There were plent of Small Heaths, but they just happen to be my least favourite species. It felt like the middle of the June gap, but yesterday there was plenty going on up the hill behind our house, so I don't know why there was so little at these Butterfly Conservation reserves.
Walked on to Henlade for a bus back to Taunton.
If anyone knows of "easy" Wood White sites in Somerset (reachable by public transport) I'd be interested to hear.
Simon
