Ballachurry Reserve, 18th July 2018. Visit by U3A Herbs Group.

U3A Herbs Group

It's always a great pleasure to show groups of interested people round the Reserve. I recently spent a very enjoyable Wednesday afternoon with members of the U3A Herb Group when we took a leisurely wander round, stopping to look at this and that, occasionally spotting a butterfly, ladybird or other insect and spending a little time in the Bird Hide watching our Moorhen chicks and admiring the wonderful Purple Loosestrife which is putting on a fine display at the moment.

I didn't make my usual recording notes or take many photos but the following caught our eye:

taken from rather a distance, a Peacock butterfly on the path.

a mating pair of Forest Bugs on the ripening Rowan berries

7-spot Ladybird on thistle
there were 2 more on the old beehive loop, SC208695

Banded Snail

We also saw:

 2 x Common Blue butterflies over the damp meadow (SC208694), another by the entrance area (SC210694)  and 2 more along one of the footpaths ( SC209693).
There was a Meadow Brown butterfly along the old beehive loop ( SC208695).
Soldier Beetles throughout the reserve, and Common Capsid  bugs on thistles.

I did my best to answer a number of searching questions about the plants on the Reserve and at the end of the afternoon the group made a very generous donation to the Manx Wildlife Trust which will be put to very good use for the benefit of the Island's Wildlife. 

A very big thank you to you all and I hope you will now return to the Reserve  individually or with friends to see the area throughout the changing seasons.

( Click the photos to enlarge and click on them again to run as a slide show)