Butterfly hunt causes a flutter

The volunteers and children were taking part in the Big Butterfly Count, a national event coordinated across the country by the charity Butterfly Conservation.

And with nets at the ready, the group counted six difference species and 55 individual butterflies during the day.

This local event, at Kincraig Lake in Bispham, was staged by the North Blackpool Pond Trail Group, volunteers who help members of the public enjoy the natural environment around Bispham and North Shore.

The party of intrepid butterfly hunters made a detailed count of what they found, including butterflies such as the speckled wood, the common blue, the holly blue and the meadow brown.

Pauline Taylor, a member of the pond trail group, said: “It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for butterfly hunting.

“We handed everyone nets and the children loved taking a close look at what they found in them.

“Our aim is just to help people enjoy nature and the lovely thing is that, in places like Kincraig Lake, it is right on our doorstep.

“We also like to take part in conservation events so we can do our bit for national surveys and help the environment.”

There were 15 people at the event, adults and children,

The group have already planned their next event but it’s a very different one –an evening bat hunt on Saturday August 26 at Kingcraig Lake, beginning at 8pm. It will incorporate a moth hunt.