Big Butterfly Count – 2026
This Friday sees the start of the 2026 Big Butterfly count. Taking place from Friday, 17th July to Sunday, 9th August it only requires 15 minutes of your time to get involved. 2025 saw more than 125,000 people take part …
Protect our pets and save our songbirds
Friends of the Quantocks President, Hugh Warmington, has brought this important nature and pet health issue to our attention to share with you all. SongBird Survival is a UK charity focused on helping to save the dramatically declining populations of …
Seeking the Dingy and the Grizzled Skippers
Quantock nature recovery work in action These two butterfly species have not been recorded on the Quantocks since 1996 and thus may be extinct, however they are both small and easily confused with moths and could be easily missed and …
Rare caterpillars found in a third Quantock village!
A team of volunteers from Friends of the Quantocks had a great evening out in Holford recently searching for White-letter Hairstreak caterpillars. These tiny creatures glow in the dark under UV light and so armed with special UV torches, the …
Meet the speakers at this year’s Nature of the Quantocks conference
We have a fantastic line-up of speakers for our first ever Nature of the Quantocks conference. From experts on rare birds and butterflies, to community-led conservation projects and wider connection initiatives, there is something for everyone. Come and listen, learn …
Nature of the Quantocks Conference 2026
Saturday 21st March in Stogursey – All welcome! The Nature of the Quantocks Conference brings together a team of people involved in the conservation and protection of the Quantocks and the wildlife you can find there. The conference is …
Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers on the Quantock Hills
Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers (LSW) are a rare and difficult to find resident bird species on the Quantock Hills. They favour wet broadleaf woodland in the Eastern combes, from Aisholt Woods to Hodders Combe and probably beyond. In 2023 a concerted …
Significant species
The Quantock Hills Botanical Art Project ~ by Mary Taylor, South West Society of Botanical Artists We are a group of members of the South West Society of Botanical Artists (SWSBA) from Somerset and Devon. For a long time, we …
A very good year for butterflies
Simon Davies gives an update on this year’s butterfly surveys on Over Stowey Customs Common ~ We have now completed our third full season of weekly butterfly surveys on a specified route across the Common. Four or five of us …
