Learn more about the butterflies of Kent and their habitats

Butterflies can tell us much about habitat quality and the impacts of climate change. Learn about the identification and ecology of Kent’s species. Weather permitting, spot and identify some of the common and possibly rarer species of chalk grassland.

The day will begin with indoor session at Oak Lodge* which will cover:

What is a butterfly?

An overview of the Kent species and their identification features

Butterfly lifecycles and behaviour

Butterfly habitats and good places to visit

Useful books and equipment

In the afternoon, we will travel to White Hill and possibly Fackenden Down to practice finding and identifying butterflies and hope to see some of the less common species of chalk grassland.

By the end of the course it is expected that you will:

Have an overview of the species found in Kent

Understand how species differ in ecology and behaviour

Understand more about butterfly lifecycles, habitat management and species reintroductions

Be able to identify several butterfly species with confidence

Led by Bob Harrop, Butterfly Conservation Volunteer, BSc Ecol & Cons

Suitable for beginners and improvers

*The indoor venue for this course is Oak Lodge, a cottage close to the visitor centre at Sevenoaks Wildife Reserve. If you look directly at the visitor centre and then go right, you will see a large circular sign on the front of Oak Lodge itself. See also google maps (https://goo.gl/maps/HtAVZmcNE3XAWq816)for the location of Oak Lodge.

Parking charges apply at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve car park but this is included with your ticket if you book at least 72 hours in advance. To receive free parking you must email the correct number plate of the car you will be using to parkingcharges@kentwildlife.org.uk (mailto:parkingcharges@kentwildlife.org.uk) at least 72 hours before the event start time. Please include the date of the event you have booked and the name the booking was made in as part of your email. If you are booking within 72 hours of the event, or do not confirm your number plate by this time, you will need to pay for parking on the day.

For further information, please visit the Study Days page of the Kent Wildlife Trust website. (https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/whats-on/wildlife-study-days)

Description supplied by the event organiser.