TWO nature reserves created in a working South Lakes quarry have become a magnet for insects.

Record numbers of butterflies, including the increasingly rare High Brown Fritillary, have been spotted at the reserves in Holme Park Quarry.

This month, 116 butterflies were spotted in a day on one of the sites by volunteer Reg Hesketh, smashing the previous record of 68 found in 2003. There are around 25 different varieties of butterfly that live on the reserves.

Butterfly expert and conservation officer with the Morecambe Bay Partnership, Martin Wain said that the two reserves, one known as “The Island” and the other Holme Quarry Local Nature Reserve, provide the perfect habitat for insects.

He says that limestone grassland provide the ideal conditions for the insects because this allows many different flowers to grow. One of these is the violets, which the High Brown lays its eggs on to provide a food source for caterpillars when they hatch. He added that Graylings, the Common Blue and the Northern Brown Argus also thrive at the sites.

“It’s the unique limestone habitat that has been preserved here which helps,” said Mr Wain. “It’s also been sunny for weeks and weeks so the caterpillars have had a great season as they’ve been able to feed.

“This is one of a whole network of habitat areas we are trying to work in, and it’s very important to maintain the whole landscape.”

A recent finding at the site includes the Small Skipper butterfly which has recently moved into the area from Cheshire.

“They’re becoming quite common around here,” said Mr Wain. “It’s evidence of climate change because they wouldn’t normally be found as far north as Cumbria.”

Dan Jackson, assistant site manager at Holme Park Quarry, said: “There’s lots going on - we’ve got a huge amount of biodiversity here.

“It’s definitely different here - there aren’t many quarries with a nature island in the middle of it.”

He added that quarry machinery is “forbidden” from getting anywhere near the reserves because they are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

“The Island” is so called because it sits on top of 30 million tons of rock in the middle of the quarry.