August is a busy time for farmers harvesting the crops. It is also the best time to see butterflies and hear the clicking of crickets and grasshoppers in grassland meadows.
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Butterflies
© National Trust
August is one of the best times of year to see butterflies flying around the countryside.
South East: Chalkhill Blue: (Denbies Hillside, Ballard and Godlingston Downs, Melbury Down)
Silver-spotted skipper: (Box Hill and Newtimber Hill)
Brown Hairstreak: (Holmwood Common)
Coastline
On warm summer days many people will flock to the coast to play in the surf, bask on the beach or hunt for life. Rocky shores offer many great rock pooling prospects, creatures to keep an eye out for are sea anemones, starfish, crabs, shrimp and snails. You may also see jellyfish washed up on the beach, but be careful as some have special stinging cells and, even when dead, they can still give skin a nasty sting.
Heathland
© National Trust
Heather is in full flower attracting a wide range of insects and birds. Bilberry’s dark fruit is now ripe and ready to be eaten.
Devon and Cornwall: Lizard properties, West Exmoor Coast and Watersmeet, Zennor and Cape Cornwall, Lundy, North Cornwall coastal properties, Lanhydrock, Chapel Porth.
East of England: Dunwich Heath
Northern Ireland: Murlough Nature Reserve, Slieve Donard, Rathlin Island
North West: Wasdale, Bickerton Hill, Ennerdale
Wessex: Purbeck, Golden Cap, Studland, Brownsea Island, Dunster Castle, Horner Wood
Damselflies and dragonflies
© NTPL / Duncan McEwan
A lot of people get mixed up with dragonflies and damselflies. The way to tell them apart is to count the pairs of wings, damselflies have one whereas dragonflies have two.
Wessex: The scarce blue-tailed damselfly (Corfe Castle), Small red damselfly (Studland)
North West: Wasdale (uncommon ones)
Wales: North Pembrokeshire heath & commons
East of England: Norfolk Hawker dragonfly breed
Birds
© NTPL / David Kjaer
Swallows are starting to think about their return trip home to Africa where they spend the winter. In preparation for this they start to gather around coastal areas, getting ready to cross the ocean where they gather in large flocks.
East of England: Orford Ness
Northern Ireland: Crom Estate
Once young kingfishers leave their nests, they are forced out for four days by the parents so that they can start a second brood.
West Midlands: Croome Park
Bats
Bats can still be seen emerging from their roosts at dusk to hunt for insects until dawn. Guided bat walks are held at some National Trust properties, find them through our events search by selecting the theme 'walks'.
Spiders
© National Trust
Wasp spiders have striking abdomens that resemble those of wasps with bold black and yellow stripes. They can be seen in grasslands where the grass is not regularly managed. The female is able to spin a web and lay her egg sac in the grass.
Devon and Cornwall: Lizard properties
Wessex: Holt Heath
Reft spiders can be found on heathland pools. The water spider is one of the largest spiders in England. Instead of spinning a web it lives on and by water. It mainly feeds on fish and water insects.
Wessex: Holt Heath, Studland.
Crickets and grasshoppers
© NTPL / Ian West
The Great green bush cricket can grow up to 5.5cm long. Look out in fields next to woodlands. Grasslands are alive with all kinds of grasshoppers and crickets in August when the weather is warm making a complete racket!
Thames and Solent: Isle of Wight (wood cricket)
Wessex: Studland (grassshoppers)
© NTPL / Ross Hoddinott
Reptiles
August heralds the coming of new reptiles, birthed or hatched for the hottest time of the year. As well as the adults you may now be able to see young slow-worms, lizards and snakes basking in the sun. They are best spied early in the morning while the solar rays are still warming the ground.
Wessex: Studland
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