I think most are breathing a collective sigh of relief, enjoying long summer days, after what felt like a wet, cold, never-ending winter. Seeing butterflies on the wing, smelling the fresh chalk grassland herbs like Marjoram and Wild thyme, and hearing the birds being generally joyful, feels good for the soul.

One of my favourite butterflies to spot flitting about whilst walking on site, is the Small Copper. Throughout May and June, first brood individuals can be spotted on the wing, with second brood butterflies in July and August, and if weather allows a third brood from September pushing into October. Despite being small, the males are territorial; basking on sunny patches of bare ground, between chasing off other butterflies and passing insects.

A more subtle, but rewarding spot on the nature reserve, is the small predatory glow worm larvae. With warming weather, the larvae can be found along edge habitats, such as along the edges of footpaths, where they are hunting for snails.

Glow worms are actually a type of beetle and can stay in the larvae form for up to three years – once matured, the adults are around for a short period of time over the summer, most familiar to us, when the females emit a bright green light. Interestingly, the light is as bright as an LED, and soldiers used glow worms during World War I when they were in the trenches, to read maps and letters.

A walk on site wouldn’t be complete without taking a moment to appreciate the chalk downland: a collection of pinks, purples and yellows, alive with humming, buzzing, and clicking. One lovely flower to keep an eye out for, is the soft pink petals of Common restharrow. This is a creeping woody species, with thick roots which form a dense network. Historically, when horses were used to pull equipment for farming practises, the thick mats of roots could be enough to stop, or arrest, a farm harrow.

Wherever you end up exploring in the Chilterns this summer, I hope you enjoy the fantastic display of downlands on offer.