About the reserve

Located on the southern scarp of the North Downs, Colekitchen is a valuable remnant of open unimproved chalk grassland. The surrounding areas of woodland and scrub create a warm, sheltered habitat.

The grassland shows typical plant associations of chalk grassland on the North Downs. Small scabious, salad burnet, marjoram and basil are common.

In areas of shorter grassland, often around the ant hills, smaller plants such as fairy flax, wild thyme, yellow wort, rock rose and autumn gentian can be found. Delicate chalkland grasses such as quaking grass and yellow oat grass, also grow on the site.

The rich flora supports a wide variety of butterfly species including chalkhill blue, adonis blue, small heath, brimstone, gatekeeper and marbled white.There are also many species of grasshopper, beetles and bugs.