Close to Cors Caron National Nature Reserve you'll find Orchid Meadows, a 25 acre holiday and glamping site which consists of beautiful meadows, a new woodland and wetland and an abundance of wildlife!
Doug Lloyd, Reserves Officer for the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales (WTSWW) has been working with Orchid Meadow owners Steve and Lynn throughout the year and providing them with important advice on how to maximise the wildlife value of the glamping site, which is near Tregaron.
Lynn and Steve are committed to conservation and with Doug's help and advice are on a quest to encourage Marsh Fritillary butterflies to colonise at the site! Other conservation work underway includes meadow restoration, development of wild field margins, woodland creation, pond improvement and safeguarding an area of sphagnum bog for the future.
Doug Lloyd, WTSWW Reserves Officer said, “It’s great to be able to see old countryside such as this improve for wildlife through positive management. This year not only were the meadows and rhos pasture a profusion of orchids and other wild flowers but I spotted a couple of marsh fritillaries. Hopefully they will begin breeding on-site and add another reason to visit this lovely place.”
The full list of species found here is impressive. There are Pipistrelle Bats, Buzzards, Red Kites, Stone Chats, Jays, Snipe, Woodcock, Tawny Owls and a Barn Qwl, while camera traps have spotted Badgers, Foxes and Polecats.
As many as 115 species of moth have been recorded, plus 12 types of Butterfly, five Dragonflies and three Damselflies. Plants include Lesser Butterfly Orchid, Broad-leaved Helleborines and their main Orchid, probably a hybrid somewhere between Heath Spotted and one of the Marsh Orchids.
Last summer 1300 flowering heads were counted. And in the coming weeks fungi will be making their mark, including fly agaric, parrot wax cap and amethyst deceiver.
SPECIAL OFFER FOR WTSWW MEMBERS!
Orchid Meadows are offering members of WTSWW a special discount of 25% on stays to say 'thank you' for caring about nature.
Visit: www.orchidmeadows.co.uk or email Steve and Lyn direct at hello@orchidmeadows.co.uk with your preferred dates, quoting “Discover Nature Offer”.
The discount is available for all stays booked up until the end of December, whether for 2023 or 2024.