Great diving beetle
The great diving beetle is a large and voracious predator of ponds and slow-moving waterways. Blackish-green in colour, it can be spotted coming to the surface to replenish the air supply it…
Search
Chwilio
My secret garden
Rowan loves the fresh smell and sight of the buttercups in the wildflower meadows at Besthorpe. It's a special place because there are precious few spots like this where she can spend time…
Cors Goch
Cors Goch is part of a lowland raised mire and is one of the last six large raised bogs in Wales. A notified SSSI and part of the Cors Goch Llanllwch NNR.
Cwm Clettwr, Tre’r-ddôl, Ceredigion
The reserve can be divided into two principal areas, a large area of regenerating broadleaf woodland with heath pockets, and the section of more mature broadleaf woodland that is notified SSSI.…
Field bindweed
A creeping and climbing plant of cultivated ground, Field Bindweed can become a pest in places as it stops other plants from growing. It has creamy, sometimes striped, large flowers, and arrow-…
Reed sweet-grass
Reed sweet-grass is a towering grass with large, loose flower heads that can be found on marshy ground near rivers, streams and ponds. It can become invasive, but does shelter various aquatic…
Giant house spider
The giant house spider is one of our fastest invertebrates, running up to half a metre per second. This large, brown spider spins sheet-like cobwebs and pops up in the dark corners of houses,…
St Mark's fly
The St Mark's fly is small, black and shiny. It is so-called because it emerges around St Mark's Day, April 25th. Large numbers of adults can be found in woodland edges, hedgerows,…
Woodpigeon
The large, plump woodpigeon is a familiar sight in our gardens and parks, but can also be found on farmland and in woodlands almost everywhere. You may hear its cooing call before you see the bird…
Red ant
Turn over large stones or paving slabs in the garden and you are likely to find a red ant colony. This medium-sized ant can deliver a painful sting, so be careful! In summer, winged adults swarm…
Responsible Reptile Watching
Spring is a great time to spot lizards and snakes on our reserves, but it’s important to do so without intentionally disturbing them! If you follow our responsible reptile watching tips you should be able to experience these incredible animals without disturbing them.
My passion
Chris is the Southern Reserves Manager at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and leads a team of staff, wardens and volunteers in caring for our nature reserves in the South of Nottinghamshire. This…