Unshielded outdoor fixtures allow light to be emitted in multiple directions, contributing to light pollution 💡🦋 Choosing cut-off or fully cut-off shielding can help to redirect artificial light away from our night skies. #DarkSkyWeek #MothsMatter

Happy #WorldCurlewDay! On this day - the best day of the year - we celebrate the beautiful Eurasian Curlew and its wonderful cousins around the world. As Mary Colwell says: Love them, celebrate them, protect them 💚

Extra special Easter delivery! 13 days ago a female Emperor moth laid her eggs in our moth trap. Yesterday, they hatched & around 80 caterpillars are now happily munching on Bramble & Hawthorn. Follow along to see their journey from caterpillar to cocoon 1/2 @savebutterflies.bsky.social #mothsmatter

Not surprising that microplastic pollution has been around as long as mass plastic use has been. Shows importance of collections for research.

Good news about Barn Owl numbers. Trends show nesting began very early in 2024, with many broods already at ringing age by late May.

Spring is so early this year! Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterflies on the wing near Welshpool today! 5th April is a new record earliest emergence, by a whole week! They were too quick for photos, so this is a shot I took a few years ago. @savebutterflies.bsky.social @pickeletto.bsky.social

One of the big shocks of last year’s UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme results was that, after its worst year on record in 2024 and a run of six below average years, Green-veined White (Pieris napi) is now in long-term decline. Numbers have dropped 28% at monitored sites since 1976.

Not many moths in the trap last night (very windy here VC41 Vale of Glamorgan): 2 Common Quaker, 1 Early Grey & 1 Nut-tree Tussock. But we did have 2 other beauties... (1/4) #mothsmatter @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social @valelnp.bsky.social @walesnatureweek.bsky.social

Busy day of media interviews spreading the news of the @ukbms.bsky.social officially dreadful year for UK butterflies in 2024. 51/58 species declined, with common species having their 2nd worst year on record butterfly-conservation.org/make-your-pr... 🌍

NEWS: 🦋 2024 was one of the worst years on record for UK #butterflies, according to the latest figures from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme @ukbms.bsky.social It was the fifth worst year since records began in 1976. See the official UKBMS figures ➡️ ukbms.org/official-sta... 🧵🧪 1/

Join us in protecting the Marsh Fritillary in Wales 🦋 The Marsh Fritillary is declining in Wales due to habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation, but together we can turn things around for this iconic butterfly. Find out more at 👉 butterfly-conservation.org/conservation...

New streetlights installed in a Cape Verdean town have caused hundreds of seabird deaths in a matter of days, according to reports:

There is no excuse for 3.6 Million hours of sewage spills in 2024📈 Our waterways are turned to health hazards for wildlife & those trying to enjoy them, while targets to restore nature are jeopardised🚣‍♂️ We need bonus bans for water company bosses where spills are up👇 www.wcl.org.uk/2024-sewage-...

🐞 Spread the word! Registration and abstract submission are now open for our annual conference, #Ento25! Join the entomological community in-person or online this September, with opportunities to present your work, meet new contacts and build collaborations 🔽 buff.ly/tKyJIbN

The Guardian's "Weirdy Creatures Desk" (that's me and some colleagues) is today launching the first of 10 shortlisted invertebrates for Invertebrate of the Year 2025. This is brilliant from First Dog on the Moon... www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Not long until the start of the 50th year of #ukbms on April 1st. Catch up on news and tips in the Spring newsletter.

Nature Workforce Wales 🌿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🐧🐝 If you think that you are contributing to conserve or restore nature (in a voluntary or paid role) then please fill in this survey! // os ydych chi’n meddwl eich bod yn cyfrannu at adfer byd natur (wirfoddol/gyflogedig) llenwch yr arolwg! ymateb.gov.wales/s/1IYLHF/?la...

+ Imagine being the fastest declining mammal in the UK of all time. + Imagine losing around 70% of your population every winter. + And then, imagine what it must be like to survive that winter only to get your entire habitat and home burnt to a crisp.

🐦🎶The Chiffchaff’s song signals the start of breeding season! Fewer than 20% of Garden BirdWatchers spot one in their gardens. Join the Garden BirdWatch and help us track their population. Make your garden count! bto.org/gbw #GardenBirds #UKBirding #CitSci

A few days ago visited a local wood for the first time and was faced with this relict Beech boundary hedge complete with Cobalt Crust. Then 50m further on even more. The photographs do not do justice to the vibrancy of the blue at all.

Successful hunt for Agonopterix assimilella (Speckled Broom Buff) caterpillars on Dartmoor this morning. At this time of year they live in little spinnings at the junction of Broom twigs. A lifer for me 😊 #teammoth

Only in England though! In fact in Wales, the @WJEC has decided that children in Wales don't even need separate science GCSEs. Don't ask for them for details of the changes though, because there are none available. Children in Wales will be seriously disadvantaged. @WelshGovernment #education #gcse

Trees are often overlooked when we think of early pollen sources. This sprawling Goat Willow was huge and buzzing with life, with dozens of Buff-tailed Bumblebee queens bumbling in the canopy. It's inspired me to plant one in my field. #bumblebees @bumblebeetrust.bsky.social #coedcymru

Ran our 2x30W actinic moth trap last night for #GardenMothScheme 6/4 with 3 Early Grey, singles of Hebrew Character, Common Quaker and Small Quaker. We never get huge numbers compared to those running MV traps, but even so, numbers here seem lower now that our street lights are LED. #teammoth

What a start to #SpringCleanCymru! 👉It’s now official…we broke the @guinnessworldrecords.com for the most participants in a river clean up at multiple locations! Well done and thank you to all the volunteers who made this possible🤩

Ni Moth (Trichoplusia ni), to light in Cardiff, Glamorgan on 19/3. K. Turner. #teammoth

BTO decides not to return to Global Birdfair as an exhibitor. ‘BTO work has highlighted the impacts of climate change on birds, and because of our commitment to working sustainably, we no longer feel it is appropriate to take a stand at the event.’

45 hectares of SSSI land has been severely impacted by another recent Exmoor fire, this time at Trentishoe @nationaltrust.bsky.social Fires destroy wildlife & put huge pressure on Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service Please follow advice on their website to prevent wildfires Including...

Unleash your Wild Side at RSPB Newport Wetlands 🦋🌿 Join our #WildSpaces team on Saturday 5 April for free craft and nature spotting activities, and discover how to create your very own Wild Space! For more details 👉 butterfly-conservation.org/eve... 📷: Chris O'Donovan

An important paper showing why grazing is essential to counter the impacts of nitrogen deposition, which is a growing threat to butterflies and other pollinators @europebutterfly.bsky.social @birdlifeeurope.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s42...

Exposure to nature may change the way the brain responds to processing pain, according to a study

PhD opportunity with me (RSPB) at Sheffield Hallam combining ecology (building-nesting birds esp. Swift) + building design & planning (Net Zero goals & retrofit). We need a strong student interested in both! Is that you? url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/cNyjCR636C... Please repost.

✨ We’ve just received our first report of a Barn Owl egg this year!! 🙌 🥚 Nestbox cameras are a fantastic way to monitor species like Barn Owls that are legally protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act! 📹 Watch live nest cams here 👇 barnowltrust.org.uk/barn-owl-facts/barn-owl-cams

Our South Wales Officer Pete Hill has been busy all Winter collaborating with various Local Authorities and creating networks of ponds for great crested newts. Here are just a few of the new ponds. We look forward to monitoring the ponds as wildlife colonizes them. Watch this space for more news.

New research paper published! During #BritishScienceWeek, we are delighted that VWT’s latest paper has just been published. It assesses two monitoring methods for stoats and weasels in Britain — native species with very little data on distribution and population size. Find out more bit.ly/41T4A9s

Stop the War on Nature Please help us raise the funds to create a Nature Investigations Unit for Wales. The unit will expose and challenge the actions and inactions of government where nature is concerned. Please share throughout your communities. Thank you. www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/stop-the-w...

The rather splendid 1st-winter Bonaparte's Gull at Ogmore Estuary, well found by @tomwright1.bsky.social This is the third of this species I've seen at the site, albeit the first non-adult.

Three more bee-fly records came in yesterday, as far north as Staffordshire 👍 #BeeFlyWatch

Lovely couple of hours in local oak-birch woodland last night, 11 moth species recorded. Highlights 7 Yellow Horned, Shoulder Stripe & a handsome striped form of Oak Nycteoline. March Moth top scorer with 12. #TeamMoth #CardiffMoths

The first weekly challenge from Wildflowerhour is to find something yellow! If you can, post your pics using the hashtag #yellowflowers for #Wildflowerhour this Sunday 8-9pm! Other colours of wild & naturalised plants are also of course very welcome! Happy flower-hunting! 🌼

Gentle breeze, 7° min forecast and little to no rain?! It can't have heard it's the first moth trap of the GMS season! Looking forward to seeing what turns up. @gardenmothscheme.bsky.social

Love the days @naturcymru.bsky.social drops through my postbox. Beautiful illustrations and always great articles. If you haven't checked out @inccymru.bsky.social yet, do that too!

"Good intentions and examples of funding for biodiversity action are not enough. @welshgovernment.bsky.social needs to do more to lead by example, support improvement, and take a more active interest in the application and impact of its own legislation" - Auditor General wao.gov.uk/news/nature-...

A crucial new study from the USA, showing major butterfly declines across this huge country. We knew there were problems but the scale is hugely worrying www.science.org/content/arti...

Moths matter, which is why we're celebrating them this #WorldWildlifeDay 🌍🌿🦋 Moths are one of the most diverse groups of insects on earth, ranging from spectacular Hawk-moths to small, intricately patterned Footman moths. 📷: Kate Reece

Spring is on its way! Look out for these butterflies and moths in your gardens and local green spaces 🦋🌷🌱 What have you seen recently? Don't forget to tag us in your butterfly and moth sightings. 📷 #SaveButterflies #MothsMatter

"Byddwch lawen a gwnewch y pethau bychain" Dewi Sant "Be joyful and do the little things" St. David A timely reminder from the national saint of 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 that it's small acts of kindness and thoughtfulness that are the essential elements of humanity Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus i'r byd ❤

Tara Okon's wonderful #starling art @rspbengland.bsky.social #hamwall #shapwickheath I witnessed yesterday's murmuration in the distance but the passing overhead of hundreds of thousands of #starlings was magical (as were the booming Bitterns & Cetti's Warblers in full song)

This is why Kevin Williams of Greenwise is such a trusted, local contractor. On top of fantastic habitat management on sensitive sites, he also records what he sees and submits records to @sewbrec.org.uk our #LocalEnvironmentalRecordsCentre #LERC, helping build up site and species data sets.