The Yellow Meadow Ant is known for creating anthills in grassland habitats. They build their distinctive soil domes above their nests and there are some great examples in Clayton Meadow. #ants #meadows #anthills #grasslands #habitat #conservation #nature

A common lizard out and about in Clayton Meadow, Dorset last week. #reptiles #lizards #meadows #nature #conservation #grasslands

A Great Green Bush Cricket on the Clayton Meadow stone sign. #insects #nature #conservation #meadows

Delighted that there are a few Autumn ladies-tresses popping up in Clayton meadow. The last orchid of the year. #orchids #wildflowers #meadows #wildflowerhour #nature #conservation #biodiversity

Last of the summer flowers provide nectar for bees in Clayton Meadow. Possibly a buff tailed bumblebee- I.D.confirmation anyone? #bees #bumblebees #meadow #nature #DorsetWildlife

Can anyone ID this insect seen in Clayton Meadow, Dorset? @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @chrispoole050.bsky.social #bugs #nature #insects #meadows

A ladybird on the Knapweed, part of the Daisy family of wildflowers, in Clayton Meadow. #pollinators #DaisyFamily #wildflowers #insects #nature #conservation #meadows #wildflowerhour #ladybird #DorsetWildlife

#Knapweed and #Marjoram lead the popularity stakes for pollinators in Clayton Meadow in Dorset. #PollinatorPals #wildflowerhour #DorsetWildlife #wildflowers #butterflies #meadows #bees #moths

There have been so many butterflies & moths recently in Clayton Meadow. A diversity of wildflowers means there is something for everyone. #Burnetmoths, #Redadmiral #Wall #SpeckledWood #DarkGreenFritillary #CommonBlue #butterflies #bigbutterflycount #nature #wildflowers #moths #

A Painted Lady butterfly in Clayton Meadow. They only have a brief lifespan so their primary focus is on reproduction. #butterflies #BigButterflyCount #nature #conservation #meadows #dorsetbutterflies @lgspace.bsky.social #DorsetWildlife

The Small Copper butterfly is attracted by the Wild Marjoram in Clayton Meadow. The flower is a magnet for the butterflies in the meadow at this time of year. #butterflies #BigButterflyCount #wildflowers #meadows #nature #conservation #DorsetWildlife

Large White butterflies in Clayton Meadow on the ivy and Field Scabious. #BigButterflyCount #butterflies #wildflowers #nature #conservation #meadows #DorsetWildlife

Plenty of Knapweed and Scabious for the bees in Clayton Meadow. #bees #pollinators #meadows #DorsetWildlife

Plenty of moths in Clayton Meadow including a Garden tiger moth.(help with ID appreciated) @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @chrispoole050.bsky.social #DorsetWildlife #moths

Good to see a Grayling butterfly in Clayton Meadow during the #BigButterflyCount. Whilst still seen around the coast this butterfly has seen a large deterioration in numbers in recent years. #butterflies @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social #DorsetWildlife

Lots of Skipper butterflies in Clayton Meadow at the moment. #butterflies #meadows #BigButterflyCount

A lovely shot of a Wall butterfly in Clayton Meadow. Good to see given its general decline in numbers. #butterflies #bigbutterflycount #Dorsetwildlife #dorsetnature #purbecknature

And the female Scabious Longhorn Nemophora Metallica in Clayton Meadow. See previous post. #moths @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Exciting find… a photo by Chris Poole of several Scabious Longhorn Nemophora metallica in Clayton Meadow, Dorset. According to Dorset Moths there have been no recent records. @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @lgspace.bsky.social #moths #insects

A Wall butterfly in Clayton Meadow, Dorset. This butterfly has been in serious decline in recent years and is on the Section 41 list of species of principal importance. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @lgspace.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

A nice specimen of the Dark Green Fritillary in Clayton Meadow, Dorset. The caterpillars often feed on the wildflower, Common Dog-violet. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social #butterflies #fritillaries #nature #conservation #biodiversity #BigButterflyCount

A Brown Argus butterfly, often seen in chalk grasslands, in Clayton Meadow, Dorset. #DorsetWildlife @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social #butterflies #BrownArgus #meadows #grasslands

A Small Copper in Clayton Meadow, Dorset. #butterflies @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social #DorsetWildlife #nature #meadows #grasslands

Large white butterfly on a blackberry bush in Clayton Meadow. #butterflies #Dorsetbutterflies #nature

Celebrating National Meadows Day 2025. A snapshot of the biodiversity that meadows have to offer. @plantlifeuk.bsky.social @lgspace.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social #DorsetWildlife #meadows #NationalMeadowsDay #biodiversity #30dayswild

A Skipper butterfly on the Pyramidal orchids in Clayton Meadow, Dorset. (Skipper I.D.anyone?) #orchids #butterflies #nature #pollinators #nature #environment @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social #DorsetWildlife @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

One of the many beautiful Pyramidal orchids in Clayton Meadow, Dorset. #Nature #orchids #meadows #DorsetWildlife @ukorchids.bsky.social @lgspace.bsky.social

Lots of Skipper butterflies on the grasses in Clayton Meadow, Dorset. #skippers #butterflies #grasses #Purbecknature #Dorsetbutterflies #nature #meadows #grasslands #conservation

The Knapweed is a popular choice for the Marbled White butterflies in Clayton Meadow. #butterflies #meadows #wildflowers #nature #conservation #DorsetWildlife #Purbeck #Dorsetbutterflies

A Skipper (Lulworth?) on the Knapweed in Clayton Meadow, Dorset. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social #butterflies #wildflowers #pollinators #skippers #meadows

Birds too in Clayton Meadow, with plenty of insects to feed on. #meadows #biodiversity #insects #conservation #grasslands #DorsetWildlife

A few of the Pyramidal Orchids of Clayton Meadow, Dorset. #meadows #orchids #wildflowers #conservation #nature #DorsetWildlife

Six spot burnet moths loving the Knapweed flowers in Clayton Meadow, Dorset. #wildflowerhour #butterflies #moths #pollinators #Dorsetwildlife @lgspace.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetmoths.bsky.social

Lovely Bee orchids in Clayton Meadow, Dorset. #orchids #wildflowers #DorsetWildlife @ukorchids.bsky.social @lgspace.bsky.social @britishnatureguide.bsky.social

A Meadow Brown butterfly in Clayton Meadow. #butterflies #meadows @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social

Pollinators feasting on the beautiful kidney vetch in Clayton Meadow. #kidneyvetch #pollinators #wildflowers #meadows

The Bee orchids are flowering and the Pyramidal orchids on the verge of flowering in Clayton Meadow in Dorset this week. #OrchidChallenge #wildflowerhour #meadows #wildflowers #orchids #Dorsetwildlife #PurbeckNature

The Common Broomrape in Clayton Meadow. A non-photosynthetic plant that has no leaves and is parasitic on a host plant. #parasitic #broomrape #wildflowerhour #wildflowers #meadows #nature

Bee orchid season has started in Clayton Meadow. #orchids #meadows #wildflowers #nature @ukorchids.bsky.social

The first of the Bee orchids in Clayton Meadow. #orchids #meadows #wildflowers

Great photo of a Common Blue on Yellow Rattle in Clayton Meadow. #Conservation #butterflies #meadows #wildflowers #DorsetWildlife

Celebrating #WorldBeeDay. Clayton Meadow is a valuable stepping stone in nature for #bees and other #pollinators.

A beautiful moth on the Yellow Rattle in Clayton Meadow. @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @mothiduk.bsky.social #moths #Dorsetwildlife

Clayton Meadow is a useful ‘stepping stone’ or ‘refuelling stop’ for nature like this Red Admiral butterfly. #DorsetWildlife #butterflies #nature #conservation #meadows

A female Orange-tip butterfly on an emerging oxeye daisy flower in Clayton Meadow. #butterflies #DorsetWildlife #DorsetButterflies #nature #PurbeckWildlife #wildflowers #MakeNatureCount

Lots of reptiles soaking up the sunshine in Clayton Meadow. #reptiles #adders #DorsetWildlife #conservation #nature

Plenty of promising Bee orchid rosettes developing in Clayton Meadow. #meadows #DorsetWildlife #PurbeckNature #NatureConservation #orchids #beeorchids

Cowslips, primroses and visiting pollinators in Clayton Meadow. #DorsetWildlife #wildflowerhour #meadows #pollinators #cowslips

First butterfly of the season captured on camera in Clayton Meadow. #butterflies #meadows #DorsetNature #NatureConservation #Dorsetwildlife

The Blackthorn blossom providing a vital source of early spring nectar and pollen for a variety of pollinators in Clayton Meadow. #DorsetWildlife #insects #NatureConservation ##blossom #nectar #PurbeckNature