Continuing with the Violet Oil Beetle survey at Brynna Woods today for the Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales.

Highest adult count of the year so far with 9 found - 4 females and 5 males. Triungulin numbers appear to be declining but a few spots still support them in numbers.

🌿 Great turnout at our Whitworth Nature Reserve walk (Tonmawr)

⭐ Young Freddie stole the show spotting a female Adder 🐍 & 2 Common Lizards 🦎

Highlights included Fox Moth, Harvest Mouse nest & Bloody-nosed Beetle.

These “brownfield” sites are full of surprises 💚

#GloiNatur #CoaltoNature

🌿 Ogmore Washeries is coming to life — more flowers and insect activity on every visit.

Highlight today was a large Adder near a path 🐍 Please take care, especially with dogs.

Just a glimpse of what we saw — more to come as the season progresses 💚

#GloiNatur #CoaltoNature #Wildlife #Wales

Brilliant day at #Mumbles today leading a guided walk looking at wild bees and oil beetles, as well as other wildlife. Thanks to everyone who joined us!

If you're based in South Wales and are interested in nature walks/ ID training, follow @gloinatur.bsky.social as we have FREE events each weekend

A few spaces have become available on our guided nocturnal wildlife walk in Neath. Booking details below 👇

🚨 April events update! 🚨

Our next 3 events are now fully booked - thank you! 🙌

Join us to explore wildlife at Parc Melin Mynach (formerly Mountain Colliery) & take part in #CityNatureChallenge 🌿

📍 Parc Melin Mynach, Gorseinon
📅 25 April
🔗 www.trybooking.com/uk/GDTW

Spaces are limited.

Thanks Chris, much appreciated.

Beautiful weather on the MoD Castlemartin Range today looking for Short-necked Oil Beetle (Meloe brevicollis) as part of 'Natur am Byth!'.

Unfortunately we didn't find any, but it's always a pleasure to be out exploring the Range.

Thanks to Tom from BBCT, and volunteers Cath & Cathy.

If you'd like to read the short paper about the original discovery of this extraordinary bee population, visit www.researchgate.net/publication/....

Back in 2024, I found a population of Golden-fringed Mason Bee nesting in discarded ammunition casings on the MoD Castlemartin Range.

Today I revised the bees with volunteers from the 'Natur am Byth!' project. Most haven't yet emerged, but we did find one male roosting inside a Heath Snail shell.

🪰 Plenty of Dark-edged Bee-flies out at Cwm Tips today ☀️

These fuzzy flies are nest parasites of ground-nesting bees, taking advantage of the strong mining bee population on site — a sign of a healthy ecosystem.

Who doesn’t love a Bee-fly? 💚

#BeeFlyWatch #BeeFly #CoalToNature #GloiNatur #CwmTips

Ah that's interesting John! This entire population has the yellow form triungulins

Today's Violet Oil Beetle survey at Brynna Woods & Llanharan Marsh Nature Reserve recorded at least 7 Violet Oil Beetle adults, and lots of triungulins!

This survey is being conducted for the Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales.

Yellow-shouldered Nomad Bee (Nomada ferruginata), a surprise find at Brynna Woods today.

When I started bee recording in 2015, this bee had not been seen in Wales for over a century. It's now on the increase (as it is in England) and is today known from a number of sites across South East Wales.

This year, I'm fortunate to be undertaking a Violet Oil Beetle survey for The Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales (WTSWW) at Brynna Woods.

Despite the cold conditions, today was the highest adult count so far this year, with 8 found (5 females and 3 males) - some shown in the pictures.

Identifying and Recording Soldierflies and Allies with Martin Harvey | Wildlife Trust for Beds Cambs & Northants Learn how to identify soldierflies using keys, specimens, and microscopes (suitable for beginners and more experienced recorders)

If you're within reach of Northamptonshire on Sat 16 May there's a soldierfly identification workshop with the Wildlife Trust: learn how to identify soldierflies using keys, specimens & microscopes (suitable for beginners & more experienced) www.wildlifebcn.org/events/2026-...

Thank you Cath 😄

Ah nice. Unless you know of any Violet populations, you'll have a few months yet before the Black triungulins will be out.

Just my second Violet Oil Beetle (Meloe violaceus) adult of the year today at @wtsww.bsky.social Brynna Woods & Llanharan Marsh Nature Reserve - this time a female.

Triungulin season appears to be well underway, with a few areas in the main meadow supporting triungulins on Lesser Celandine.

The non-native flatworm Kontikia andersoni from the ancient woodland of Coed Bach Park, Pontarddulais, yesterday. Believed to originate from Australia or New Zealand.

Another non-native flatworm Parakontikia ventrolineata was also present in the woodland.

🌿 Great day exploring the ancient woodland at Coed Bach Park yesterday — thanks to everyone who joined us!

We found a great range of woodland wildlife, including the scarce millipede Cylindroiulus londinensis, not previously recorded in Swansea.

More events scheduled in April so watch this space

Thank you to everyone who has supported our crowdfund, whether that be through donations or sharing of our posts.

We're looking forward to begin the process of restoring the flower-rich grasslands at Cwm Tips that host so many special species, the Small Blue butterfly included.

🪲 Final reminder!

Join us for a FREE guided invertebrate walk through the woodlands of Coed Bach Park (Pontarddulais) this Saturday.

⚠️ Only a few spaces left!

🎟️ For further info and booking, visit:
www.trybooking.com/uk/FVTB

#Swansea #Woodland #Walks #Nature #Wildlife #Invertebrates #Cymru

Now less than £150 to reach our target!

Woodland Wonders: Invertebrate Life at Coed Bach Park Join entomologist Liam Olds for a guided walk through Coed Bach Park and discover the fascinating world of woodland invertebrates. Explore the...

🪲 Only 4 spaces left!

Join Liam Olds & Carys Romney of Glo i Natur CIC for a guided woodland invertebrate walk at Coed Bach Park, Pontarddulais. Discover beetles, spiders, woodlice & more living beneath the leaves.

⚠️ 2 morning / 2 afternoon places left
🎟️ Book: www.trybooking.com/uk/FVTB

Thanks for the kind words Deborah ☺️

I can’t recommend this course (& location) highly enough. A bargain.

🐝 Bee Identification Course – Kenfig NNR

2-day introduction to identifying UK wild bees using microscopes & field sessions in the dunes.

📅 13–14 June
💷 £75
👥 Limited

📧 Email liamoldsecology@gmail.com
for further info & booking.

Please share.

#bees #identification #training #Wales #Cymru

🦋 1 week left to Save the Small Blue at Cwm Tips!

Thanks to your support we’ve already funded scrub clearance to restore grassland habitat. Help us finish strong by supporting volunteer tools, school visits and guided walks.

🔗 www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-the-s...

Every share helps! 💚

From Coal to Nature: Glo i Natur’s Journey So Far When we launched Glo i Natur CIC in October 2025, we began with a simple belief: that coal spoil sites of South Wales are not scars on the landscape – they are sanctuaries.In just a few months, that b...

🌿 From Coal to Nature

Since launching in October we’ve been restoring habitat for the Small Blue at Cwm Tips, making wildlife discoveries on coal spoil sites and leading guided walks.

Read our short bilingual blog:
www.gloinatur.org/post/from-co...

Thanks to everyone supporting us so far 💚