Palmate newt
The palmate newt looks similar to the smooth newt, but favours shallow pools on acidic soils like heathlands. During the breeding season, males grow distinctive black webbing on their hind feet.…
The palmate newt looks similar to the smooth newt, but favours shallow pools on acidic soils like heathlands. During the breeding season, males grow distinctive black webbing on their hind feet.…
You are likely to spot the smooth newt in your garden or local pond. It breeds in water in summer and spends the rest of the year in grassland and woodland, hibernating over winter.
With its prominent, wavy crest, the great crested newt, also known as the 'warty newt', looks like a mini dinosaur! This protected species favours clean ponds during the breeding season…
As winter strengthens its grip around Dorset, we keep our fingers crossed for more cold and dry days. Nature’s apathy for nest construction and reproduction opens a door of opportunity for the…
This striking duck was introduced to the UK and is now established as a breeding bird in England.
At the Broad Oak Orchard near Sturminster Newton, there is a local volunteer group who help the wardens to maintain this beautiful pocket of old orchard - Tony Stables leads the group.
A fire has destroyed an historic railway hut on Dorset Wildlife Trust’s (DWT’s) Powerstock Common nature reserve, near Maiden Newton in west Dorset. Arson is strongly suspected.
Common mallow is a handsome 'weed' of waste ground, roadside verges and gardens. Its deep pink, stripey flowers provide nectar for insects throughout the summer.
Greater celandine is a very common plant that spreads easily in the garden, on waste ground and in hedgerows. It is considered a weed, but the small, yellow flowers provide nectar for insects.
With black-and-yellow markings, the hornet mimic hoverfly looks like its namesake, but is harmless to us. This mimicry helps to protect it from predators while it searches for nectar.
In the first of a series of blogs about Kingcombe, Daisy describes the first week in her new job as Engagement Officer at Kingcombe - from hosting Wild Paths trainees to discovering great crested…
With brown-and-orange markings, the Drone-fly looks like a male Honeybee, but is harmless to us. This mimicry helps to protect it from predators while it searches for nectar in gardens and urban…