New Grove Meadows
The diversity and colour of the wildflowers in these traditional hay meadows steals the show in spring and summer before giving centre stage to the autumnal hues of fungi.
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Chwilio
Prisk Wood
This atmospheric ancient woodland is the perfect spot for a tranquil walk in spring and summer, when wildflowers carpet the floor and bird song fills the air.
Common octopus
The common octopus is a highly intelligent, active predator. It even has a secret weapon - special glands produce a venom that it uses to incapacitate its prey!
Selfheal
Selfheal is a low-growing, creeping plant that likes the short turf of grasslands, roadside verges or even lawns. Its clusters of violet flowers appear in summer.
Croes Robert Wood
Like something out of a fairytale, this stunning ancient woodland is a tranquil place to stroll among the woodland wildflowers whilst listening to the birds singing in the trees.
Yorkshire-fog
The soft, downy look of Yorkshire-fog makes it an attractive plant, even if it is considered a weed of cultivated land! It is also attractive to the caterpillars of the Small Skipper butterfly as…
Brockwells Meadows
In spring and summer the meadows dazzle with colour from a mixture of wildflowers scarcely found elsewhere in Gwent. It’s a restful spot for a picnic or a stroll among the flowers.
Purple emperor
The male purple emperor is a stunning butterfly with a brilliant purple sheen. Look for it feeding around the treetops in woodlands, or on damp ground, animal droppings or even carrion in the…
Ringlet
The ringlet gets its name from the small rings on the undersides of its wings. These rings show variation in the different forms of this species, even elongating into a teardrop shape.
Speckled wood
The speckled wood prefers the dappled sunlight of woodland rides and edges, hedgerows and even gardens. Despite declines, its range has spread over recent years.
My favourite show
Ben keeps a diary of all the wildlife that he spots. He challenges himself to see new species: if he finds something that he doesn’t recognise, he takes a photograph so that he can look it up.
Golden-ringed dragonfly
A voracious predator that will even eat other dragonflies, the golden-ringed dragonfly is the UK's longest species. It can be found around acidic streams in moorland and heathland habitats.…