Take a break from scrolling with 30 seconds of gatekeeper butterflies - spotted in our CEO Andrew McLaughlin's garden 🦋. Have you seen lots of butterflies lately?

Hear from Dr William Bird MBE, GP, and CEO of Intelligent Health, who has been promoting the natural environment and sustainability as a health benefit for over 30 years. Please support Mission Wild today, to help more people across Gloucestershire to connect with nature: https://ow.ly/RqS750Zk2Cx

Stroud District Council is preparing a new local plan to guide development over the next 15–20 years. By taking part in their consultation, you can help ensure nature is considered alongside future growth and that Stroud remains a diverse haven for wildlife.

Is it a bee? Is it a bird? No, it's a moth! Check out this hummingbird hawk-moth spotted in a Cinderford garden recently. This day-flying species is a summer visitor that can be seen in gardens, hovering like a hummingbird as it feeds on nectar. 📹Thank you to Lorna Cameron for this video.

We would like to congratulate Andy Burnham on stepping into his new role as prime minister. As he begins setting the direction for this new term, we are asking him to prioritise #nature, #wildlife and #biodiversity.

The Government has confirmed that Gloucestershire will move to a single unitary authority, replacing the current system of six councils. We welcome this decision, having advocated for a single unitary authority as the best way to deliver joined-up action for nature across the county.

We’re excited to be exhibiting at the brand new #RHSBadminton Flower Show, 8-12 July 2026. Come and see us in the allotments section, with Stroud Valleys Project, Chestergate Allotments & Bisley Community Composting Scheme, and Cashes Green & Applewood Organic & Wildlife Allotment Association.

Happy July! Splashes of colour are everywhere, as wildflowers bloom from meadows to supermarket car parks. On grasslands, listen out for skylarks, who will give you a burst of energy with their speedy song 🎶. 📷John Bridges, Amy Lewis, Nick Upton, Brian Harper, Kieron Huston

“With the environment under growing pressure, I hope by capturing and sharing its beauty, more people will feel inspired to protect it - before it’s too late.” Marc Freebrey, 2025 category winner in our photography competition. Enter this year's competition 👇 https://ow.ly/NWwz50Zizs5

Grey headed snout hoverfly 🪰 A curious little species found in the shady parts of mature deciduous woodland. Its long snout helps it feed from deep flowers such as bluebells and red campion. The larvae develop in animal dung, especially from deer 🦌 and badgers 🦡 📷 Tina Bouttle

Crickley Hill update 📢 Please note The Cotswold Way will be getting diverted from today (29 May) for at least 6 months and will skip Crickley Hill. See diversion details and a map from National Trails below👇 www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/short-routes/diversion-at-a417-birdlip/ 📸Nathan Millar

Bee 🐝 or snail 🐌 ? The red-tailed mason bee is iconic, nesting in snail shells to protect eggs from predators. Female bees will seal the shell shut with mashed up leaves and decorate it with bits of stem and leaf, a great camouflage.

Over 70% of Gloucestershire’s land is farmed! The way we farm has a huge impact on everything from hedgehogs and barn owls to bees, rivers and wildflowers. Our fabulous Farming Advisor Tim visited Norton Court Farm in the Severn Vale to chat with Debbie Wilkins about farming with nature in mind.

Happy #WorldBeeDay! Bees make the world go around, as they are vital for wildlife and our food systems. Join us in our mission to restore their habitat, native grasslands, to Gloucestershire.

Exciting things happening in Podsmead today🌳 Our Neighbourhood Nature project, in partnership with Blackbridge, planted trees today as part of a bigger plan to support communities around Gloucester to have their voices heard, take leadership and green their local area.

Our Youth Rangers having fun-filled naturey action at Robinswood Hill, where they do a lot of practical work for wildlife and wild places. 🎥 Watch the reel to see more.

Check out Harry, our Land Manager West, planting true fox sedge at Coombe Hill Nature Reserve and explaining why this plant is so important for biodiversity 🌱

Today is Save the Frogs Day 🐸 Frogs may seem common in the UK, but their numbers have dropped sharply. Habitat loss is a major cause, with ponds filled in for development, leaving fewer breeding sites. Many are also killed on roads during migration. 📸 Clark Warren

Our photography competition returns with the Species Spotlight category. Showcase Gloucestershire’s native wildlife, from wildflowers to mammals, reptiles to liverwort, fungi to birds. https://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/photography-competition-2026 📷Katherine Boon

Can you spot the eggs? On cuckoo flowers at this time of year, look closely and you might spot tiny orange dots, a bit like mini tic-tacs, which are the eggs of orange-tip butterflies. 🧡 Soon, they'll develop and get darker, before the caterpillars hatch and leave behind a translucent casing. 🐛

Happy Earth Day and Birthday! We are proud to celebrate two years of Youth Rangers, the young volunteers boosting wildlife on our nature reserves. In two years, they have reseeded meadows, planted hedges, built bug hotels and much more.

Today we announced that Gloucestershire is moving one step closer to the potential return of beavers, as we work with Forestry England begin the next phase of the Severn Vale Beaver Project to restore this native species to the county 🦫. 👉 https://ow.ly/5u5650YNsei 📷 David Parkyn

From hibernation to migration 💤. Who is arriving after a long treacherous journey, and who is only just waking up this April? 📷Amy Lewis, Jon Hawkins, Terry Whittaker, Richard Burkmarr, Hugh Clarke, Janet Packham, Jim Higham

Wild photography tips here 👇👇. We spoke to Helen Jackson-Garside, a talented wildlife photographer from Gloucestershire, to share her top tips for capturing nature. Take a look at the tips in this blog 👉 https://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/blog/wild-photography-tips-2026

30 Days Wild sign ups are open! 🌳🐸🦎🐛💚 This June, take a breath and notice the nature around you. From spotting bugs in the garden to enjoying a walk in a local green space, 30 Days Wild is all about taking a moment to connect with the natural world. 👉 https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/30dayswild

What a fantastic Waterscapes Week we had earlier this month 💧. A huge thank you to everyone who came along and joined in the watery wildlife fun. It was brilliant to explore how nature-based solutions can help tackle flooding while creating more space for wildlife to thrive.

Look at these wonderful photos from a night walk across the reserve recently. Grab a UV 365 torch and some UV protective glasses, and get out there to see it for yourself. Please be extra careful never to shine a UV torch into the eyes of people or animals, as it can be very damaging.

Tom from our land management team has been out conducting a reptile survey. What did he find?

Welcome bluebell season! Wild garlic is releasing its scent across Gloucestershire, and woodpeckers are drumming. If you hear a cackle in the woods, don't be scared - it may be the green woodpecker's signature yaffle. 📷 Terry Stevenson, Andrew Mason, Paul Rumbles, Robert Harrison, Richard Burkmar

Check out our Wild Trainees taking a riverfly survey and testing river health by checking for key invertebrates. This part of the Frome, flowing through one of our nature reserves by Knapp Lane, had a score of 11, suggesting that the water is clean and healthy!