![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/NatureNotes2.jpg?resize=600%2C78\")
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The Big Butterfly Count<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n The results for the Big Butterfly Count for 2022 show a continuing overall decline in numbers – a 2.8% drop for the UK but an increase of 9% for Wales was encouraging. The butterfly with the biggest rate of decline was the Marbled White and this was the same result for Wales. Wales also showed significant reductions for Ringlet, Large White and Small White. The biggest increases were for the Common Blue and Holly Blue but with Wales recording the biggest increases for Holly Blue and Brimstone. We have noticed Holly Blues doing well in Wenvoe particularly along the trees in the school and in gardens. A blue butterfly flying higher up, say around 5 to 10 metres above the ground, is likely to be a Holly Blue.<\/p>\n The Speckled Wood (see photo) has done well both in Wales and throughout the UK with several local people reporting them in their gardens. One interesting behaviour we have noticed is how territorial they can be. One adopted a small section of patio, turning up by mid-morning every day and then furiously defending it against any other trespassing butterflies, no matter which species. Even the occasional falling leaf would be checked out and warned off.<\/p>\n Those who want to help our butterflies are encouraged to plant wildlife-friendly habitats – for instance Holly and flowering Ivy for the Holly Blue and Hop, Elm and Nettles for the Comma. The caterpillar of the Speckled Wood favours our taller wild grasses such as Cocksfoot, Yorkshire Fog and False Brome so if you have sufficient space for a wild area, that can help all sorts of wildlife<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Big Butterfly Count The results for the Big Butterfly Count for 2022 show a continuing overall decline in numbers – a 2.8% drop for the UK but an increase of 9% for Wales was encouraging. The butterfly with the biggest rate of decline was the Marbled White and this was the same result for Wales. Wales also showed significant […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s6cWjO-12490","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2116,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=2116","url_meta":{"origin":12490,"position":0},"title":"Keep Wales Tidy Awards","author":"Alan Williams","date":"2nd January 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 We were runners up in the Biodiversity category of the all-Wales Keep Wales Tidy awards. This is the second year we have been shortlisted and we shall enter a different project again next year in the hope that we make it to the top spot. Thank you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Wenvoe Wildlife Group"","block_context":{"text":"Wenvoe Wildlife Group","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=48"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":15983,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=15983","url_meta":{"origin":12490,"position":1},"title":"A Fierce Asian Carnivore","author":"Alan Williams","date":"29th August 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"A Fierce Asian Carnivore They are all over the media and all over Wenvoe! Think of a Channel Island and a fierce Asian carnivore. If you haven't guessed it, it is the Jersey Tiger - a type of day-flying moth. They have been seen recently on Walston Road, in Clos\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=49"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Jersey-Tiger-Moth-rotated.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5325,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=5325","url_meta":{"origin":12490,"position":2},"title":"The Knepp Estate Success","author":"Alan Williams","date":"23rd December 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 NATURE NOTES Whilst much of the news about wildlife is often negative and depressing, one interesting item that is bucking the trend is the Knepp Estate and anyone with a genuine interest in UK wildlife needs to be aware of it. This is a 3,500 acre estate near Horsham\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Nature Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Nature Notes","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=49"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/dove.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6530,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=6530","url_meta":{"origin":12490,"position":3},"title":"Llanthony","author":"Alan Williams","date":"28th August 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Llanthony We parked at Llanthony Priory, in the care of Cadw and freely open to the public. The hamlet of Llanthony nestles in the heart of the beautiful Vale of Ewyas. This is the easternmost valley of the Black mountains, described by Gerald of Wales in 1188 as \u2018encircled on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Footsteps"","block_context":{"text":"Footsteps","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=38"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Picture7.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":5593,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=5593","url_meta":{"origin":12490,"position":4},"title":"The Reassuring Sight of Wales Air Ambulance","author":"Alan Williams","date":"3rd March 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 As the crow flies Wenvoe is directly in between Cardiff and RAF St Athan which is the reason the South Wales Police helicopter can be seen often overflying our village. A common sight, the blue and yellow liveried aircraft has now become a routine crime fighting tool. It is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/ambulance-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/ambulance-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/ambulance-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/ambulance-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14259,"url":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?p=14259","url_meta":{"origin":12490,"position":5},"title":"Welsh Traditions 2 Calan Mai – May Day","author":"Alan Williams","date":"16th May 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"WELSH TRADITIONS 2 CALAN MAI - MAY DAY In the old Celtic Year, the summer season consisted of the months of May, June and July so the first day of May was also the first day of summer. The Welsh name for July - Gorffennaf - testifies to this as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General Interest Articles"","block_context":{"text":"General Interest Articles","link":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/?cat=334"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12490"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12490"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12490\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12494,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12490\/revisions\/12494"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/wenvoe.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wenvoe.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Picture6.jpg?resize=250%2C191\")
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