Nature’s calling

Reawaken your wild side this spring

Glow up!

Glamorous… simply glowing! There’s no missing the glitz of a glow-worm on a sultry summer’s evening. Only the wingless females go in for the lightshow, hoping to lure males who have big, photosensitive eyes.

Glow-worms are in fact beetles, not worms. The males look the part, while the females appear much like their grey-brown, segmented larvae. The larval stage of the lifecycle is anything but glamorous. Voracious predators of slugs and snails, they paralyse their victims with a toxic bite that slowly dissolves them ready for ingestion – a far cry from the innocent twinkle of the glow-worm’s courtship!

Larvae live for up to three years before transforming into adults for just a few weeks. They prefer chalk grasslands, so this is the best place to look for them. Visit on a warm, calm evening in late June or early July, avoiding nights with a fuller moon when they are less likely to glow. The darker it is the better, so resist using a torch, allow your eyes to adjust, then scan for their faint greenish glow.

See Them This Spring

† Decoy Heath Visit by day for one of the very best displays of dragonflies and damselflies then hang around for nightfall

Did you know?

Glow-worms generate light through a chemical reaction in their abdomen. Looking for a mate is a full-time job for adult glow-worms who do not eat during this final stage of life.

30 Days Wild

and the bioluminescent afterparty courtesy of your glow-worm hosts.

† Grangelands & The Rifle Range The chalk grassland slopes hide plenty of snails that support a thriving population of glow-worms.

Insects are in decline, but you can play a part in reversing their fortunes. Find out how: bbowt.org.uk/action-for-insects

Go wild this June! Take part in The Wildlife Trusts’ annual 30 Days Wild challenge. Do one ‘wild’ thing every day throughout June to feel happier, healthier, and closer to nature. Here are some ideas to get you started. Sign up and receive a free pack at bbowt.org. uk/30-days-wild

Listen to birdsong

Enjoy a mellifluous start to the day. Set an early alarm and tune into the rich notes and trills of the dawn chorus.

Lock up your lawnmowers

Close-cropped lawns are bad for wildlife, so it’s time we let them grow longer. No Mow May is a campaign that invites gardeners to go lazy in the name of helping struggling pollinators. Ease off mowing in May (and beyond) and let the wild flowers in your lawn bloom. Learn more at nomowmay.plantlife.org.uk

Install This

Get set for summer heatwaves by installing more water butts now. Harvested rainwater is best for watering plants and topping up wildlife ponds, and it saves precious tap water.

Go on a wild walk

Longer days present ample opportunity for a meadow march, woodland wander, or riverside ramble. Why not visit a nature reserve?

Plant wild flowers

Wild flowers are best for native pollinators. Sow wild flower seeds or plant nectar-rich blooms to help them.