Get ready to 'Glow Up' this Summer

We need your help in reporting glow-worm sightings in Leicestershire and Rutland this summer. Glow worms are beetles known for their bioluminescence, emitting a bright green light from their abdomen to attract mates.

Their peak season is May to August Glow worm populations in the UK have rapidly declined, primarily due to habitat loss, light pollution, and climate change.

Recovery is challenging as female glow worms do not fly far. To better understand their status, we encourage you to report any sightings, including location (preferably using What3Words), number of glowing females, and habitat description Please record any sightings to info@lrwt.org.uk or use Naturespot.

For more information about this project please speak to Tim Sexton and Sarah Bedford

VTC Art Meet

Our Art Meet group has started at the Volunteer Training Centre and meet on the last Friday of the month from 10am until midday.

This is a very casual drop in for anyone who fancies a cuppa and a catch up with other volunteers, whilst bringing along their hobby. This could be anything from knitting, crochet, painting, drawing, model making….there really is no restriction and if you wanted to pop into the centre and grab a book from our wildlife library and sit within our Lagoon Room with a cuppa, then please feel free to do so!

Elusive Reptiles

By Sarah Bedford

These last few weeks has seen many outings to Ketton Quarry, where the practical volunteers started work on the big task of repairing and replacing fencing along the valley area. In the future, it will make the area suitable for sheep to graze again; a big thank you to all those who have persevered with tedious staple removal, it is very much appreciated!

All of those work parties also involved some time spent wandering through the geology area at the reserve, in the hope of spotting a reptile basking on the rocks in some spring sunshine; the only problem was no one told the sun! Poor weather meant that very few sightings were enjoyed and I feel a certain amount of doubt set in, as the presence of adders at the site achieved a near mythical status

The Members’ Walk at the quarry at the end of April, already once postponed for bad weather, continued with the same frustrating theme. Lots of grey clouds and drizzle netted us zero adders and only one butterfly! We refused to let it dampen anyone ’ s spirits, thanks to a fascinating run down on the ecology and habitat enjoyed by these elusive creatures, given by Conservation Officer, Andy

Some of our team have been lucky enough to spot both male and female adders at Ketton (thanks to TRO, Katie Goddard for the fantastic male adder photo) and I am certain those work party forays will eventually reveal the adders to be seen there. Until then, we will have to console ourselves with the sight of numerous cheeky little lizards at Bloody Oaks Quarry seen basking during one of work parties there at the end of March