Skip to Content
A Patch Wilder Logo

A Patch Wilder

A Patch Wilder is a conservation project aiming to benefit wildlife and connect people with the environment around them.

  • About Us
  • Location
    • Lillypool History
    • 10 Local Walks
    • Patchwork Map
  • Projects
    • Species Lists
    • Our Adders
    • BirdNetPi
  • Gallery
    • Off The Patch
  • Events
  • Donate
  • About Us
  • Location
    • Lillypool History
    • 10 Local Walks
    • Patchwork Map
  • Projects
    • Species Lists
    • Our Adders
    • BirdNetPi
  • Gallery
    • Off The Patch
  • Events
  • Donate

Gallery

As well as documenting the sights and sounds of nature at A Patch Wilder, Charlie and Spade have built up a portfolio of nature photography from across the globe. See our other photos here.

We have had a lot of adder activity in recent week We have had a lot of adder activity in recent weeks and have recorded 7 new individuals this year, which is very encouraging. Most importantly, that means we need some new names. If you have any ideas then let us know! 
In recent months we have said hello to Long John Slither, Julius Squeezer, Bendy Wendy and Whiskers. There are still 3 babies needing names so ideas please!
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #adder #snake #namesuggestions
I have already gone on about how good this summer I have already gone on about how good this summer has been for clouded yellow butterflies, so I'll spare you the details but, suffice to say that I am not bored of them yet!
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #cloudedyellow #butterflyconservation
Always lovely to see the next-gen common blue butt Always lovely to see the next-gen common blue butterflies on the farm and they are here in huge numbers this year. During our Big Butterfly Count last weekend, they were easily the commonest species recorded even outnumbering the meadow browns and gatekeepers.
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #commonblue #butterflyconservation
Did you know we have vampire deer in this country? Did you know we have vampire deer in this country? 
Well, vampire might be a bit misleading, but they do have fangs. Look closely at this male muntjac deer and when he turns his head, you might spot them poking out of his mouth! These are used by the makes for fighting and as a sign of dominance.
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #muntjac #deer #trailcam
Hot on the heels of last week's Tree Pipit, we hav Hot on the heels of last week's Tree Pipit, we have just recorded another new bird species (number 79) for the farm, how exciting! Who can identify the species? Comment below if you know.

Need a hint?  This is a juvenile, which hatched this year in a nest on the ground at the base of a scrubby bush probably on moorland, or somewhere in the uplands. It is now making its long way down to sub-saharan Africa for the first time to spend the winter.
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #newspecies #birds
The Patchlings taking a bit of time out from their The Patchlings taking a bit of time out from their busy schedule of eating as many blackberries as humanly possible to engage in a bit of Shinrin-Yoku, otherwise known as Forest Bathing.
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #shinrinyoku #treeswing
The glorious shocking pink flower spikes of the Ro The glorious shocking pink flower spikes of the Rosebay Willowherbs are all spent; they have been pollinated by a myriad of invertebrates and now comes their last job of the year - releasing seeds to float across the Patch and find a quiet patch of soil somewhere to grow a new plant.
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #slowmo #rosebaywillowherb #seeds
19 species recorded down at the pond last week. Ho 19 species recorded down at the pond last week. How many did you get?

Green woodpecker
bullfinch
blue tit
jay
blackbird
chiffchaff
long-tailed tit
blackcap
great tit
magpie
song thrush
tree pipit
spotted flycatcher
great spotted woodpecker
willow warbler
wren
robin
wood pigeon
carrion crow
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #cameratrap #birds
Eh up - what do we have here then? It's another ne Eh up - what do we have here then? It's another new bird species for the Patch, taking our tally up to 78 birds. But what is it? Does anyone know? A bit of a tricky ID - this is a tree pipit and will be just passing through on migration all the way down to sub-saharan Africa.
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #birds #treepipit
A record 7 adders were spotted on The Patch today A record 7 adders were spotted on The Patch today - our highest count yet!  These included a new male not seen before, one that shot off like a rocket before I could get a good look, and then (in order): Noodle, Mr Biscuits, Tiny Snake,  Long John Slither, and Fangstorm.

We haven't seen much of them over the summer - presumably the warm temperatures mean they haven't needed to bask so much and have spent more time hiding in the scrub. Today felt a bit cooler so I thought they might be more visible and took the opportunity to go around and see who we have hanging about currently.
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #snakestagram #adder #viperaberus
I never tire of watching these amazing hummingbird I never tire of watching these amazing hummingbird hawkmoths, who have been busily feeding at buddleia bushes on the farm in good numbers over the last few weeks. Buddleia is not native and can be invasive but, when a few bushes appeared on the farm round the back of the barn, we left them in place as they are not nicknamed the "Butterfly bush" for nothing and are usually covered in pollinating insects when in flower. 

This video is slowed down 4x  and yet the wings still seem a blur. That's because these busy moths beat their wings between 70 and 85 times a second!
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #hummingbirdhawkmoth #slowmo #buddleia
A couple of spaces left for our free pond dipping A couple of spaces left for our free pond dipping sessions this Saturday 1st August. More info and book your place via www.apatchwilder.com/events
.
.
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #somersetevents #whatsonsomerset
Still a few spaces left for our free bat walk this Still a few spaces left for our free bat walk this Saturday 1st August! Book your place and full details at www.apatchwilder.com/events
.
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #whatsonsomerset #somersetevents
Count the butterflies! These Gatekeeper butterfli Count the butterflies! 
These Gatekeeper butterflies seem to adore the wild Marjoram bushes flowering around the farm at the moment. This plant alone had dozens of butterflies, not to mention the bees, hoverflies, moths and more.
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #marjoram #gatekeeperbutterfly #butterflyconservation
If you see a bright yellow butterfly flying throug If you see a bright yellow butterfly flying through the meadows, you can usually assume that it is a Brimstone. BUT, we are currently seeing large numbers of these far less common Clouded Yellow butterflies on the farm at the moment. They are a richer darker yellow colour than Brimstones with black edges on the tops of it's wings and delicate pink fringing (if you get a close enough look).
Keep your eyes peeled because these guys seem to be out in numbers at the moment!
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #butterfly #cloudedyellow #butterflyconservation
Ragwort 💛 🌼  an important plant on the farm that s Ragwort 💛 🌼  an important plant on the farm that sustains a wide range of invertebrates, including the Cinnabar moths, whose caterpillars eat nothing else. But, when dried into hay, ragwort can be dangerously toxic to livestock. We therefore have to go round and pull out anything in the grass to be cut for hay. The hay cut is an important part of wildflower meadow management - removing nutrients and making space for next year's flowers. Luckily, though we leave large margins and patches when e ragwort can continue to flower and thrive and continue to offer a lifeline to our creepy crawly friends.

.

.

.

#apatchwilder #mendips #ragwort
An emperor dragonfly stops by the pond edge to dev An emperor dragonfly stops by the pond edge to devour a recently caught meal. Dragonflies are among the oldest winged insects on Earth, with fossils dating back 325 million years - their ancestors had wingspans of up to 70cm! They are also remarkably accomplished hunters, catching up to 95% of the prey they pursue - a success rate that puts most predators to shame. Despite their ancient lineage, many UK species are under pressure from the loss and degradation of wetland habitats, making every healthy pond and damp corner of countryside all the more valuable.
.
.
.

#apatchwilder #mendips #dragonfly #macrophotography #emperordragonfly
A few years ago we started a project tracking indi A few years ago we started a project tracking individual adders across the farm. Adders each have a unique pattern of scales on top of their heads that acts like a fingerprint. This monitoring has unlocked a whole world of hidden interactions and dramas in the secretive world of our adders. This year, we have recorded 3 new adders (Tiny Snake, Fangstorm and Long John Slither), we have seen Mr Biscuits and Dogtooth fighting, with Dogtooth winning and mating with Noodle. Noodle is now gravid (up the duff) and is spending her days basking as much as possible to raise her body temperature which helps with development of her young, which will be born live in September.
Alice was gravid last year (suspect Mr Biscuits was the father but don't know for sure) and two of the new adders (Tiny Snake and Fangstorm) are juveniles which we suspect might be her progeny.

In case you haven't guessed by now. We are bit obsessed! 🐍 🐍 🐍 
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #adder #snake #snakestagram
And, whilst we're on the topic of new species, her And, whilst we're on the topic of new species, here's another FFTF (First for the Farm): a Scarce Chaser dragonfly. Another unusual species that, whilst not rare, are certainly not common either. 
After 6 years, the number of new species we record each year has really dropped off, but that just makes it all the sweeter when they do show up!
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #dragonfly #scarcechaser
This BEAST of a moth flew into the house the other This BEAST of a moth flew into the house the other day. We didn't recognise it so how to get the ID books out before returning it to the night. Turns out it is called an Old Lady and is scarce or absent from much of central Somerset. It is the first one we have recorded on the farm and our 230th moth species so far.
.
.
.
#apatchwilder #mendips #moths #mothsmatter #oldlady
Follow on Instagram

360 degree photos from around the patch:


And don’t forget to check out our YouTube feed below:


Blossom Travel | Developed By Blossom Themes.Powered by WordPress .