Wildflower Bank Mini Bioblitz 5 July, after school

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  Knapweed Centaurea sp.

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  Common Carder Bee on Knapweed

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Join us at 3.20pm on 5 July for an informal mini Bioblitz of the Wildflower Bank, Ring Fort Rd, CB4 2GR. The event will run for two hours and you’re welcome to join us for as little or long as you like. All equipment will be provided. Children 16 and under must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Sadly, many people don’t realise what a precious resource the Wildflower Bank is – the UK has lost 97% of its wildflower meadows since WWII and that’s having a negative impact on the insects that rely on it, and in turn the birds and bats that feed on them.

It’s an opportunity to get involved in Citizen Science (see video below), learn about the importance of our local plants and invertebrates, and support Plantlife’s Road Verge Campaign. It’ll be an accessible, free, fun, informative, and family friendly activity – easy to join as you collect children from school.

The Wildflower Bank will be brimming with plants and buzzing with insects in July, and this Citizen Science event is being run as (an informal) bioblitz – where experts and members of the public will try to identify as many of these species as we can in this particular area and in the set time. Members of the public are encouraged to come along to learn, and Cambridge based naturalists are very welcome and encouraged to come along and share their expertise. All plant and invertebrate records from the bioblitz will be provided to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Environmental Records Centre.

Click here to see all animals and plants we’ve identified at the Wildflower Bank so far

We will also show people how to use the simple key to identify flowers on the sign we had installed at the Wildflower Bank. It shows pictures and flowering times for the different types of flowers found there, some of the insects, and depictions of wildlife drawn by the school children. 

We’re working with Orchard Park Community Council to have our roadside verges managed for wildlife as per Plantlife’s Road Verge Campaign and as per our Habitats Management Plan written for us by the Wildlife Trust BCN. It’s important to monitor the diversity of the flowers. If the diversity is down a lot from last year, we will undertake any necessary remedial measures as a community event.

Thanks so very much to Tim and Carol Inskipp of OPWP for their expertise with identifying all creatures great and small, Lush for the Charity Pot Party last year to fundraise for equipment for these activities, Education Services 2010 for their funding of the sign and tools, Orchard Park Community Council for managing the mowing schedule for wildlife benefit and collaboration with the sign, and last but not least Orchard Park Community Primary School for joining OPWP’s activities.

Click here for information on last year’s mini bioblitz