top of page
Search

Enstone Eco — May 2026 Newsletter

  • 11 minutes ago
  • 4 min read

Dear Enstone Eco community,


May is here and it is one of the most magical months of the year to be outside. The countryside is in full swing, the insects are busy, and there has never been a better excuse to put the lawnmower away. Read on for all the latest from Enstone Eco!


🌸 What's Out There Right Now

The daffodils may have taken their bow in Fulwell, but there is still so much to discover on your doorstep. Here is what our members have been spotting:

  • Dark-edged Bee Fly - that curious hovering insect with its long proboscis, a brilliant and characterful spring visitor

  • Bumble Bees - out and about and in need of our support (more on that below!)

  • Bluebells - carpeting the ground in their gorgeous violet-blue

  • Wood Anemone - delicate white stars dotting the woodland floor

  • Cherry Tree Avenue - the avenue planted by our local school children is in glorious blossom. What a beautiful legacy for the village!


Over at the site next to the allotments, Cowslips are flowering, a wonderful sign of a healthy, traditional grassland. It was a touch too windy for butterflies on our last visit, but keep your eyes peeled on calmer days, as they will not be far away.



🌿 No Mow May - Put the Mower Away!

May is the perfect time to try one of the easiest things any of us can do for wildlife: stop mowing the lawn for the whole month.


No Mow May is Plantlife's annual campaign encouraging everyone - from large garden owners to those with a tiny patch of grass. The idea is to let wildflowers grow freely throughout May. When we stop mowing, dandelions, clover, buttercups, and a host of other plants burst into flower almost immediately, creating a vital buffet for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators that are just getting going for the season.


Why does it matter?

  • Pollinators like bees and butterflies desperately need food sources in late spring as they build up their colonies

  • Even a small unmown patch can make a real difference to local insect populations

  • It costs nothing and takes no effort - just resist the urge to mow!


How to take part:

  • Simply put the lawnmower away for May

  • If you cannot leave the whole lawn, try leaving just a strip or a corner, no lawn is too small to help

  • You can even make a pledge at plantlife.org.uk/campaigns/nomowmay to be part of the national count


At the end of May, Plantlife asks participants to do a quick survey of the wildflowers in their lawn. It is great fun and contributes to real scientific data about UK biodiversity. We would love to hear what you find in your own gardens, so do share your discoveries with the group!


💧 Great UK Waterblitz - Monitoring Our Rivers

This weekend, members of Enstone Eco took part in the Great UK Waterblitz, monitoring our local rivers and helping to generate data for Earthwatch. This important citizen science project builds a picture of the ecological status of our rivers and indicates any changes over time.


You may be following the Dirty Business documentary on the UK's sewage crisis and the state of our rivers. This kind of grassroots monitoring is a vital part of keeping that conversation grounded in real, local data.


Waterblitz events occur twice a year, in April and September, and there is also the opportunity to get involved in monthly monitoring. If you would like to take part locally, please get in touch!


☕ Churchyard Wildflowers - Coffee Morning Magic

During a recent church coffee morning, a few of us took our garden kneelers to the churchyard wildflower area and the path to the church to observe the wonderful leaf structures coming through. We had such a lot of fun in the sunshine, not to mention coffee and cake!


The results were impressive:

  • 36 plant species recorded

  • 3 species of bee

  • Ladybirds, Robins, and ants

  • Holly Blue and Orange Tip butterflies


And you will be pleased to know the yellow rattle is growing well!


🍎 Proposed Enstone Community Orchard & Wildflower Site

Volunteers from Enstone Eco recently shared their vision with Enstone Women's Institute for transforming the site next to the allotments into a haven for people and wildlife.

While no formal decision has been made yet by the Enstone Relief In Need (ERIN) Charity trustees, who own the site, everyone at the WI was excited to hear about the proposed plans. They engaged enthusiastically with the ideas, raised pertinent questions, and offered some very positive suggestions that we can incorporate going forward.

Watch this space for developments!


📅 Upcoming Events

7th May, 10:00am - Flora and Fauna Observations at the proposed Enstone Community Orchard and Wildlife Site (next to the allotments)

15th July, 10:00am - Flora and Fauna Observations (repeat of above)

18th July, 10:30am - Churchyard Flora and Fauna

❗️TBC - Whiteways Technical Centre - We are looking at organising a tour of the nature sites in Whiteways Technical Centre, Enstone. Please email enstoneeco@gmail.com to register your interest so we can establish numbers. You can also RSVP on our events page.




👀 Keep Looking!

May is full of surprises. If you spot something interesting - a butterfly emerging from a meadow patch, a bee nesting in an unexpected spot, or a wildflower you do not recognise - please do share it with the group. Every sighting helps build a picture of how our local wildlife is doing.


Enjoy the sunshine and the blossom,


The Enstone Eco Team 🌱



 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page