Dragonfly ID course and Guided walk at Newport Wetlands
A day of celebration and discovery will bring you close to dragonflies, as we celebrate 1 year since the launch of Newport Wetlands as a Dragonfly Hotspot. Designated by the British Dragonfly Society and working in collaboration with RSPB, Natural Resources Wales and Living Levels Partnership. Dragonfly Hotspots are special places, carefully chosen because they support a good variety of dragonfly and damselfly species, are easy to access, and can provide opportunities for local communities to learn about dragonflies and get involved with dragonfly conservation and events.
Join us on Sunday 13 July to celebrate and learn more about these wonderful invertebrates. Watch damselflies dancing over ponds and dragonflies hunting along the water’s edge. Delve into the deep and learn about the larval stage of the dragonfly’s life cycle, living up to 5 years under the water!
The day will be jam packed with exciting activities:
- Guided dragonfly walks – ID course and guided walk with Steve Preddy, County Recorder. Please book a ticket to join his session. Start time 10am.
- Pond dipping – Open from 10:30am-2:30pm, Pay at the centre for your equipment, £4.50 each.
- Dragonfly crafting and spotting guides
- Knowledgeable guides on hand with any questions
Join us at the Ryedale Aquarist Society Open Event, where the Yorkshire Dragonfly Group will be in attendance! Come along to learn about the fascinating world of dragonflies and damselflies, chat with local experts, and discover how you can get involved.
Renowned naturalist and author of The Dragonfly Diaries Ruary Mackenzie Dodds, described by TV personality Chris Packham as “the greatest ambassador these insects have had in the UK…” will be in the gardens to talk to visitors about dragonflies and Exbury’s very special ‘hotspot’ status on 6th and 13th July at 11.30am and 2:30pm.
Copies of his book The Dragonfly Diaries are available to purchase in our Gift Shop.
Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity which is free with a gardens admissions ticket or a Friends of Exbury Membership.
Image by Exbury Gardens
Renowned naturalist and author of The Dragonfly Diaries Ruary Mackenzie Dodds, described by TV personality Chris Packham as “the greatest ambassador these insects have had in the UK…” will be in the gardens to talk to visitors about dragonflies and Exbury’s very special ‘hotspot’ status on 6th and 13th July at 11.30am and 2:30pm.
Copies of his book The Dragonfly Diaries are available to purchase in our Gift Shop.
Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity which is free with a gardens admissions ticket or a Friends of Exbury Membership.
Image by Exbury Gardens
Join us for this year’s BirdFair on 11, 12 & 13 July 2025 where nature lovers and birdwatchers gather to celebrate the natural world.
Come and find our stand in the exhibitor’s marquees to find out more about our conservation work and learn about dragonflies – we look forward to meeting you there!
Our stand will be accessible 9am to 5.30pm daily. Last admission to marquees is at 4pm.
The event hosts a mix of talks, events and workshops as well as other stalls from wildlife charities and other organisations.
We are excited to be exhibiting at Chatsworth Garden and Plant Fair!
We will be showcasing the wonder of dragonflies, highlighting the species you may find in your garden and how we can all do our bit for their conservation by adding a pond to our gardens.
The event will also have opportunities to browse specialist plant nurseries, meet garden experts, and experience a variety of talks and tours, plus live music and local food.
Click here for more information.
[Image: Garden pond by Dave Smallshire]
The Hawk Conservancy Trust’s Big Wild Weekend is a festival of British nature, showcasing the wonderful natural world on our doorsteps. A range of wildlife activities and stands from UK Conservation charities will be present for the weekend.
Join us for family-friendly dragonfly crafts and activities to celebrate these incredible insects.
The event runs 10am-5.30pm on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th.
Pre-booking advised. Paid entry to the Centre required.
[Image: Banded demoiselle by Stephen Evans]
We are excited to be running a stand at Green Gathering, an off-grid, grassroots festival, exploring low-impact living through music, arts, activism, spoken word, crafts and so much more.
We will be showcasing the wonder of dragonflies, running craft activities and inspiring conservation actions for all to take part in.
So grab your tickets now and make sure to stop by and say hello!
Come and join the Dragonfly Society and WWT at the Wild Weekend, part of the Natural History Consortium’s Festival of Nature.
Join us for dragonfly crafts and activities to celebrate WWT’s Dragonfly Festival and learn more about these incredible insects.
We will have a stand in Millennium Square for the whole weekend, from 10am-6pm on Saturday 14th and 10am-5pm on Sunday 15th.
You can also take part in the Water Parade on at 2.30pm with your dragonfly creations made in our craft workshops: https://www.bnhc.org.uk/festival-of-nature/event/wild-weekend-water-parade/
The Festival of Nature (7th-15th June) includes many free family-friendly nature activities, exhibitor stalls, wildlife film screenings, talks and performances, music and parades, in Bristol. https://www.bnhc.org.uk/festival-of-nature/
[Image: Northern Damselfly by D Muir]
Dragonfly walks and stall as part of the Emberton Country Park 60th celebration weekend.
There will be other entertainment, stalls, and services as part of the birthday event.
Three guided walks will occur each day at 11am, 1pm and 3pm , lasting 1 hour each, led by the site’s dragonfly recorder. The walks will focus on the diversity of dragonflies on site, as well as other invertebrates and birds.
The event runs 10am-4pm on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th.