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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · 12d

Exploring a coal spoil site near Aberdare today, we found the flat-backed millipede Polydesmus barberii.

This non-native species, first seen in Britain in 1995, has only recently been discovered in Wales. Today's find is just the fourth known site in Wales — and the third in the Cynon Valley!

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Sep 1

🐞🌿 Join us for Blaenavon Biodiversity Day on Sat 20 Sept!
Guided walks with local experts on insects, fungi, birds + more.
Don’t miss @liamolds.bsky.social from @collieryspoil.bsky.social leading an insect/invertebrate walk!

📍 Blaenavon | 🗓️ 20 Sept

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Reposted by Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative

Liam Olds @liamolds.bsky.social · Aug 28

Join the Buglife Cymru Coal Spoil Connections team, Lost Peatlands Project - Prosiect Adfer Mawndiroedd, KeyCreate, and others for a WildBlitz at Clydach Vale Country Park!

🗓️ Friday 29 August
🕙 10:30 - 15:00
📌 Clydach Vale Country Park

No need to book, just turn up at Cambrian Colliery Memorial.

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Aug 21

Hieroglyphic Ladybird (Coccinella hieroglyphica) from heathland at Sirhowy Hill Woodlands, Blaenau Gwent, this morning.

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Aug 16

Last night we visited Gelli Tips and were treated to a beautiful scene – the evening sunlight casting a golden glow over the tips, with the heather in full bloom. 💜🌿

We also captured some breathtaking drone footage that will feature in an upcoming video for Buglife’s Coal Spoil Connections project.

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Aug 8

An Evening Of History and Wildlife at Silent Valley - Friday 8th August, 6:30pm start

Join Buglife's Coal Spoil Connections Team and @henebtwa.bsky.social for a guided walk through Silent Valley Nature Reserve.

For further info and booking, visit: www.trybooking.com/uk/events/la...

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Jul 30

A few spaces have become available on the 'Bee and butterfly guided walk' at #Mumbles 🦋🐝

Fri 1 August 10.00am – 12.00pm and 1.00pm – 3.00pm

Meeting point: outside Forte's, Mumbles Road, Mumbles, #Swansea SA3 4JT
What3words ///fields.sobered.sharpens

👉Booking required: www.trybooking.com/uk/EWZL

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Jul 28

🟣 Berytinus crassipes & B. montivagus (stilt bugs)
🟣 Doratura stylata & Rhopalopyx adumbrata (leafhoppers)

Once again, colliery spoil is proving just how special it is — supporting species you won’t easily find elsewhere. There's real ecological value in these overlooked landscapes. 💚

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Jul 28

Today's survey was a great success, turning up a number of uncommon invertebrates, including:

🟣 Feathered Stem-moth (Ochsenheimeria taurella)
🟣 Top-horned Hunchback (Acrocera orbiculus)
🟣 Adelphocoris seticornis (plant bug)

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Jul 28

This year we've been working with the South Wales Trunk Road Agency to survey roadside verges for invertebrates around Merthyr Tydfil. Today we made our final visit to a very special verge in Dowlais. Comprising colliery spoil, it's proving to be a real hidden gem for biodiversity!

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Jul 24

Back to Sirhowy Hill Woodlands today to continue the invertebrate survey. The reserve looked lovely, and great to see the bee hotels in use — even spotted a Wood-carving Leafcutter Bee (Megachile ligniseca) basking on one!

Among today's nice finds was the leafhopper Rhopalopyx adumbrata.

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Jul 11

Today's guided walks at Parc Melin Mynach, Gorseinon, explored the former Mountain Colliery site.

Highlights included Marbled White, Six-belted Clearwing, Brown-banded Carder Bee, prowling spider Cheiracanthium virescens, and picture-winged fly Herina palustris.

Great turnout despite the heat! 🥵

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Jul 5

@walesnatureweek.bsky.social @sewbrec.org.uk @wtswwswanseagroup.bsky.social

Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Jul 5

It's #WalesNatureWeek 🎉

Join @liamolds on a guided walk at Parc Melin Mynach, Gorseinon, and discover how nature has reclaimed this former colliery site.

Friday 11th July
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

For booking, visit www.trybooking.com/uk/events/la...

Hidden Life of Colliery Spoil: Biodiversity Guided Walk

Discover the surprising wildlife of Parc Melin Mynach on a guided walk led by entomologist Liam Olds. Explore how nature has reclaimed this former...

www.trybooking.com

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Jun 24

One day for sure 😊

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Jun 24

🌟 Exciting Discovery Alert! 🌟

Back in January we teased some big news…and here it is!

🐌 Semilimax pyrenaicus (Pyrenean Semi-slug) has been recorded in Britain for the first time, found at a colliery spoil site in Cwmaman, S. Wales.

Read more: doi.org/10.61733/jco...

#SemiSlug #WildlifeDiscovery

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Jun 23

Last week, @olds_liam led a guided walk for staff & students from University of Bristol at Coity Tips, Blaenavon.

We explored the unique habitats and species of colliery spoil — which included sightings of iconic species such as Bilberry Bumblebee, Mottled Grasshopper, Fairy-flax & Bee Orchid.

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Jun 19

Incredible tufa springs seen at the former Pentremawr Colliery, Pontyberem, Carmarthenshire, today - clearly decades of tufa deposits! Around the springs was Delicate Soldierfly (Oxycera nigricornis) and Giant Lacewing (Osmylus fulvicephalus), as well as caddisflies and craneflies.

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Jun 17

Hidden Life of Colliery Spoil: Biodiversity Guided Walk (FREE)

Discover the surprising wildlife of Parc Melin Mynach, Gorseinon, on a guided walk led by entomologist Liam Olds. Explore how nature has reclaimed this former colliery site.

Friday 11th July
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Hidden Life of Colliery Spoil: Biodiversity Guided Walk

Discover the surprising wildlife of Parc Melin Mynach on a guided walk led by entomologist Liam Olds. Explore how nature has reclaimed this former...

www.trybooking.com

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Reposted by Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative

Joey Pickard @bootlegbryos.bsky.social · Jun 16

First piece about the new #LostPeatlands project. If those on the peatlands feed or working on other conservation projects could give it a repost it would be much appreciated!

If you’ve got things you want to see us develop, deliver or evidence, let us know.

businessnewswales.com/new-funding-...

New Funding Awarded to Develop Lost Peatlands Connections Project

A total of £263,309 in funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund has been awarded to the Lost Peatlands Connections project which will build on the

businessnewswales.com

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · Jun 15

How lovely is this male White-jawed Yellow-face Bee (Hylaeua confusus) found at Ogmore Washeries, Bridgend, this week!?

This bee was one of two bees to be added to the former coal washery's ever-growing species list this week (the other bee was the Small-flecked Mining Bee, Andrena coitana).

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Reposted by Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative

South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre @sewbrec.org.uk · May 19

Our suggested event this week is our #BioBlitz at Penllergare Valley Woods in #Swansea on Saturday! Help us to explore the wildlife of this fascinating Victorian estate. Join us on one of our guided walks (schedule below).

Book here or come and find us on the day: penllergarebb.eventbrite.co.uk

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · May 22

Absolutely delighted to come across Bilberry Bumblebee (Bombus monticola) workers foraging on bird's-foot-trefoils at the former International Colliery, Blaengarw, this afternoon. We're so fortunate to have these beautiful bumblebees in the South Wales Valleys!

@bumblebeetrust.bsky.social

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · May 9

Three-spined Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus), Horse Leech (Haemopis sanguisuga) and the clown beetle Margarinotus neglectus among some of the finds at Sirhowy Hill Woodlands, Tredegar, today.

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Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative @collieryspoil.bsky.social · May 6

A few sightings from a quick visit to Darren Fawr Tip, Garw Valley, today: Dingy Skipper (Erynnis tages), Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus), Green Tiger Beetle (Cicindela campestris), and American Blue-eyed-grass (Sisyrinchium montanum). The latter appears to be doing well there.

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