Volunteers Paul and David recorded the highest number of butterflies in seven years on their survey at Lackford Lakes this month 

Species included, gatekeeper, brown argus, small copper, and green-veined white with 200 individual butterflies recorded!

Following a concerning year in 2024 this bumper year could be a promising sight for our local butterfly species. 

Our team at Bradfield Woods has also had some good sightings this year with silver washed fritillary, white admiral and purple emperor butterflies all recorded in good numbers

For the Farm Wildlife Advice Team, a first visit to a farmer’s land is always a joy. It’s about learning how we might be able to help and share the discovery of what’s to be found on farm. It doesn’t have to be a rare species to open new doors to nature recovery in our farmed landscape – which at 70% of Suffolk’s area makes our work so valuable for local wildlife and people.

Lady’s bedstraw could be used as a substitute for rennet to curdle the milk in cheese-making. How appropriate then that this was one of several wildflowers growing in a damp meadow on a former dairy farm where there’s great potential for nature restoration. 

This month our Wilder Landscapes team welcomed a new Conservation Adviser Volunteer to the ranks. Graham, our Conservation Adviser, led on some training for the new volunteer ready to begin site visits. When a landowner gets in contact with interest on creating or maintaining a Private Nature Reserve, Graham or one of his volunteers will visit the site to give bespoke advice on how to maximise the space for nature. 

Private Nature Reserves are an extremely important space for nature, the habitats are diverse and include ponds, rivers, meadows, woodlands, wetlands, smallholdings and orchards. 

Interested in setting aside space for nature in your land? Find out more here. 

Suffolk and Norfolk are on the Government’s fast track to devolution - which will see the creation of a new overarching ‘strategic authority’, with voters set to go to the polls in May 2026 to choose the first joint Mayor for Suffolk and Norfolk. But what does this mean for nature?

Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Norfolk Wildlife Trust and a group of Council Leaders and Cabinet Members from all six of Suffolk’s local authorities signed a letter to the Minister for Local Government and English Devolution - Jim McMahon - asking him to ensure the Government’s devolution proposals ‘maximise the benefits to local people, businesses, the economy, and the environment from nature-positive growth and development that support local and national ambitions and targets for nature recovery and net zero.’ 

There is a great opportunity to make devolution work for nature, alongside Suffolk and Norfolk’s respective Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS).

Find out more here 

Fen raft spiderlings, young of the UK’s largest and rarest spider, have begun to emerge throughout the dyke system at our Carlton Marshes nature reserve. These impressive spiders were discovered at the source of the river Waveney at Redgrave and Lopham Fen nature reserve in 1956. 

Surveys have shown good numbers of fen raft spiders also present at our Castle Marshes Nature Reserve, and there is hope that this population will expand into our newest reserve Worlingham Marshes in the years to come. 

Whilst these spiders can grow large and walk on water, they aren’t as intimidating as you may believe. Read some of our top facts about fen raft spiders here.

Last month two additional cuckoos were tagged at our Worlingham Marshes Nature Reserve as part of the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) ongoing project. 

All three of Worlingham’s Cuckoos have made excellent progress to their winter breeding grounds in Africa. Arthur and Wilfrid appear to be following a similar path and were last recorded in the western Sahara, whilst Ashok has taken a central route and his signal was last detected in Chad, covering over 3,000 km (1,864 miles) in under three days! 

Keep up to date with all the BTO cuckoos here. Cuckoo Tracking Project | BTO

Swift fledglings have been spotted leaving the nest boxes installed on the side of our office located north of Ipswich. These impressive birds travel thousands of miles a year to nest in the UK and never touch the ground, only stopping to nest around three years into their lives. 

Find out how we’re working alongside SOS Swifts to encourage breeding and boost the population of this iconic Suffolk species in this blog, by Cathy Smith our Conservation Adviser Celebrating Suffolk's Swifts | Suffolk Wildlife Trust

To mark the centenary of the Suffolk Rambling Club, the group has worked with our Trimley Marshes Warden to install a commemorative bench along the River Deben at our nature reserve. 

This was made possible by a generous donation from the club, with funds supporting our vital work for wildlife conservation in Suffolk. 

Find out how your donations could support vital conservation work in Suffolk 

Make a donation | Suffolk Wildlife Trust

Spending her summers in Suffolk, Angela Harding's artwork draws inspiration from iconic species found throughout our county including bittern and curlew. 

Each design is printed using sustainable water-based inks on 100% organic cotton and made to order, reducing waste and helping the planet. 

Each purchase supports our Mission 2030 fundraiser, with the goal to bring back nature in abundance to Suffolk. 

Browse the Angela Harding Collection