What a May it’s been! Sunshine, blossoms, birdsong, and just the right amount of rain to keep things green and buzzing. May 2025 saw Gosforth’s Wild Web in full bloom-connecting people, places, and the wonderful wildlife around us. Whether it was pond-dipping with local school children, bug hunting at a community bioblitz, or recording butterflies fluttering by, this past month has been a beautiful celebration of nature and the people who care about it.
May was packed with activity across Gosforth’s Wild Web. From the Byker wall housing estate to Hebburn Riverside park and Nuns Moor park, communities gathered to explore the wild things on their doorstep.
Here’s what May looked like in numbers:
- 16 community events with 588 attendees (including 181 children!)
- 6 school sessions across 3 local schools
- 3 citizen science sessions with 19 participants
But the real story is in the people and the nature they connected with.
Community Magic: Insects, Bats, and Blossoms
Community events this May were lively, varied, and full of curiosity. From bioblitzes in Scotswood Garden, Hebburn Riverside Park, and the Byker Estate, to evening bat walks at Newcastle High School for Girls.
We also joined in with local events like the St Aidan’s Church Eco Fest meeting lots of nature enthusiasts. We were also treated to a day in the sun at Greening Wingrove’s Nature Discovery day in Nuns Moor Park. The warm weather continued to keep us warm at Hebburn Riverside Park for the Tyne Rivers Trust Nature Discovery festival, where we saw many butterflies and even a striking copper underwing caterpillar.
It’s been especially brilliant seeing how much enthusiasm there is for insects- especially among the younger naturalists. With so many tiny creatures to discover, we may well have met a few future entomologists!
School Sessions with Gosforth’s Wild Web
Two schools that have been part of Gosforth’s Wild Web over the past few months finally got their chance to visit the Gosforth Nature Reserve- and what a day they had!
The students took part in pond dipping, birdwatching, nature walks, tree identification, and even some nature-inspired art. Their curiosity and energy made it a joy to explore Gosforth Nature Reserve together.
Wildlife Highlights: 958 Species Spotted!
The wildlife was just as busy as the people. Thanks to all the brilliant recorders, 2,558 sightings were logged on iRecord and iNaturalist, covering an amazing 958 different species!
The most recorded species were Harlequin ladybirds (and their larvae!), tree and early bumblebees, marmalade hoverflies and plenty of damselflies. There were even some recordings of pine and water ladybirds! The pine ladybird is only around 4 mm long and has a domed, shiny black body with four distinctive red comma-shaped spots, making it look a bit like a tiny helmet. Water ladybirds are also around 4mm long, but pale yellow with 15-21 black spots. Unlike most ladybirds, water ladybirds hang out in wet places like the edges of ponds, marshes, and reedbeds where they hunt for aphids! Also recorded, was the Large Yellow Faced Bee, this bee has a striking face- make sure you check out its picture. Another exciting bee you’ve spotted is the heath bumblebee, a cutie with a yellow nose and a wingbeat that can reach up to 200 times per second!
As we look to the rest of summer, Gosforth’s Wild Web continues to be about one simple thing: bringing people closer to nature. Whether through a child’s first pond dip or a community coming together under blossom-laden trees, every moment in nature is worth celebrating. Make sure to follow Gosforth’s Wild Web on INaturalist or IRecord and upload your very own wildlife sightings!
Here’s to more discoveries, more laughter, and more wild, wonderful days ahead!
