CradleyWild 2026

Increasing and improving the environment for nature in and around Cradley

Also on Facebook

12 February, Ten Years of Monitoring Bat Boxes. Dave Lee and Denise Plume (facebook) told us all about bats, including how to make a box of our own. See also www.bats.org.uk and the Herefordshire Biological Records Centre to submit any flora or fauna records.

26 March, committee 2.30pm, Fincher’s Corner

12 April: 2pm Visit to Old Country Farm. [sold out] Many thanks to Ella Quincy who will take a limited number of Cradley Wild around the farm at Old Country which is a wildlife haven.

16 April, committee 2.30pm. Lutian House

4 May plant swap tbc

17 May: 2.30pm Visit to Awnells Farm, Much Marcle. A 200-acre farm managed along regenerative principles with Hereford cattle, goats, a well-established orchard and many different wildlife habitats. Limited numbers, members please email cradleywild@cradley.org.uk to secure your place.

28 May, 2.30pm, committee Lilac Cottage

11 June: 7pm Bumblebees. Richard Comont, ecologist and science manager at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, with particular interest in citizen-scientist schemes, will tell us all about bumble bees.

25 June, 2.30pm, committee The Hurst

JULY: Nigel Hands to talk about Adders.

23 July, 2.30pm, committee Fincher’s Corner

AUGUST: picnic at COG tbc.

3 September, 2.30pm committee Lutian House

September AGM and screening of Six Inches of Soil

OCTOBER: Raptor expert. 

NOVEMBER: craft evening

As ever, events are free to members, £3 to guests. If you haven't subscribed to membership yet, it's a mere £5 and you can join at a meeting or pay via BACS.

Please eMail CradleyWild@cradley.org.uk if you would like to join our group.

There is a members WhatsApp group

We are now on Facebook Cradley Wild

Let it Bee Links & Resources:

From Herefordshire Meadows after the meeting of 12th March 2026:-

ON CLIMATE CHANGE: Show Your Stripes Day at the University of Reading

ON THE EFFECT OF GLYPHOSATE ON POLLINATORS Glyphosate based herbicides and their impact on bees' health.pdf

JNNC STATE OF POLLINATING INSECTS Pollinating insects | Advisor to Government on Nature Conservation

ON BENEFITS of MEADOWS  The-Good-meadow-guide-Plantlife.pdf

ON NATURE FRIENDLY GARDENS Wilding Gardens

ON BENEFITS of WEEDS Research demonstrates high value 'injurious weeds' can bring to pollinators

DATABASE OF POLLINATOR INTERACTIONS DoPI: The Database of Pollinator Interactions

ON RAGWORT  Ragwort.pdf

PLANTS FOR SPECIALIST BEES  Top 10 garden plants for specialist bees / RHS Gardening

RECOMMENDED PLANT SUPPLIERS     Rosybee - plants for bees                                       Bee Happy Plants

Wildflower Plugs Gloucestershire | Herefordshire | Ecohab Wildflowers

ON OPEN POLLINATED SEEDS Welcome - Open Pollinated Seeds                                      Real Seeds.

HEREFORDSHIRE MEDOWS  Action for Red List species – Big Give

NO MOW MAY Plantlife's No Mow May Movement

Contact us on: info@herefordshiremeadows.org.uk 

March 2026 - CRADLEY BEE VILLAGE

WHY BEES LOVES HEDGES

We are coming to the time of year when hedges start to bloom. This is most important for our pollinators as there are relatively few other sources of nectar and pollen in early spring. The Prunus species are the earliest to flower. They typically have Fine five petalled white flowers, which appear on the branches before the leaves appear. Keep a look out this spring to see which trees flower first and see if you can spot the insects feeding on them.

Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) typically flowers in early spring. While peak flowering is between March and April, it is sometimes as early as February in milder conditions. The flowers serve as a vital early nectar source for bees. They sometimes last as long as May. Blackthorn is easily identified by its long (3cm) thorns that give it the Latin name spinosa.

Wild damson (Prunus domestica subspecies insititia) has traditionally been a very popular hedge plant in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. It typically flowers in early to mid-spring, primarily during April. 

Wild plum (Prunus domestica) typically flowers in early to mid-spring, with blooms appearing between March and May, usually peaking in April.  The white or white-to-pink blossoms emerge around the same time as the leaves, often appearing before many other trees in the hedgerows. 

Hawthorn (Crataegus), known as ‘May-tree’, typically flower in May, often lasting into early June. They produce clusters of fragrant, creamy-white (sometimes pink-red) blossoms after their leaves have emerged. The exact timing can vary, with flowering sometimes beginning in April or extending to mid-June depending on spring temperatures. The flowers have a distinct, slightly sweet, or almond smell.

If you are thinking of creating a boundary in your garden, rather than erect a fence, consider planting a native hedge. Not only will it support pollinators, but it will create shelter for small mammals, nesting sites for birds, enable hedgehogs to move freely, create a barrier against the wind, and look lovely! A good place to source hedging plants is The Woodland Trust which sells hedge mixes at subsidised rates on its website shop.woodlandtrust.org.uk/hedge-mixes

Patrick F

HOMES FOR WILDLIFE

MASON BEES Cradley Wild is working with Di H to encourage mason bees into our gardens and public spaces. As part of this, we are making and distributing mason bee houses. If you would like one (cost £20) and to find out more about the project, email cradleywild@cradley.org.uk (but as at early March 2026 most bees have already flown)

SWIFTS We are also aiming to attract more swifts to the village by erecting swift boxes in suitable places. If you have a tall building that could accommodate one (the cost should be around £25) and are happy to give these amazing birds a home, drop us a line at cradleywild@cradley.org.uk

February 2026 - LET’S MAKE CRADLEY A BEE VILLAGE!

Continuing our campaign to encourage pollinators in Cradley, we look at one simple way to help our buzzing friends.

PLANT A TREE

It’s not just patches of wildflowers and brimming borders that attract pollinators, trees do, too. As bee ecologist Professor Dave Goulson points out: ‘We tend to think the best habitats are flowering meadows. But the area of meadow that would fit under a lime tree in blossom would support far, far fewer bees.’ With that in mind, here are five suggestions for trees that are the perfect size for gardens and will attract bees and other pollinators. Now is a good time to plant one when trees are dormant.

1. Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo): flowers from September to November so is an important source of nectar for bumblebees before they hibernate. Height: 4-8m.

2. Pear (Pyris communis): pretty spring blossom attracts a range of insects including honeybees, solitary bees and bumblebees. Height: 12m.

3. Small leaved lime (Tilia cordata): produces a lot of nectar when it flowers mid-June to July, which coincides with the peak activity honeybees and bumblebees. Height: 25m but can be kept compact with pruning.

4. Goat (pussy) willow (Salix caprea): flowers in March and is visited by many bees. The flowers) are a lovely sight at the end of winter – the male flowers develop into catkins. Height: 9m.

5. Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna): an early flowerer and a refuelling stop for honeybees, solitary bees and bumblebees. Height: 10m.

Have you already planted a bee-friendly tree? Let us know at cradleybeevillage@gmail.com.

This is an edited extract from The Garden, the magazine of the RHS.

SWIFTS, A SUMMER WONDER

Swifts are amazing birds. They live almost their entire life in the air, drinking, sleeping, mating and gathering nesting materials on the wing. Once fledged, they remain airborne for up to four years before touching land for the first time to nest and breed. In a single lifetime, one swift can cover 12,6000 miles flying between Africa and the UK to breed in the same place every year. Which is where we come in…

In Cradley we are lucky that a few swifts do return every year to nest, but we are keen to encourage more. Swifts are in real danger as modern homes no longer have the cracks gaps and crevices which offer nesting spaces. Older buildings are repaired without thought of the birds or are demolished. All of which means that their numbers have declined by two thirds in less than 30 years.

Inspired by the TV programme Hamza's Hidden Wild Isles (watch it on BBC iplayer, summer episode, 43mins 55 secs) where one street in Leeds increased the number of Swifts from three in 2012 to over 40 by 2025, we want to do something similar in Cradley. The Leeds residents put up swift boxes which included a swift caller in some to attract their first residents. Swifts are sociable birds and like to nest close to each other, so one box attracted several.

Are you willing to help Cradley Wild return more swifts to our skies? It would mean installing a swift box under the eaves of your house and making a small contribution towards the cost of the box, caller and installation. The caller would play for a couple of hours a day, morning and evening, from May to July. Once the box has been adopted, the bird will return every year and the caller no longer needed. Your reward will be helping these fascinating and mysterious to maintain their extraordinary aerial existence and continue to sweep above us every summer.

If you would like to help swifts, email Cradley Wild at Cradleywild@cradley.org.uk

Linda B

TREE OF THE MONTH: Hornbeam

Many people know Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) as a hedge plant. It is similar but not as tenacious as Beech in holding its leaves in winter, but more tolerant of moist (wet) ground. This is a useful quality with our Herefordshire clays and the increase in the intensity of rain due to climate change.

HOW TO IDENTIFIY IT: Hornbeam can grow up to 30m and live for more than 300 years. It is identified by its oval leaves (similar shape to Beech,) with serrated edges and deep veins. Left to grow as a tree (rather than a hedge,) it has a fluted and twisted trunk with a pale grey bark. Its green winged fruits ‘samaras’ grow in clusters from the female catkins once they have been wind pollinated. Hornbeam also grows well as an understory tree particularly in Oak woods.

GOOD FOR WILDLIFE? As Hornbeam keeps its leaves all year round, it is as an important habitat for birds providing food and shelter for blackbirds and hawfinches. Squirrels, mice and voles feed on the nuts and insects including the hornbeam leaf-curling aphid, depend on it and in turn provide food for birds.

OTHER INTERESTING FACTS? Hornbeam is the hardest European hardwood tree and gets its name from ‘horn’ for strength and the early English word ‘beam’ (or ‘baum’) for tree. It was disliked by carpenters because it rapidly blunted their tools. In the US, it is also called Ironwood because of this. Until the 19th century, it was used instead of iron to make screws, nails and dowels.

In folklore, the hornbeam is a symbol of strength. A tonic made from hornbeam was said to relieve tiredness and its leaves were used to stop bleeding and heal wounds.

Patrick F

A WORD ABOUT MOLEHILLS

For the last year or so, members of Cradley Wild have been raking the molehills in Chapel Lane playground as a natural alternative to the Parish Council employing a mole catcher. More volunteers to help with this satisfying and not that onerous task would be very welcome and help spread the workload. If interested, please email cradleywild@cradley.org.uk

JANUARY CMS NEWSLETTER: LET’S MAKE CRADLEY A BEE VILLAGE

Imagine if Cradley was known as the village that cared for nature… Where pollinators thrived and gardens bloomed with flowers and buzzed with bees! We have already made a great start with last year’s Planters for Pollinators campaign, which Cradley Wild ran with Cradley WI, and which saw 110 pollinator-friendly containers planted up around the village. Now we want to continue that momentum and make Cradley a Bee Village. This will be a proper community campaign, so we are calling on residents to pitch in and take part.

The Big Idea

You are probably aware that bee population numbers are in serious decline. As bees and other pollinators pollinate around 90% of wild plants and 75% of food crops, this is a calamity that affects all of us. For 2026, our aim is to work with Cradley residents and community groups on various bee-friendly initiatives to boost bee numbers. We hope to record this to see what difference we have made.

How you can help

If turning Cradley into a Bee Village is something you would like to be involved in, let us know by signing up to be a Bee Villager at cradleybeevillage@gmail.com. This is to express your interest and to say that you are open to planting bee-friendly plants and not using pesticides, so not onerous! See various other ideas for involvement, below. Our plans are still at an early stage, and we would welcome input from any individuals or groups.

Ideas so far include:

* Creating ‘mini meadows’ and drifts of bee-friendly plants throughout the village. These would include the pots and containers from last year’s Planters for Pollinators campaign, as well as patches of wildflower planting in gardens.

* Swapping wildflower seeds. Any residents who have species-rich meadows to harvest small amounts of seed to give to people creating their own mini meadow.

* Turning a verge into a wildflower area.

* Making and erecting more solitary bee set-ups throughout the village.

* Asking people to commit to no pesticides in their garden.

* Holding busy bee craft events with children to raise awareness of bees and pollinators.

KNOW YOUR BEES

To kickstart the campaign, here is quick guide to our pollinating friends. There are approximately 255 different species of bee in the UK: 1 honey bee, 24 bumble bees (including the Common carder bumblebee) and over 230 solitary bees.

Honey Bees

In the UK we have just one type of honey bee (Apis mellifera).  It’s a domesticated species introduced by beekeepers.  They are commonly found feeding on open flowers that they can easily reach with their short tongues.

Bumble Bees

There are 24 types of bumble bee in the UK. They are a social species and live in colonies of around 200 bees. They like gardens, parks and open woodland and favour comfrey, bramble, fruit trees and fuchsia. Tree bumble bees are one of our most common species and are the ones most likely to colonise old nest boxes. Each type of bumble bee will have different preferences but thistles, birds-foot trefoil, black thorn, gorse, dead nettle, bluebells, clover, knapweed, scabious, dandelion and buddleia will attract one variety or another.

To find out more about bumble bees, come to a talk by Dr Richard Cormont from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust at the Village Hall on 11 June at 7pm.

Solitary Bees

Around 90% of our bee population are solitary bees – a huge group including mason bees, mining bees and leaf cutter bees. These short-lived bees forage for nectar and pollen on apple and pear blossom (they are crucial pollinators), dandelions and flowers such as scabious and daisies, among others.  If you already have a solitary bee set-up (as introduced to the village by Di H), the most likely residents will be the red mason bee (Osmia bicornis).

JESSIE M AND CLARE G

TREE OF THE MONTH: WILD CHERRY

Wild cherry (Prunus Avium,) also known as 'gean', is one of the fastest growing hardwood trees in Britain. While it has a relatively short life of about 60 years, in that time it can grow to 30m tall with a diameter at breast height of up to 1.5m. Like Silver Birch and Pussy Willow it is a ‘pioneer' species that needs light to grow. This means that it will colonise land that has previously been cleared or cultivated, and, being a fast-growing tree ,it is excellent for combating climate change.

HOW TO IDENTIFY IT: The flowers of Wild Cherry are fine, either white or slightly coloured and generally in small clusters of two to six. They have a faintly almond aroma. In mid-spring it is easy to spot Wild Cherry trees in established woodland, as they often set flowers at, or before the time they set leaves, and so stand out as patches of brilliant white in an otherwise grey/green scene. The bark can be easily identified by its slightly reddish polish and the distinctive horizontal bands of lenticels (raised pores) around the trunk. These are characteristic of Wild Cherry as well as garden and fruit growing cultivars. The leaves are seven to 15cm long, oval and pointed, with fine serration on the edges. In autumn, the leaves turn orange, pink or red.

GOOD FOR WILDLIFE? Wild Cherries are a favourite of birds and small mammals and are devoured when ripe. In this way, the seeds are distributed and fertilised. Spring flowers provide an early source of nectar and pollen for bees and the cherries are eaten by birds and mammals, such as badgers and mice. The foliage is the main food plant for caterpillars of many species of moth.

OTHER INTERESTING FACTS?  Like a lot of the Prunus species, the Wild Cherry will self-propagate by putting up suckers from its roots. Look out for these in woodland, particularly as they trees get towards the end of their life.

Apart from the climate and wildlife benefits of the Wild Cherry, the pinkish brown wood is used for making furniture as solid wood and as veneer. The wood also burns well with a faint wildflower aroma.

The future of Wild Cherry is uncertain, as although it favours a warming climate, it can suffer in drought. It will however continue to be an important tree in mixed woodlands, for its value for wildlife.

PATRICK F