Can you tell the difference between English and Spanish bluebells? 🌸
Every spring, our woodlands burst into stunning carpets of bluebells. They may look similar at first, but on closer inspection some are quite different.
If you’re planting bluebells in a shady spot, choose the native ones. It will help protect our countryside from invasive species and supports pollinators like bees and butterflies.
Remember: bluebells are protected in the UK, so please don’t pick or trample them 💙
A huge thank you and congratulations to Polly, age 10, who has raised an incredible £700+ for Devon Wildlife Trust by completing her very first triathlon! 🎉💚
Taking on a swim, cycle and run was a huge challenge, but Polly absolutely smashed it and has raised more than double her original fundraising target.
Polly is also on the Eco Council at her school and told us:
“I wanted to fundraise for Devon Wildlife Trust because I’m really passionate about the environment and what we can do to save it.”
We’re so inspired by Polly’s commitment to protecting nature and every donation will help support our work restoring Devon’s wildlife across land and sea.
📷: Polly's family
Thought female birds were always plainer-looking than the males? You thought wrong!
Both female and male kingfishers have equally bright plumage, but the way to tell them apart is that the female has a little extra colour to her.
While males have an entirely black beak, the female has an orange underside to her beak (often described as wearing lipstick!) - as you can see in this fantastic shot taken by Martin when visiting south Devon recently.
📷: @wavesandwildlife.cornwall@chough.rock on Instagram
It’s Endangered Species Day 💚
The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. We are trying to change this!
Across Devon we are creating, restoring and connecting habitats for all our species. Their future depends on the action we take now. These are just a few of the many endangered species we are helping. 🦋 🐦️ 🐜 🐱
None of this is possible without the support we receive from our members, volunteers and partners, or the local communities taking action for wildlife and the individuals who are choosing the Wild Life.
Thank you to everyone involved in protecting our incredible and rare wildlife! 👏
You can support our endangered species by joining as a member today, link in bio 🔗
At first glance, you might notice this beaver’s striking orange teeth (due to the iron, which makes them strong enough to gnaw through wood) but look a little closer and there’s an even more exciting detail to spot… 🦫
This female beaver’s visible teats suggest we could soon be seeing beaver kits making their first appearances on the river Otter this year!
A dam cute fact: Beaver kits are so fluffy when they're born that they're incredibly buoyant, so when they're very young, they can't dive without the help of their parents 💚
📷 @henleyspiers
Just a happy seal enjoying a well-earned cuttlefish as a snack 🦭
Seals can be spotted around Devon all year round, spending most of their time out at sea hunting for food. These incredible animals can swim up to 100 km in a single day and hold their breath underwater for 10 minutes or more! 🌊
Want to learn more about the larger marine life just off our coast? Join one of our monthly Seaquest events and help us record what’s out there. Find all our events on our website, link in bio 🔗
You deserve more time in nature this summer ☀️
For your curiosity 🌳
For your mental wellbeing 🐬
For a break from busy days 🌼
#30DaysWild is all about taking a little time in June to notice and enjoy nature
Sign up for your free pack and take part, link in bio 🔗
📷: Logan Walker
Blue jellyfish spotted off the South Devon coast! 🪼
Our brilliant marine volunteer Matt Staddon captured these incredible images at a recent, rainy, snorkel introduction at Wembury Marine Centre.
Blue jellyfish are commonly seen around the UK coastline during summer and autumn, drifting inshore to feed on blooms of plankton. Using their dense array of stinging tentacles, they can easily capture prey as they drift through the water.
Did you know? Their bell can grow up to 30cm wide, and younger individuals are often mistaken for lion’s mane jellyfish.🦁
Although beautiful, they can sting, so if you spot one washed up on the beach, please admire it from a distance and avoid handling it.✋️
📸 Matt Staddon @our.worldaroundus1
A spectacular sight - Risso’s dolphins breaching off the Devon coast 🐬
Luke from Plymouth was amazed to spot these incredible dolphins near Stoke Beach. As they moved close to shore, he watched them leap out of the water and cruise past before finally managing to capture the moment on film.
Risso’s dolphins are recognised by their robust bodies, blunt heads, and pale colouring. Many are covered in distinctive scratches and scars, caused by social interactions with other dolphins and encounters with the squid and octopus they hunt in deep waters. 🐙
If you’re lucky enough to spot Risso’s dolphins, please report your sighting to the @rissosdolphinproject run by @uniofexeter so we can better understand these amazing creatures: [email protected]
Have you seen any yet? Tell us where in the comments 👇️
Was there a moment when nature was there for you in a time of need? 💚
Spending time in nature – touching grass, listening to birdsong, and feeling the wind - can have a powerful impact on both your physical and mental wellbeing.
Time outdoors can help reduce stress, lift your mood, and give you space to reset (even when the weather is bad).
This Mental Health Awareness Week, take a moment for yourself and reconnect with nature. 🍃
Why not explore one of our beautiful nature reserves across Devon?
📸 Katie P, DWT Ludwell Valley Park in Exeter
@mentalhealthfoundation #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #MHAW2026
It’s official - the bluebells are out at Emsworthy! 💙
Usually the last bluebells to bloom in late May, this stunning Dartmoor display has arrived early this year.
Come and experience the spectacle for yourself, accompanied by the sounds of cuckoo, skylarks, snipe, meadow pipits and redstarts. 🐦️
Please help us protect this special wild place by keeping dogs on leads and sticking to the footpaths. Trampling can damage the flowers, and recovery can take years. #RespectProtectEnjoy
Have you seen them already?
What a find! Whilst rockpooling at Wembury with their mum, children Casper and Sollie, both "nature lovers and obsessed with sea slugs", came across an incredibly rare hair curler sea slug (Spurilla neopolitana). This is only the third time this warm water species has been recorded in Devon making this a really exciting encounter. Well done Casper and Sollie!
📷 Daisy Wood
