Cambridge Natural History Society

19/08/2026

14/08/2026

GCSE Natural History – consultation now open.
Calling schools, educators, environmental organisations and young people, have your say on the proposed GCSE in Natural History.
The Department for Education is consulting on proposed subject content for a new GCSE in Natural History. This is a chance to help shape a qualification focused on nature, climate, fieldwork and environmental understanding.
If you’re a:
• Secondary teacher
• Head teacher or principal
• Awarding organisation
• Student
• Parents and carer
• Initial teacher training provider…
Please take part here before midnight on Friday 4 September:
https://consult.education.gov.uk/.../gcse-natural.../

GCSE Natural History – consultation now open.

Calling schools, educators, environmental organisations and young people, have your say on the proposed GCSE in Natural History.

The Department for Education is consulting on proposed subject content for a new GCSE in Natural History. This is a chance to help shape a qualification focused on nature, climate, fieldwork and environmental understanding.

If you’re a:
• Secondary teacher
• Head teacher or principal
• Awarding organisation
• Student
• Parents and carer
• Initial teacher training provider…

Please take part here before midnight on Friday 4 September:
https://consult.education.gov.uk/gcse-and-a-level-policy-team/gcse-natural-history-proposed-subject-content/

10/08/2026

It has been a great year for Hummingbird hawk moths in Cambridge. We observed ne egg-laying at the weekend in Cambourne. Here is a picture of the bright green egg.

09/08/2026

06/08/2026

More Beewolf action. A wash and brush-up.

04/08/2026

ECLIPSE AND OTHER NEWS FROM JONATHAN SHANKLIN
There is a partial eclipse of the Sun on August 12, when at maximum the Moon will take a 92% bite out of the Sun. For Cambridge, the eclipse begins at 18:16 BST, is a maximum at 19:12 and ends shortly before sunset at 20:05. Do not look directly at the Sun as you will damage your eyes. You can project the image of the Sun onto a white card using binoculars or a small telescope. You can also see the eclipse by observing the shape cast by gaps between tree leaves. These act as a pinhole camera and you should see the shape change from circular at the start of the eclipse to a crescent at its maximum.

The 2026 issue of Nature in Cambridgeshire is at the printers. See https://www.natureincambridgeshire.org.uk/issues.htm for contents of past issues or to purchase copies to read. Issues before 2023 are freely available as pdf.

The Cambridgeshire Flora Group has a Fenland excursion on August 11. If you would like more details about CFG events let me know and I will add you to the email list.

The next CNHS field studies visit is on August 30, when we will start at Grantchester Church at 2pm.

The Cambridgeshire Geological Society www.cambsgeology.org have just published three new Fenland Edge walks. These can be downloaded from the Walks page of their website https://www.fenedgetrail.org/overview/walks

The Walks The walks on the Fen Edge Trail, when complete, will take you from Peakirk, near the Lincolnshire border in the northwest, to Isleham, near the Suffolk border in the southeast, and around the islands – the ‘Isle of Ely’, March, Chatteris, Whittlesey, Thorney and Wisbech. Walk Guides ...

04/08/2026

The 'wing-waving' bit of the Semaphore fly's (Poecilobothrus nobilitatus) mating behaviour. The male is the slightly larger fly with the white wing tips.

03/08/2026

A Beewolf (Philanthus triangulum) being a beewolf! Collecting a honeybee and taking it down into its nest (which can be 1m deep and have up to 34 short side tunnels). The honeybee is placed into a cell with an egg. With video.

30/07/2026

FIELD STUDIES WITH JONATHAN SHANKLIN
On Sunday August 2 we have a visit to Darwin Green. This new development has some green areas for wildlife, which include some interesting introductions such as Achillea ptarmica (Sneezewort). We may find additional ones. Meet at 2:00pm at Darwin Green Plaza TL435606. One access route is to turn off Huntingdon Road by the traffic lights onto Lawrence Weaver Road and continue along Galton Road. There are other options! See https://www.openstreetmap.org/ =17/52.225237/0.101860
Much of the BSBI guidance at
https://bsbi.org/take-part/events/for-event-attendees/guidance-for-participants
does apply to our meetings, though there is no need to book. All welcome.

On this evening’s field studies we found several Wasp Spiders, an interesting rush Juncus compressus (Round-fruited Rush) and a gall on Solanum dulcamara (Bittersweet) caused by the mite Aceria lycopersici.

For events further in the future see
https://www.cnhs.org.uk/diary-of-events-2026/

DIARY OF EVENTS 2026 This listing has been compiled from a variety of sources. As there may be last-minute changes, checking with the organisers is recommended. There are links where appropriate with the event and in the list of organisations at the end of the diary. These usually open in a new tab....

28/07/2026

FIELD STUDIES WITH JONATHAN SHANKLIN
Our next field studies visit to the Grantchester Meadows area is on Wednesday, July 29. The field studies aim to record the wildlife of an area of Cambridge during a year and introduce participants to it. This year our monthly visits concentrate on the corridor along the River Cam between Newnham and Grantchester. We’ll continue with alternating where we start, so will return to the Newnham end, meeting at 6:30pm at the end of Grantchester Meadows (road) TL440569. The Skaters Meadows are likely to have been cut for hay so we will walk along the river and back along permissive paths. The focus of this visit will again be on summer flowers, with other wildlife recorded on a casual basis. There are still over 100 species not recorded since our previous field studies visits in
2016 and we may well find new species too. We’ll aim to make digital records as we go, but to an extent this will be weather dependent.
Suitable for beginners to experts, all welcome.

Volume 68 of Nature in Cambridgeshire is at the final proof state. See https://www.natureincambridgeshire.org.uk/issues.htm for contents of past issues or to purchase copies to read. Issues before 2023 are freely available as pdf. Articles for issue 69, which could cover any aspect of natural history in Cambridgeshire would be welcome. See https://www.natureincambridgeshire.org.uk/guidance.htm for author guidance. The deadline for submission is the end of March.

For events further in the future, including the autumn talks programme see https://www.cnhs.org.uk/diary-of-events-2026/

DIARY OF EVENTS 2026 This listing has been compiled from a variety of sources. As there may be last-minute changes, checking with the organisers is recommended. There are links where appropriate with the event and in the list of organisations at the end of the diary. These usually open in a new tab....