12/07/2026
Another busy week here at The Hive as we approach the end of summer term ☀️ Here’s your weekly round up! This week is a wildlife special!
Up first, check out this Painted Lady butterfly 🦋 We are experiencing a particularly vibrant ‘Painted Lady Summer’, as it has been the largest arrival of painted lady butterflies in Britain for 17 years. This is likely due to the heatwaves we have been experiencing, and favourable winds, pushing these migratory butterflies through the mediterranean and southern europe, and eventually to the British Isles.
Have you spotted any Painted Lady’s this summer?
Check out this tray full of newts!! We have found lots of newt poles in our raised ponds recently, most likely Smooth Newt species.
How many can you count in this tray?
A fantastic surprise for us this week - a Hummingbird Hawk Moth 🤩
Check out that long proboscis, used for sucking up nectar from flowers 🌷
To escape the heat, campers have enjoyed making forest art in the shade, which has proven to be a very mindful and relaxing activity which is a great wind down and transitional activity.
Here is a mini campfire created by one student - how cute! 🔥
Year 5 students learnt all about climate change and sustainability in our full day session. We covered natural resources, measured trees in the forest to investigate carbon storage, and enjoyed a map trail around site to explore some of the sustainable features we use at The Hive.
Environmental Education Officer, Abi, delivered a talk and workshop to Secondary School students during their Pride celebration. The theme was envisioning positive futures and celebrating joy 🌈
Another exciting wildlife find this week - a Buff Tip moth 🤯
These moths are experts at camouflage, looking exactly like a snapped twig from a Birch tree!! Genius!
Nursery children enjoyed a Stickman story adventure through the forest 🌳
Look at these stick people by their family tree!
