NPT Wildlife

04/09/2026

🦇 BatFest 2026 was a fantastic day of wildlife discovery at Margam Country Park!🦇

Visitors learned about some of Neath Port Talbot's amazing nocturnal wildlife, from fascinating moths to our much-loved bats. Throughout the day people enjoyed making bat masks and badges, face painting inspired by nocturnal creatures, and meeting Batrice the pipistrelle bat.

As darkness fell, the evening activities began with three guided bat walks, moth trapping and owl pellet dissection sessions. It was a packed day full of fun, learning and wildlife encounters for all ages.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the event such a success. We hope to see you again next year! 🦇

🦇Roedd BatFest 2026 yn ddiwrnod gwych o ddarganfod bywyd gwyllt ym Margam!🦇

Dysgodd ymwelwyr am rai o anifeiliaid nosol rhyfeddol Castell-nedd Port Talbot, o wyfynod hudolus i'n hystlumod poblogaidd. Drwy gydol y dydd bu pobl yn mwynhau gwneud masgiau ac bathodynnau ystlumod, paentio wynebau wedi'u hysbrydoli gan greaduriaid nosol, a chwrdd â Batrice yr ystlum pibydd.

Wrth i'r nos ddisgyn, dechreuodd gweithgareddau'r hwyr gyda thair taith ystlumod dan arweiniad, trapio gwyfynod a sesiynau dadansoddi pelenni tylluanod. Roedd yn ddiwrnod llawn hwyl, dysgu a chyfarfyddiadau bywyd gwyllt i bob oedran.
Diolch i bawb a ymunodd â ni ac a helpodd i wneud y digwyddiad mor llwyddiannus. Gobeithiwn eich gweld eto'r flwyddyn nesaf! 🦇

28/08/2026

🍂🦇 Beth Sydd Ymlaen y Mis Medi Hwn gyda CNPT dros Natur 🦇🍂

Ydych chi'n chwilio am gyfle i fynd allan i'r awyr agored a darganfod mwy am fywyd gwyllt Castell-nedd Port Talbot y mis Medi hwn? Ymunwch â ni mewn un o'n digwyddiadau sydd ar ddod:

🦇 Yn Hedfan gyda'r Nos: Taith Gerdded Ystlumod a Thrapio Gwyfynod yng Nghoed Shelone
📅 2 Medi 2026
⏰ 19:30–21:30
📍 Coed Shelone, Castell-nedd
Ymunwch â'r ecolegwyr Vaughn Matthews a Diana Clark am noson yn archwilio byd cudd ystlumod a gwyfynod wedi iddi nosi. Mae archebu'n hanfodol.

🌿 Partneriaeth Natur Leol CNPT a Thîm Bywyd Gwyllt CNPT yn Sioe Calon y Cymoedd
📅 5 Medi 2026
⏰ 10:00–17:00
📍 Maes Hamdden Pontardawe
Dewch i gwrdd â Phartneriaeth Natur Leol Castell-nedd Port Talbot a Thîm Bywyd Gwyllt CNPT. Dysgwch fwy am brosiectau lleol, cyfleoedd gwirfoddoli a digwyddiadau sydd ar ddod.

🌙 Adleisiau'r Nos: Ystlumod Caeau Chwarae Maerdy
📅 14 Medi 2026
⏰ 19:15–20:45
📍 Gwarchodfa Natur Caeau Chwarae Maerdy
Darganfyddwch fyd rhyfeddol ystlumod gyda'r ecolegydd Diana Clark ar y daith gerdded dywysedig hon gyda'r nos. Mae archebu'n hanfodol.

🍂 Bywyd yn y Sbwriel Dail: Taith Gerdded Infertebratau'r Coetir
📅 26 Medi 2026
⏰ 11:00–13:00
📍 Coed Tonna, Castell-nedd
Ymunwch â'r entomolegydd Liam Olds i edrych yn agosach ar y creaduriaid bychain sy'n helpu i gadw ein coetiroedd yn iach, o chwilod a miltroediaid i bryfed cop a llau coed. Mae archebu'n hanfodol.

📲 Ewch i dudalen Beth Sydd Ymlaen Nature NPT am fanylion archebu a rhagor o wybodaeth.

Check out this page to find out about nature and wildlife events, volunteering and activities in Neath Port Talbot, South Wales. These events are run by the Local Nature Partnership and its members.

28/08/2026

🍂🦇 What's On This September with NPT for Nature 🦇🍂

Looking to get outdoors and discover more about the wildlife of Neath Port Talbot this September? Join us at one of our upcoming events:

🦇 In Flight at Night: Bat Walk & Moth Trapping at Shelone Woods
📅 2 September 2026
⏰ 19:30–21:30
📍 Shelone Woods, Neath
Join ecologists Vaughn Matthews and Diana Clark for an evening exploring the hidden world of bats and moths after dark. Booking required.

🌿 NPT LNP & NPT Wildlife at the Heart of the Valleys Show
📅 5 September 2026
⏰ 10:00–17:00
📍 Pontardawe Recreation Ground
Come and meet the Neath Port Talbot Local Nature Partnership and NPT Wildlife Team. Find out about local projects, volunteering opportunities and upcoming events.

🌙 Evening Echoes: Bats of Maerdy Playing Fields
📅 14 September 2026
⏰ 19:15–20:45
📍 Maerdy Playing Fields Nature Reserve
Discover the fascinating world of bats with ecologist Diana Clark on this guided evening walk. Booking required.

🍂 Life in the Leaf Litter: A Woodland Invertebrate Walk
📅 26 September 2026
⏰ 11:00–13:00
📍 Tonna Woodland, Neath
Join entomologist Liam Olds to take a closer look at the tiny creatures that keep our woodlands healthy, from beetles and millipedes to spiders and woodlice. Booking required.

📲 Visit the Nature NPT What's On page for booking details and further information.

Check out this page to find out about nature and wildlife events, volunteering and activities in Neath Port Talbot, South Wales. These events are run by the Local Nature Partnership and its members.

17/08/2026

⛏️ Discover the hidden wildlife of South Wales' former coal tips! 🦋

Join Glo i Natur CIC for two fascinating guided walks in Neath Port Talbot exploring how former coal spoil sites have become important havens for wildlife.

🌿 Friday 21st August
📌 Bryn Tip, Port Talbot
🕙 10am–12pm or 1–3pm
Explore a rich mosaic of grassland, scrub and bare ground at one of Neath Port Talbot's richest wildlife sites. Discover the specialised plants, insects and other species that thrive here.
🎟️ Free – booking essential
🔗 https://www.trybooking.com/uk/GMLK

🌸 Saturday 29th August
📌 Maerdy Playing Fields, Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen
🕚 11am–1pm
Explore this former colliery site as the grasslands come alive with Devil's-bit Scabious, an important late-season food source for pollinators and the sole foodplant of the threatened Marsh Fritillary butterfly.
🎟️ Free – booking essential
🔗 https://www.trybooking.com/uk/GTAA

Come and discover how South Wales' post-industrial landscapes have become extraordinary places for wildlife! 🌿

Both events are being delivered on behalf of Neath Port Talbot Local Nature Partnership and funded by Welsh Government through the Local Places for Nature grant.



NPT Wildlife

📸 The bumblebee mimic hoverfly Sericomyia superbiens, which occurs at Maerdy Playing Fields.

13/08/2026

🦇 Missed out on a Bat Walk? Don't Panic! 🦇

Join us at BatFest 2026 on Thursday 20 August 2026, from 2pm to 5:30pm at Margam Country Park !

While this year's BatFest walks are fully booked, there's still a whole host of activities waiting for you throughout the day!
✨ Follow our bat nature trail
🎨 Get creative with crafts
🦇 Become a bat with face painting
🦉 Discover what owls have been eating through pellet dissection
🌿 Chat with local nature organisations at our wildlife stands
🦋 Learn about moths and other amazing nocturnal species

Come along, explore, learn and celebrate the incredible world of bats and night-time wildlife!

📍 Margam Country Park, Port Talbot
📅 Thursday 20 August 2026
ℹ️ Find out more: www.naturenpt.cymru/event-details-registration/batfest-2026



🦇 Wedi Methu Cael Lle ar Daith Ystlumod? Peidiwch â Phoeni! 🦇

Dewch i BatFest 2026 ar Ddydd Iau 20 Awst 2026, rhwng 2pm a 5:30pm, ym Mharc Gwledig Margam!

Er bod teithiau ystlumod BatFest eleni bellach yn llawn, mae digon o weithgareddau cyffrous i'w mwynhau drwy gydol y dydd!
✨ Dilynwch ein llwybr natur ystlumod
🎨 Mwynhewch weithgareddau crefft creadigol
🦇 Trawsnewidiwch yn ystlum gyda phaentio wynebau
🦉 Darganfyddwch beth mae tylluanod wedi bod yn ei fwyta drwy ddadansoddi pelenni tylluanod
🌿 Sgwrsiwch â sefydliadau natur lleol wrth ein stondinau bywyd gwyllt
🦋 Dysgwch fwy am wyfynod a chreaduriaid nosol rhyfeddol eraill

Dewch draw i archwilio, dysgu a dathlu byd anhygoel ystlumod a bywyd gwyllt y nos!

📍 Parc Gwledig Margam, Port Talbot
📅 Dydd Iau 20 Awst 2026
ℹ️ Dysgwch fwy yma: www.naturenpt.cymru/event-details-registration/batfest-2026

13/08/2026

🐝 What a fantastic day celebrating pollinators at Margam Country Park! 🦋
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for our two Buzzing Through Margam guided pollinator walks and to Glo i Natur CIC for their expertise leading the walk.

Across the two walks, participants recorded an impressive variety of pollinators, including butterflies such as Painted Lady, Comma, Common Blue, Speckled Wood and Meadow Brown. Bumblebee highlights included Buff-tailed, White-tailed and Red-tailed Bumblebees, alongside the ever-cheerful Common Carder Bee. Hoverflies were also well represented, with sightings including the aptly named Batman Hoverfly and Tapered Dronefly. Several solitary bees were recorded too, including Common Furrow Bee, Grey-banded Mining Bee and Colletes (plasterer) bees, as well as the beautiful mint moth.

One of the highlights of the day was finding two species of cuckoo bumblebee: the Southern Cuckoo Bee and Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee. These remarkable bees depend on healthy populations of other bumblebees, taking over their nests rather than building their own. Their presence is a positive sign that important host species, including Buff-tailed and Red-tailed Bumblebees, are thriving within the park.
Thank you again to everyone who attended and helped make the walks such an enjoyable and engaging experience. We are also grateful to Margam Country Park for hosting the events and supporting opportunities for people to connect with nature.

These walks were delivered by the Neath Port Talbot Local Nature Partnership and funded by the Welsh Government through the Local Places for Nature programme.


🐝 Am ddiwrnod gwych yn dathlu peillwyr ym Mharc Gwledig Margam! 🦋

Diolch yn fawr i bawb a ymunodd â ni ar ein dwy daith gerdded dywysedig Gwenynnu Trwy Forgannwg (Buzzing Through Margam) ac i Glo i Natur am eu harbenigedd wrth arwain y teithiau. Roedd yn hyfryd gweld cynifer o bobl yn dangos diddordeb yn y bywyd gwyllt rhyfeddol sy'n cynnal ein hecosystemau lleol.

Ar draws y ddwy daith, cofnododd y cyfranogwyr amrywiaeth drawiadol o beillwyr, gan gynnwys gloÿnnod byw megis y Fonesig Baentiog (Painted Lady), y Coma, y Glöyn Glas Cyffredin (Common Blue), y Coedwig Fraith (Speckled Wood) a'r Brown Dôl (Meadow Brown). Ymhlith uchafbwyntiau'r cacwn roedd y Gacynen Gynffon-lwydfelyn (Buff-tailed Bumblebee), y Gacynen Gynffon-wen (White-tailed Bumblebee) a'r Gacynen Gynffon-goch (Red-tailed Bumblebee), ochr yn ochr â'r Gacynen Gardio Gyffredin (Common Carder Bee) bywiog fel arfer.

Roedd pryfed hofran hefyd yn niferus, gyda rhywogaethau megis y Pryfyn Hofran Batman a'r Pryfyn Hofran Tapered Dronefly yn cael eu gweld. Cofnodwyd nifer o wenyn unigol hefyd, gan gynnwys y Wenynen Rhychog Gyffredin (Common Furrow Bee), y Wenynen Fwyngloddio Lwyd-fandog (Grey-banded Mining Bee) a gwenyn Colletes (gwenyn plastrwr), ynghyd â'r gwyfyn hardd Mint Moth.

Un o uchafbwyntiau'r dydd oedd dod o hyd i ddwy rywogaeth o gacynen gwcw: y Gacynen Gwcw Ddeheuol (Southern Cuckoo Bee) a'r Gacynen Gwcw Gynffon-goch (Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee). Mae'r gwenyn rhyfeddol hyn yn dibynnu ar boblogaethau iach o gacwn eraill, gan gymryd drosodd eu nythod yn hytrach nag adeiladu rhai eu hunain. Mae eu presenoldeb yn arwydd cadarnhaol bod rhywogaethau lletyol pwysig, gan gynnwys y Gacynen Gynffon-lwydfelyn a'r Gacynen Gynffon-goch, yn ffynnu o fewn y parc.

Diolch eto i bawb a fynychodd ac a helpodd i wneud y teithiau mor bleserus a difyr. Rydym hefyd yn ddiolchgar i Barc Gwledig Margam am gynnal y digwyddiadau a chefnogi cyfleoedd i bobl gysylltu â natur.

Cynhaliwyd y teithiau hyn gan Bartneriaeth Natur Leol Castell-nedd Port Talbot ac fe'u hariannwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru drwy raglen Lleoedd Lleol ar gyfer Natur.

07/08/2026

🌷🌼Wildflower Detectives! 🌼🌷

Over the past few weeks, we've been exploring the wonderful wildflowers and grasses of Gnoll Country Park and Tegeirian Community Meadow with a series of wildflower identification courses delivered by Plantlife.

🌸Participants developed their botanical skills and confidence, learning how to tell apart species that are often confused, including Creeping Buttercup and Meadow Buttercup, even when they're not in flower. We also uncovered the story behind Black Knapweed's name, thanks to the distinctive dark-tipped bracts beneath its flower head.

🌿 Of course, it wasn't just about wildflowers. We spent plenty of time getting to grips with grasses too, discovering practical identification tips and learning why recognising plant families, such as daisies, dead-nettles and umbellifers, can make plant identification much easier.

These valuable skills help support the surveying, monitoring and conservation of grassland habitats across Neath Port Talbot. A huge thank you to : saving wild plants for delivering such an informative and enjoyable course, and to everyone who joined us and shared their enthusiasm for our local wildlife. 🌼🌾

There are more opportunities to explore and celebrate nature across Neath Port Talbot coming up - check out our website https://www.naturenpt.cymru/whats-on

Dros yr ychydig wythnosau diwethaf, rydym wedi bod yn archwilio blodau gwyllt a glaswelltau rhyfeddol Parc Gwledig Gnoll a Dôl Gymunedol Tegeirian drwy gyfres o gyrsiau adnabod blodau gwyllt a gyflwynwyd gan Plantlife.

Datblygodd y cyfranogwyr eu sgiliau botanegol a'u hyder wrth ddysgu sut i wahaniaethu rhwng rhywogaethau sy'n aml yn cael eu drysu, gan gynnwys Crafanc y Ddraig Ymlusgol (Creeping Buttercup) a Crafanc y Ddraig y Ddôl (Meadow Buttercup), hyd yn oed pan nad oeddent yn eu blodau. Fe wnaethom hefyd ddarganfod y stori y tu ôl i enw Pengaled Du (Black Knapweed), diolch i'r bractiau tywyll unigryw o dan ben y blodyn.

🌿 Wrth gwrs, nid blodau gwyllt yn unig oedd dan sylw. Treuliwyd digon o amser hefyd yn dod i adnabod glaswelltau, gan ddysgu awgrymiadau ymarferol ar gyfer adnabod rhywogaethau a deall pam mae adnabod teuluoedd planhigion, megis llygad y dydd, danadl meirwon ac ymbarélflodau (umbellifers), yn gallu gwneud adnabod planhigion yn llawer haws.

Mae'r sgiliau gwerthfawr hyn yn helpu i gefnogi arolygu, monitro a chadwraeth cynefinoedd glaswelltir ledled Castell-nedd Port Talbot. Diolch yn fawr i Plantlife am gyflwyno cwrs mor ddiddorol a phleserus, ac i bawb a ymunodd â ni ac a rannodd eu brwdfrydedd dros ein bywyd gwyllt lleol. 🌼🌾
Mae mwy o gyfleoedd ar y gweill i archwilio a dathlu natur ledled Castell-nedd Port Talbot – edrychwch ar ein gwefan i weld beth sy'n dod nesaf: Gweld digwyddiadau sydd ar ddod 🌿

05/08/2026

👦🌿👧Today is Playday !👦🌿👧

The UK's national day for play, celebrating children's right to play and highlighting the importance of play in helping children build confidence, creativity and connections with the world around them.

Why not take your play outdoors today? Head into a garden, park or green space and try a mini bug hunt. Lift a leaf, peek under a log and discover the tiny wildlife all around you.
You could also:
• Strike a pose with our Gnollywood sign at Country Park
• Explore beneath the trees at Craig Gwladus Country Park
• Relax in a community meadow such as Tegeirian and check out the bug hotels and sculptures

Get outside, get curious and let nature be your playground today.
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👦🌿👧 Heddiw yw Diwrnod Chwarae! 👦🌿👧
Diwrnod cenedlaethol chwarae'r DU, sy'n dathlu hawl plant i chwarae ac yn tynnu sylw at bwysigrwydd chwarae wrth helpu plant i feithrin hyder, creadigrwydd a chysylltiad â'r byd o'u cwmpas.
Beth am fynd â'ch chwarae allan i'r awyr agored heddiw? Ewch i ardd, parc neu fan gwyrdd a rhoi cynnig ar helfa pryfed bach. Codwch ddeilen, edrychwch o dan foncyff a darganfyddwch y bywyd gwyllt bach sydd o'ch cwmpas.
Gallech hefyd:
• Dynnu llun gyda'n harwyddion Gnollywood a Gnoll Country Park
• Crwydro o dan y coed Craig Gwladus
• Ymlacio mewn dôl gymunedol fel Tegeirian a gweld beth sydd yn y gwesty pryfed

Ewch allan, byddwch yn chwilfrydig, a gadewch i natur fod yn faes chwarae i chi heddiw.

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