Wren Franklin
@wrenfranklin.bsky.social
Habitat creation and management. Butterflies, moths, plants, water beetles, cows. A simple rural life in Dorset.
Looking north from Dartmoor
January 9, 2026 at 9:17 PM
Looking north from Dartmoor
Striking yellow of freshly coppiced Alder buckthorn in the foreground against the bright white of a fresh Willow pollard behind.
January 9, 2026 at 5:21 PM
Striking yellow of freshly coppiced Alder buckthorn in the foreground against the bright white of a fresh Willow pollard behind.
Wild service..... youtube.com/watch?v=7sjO...
A London barrister declared a river sacred. This is what happened next.
YouTube video by Right To Roam
youtube.com
December 20, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Wild service..... youtube.com/watch?v=7sjO...
Reposted by Wren Franklin
What does 50 yrs of butterfly monitoring tell you? In this case its a puzzle. The dramatic rise of the Silver-studded Blue, Plebejus argus, over 50 yrs at Studland Heath, UK. @ukbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
www.dispar.org/reference.ph...
www.dispar.org/reference.ph...
December 16, 2025 at 9:17 AM
What does 50 yrs of butterfly monitoring tell you? In this case its a puzzle. The dramatic rise of the Silver-studded Blue, Plebejus argus, over 50 yrs at Studland Heath, UK. @ukbutterflies.bsky.social @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
www.dispar.org/reference.ph...
www.dispar.org/reference.ph...
Streaker's dream - a triple today. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
December 11, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Streaker's dream - a triple today. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
The sun is out, and I am most glad. Brown hairstreak egg searching today. Looks like a big year! @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
December 10, 2025 at 1:00 PM
The sun is out, and I am most glad. Brown hairstreak egg searching today. Looks like a big year! @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Dog sick slime mould Didymium spongiosum from today's walk after the rain.
December 7, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Dog sick slime mould Didymium spongiosum from today's walk after the rain.
Plant based wind speed indicator.
November 27, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Plant based wind speed indicator.
Frigid cattle checks at dawn.
November 26, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Frigid cattle checks at dawn.
Absoulute treasure trove of a museum today - Bournemouth Natural Science Society. bnss.org.uk
November 22, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Absoulute treasure trove of a museum today - Bournemouth Natural Science Society. bnss.org.uk
It was so good to hear that in other parts of the country, concerted efforts at both site and landscape level have returned Duke of Burgundy to old haunts and newly created habitat. There is hope in Dorset yet!
We heard some wonderful stories of amazing recovery of Dukes in Sussex from Neil Hulme and Kent from Dan Tuson, and latest survey methods from Sue Clarke. Very inspiring
November 7, 2025 at 10:21 PM
It was so good to hear that in other parts of the country, concerted efforts at both site and landscape level have returned Duke of Burgundy to old haunts and newly created habitat. There is hope in Dorset yet!
Essential work for a butterfy species on the edge in Dorset…
Great to start our first task to save the Duke of Burgundy in Dorset. It’s reduced to 6 small colonies and we will be managing 5 of them under a Farming in Protected Landscapes grant. We are grateful to the private owners for permission and EUCAN and @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social for expertise
October 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Essential work for a butterfy species on the edge in Dorset…
Saving Brown hairstreak eggs from the flail today. Relocating them on the same site where they can hatch next spring and progress as caterpillars. 55 eggs from 105 mins search bodes well for the coming winter survey. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
October 28, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Saving Brown hairstreak eggs from the flail today. Relocating them on the same site where they can hatch next spring and progress as caterpillars. 55 eggs from 105 mins search bodes well for the coming winter survey. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Playing around with heat maps of 12 years of Brown hairstreak egg counts. Lots of cool insights. This screen grab shows how the sunny sections of hedge between large Oaks are favoured. Rainy day fun. @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
October 23, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Playing around with heat maps of 12 years of Brown hairstreak egg counts. Lots of cool insights. This screen grab shows how the sunny sections of hedge between large Oaks are favoured. Rainy day fun. @dorsetmoths.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
Curious little apple tree, it origins unknown. Possibly a gribble, maybe a rootstock that lost its top or perhaps a known crab variety? Quite delicious and harvested for jelly. @orchardnotes.com @theorchardproject.bsky.social
October 22, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Curious little apple tree, it origins unknown. Possibly a gribble, maybe a rootstock that lost its top or perhaps a known crab variety? Quite delicious and harvested for jelly. @orchardnotes.com @theorchardproject.bsky.social
Garlic to plant from last years crop, compost mulch, and a fist full of carrots with dinner.
October 22, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Garlic to plant from last years crop, compost mulch, and a fist full of carrots with dinner.
The season of mellow fruitfulness......
October 14, 2025 at 11:06 AM
The season of mellow fruitfulness......
On going meadow management - putting wildflower filled swards to bed for the winter. Nearby cider apple and perry pear trees are mulched with the arisings. An organic option to reduce competition for summer rains and hold on to moisture between times.
October 9, 2025 at 2:31 PM
On going meadow management - putting wildflower filled swards to bed for the winter. Nearby cider apple and perry pear trees are mulched with the arisings. An organic option to reduce competition for summer rains and hold on to moisture between times.
Red Admiral nectaring on Ivy at Milborne wood in Dorset today. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
October 4, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Red Admiral nectaring on Ivy at Milborne wood in Dorset today. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
A misty autumns morn.
September 29, 2025 at 7:01 AM
A misty autumns morn.
Last of the Cornish heath in flower on the Lizard. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social
September 21, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Last of the Cornish heath in flower on the Lizard. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Some stunning female Common blue about at the moment. Comma on autumn fruit and spent seed heads of Saw-wort. I do like September. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
September 5, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Some stunning female Common blue about at the moment. Comma on autumn fruit and spent seed heads of Saw-wort. I do like September. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
Fiddly vegetation mgmt for Marsh fritillary. Taking a percentage of the thicker sward whilst avoiding mapped and marked larval webs and nectar rich areas of DBS and Fleabane. There is no grazing in this area, so we become mechanical cows. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social
September 1, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Fiddly vegetation mgmt for Marsh fritillary. Taking a percentage of the thicker sward whilst avoiding mapped and marked larval webs and nectar rich areas of DBS and Fleabane. There is no grazing in this area, so we become mechanical cows. @dorsetbutterflies.bsky.social