The Fine Foundation Chesil Beach Centre has been BUZZING this spring and summer. We kicked off April with the Get Dorset Buzzing Roadshow visiting the Centre. Everyone had fun playing the pollinator wheel of fortune and some even managed to complete the buzzing game – getting Buzz-Bee to safely deliver pollen to the flower. Our visitors, volunteers and staff all enjoyed posing as a bee and flower, creating that perfect picture to share on social media – some not so perfect!
As well as the roadshow, we have been running lots of events where people could find out and learn more about our Dorset wildflowers and pollinators, including Bugs and Beasties of Chesil, Wildflower walks at Chesil Beach and King Barrow Quarry and a Butterfly Walk at Tout Quarry. We were treated to beautiful wildflowers like bee orchids, greater sea-spurry, pyramidal orchids, viper’s-bugloss, fairy flax and rarities like four-leaved allseed but to name a few. The quarries were alive and aflutter with butterflies with marbled white, ringlet, grayling, painted lady and chalkhill blue just some that were spotted. We also got to see the dazzling silver-studded blue butterfly. The caterpillars from this species have a fascinating relationship with ants, where the ants protect the caterpillars in return for a sugary substance that they produce. Just one of the many fascinating facts picked up on the walks. In the spirit of the campaign we even looked at ‘Gardens Under the Sea’ and the importance of plant-like algae in our marine environment.
The Chesil Beach Centre will be BUZZING throughout the rest of the summer, so is still well worth a visit with lots to see and do. You can go for a walk around the nature reserve, hire out an Adventure Backpack to look for wildflowers and pollinators with the whole family, pick up some of our specially designed Get Dorset Buzzing gifts in the shop or refuel at the Taste Café. The adults can even indulge in a small glass of the amber nectar. Refreshed and watered, continue your pollinator adventure by exploring King Barrow and Tout Quarry to see what you can find or take a boat trip on the Fleet Explorer to find out about the birds that feed on insects.
Find out more about the Chesil Beach Centre.
