Nature conservation initiative aiming to raise awareness of the #biodiversity value of #collieryspoil sites (coal tips & former collieries) in South #Wales Valleys and beyond. Posts by @liamolds.bsky.social.https://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3m5256ra4yc2e🌿 A new chapter begins. After 10 years of raising awareness of coal spoil biodiversity, the Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative is evolving into Glo i Natur CIC - continuing the same mission with new opportunities ahead. ➡️ Follow @gloinatur.bsky.social - this account will shortly be replaced 💚07 Nov 2025 13:01 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5256ra4yc2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3m4qmfxcouc2q🎉 Celebrating 10 Years of the Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative 🎉 This December marks 10 years since the Colliery Spoil Biodiversity Initiative began its mission to change how people see South Wales’ colliery spoil sites — from barren relics of industry to thriving havens for wildlife. 1/303 Nov 2025 18:07 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4qmfxcouc2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3m4imgbs56k24👻 Meet the Ghost Slug this #Halloween! 🐌 The Ghost Slug (Selenochlamys ysbryda) is a mysterious predator that hunts earthworms deep underground. Its scientific name comes from the Welsh word ysbryd, meaning ghost or spirit - a fitting title for a rather elusive creature! #GhostSlug #SpookySpecies31 Oct 2025 13:46 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4imgbs56k24https://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3lzrcyiguc22xExploring a coal spoil site near Aberdare today, we found the flat-backed millipede Polydesmus barberii. This non-native species, first seen in Britain in 1995, has only recently been discovered in Wales. Today's find is just the fourth known site in Wales — and the third in the Cynon Valley!26 Sep 2025 20:36 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3lzrcyiguc22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3lxryvxpjpk2k🐞🌿 Join us for Blaenavon Biodiversity Day on Sat 20 Sept! Guided walks with local experts on insects, fungi, birds + more. Don’t miss @liamolds.bsky.social from @collieryspoil.bsky.social leading an insect/invertebrate walk! 📍 Blaenavon | 🗓️ 20 Sept01 Sep 2025 16:18 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxryvxpjpk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3lwwhiczcu22jHieroglyphic Ladybird (Coccinella hieroglyphica) from heathland at Sirhowy Hill Woodlands, Blaenau Gwent, this morning.21 Aug 2025 17:24 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3lwwhiczcu22jhttps://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3lwixgqgurs25Last night we visited Gelli Tips and were treated to a beautiful scene – the evening sunlight casting a golden glow over the tips, with the heather in full bloom. 💜🌿 We also captured some breathtaking drone footage that will feature in an upcoming video for Buglife’s Coal Spoil Connections project.16 Aug 2025 08:32 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3lwixgqgurs25https://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3lvupu6iqmk2kAn Evening Of History and Wildlife at Silent Valley - Friday 8th August, 6:30pm start Join Buglife's Coal Spoil Connections Team and @henebtwa.bsky.social for a guided walk through Silent Valley Nature Reserve. For further info and booking, visit: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/8976308 Aug 2025 07:23 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3lvupu6iqmk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3lv5wznqre22kA few spaces have become available on the 'Bee and butterfly guided walk' at #Mumbles 🦋🐝 Fri 1 August 10.00am – 12.00pm and 1.00pm – 3.00pm Meeting point: outside Forte's, Mumbles Road, Mumbles, #Swansea SA3 4JT What3words ///fields.sobered.sharpens 👉Booking required: www.trybooking.com/uk/EWZL30 Jul 2025 06:00 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3lv5wznqre22khttps://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3lv27yl5xgs2aThis year we've been working with the South Wales Trunk Road Agency to survey roadside verges for invertebrates around Merthyr Tydfil. Today we made our final visit to a very special verge in Dowlais. Comprising colliery spoil, it's proving to be a real hidden gem for biodiversity!28 Jul 2025 18:30 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3lv27yl5xgs2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3luqbi5vs5c23Back to Sirhowy Hill Woodlands today to continue the invertebrate survey. The reserve looked lovely, and great to see the bee hotels in use — even spotted a Wood-carving Leafcutter Bee (Megachile ligniseca) basking on one! Among today's nice finds was the leafhopper Rhopalopyx adumbrata.24 Jul 2025 19:30 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3luqbi5vs5c23https://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3ltplwcwucc2cToday's guided walks at Parc Melin Mynach, Gorseinon, explored the former Mountain Colliery site. Highlights included Marbled White, Six-belted Clearwing, Brown-banded Carder Bee, prowling spider Cheiracanthium virescens, and picture-winged fly Herina palustris. Great turnout despite the heat! 🥵11 Jul 2025 19:39 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3ltplwcwucc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3lt7canbo2c2pIt's #WalesNatureWeek 🎉 Join @liamolds on a guided walk at Parc Melin Mynach, Gorseinon, and discover how nature has reclaimed this former colliery site. Friday 11th July 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM For booking, visit https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/8583305 Jul 2025 08:03 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3lt7canbo2c2phttps://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3lsdzb46k5s2i🌟 Exciting Discovery Alert! 🌟 Back in January we teased some big news…and here it is! 🐌 Semilimax pyrenaicus (Pyrenean Semi-slug) has been recorded in Britain for the first time, found at a colliery spoil site in Cwmaman, S. Wales. Read more: https://doi.org/10.61733/jconch/4548 #SemiSlug #WildlifeDiscovery24 Jun 2025 11:41 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3lsdzb46k5s2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3lsbcbhvlsk2qLast week, @olds_liam led a guided walk for staff & students from University of Bristol at Coity Tips, Blaenavon. We explored the unique habitats and species of colliery spoil — which included sightings of iconic species such as Bilberry Bumblebee, Mottled Grasshopper, Fairy-flax & Bee Orchid.23 Jun 2025 09:44 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3lsbcbhvlsk2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3lry76ueofc2jIncredible tufa springs seen at the former Pentremawr Colliery, Pontyberem, Carmarthenshire, today - clearly decades of tufa deposits! Around the springs was Delicate Soldierfly (Oxycera nigricornis) and Giant Lacewing (Osmylus fulvicephalus), as well as caddisflies and craneflies.19 Jun 2025 18:55 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3lry76ueofc2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3lrsbw6wwak2bHidden Life of Colliery Spoil: Biodiversity Guided Walk (FREE) Discover the surprising wildlife of Parc Melin Mynach, Gorseinon, on a guided walk led by entomologist Liam Olds. Explore how nature has reclaimed this former colliery site. Friday 11th July 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/8583317 Jun 2025 10:28 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3lrsbw6wwak2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/collieryspoil.bsky.social/post/3lrmydeug6c2cHow lovely is this male White-jawed Yellow-face Bee (Hylaeua confusus) found at Ogmore Washeries, Bridgend, this week!? This bee was one of two bees to be added to the former coal washery's ever-growing species list this week (the other bee was the Small-flecked Mining Bee, Andrena coitana).15 Jun 2025 07:53 +0000at://did:plc:hsnt5r2abppmypvi6cmoauxm/app.bsky.feed.post/3lrmydeug6c2c