Get involved with hands-on workshops with local beekeeper Terry Willis at Brading Roman Villa. Learn more about these fascinating insects and their fundamental role in the Island's ecosystems.

Saturday 8th January 2011 THE INDUSTRIOUS HONEY BEE 10am-1pm

Saturday 22nd January 2011 WHAT THE OBSERVATION HIVE HAS TAUGHT ME 10am-1pm

For more details and to book visit http://www.bradingromanvilla.org.uk/news.php

Discover fossils, prehistoric finds and other ancient artefacts from the Isle of Wight, Solent area and beyond at this special event on Saturday 16th October at Dinosaur Isle, Sandown.

The event runs from 10am - 4pm with loads of great activities including face-painting, fossilsorting and model making and lots of opportunities to chat to palaeontologists, archaeologists, natural historians and local collectors - so why not bring along your fossils and archaeological finds for identification.

Click here to find out more

Further to Ventnor's growing reputation as a Butterfly town, the Isle of Wight Branch of the National Butterfly Conservation Charity is organising two special concerts in support of the Island's wonderful butterflies. So why not come along and show your support!

The concerts are being co-ordinated by Vaguely Sunny Promotions and will be held at St Catherines Church, Church Street, Ventnor at 7.30pm on both Friday 17 September and Saturday 18 September and feature an exciting mix of musicians and singer/songwriters.

Tickets are £5 and can be booked on 01983 730930.

Click here read the full story and to find out more.

Come and celebrate the beauty and biodiversity of one of the Island's rarest habitats at the Isle of Wight Heathlands Week 6th - 12th September.

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust will be running several special events over the course of next week at sites across the Island giving you the chance to explore and find out more about some of our hidden heathland treasures.

Activities as follows:

Tuesday 7 Heathlands week: Botany and battery at Bouldnor Forest 10am - 12.30pm We'll explore Bouldnor Forest looking at the Flora, Fauna and archaeology of this historic part of the Island's northwest coast. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Wear old clothes, wellies and waterproofs. No dogs please. Leader Richard Grogan, Wildlife Trust Tel 533180 Meet Follow to forest parking site near track from main road to SOL training site GR 378 896 Cost Donations welcomed.

Wednesday 8 Heathlands week: Heathland
at St George’s Down 10am - 12.30pm A walk along the Bembridge Trail to look at heathland restoration at St George’s Down. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Wear wellies or stout footwear. No dogs please. Booking essential Leader Richard Grogan, Wildlife Trust Tel 533180 Meet Newport Golf Club GR 511 872 Cost Donations welcomed.

Thursday 9 Heathlands week: Heathland Haven 10.30am - 1pm A walk through the countryside at Cranmore including the Wildlife Trust’s nature reserve at Ningwood Common to look at wildlife and heathland restoration. Wellies advisable. Five stiles to negotiate Leader Chris Archbold Tel 529199 Meet Ningwood Recycling Centre GR 401 892 Cost Donations welcomed.

Sunday 12 Heathlands week: Isle of Wight heathlands day 11am - 3pm A celebration of the Isle of Wight heathlands, with walks and activities to show off the natural and cultural heritage of these wonderful wildlife havens. Part of the West Wight Landscape Partnership initiative. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Wear wellies or stout footwear. No dogs please. Booking required Leader Wildlife Trust. Tel 533180 Meet Jubilee car park, Mottistone/ Brighstone GR 420 845 Cost Donations welcomed.

Despite the early showers, visitors turned out in their hundreds for the annual Fort Victoria Foray – the biggest and best yet held on the 19th August at Fort Victoria Country Park near Yarmouth.

With activities at the Fort, in the woods and on the beach there was enough to keep families busy for hours, with many staying for the whole day. 15 conservation, traditional crafts and arts organisations provided a whole range of activities including woodland crafts, forest skills, woolspinning, facepainting, bird feeder making, rockpooling and storytelling plus lots more.

On the day visitors were encouraged to explore the Naturetrail around the Country Park, observe and photograph wildlife and report findings back to the Naturespot team, who also ran the Island’s first BioBlitz event at Go Wild in the Woods in June earlier this year. There were experts on hand to help people identify their finds with both visitors at the event and also followers online being updated of the growing species tally throughout the day via www.ispot.org.uk and www.facebook.com/wildonwight.

In total, an amazing 358 species were recorded from the event which is an incredible achievement in such a short space of time. Some of the highlights included a huge poplar hawk moth and a Jersey tiger moth, recorded by Ian and Cath Fletcher who ran moths traps overnight.

Huge thanks to everybody who took part in the day and congratulations to the Isle of Wight Council’s Countryside Rangers for organising such a great event, looking forward to the 2011 Foray!

Images from left to right: Volucella, a large hoverfly, 11 spot ladybird by Ian Boyd, Jersey tiger moth, Poplar hawk moth