Painted lady
A well-travelled migrant, the painted lady arrives here every summer from Europe and Africa. This beautiful orange-and-black butterfly regularly visits gardens.
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Invertebrates
Fen habitats can support thousands of invertebrate species, particularly those associated with standing water.
Painted topshell
The beautiful pink and white bands of a Painted topshell make it easy to see where this little sea snail got its name!
Wildlife
The Great Fen is a fantastic place to see all kind of wildlife, plants and stunning scenery.
Painted goby
This slim fish is usually found on gravelly parts of the seabed, close to shore, but can turn up in rockpools.
Explore
In all weathers and seasons, the Great Fen is a place to enjoy stunning wildlife, beautiful landscapes and a wide range of events and activities.
How to attract butterflies to your garden
Provide food for caterpillars and choose nectar-rich plants for butterflies and you’ll have a colourful, fluttering display in your garden for many months.
Lady fern
One of the prettiest hardy ferns, the lady fern is delicate and lacy, with ladder-like foliage. It makes a good garden fern, providing attractive cover for wildlife.
Wildlife highlights this summer
Merging natural history, ecological monitoring and wildlife conservation has provided some new 'shared' highlights at the Great Fen this summer.
Help wildlife in the cold
The colder months can be a tough time for wildlife, food is scarce and hibernators are looking for shelter. That's why we’ve put together our top tips for maintaining your garden for wildlife…
Lady's bedstraw
In summer, the 'frothy' flowers of lady's bedstraw can carpet the grasses of meadows, heaths and coasts with yellow and fill the air with a sweet, honey-like scent.
Our Favourite Fen Wildlife
Staff and volunteers in the Great Fen are fortunate to spend their days enjoying the best of the Fen's wildlife. What were their top spots in 2022?