NATURE RESERVES
Upper Orchid Field - Molluscopolis On one visit to the nature reserve by the local Cubs group, all they wanted to talk about were slugs and snails. So why not create an area dedicated to them? Thus was born Molluscopolis. Without any guidance or precedents that we could find, the assumption was that we needed - An area well-shaded and on the damp side. Plenty of old garden crocks, carpet tiles or plastic sheets. A log-pile. A compost heap. A small pond for water snails (the only species we introduced). These would be supplemented by display panels with information about slugs and snails for all ages and interests, from children’s stories to ecologists. Sure enough the common slugs and snails quickly moved in and by taking up position in the crocks and under tiles were easily accessible for visitors. But when staff from the National Museum of Wales popped in, they found several of the Clausilids or Door Snails in the log-pile that we had not noticed. In 2011 Molluscopolis received an Innovation Award from the Keep Britain Tidy judges. We have included Snail Racing on our Open Days and host educational visits where snail mobility and other features can be demonstrated. |
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Upper Orchid Field ......................................... Location ......................................... Species Recorded ......................................... Insectopia ......................................... Molluscopolis ......................................... Management Plan ......................................... |