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Southampton Common Nature Reserve & Hawthorns Urban Wildlife Centre

The abundance of nectar producing plants on Southampton Common attracts many different species of bees, butterflies and other insects. The seeds and berries are also a welcome food source for birds during the winter months. On sunny days you can often see common lizards basking in the heath and the honey bees from the hive nearby are busy collecting pollen from the heather and gorse. There are three ponds in the grounds.

There is a pond which has been designed to encourage the internationally rare great crested newt, a smaller general wildlife pond and the large dragonfly pond. The design and management of this pond make it attractive to dragonfly and damselflies. The pond plants provides an ideal place for the females to lay her eggs and the emerging nymphs use marginal plants and wooden legs supporting the terrace.

These maps are intended as a guideline only; you must check the exact location of the reserve yourself. Wildlife Extra assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or usefulness of the information on this website.