A REDEVELOPED Rhyl nature reserve area is growing a strong a strong habitat for insects, even including a moth answering to the name of Timothy.

Denbighshire Countryside Services, with support from Nature for Health volunteers, have been working to redevelop areas of Rhyl’s Brickfield Pond Nature Reserve.

Nature for Health is a collaborative project that works together with individuals and communities to highlight the role access to nature can have in improving health and wellbeing.

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The Nature for Health Programme has received £703,854 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Rangers alongside the volunteers have redeveloped an old community orchard and pond at the southwest corner of the nature reserve.

They cleared undergrowth, installed new fences and emptied ditches on the site to create suitable habitats for water voles, an animal on the UK’s endangered list and other wildlife.

A new path and wooden bridge also takes walkers into the orchard area which has undergone a management regime to support the habitat.

Rangers and volunteers carried out a wildlife survey at the nature reserve, mainly concentrating on the developing habitat at the orchard.

After noticing Canada Geese and their young on the main pond area, the group discovered on entering the orchard that the habitat is offering a growing helping hand to smaller wildlife members.

Denbighshire Countryside Ranger Sasha Taylor who accompanied the group said: “Thanks to the management of the orchard habitat, the species of grass, wildflowers and trees alongside the water vole areas are providing a great area for insects to thrive.

“We recorded a moth actually called Timothy Tortrix which was great to find and we also managed to see sightings of a Crescent Bell Moth, Damselfly, a Yellow Tail Moth caterpillar, a Dock Bug and a pair of Swollen-thighed beetles.

“The orchard is really becoming a mecca for insect species which is so important as well to support the food chain for all the other animals in the reserve such as the many birds we have here.”

Emlyn Jones, head of planning, public protection and countryside services, said: “Getting outdoors and experiencing our fantastic environments across the county is so important for helping physical and mental health and we are grateful for the Nature for Health volunteers supporting this survey at Brickfield Pond Nature Reserve.

“As the volunteers found, this nature reserve is a fantastic place for the local community to spend time at enjoying the sights and sounds of the wildlife residents.”