Total monthly rainfall: 29 millimetres. Maximum daily rainfall: 12.5 millimetres (7^th May).

Another month of low rainfall, with measurable rain falling on only 8 days, resulting in pond levels already over 30 centimetres below maximum.

Maximum temperature on the warmest days reached 22°C on May 23rd and 30^th, while maximum temperature on the coldest day was 10°C on the 4^th. Although there were only 13 days with full cloud-cover, there were 16 days when a stiff breeze from the north-west and north-east caused unpleasant flying conditions for dragonflies, butterflies, and moths.

Total monthly rainfall was 22.8 mm with a  maximum daily rainfall of 6 mm on 9th April. There were 10 days when measurable rainfall occurred, and 13 days when cloud-cover was 100% for at least part of the day. Rainfall was much lower than daily forecasts suggested because most of the showers avoided our area. Maximum temperature reached 23°C on April 21st amid a warm spell between the 18th and 23rd, and only reached 10°C on the 9th and 14th. A strong wind-chill was present during this latter period, and returned again between the 25th and 28th.

Take part in this survey to help Kent Wildlife Trust understand wildlife declines:

Recent scientific research has shown that in Europe, flying insects have declined by 75%. In the UK, we don’t have the data to assess this trend for most insect groups, but we do know that many are in decline here too. These are very worrying statistics, not only for insects but also for the huge number plants and animals (including humans) that depend on them for food, pollination and other essential functions. We need to act now to understand what is happening to them and work towards a Wilder Kent.

By counting the insects that get squished on the number plate of your car, you can help us assess the insect trends and the productivity of ecosystems in Kent. You can contribute on any journey you take within the county between June and September 2019.  Any journey within Kent will give us valuable data – simply driving to work or school is perfect. Shorter journeys are especially useful and will help us understand the differences in insect numbers in different parts of the county. 

To find out more, visit https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/get-involved/our-projects/natures-sure-connected

Are our landscapes becoming more joined up?

Kent Wildlife Trust has teamed up with Butterfly Conservation to see if habitat connectivity is improving. By looking for key butterfly species, chosen for their dispersal ecology characteristics, and searching nearby to where we know they are found, you can help them understand if species are able to move from one patch to another though a more connected landscape. Help the Nature’s Sure Connected project answer this question by signing up to be a butterfly monitoring volunteer for your area.

Read more about the project and how to get involved here: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/get-involved/our-projects/natures-sure-connected

Our sister organisation Kent Reptile and Amphibian Group (KRAG) has teamed up with Kent Wildlife Trust to deliver part of the Nature's Sure Connected project and needs volunteers to undertake surveys to find out whether reptiles are present at sites close to known adder colonies.  Artificial refuges will be placed at sites around Kent and they would like people to check them through the summer for reptiles.  This can be done whenever it is convenient for you and the weather conditions are good.

To help people get up to speed there will be a workshop for volunteers to introduce them to reptile identification and survey techniques.  The workshop will be held at Wildwood (near Herne Bay) on Sunday 16th June from 11am to 4pm.

To find out more about the project, to volunteer or to attend the workshop please go to: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/volunteering-opportunities/reptile-survey-volunteer