Come along on Saturday 29 March and join Grove Farm volunteers for the slow worm survey, a hands-on conservation event. You will also help to create artificial refuges. These will help monitor their slow worm population.

When: Saturday, 29 March 10:00 – 13:00
Where: Grove Farm, Greenford, Ealing, UB6 0DX

Friends of Grove Farm, with the London Amphibian and Reptile Group (LARG) are working together to create artificial refuges. These refugees will help monitor the slow worm population on-site this year. This is part of conservation work at the beautiful Grove Farm Nature Reserve.

Slow worms are fascinating, legless lizards that play a vital role in local ecosystems. By placing these refuges, it will be able to survey their numbers, life stages, and record sexes. This will provide critical data for ensuring the protection of slow worms.

Coming along is John Salisbury from LARG, and is an ecologist and specialist in reptiles and amphibians. He will be on hand to tell you all about these fascinating legless lizards. He can answer any questions you have, making this a great learning experience for all.

At Grove farm they are always on the look out for more people to join the slow worm survey team. By coming along is a great introduction to learning how to survey slow worms so you can join the team of volunteers to continue this project.

What to wear

Wear clothes that cover your legs and feet as the walk will go through patches of nettles and brambles. The ground is uneven in places and there are trip hazards.

Slow worms

As the Wildlife Trust confirms, despite appearances, the slow worm is actually a legless lizard, not a worm or a snake! You will find slow worms basking in the sun on heathlands and grasslands, or even in the garden, where it favours compost heaps.

Slow worms can be found in heathland, tussocky grassland, woodland edges and rides. Any place where they can find invertebrates to eat and a sunny patch in which to sunbathe. They are often found in mature gardens and allotments, where they like hunting around the compost heap. However, if you have a cat, you are unlikely to find them in your garden as cats predate them. Like other reptiles, slow worms spend the winter in a dormant, hibernation-like state known as brumation, usually from October to March.

How to identify a slow worm

The slow worm is much smaller than a snake and has smooth, golden-grey skin. Males are paler in colour and sometimes sport blue spots, while females are larger, with dark sides and a dark stripe down the back.

About Friends of Grove Farm

Friends of Grove Farm is a community group based in Ealing which is set up to protect and improve Grove Farm Nature Reserve. https://www.friendsofgrovefarm.org/

Grove Farm is a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) and a Statutory Local Nature Reserve (LNR). It is a hidden urban gem which provides a biodiverse natural space in North Greenford. The deciduous woodland on Grove Farm contains broadleaf trees such as oak, ash, elm, hazel and blackthorn. Grove Farm has a particularly magnificent display of wood anemones in spring as well as native bluebells. It has rare trees including many wild service trees. All these species are indicators of ancient woodland. A stream runs along a valley through the site adding to its nature conservation interest. 

Friends of Grove Farm host a variety of talks and walks to encourage local people to explore Grove Farm and connect to nature. They undertake monthly litterpicks with LAGER Can to keep the nature reserve clean. They also work in collaboration with the Ealing Park Rangers, holding monthly conservation mornings with local volunteers to maintain and improve the current space.

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