NATURE ACROSS THE DOWNS
THE DOWNS JOURNAL
Discover the wildlife, plants and seasons shaping our Wiltshire landscape.
LIFE ON THE DOWNS
The Wiltshire Downs form part of a globally rare chalk landscape, supporting an exceptional variety of plants, birds, insects and other wildlife. More than 70% of Britain’s chalk grassland has disappeared, making the habitat that remains increasingly important.
Nearby Salisbury Plain contains the largest surviving area of semi-natural dry grassland in the European Union. Through The Downs Journal, we record the wildlife found around the distillery, follow the changing seasons and explore the plants growing across the Downs and within our botanical garden.
Some of these plants flavour our spirits. Others provide food and shelter for pollinators, birds and other wildlife. Together, they reveal the close relationship between the distillery, this ancient landscape and the conservation work helping to protect it.
THE DOWNS JOURNAL | DOWNTON DISTILLERY
WILDLIFE ON THE DOWNS | THE GOAT MOTH | RARE
A rare Goat Moth caterpillar was recently spotted on the Downs. This extraordinary wood-feeding larva can live inside a tree for up to five years before emerging to pupate. Its...
Wildlife on the Downs | Rare Rugged Oil Beetle
The oil beetle is a rare, flightless insect found on chalk downland. Its unusual life cycle depends entirely on solitary bees. Slow moving and striking in appearance, it signals a...
