Why do wasps have stripes?
It’s hard being an insect! There’s so much that wants to eat you. Some insects hide away in the shadows for safety, but others (like wasps) shout their presence from the rooftops.
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Water vole by Terry Whittaker/2020VISION
Chwilio
Dingy mocha
This pretty, speckled moth is now a rare sight, found only in a few parts of southern England.
Downy emerald
This dazzling dragonfly can be seen darting above tree-lined ponds in certain parts of Britain.
Grow wildlife-friendly herbs
Planting herbs will attract important pollinators into your garden, which will, in turn, attract birds and small mammals looking for a meal.
Cattle egret
This small, white heron is an increasingly common sight in parts of the UK as it spreads north from continental Europe.
Painted goby
This slim fish is usually found on gravelly parts of the seabed, close to shore, but can turn up in rockpools.
My vocation
Elaine has spent her life surrounded by wild places; when she started to volunteer with BBOWT she realised that nature conservation was the job of her dreams. As well as looking after nine nature…
Common octopus
The common octopus is a highly intelligent, active predator. It even has a secret weapon - special glands produce a venom that it uses to incapacitate its prey!
Marsh helleborine
The Marsh helleborine is a beautiful orchid of fens, wet grassland and dune slacks. Growing in profusion in places, look for reddish stems and white-and-pink flowers.
Red squirrel
Red squirrels are native to the UK but are a lot rarer than their grey cousins. They live in a few special places across the UK thanks to reintroduction projects.
Skullcap
The delicate, tube-like, violet-blue flowers of Skullcap bloom from June to September in damp places, such as marshes, fens, riverbanks and pond margins.
Large marsh grasshopper
The UK's largest native grasshopper is also one of its rarest, found only on wetlands in a few parts of England.