Scorpionfly
The scorpionfly, as its name suggests, has a curved 'tail' that looks like a sting. It is, in fact, the males' claspers for mating. It is yellow and black, with a long 'beak…
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Chwilio
My spa day
For Lucy, the wind and salty spray of the Atlantic Ocean is more relaxing than any spa treatment and being surrounded by amazing wildlife, like Common Dolphins, Minke Whales and Harbour Porpoise…
Snakelocks anemone
It's easy to see where the snakelocks anemone got its name when you spot its flowing tentacles. But be careful when out rockpooling, those tentacles give a nasty sting!
Oak apple gall wasp
Living up to its name, the oak apple gall wasp produces growths, or 'galls', on oak twigs that look like little apples. Inside the gall, the larvae of the wasp feed on the host tissues,…
Ringed plover
The ringed plover is a small wader that nests around the coast, flooded gravel pits and reservoirs. It is similar to the little ringed plover, but is a little larger, has an orange bill and legs,…
Compass jellyfish
It's easy to see where the compass jellyfish got its name – its brown markings look just like a compass! They may look beautiful – but they give a nasty sting so keep your distance.
Cushion star
It's easy to see where this small starfish got its name, it really does look like a little star-shaped cushion. Keep an eye out under rocks next time you're rockpooling for this little…
Red ant
Turn over large stones or paving slabs in the garden and you are likely to find a red ant colony. This medium-sized ant can deliver a painful sting, so be careful! In summer, winged adults swarm…
Yellow-browed warbler
This charming little warbler is an increasingly common sight in autumn, when migrants pass through the UK.
My jump leads
Ann and her husband nurture and cultivate specialist sphagnum mosses and vascular plants like bog cranberry for a community area of the moss: they’re kickstarting the vegetation growth on Little…
My Wild Kitchen
In 2021, Emily and her partner took on an allotment. It is an amazing space that has allowed Emily to be more sustainable whilst reaping the well-being benefits of nature. Their next plan is to…
Save the Wye
Life in the River Wye is silently slipping away. The crisis can be seen in the death of fish and insects, the unrelenting loss of aquatic flowers, and the huge algal blooms that turn the river green and stinking during long, hot spells. Phosphate, the chemical that creates these algal blooms and the resulting loss of oxygen in the water, is invisible. But you can see, and often smell, the main cause of the problem. Manure from chicken farms making its way into the Wye.