A familiar shrub of hedgerows and woodland edges, blackthorn comes alive in spring when it bursts into a froth of white blossom. It is well known for its sloes, too - the blue-black fruits used in…
With yellow-and-black bands, the giant horntail looks like a large wasp, but is harmless to us. The female uses her long, stinger-like ovipositor to lay eggs in pine trees, where the larvae then…
This dainty white butterfly is now only found in a few parts of Britain, where it flutters slowly through woodland clearings.
Throughout the election campaign, it became clear that people know that our natural world is in crisis and want politicians to make the bold and ambitious commitments to reverse the decline. So…
The all-black rook is a sociable bird, so can be spotted in flocks or nesting colonies, known as 'rookeries'. Unlike the similar carrion crow, it has a grey bill and 'baggy trouser…
It’s Nature Friendly Farming week and a moment to register the huge importance of a nature transition in farming. It’s critical for our climate, water and food. Vicki Hird looks at the facts, as…
From spring, look out for the beautiful, speckled gold-and-black breeding plumage of the golden plover. It can be found in its upland moorland breeding grounds from May to September, moving to…
The whooper swan is a very rare breeding bird in the UK, but has much larger populations that spend winter here after a long journey from Iceland. It has more yellow on its yellow-and-black bill…
