Swallowtail
The exotic and beautiful swallowtail is the UK's largest butterfly. A strong flier, residents can be spotted over wetlands in Norfolk during summer. Migrants occasionally appear in southern…
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Chwilio
Yellow meadow ant
The yellow meadow ant is known for creating anthills in grassland habitats. It has a close relationship with the chalkhill blue butterfly - protecting the larvae in return for a sugary substance…
Notch-horned cleg-fly (horse fly)
The notch-horned cleg-fly isa horse fly dark grey in colour, with grey-brown mottled wings and intricately striped, iridescent eyes. There are 30 species of horse-fly in the UK; this is one of the…
Chalkhill blue
Unsurprisingly, the chalkhill blue can be found on sunny, chalk grassland sites in southern England. Clouds of this beautiful blue butterfly may be seen fluttering around low-growing flowers.
Small blue
The small blue's name is a little misleading: it is our smallest butterfly, but only shows a dusting of blue on brown wings. It is scarce, occurring on chalk grassland, mostly in southern…
Holly blue
Look out for the small holly blue in your garden or local park. It is the first blue butterfly to emerge in spring, and a second generation appears in summer. The caterpillars are fond of holly…
Dark green fritillary
The dark green fritillary is actually an orange butterfly with black spots. It gets its name from the dark green hue to the undersides of its hindwings. A strong flier, it can be seen on open,…
Ystradfawr
This reserve, once the site of extensive coal mining, is a great example of how nature has reclaimed the landscape. It is a rich mix of wildflower meadow, rhos pasture and young woodland. It is…
Black-and-yellow longhorn beetle
This brightly-coloured beetle is often found feeding on flowers on warm days in late spring and summer.
Little stint
This tiny wading bird is most often seen in autumn, feeding on the muddy margins of wetlands.
Wildlife gardening
Our own back gardens are often the place where we encounter wildlife most regularly. Whether it's digging up worms or feeding the birds, we all benefit from being out in a garden and wildlife too can thrive in these little havens.
Jack snipe
This well-camouflaged wader is a winter visitor to the UK, where it can be seen feeding on wetlands with a distinctive bobbing motion.