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Why does an Oak sometimes hold on to it's dead leaves?
Have you noticed that some Oak trees are still holding on to their leaves in winter? It is a feature of Oaks, along with other deciduous...
Holly Leaf Minor: The perilous existence behind a leaf blemish...
Have you ever noticed pale creamy white trails through Holly leaves? These are made by the larvae Holly Leaf Miners (Phytomyza ilicis)....
European Nuthatch
(Sitta europaea) The Nuthatch is found across much of the palearctic (Europe and the north of Asia). In the UK it is found in England and...
Bonnet fungi
(Mycena species) There are over 100 species of bonnet in the UK and many cannot be accurately distinguished without expert microscopic...
King Alfred's Cake
(Daldinia concentrica) This is a saprobic fungus, which breaks down dead wood. It's mainly found of Ash and Beech; occasionally on other...
Brimstone
(Gonepteryx rhamni) What's in a name Brimstone, meaning "burning stone" was the name for sulphur from the 14th century, referring to how...
Snakeflies
(Raphidioptera family) There are four species of snakefly found in the UK. They're difficult to spot and pretty under-recorded as they...
Black-spotted Longhorn Beetle
(Rhagium mordax) One of 69 species of Longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae) found in Britain, 30,000 worldwide. The larvae of most Longhorn...
Turkey tail
(Trametes versicolour) Turkey tail (or Turkeytail) used to be known by the common name Many-zoned Polypore in the UK but this has been...
Oak Gall Wasps...and other galls
Oak galls are abnormal growths consisting of modified plant tissue. They're caused by the developing larvae of various species of gall...
Cuckoo-spit, Spittlebugs and Froghoppers
(Philaenus, Neophilaenus, Aphrophora spp.) The cuckoo-spit that we see on plants in spring is caused by a Spittlebug, which is the nymph...
Common Dog-violet
(Viola riviniana) Common Dog-violet is the most common violet in the UK. It's an ancient woodland indicator and can be found in hedgerows...
Bullfinch
(Pyrhula pyrrhula) Bullfinches are striking birds with their bright sunset coloured chests and cheeks. At least the males are: the...
Ichneumon wasps
(Ichneumon sarcitorius) This is a female Ichneumon sarcitorius, one of around 2,500 species of ichneumon wasp found in the UK. They're...
False Ladybird
(Endomychus coccineus)
As the common name suggests, the False Ladybird is not a ladybird but does look superficially similar, at least in
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