For many of us the Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterfly was a regular sight on summers days but for today’s youngsters it’s a rare sight. With about two thirds of the butterflies colonies wiped out over the last 25 years a new project in Devon is … Continue reading
A new study published by a team of European researchers have followed the movement of butterflies and birds in relation to a warming European climate. It found that butterflies are responding quicker to the climate than birds – a worrying … Continue reading
Neonicotinoid insecticides are known to have a devastating impact on bees and a new study just published has shown another way in which these chemicals are damaging the worlds pollinators. Neonicotinoid coatings around the seeds are released into the environment at planting time and find their … Continue reading
This year has not seen the best of summers and butterflies appear to have been hit by the poor weather conditions. The results of the UK Big Butterfly Count 2011 indicates there were 11% fewer sightings compared to last year. … Continue reading
Ragwort is a precious British wild flower that is essential for the survival of the cinnabar moth. Ragwort is an essential food plant for the caterpillar and without it this bright red day-flying moth could be under threat. Sadly, for the moth, ragwort is … Continue reading
It’s July and the height of summer. As I look out the window and see the rain pouring down (this is Wales after all) my thoughts turn to the coming autumn and winter. This is a good time to start looking at providing … Continue reading
Honeybees have crashed in numbers since the 1980′s but a recent study indicates that crop productivity is still rising raising the question of ‘who is pollinating all the crops?’. The study shows that we only have a third of the … Continue reading
Earlier this year a team of scientists from the California Academy of Sciences explored the biodiversity of the Philippines. It was one of the most extensive wildlife surveys ever conducted in the country and ranged from mountain tops to under sea … Continue reading
There seems to be lots of bug hunts going on, which is great if you love insects. This latest beetle survey from Buglife is asking you to keep your eyes open for one of Britains rarest beetles, the scarlet malachite. … Continue reading
There’s lots of weird and wonderful life cycles in the natural world but they probably don’t come much stranger than a parasitic fungus in the tropical rain-forest. This beast of a fungus infects ants, destroying their brains before finally forcing … Continue reading
Insects are fantastic creatures to watch and study. They come in such a wide range of shapes and sizes, none more so than the treehoppers or Membracidae. This group of insects have a stunning array of body shapes formed from appendages … Continue reading
Spring is here, the sun has started to come out and as we all head outdoors so the seasonal wildlife surveys head into full swing. The Peoples Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is the latest group asking for the publics … Continue reading
There’s only about a month to go before Buglife’s spring oil beetle hunt begins. Now is a good time to head over to their web site to register and take part in this survey. Once registered they will send you … Continue reading
Life is hard for a bee, it’s not just all work and no play they also have to deal with parasites, habitat loss, intensive agriculture and countless other threats. So it’s good to have friendly bee keepers who look after … Continue reading
We all know that the black and yellow markings found on wasps and hornets are a warning sign to state that the insect may be carrying a painful sting depending on the species. The latest research from Tel Aviv University … Continue reading
The 2007 Countryside Survey is now available for download, the latest audit of the UK countryside reveals more information about declining pollinator – especially bees – numbers in the wild. The survey undertaken regularly since 1978 is one of the … Continue reading
Natural England ecologist Dr Helen Smith has been carefully hand raising thousands of baby spiders since the spring and they have just been released back into the wild in Suffolk. The fen raft spiders that have been released into Suffolk … Continue reading
One of Britain’s most majestic trees, the horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), is under attack on two fronts. A recently arrived moth is laying leaf miner larva which is causing serious damage to the trees leaves and a bacterium is infecting … Continue reading
Amazingly stick insects are alive and well, living in the wild in Cornwall. The county’s mild winters means that some rather exotic insects can be found roaming the countryside. In order to bring distribution data of the insects up to … Continue reading
After two years and more than 22,500 recordings, Natural England has released the results of their latest moth survey in woodland designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). the survey covered 45 SSSI woodlands and was undertaken during 180 … Continue reading
