Privet hawk-moth
With a torpedo-shaped body and long, narrow wings, the privet hawk-moth is a striking garden visitor. But the caterpillars really stand out: lime-green, with purple streaks and a black hook at the…
Chwilio
Speckled wood butterfly - Vicky Nall
Chwilio
Quaking-grass
As its name suggests, quaking-grass can be seen quivering or 'quaking' in a breezy, summer wildflower meadow. Its purple-and-green, heart-shaped flower heads hang from delicate stems.…
Sandwiches arrive late for Cemlyn’s Picnic!
No matter how well you think you might know a place and its wildlife, there are always surprises! This year, the terns of Cemlyn have really kept us guessing. Alison Brown, Roseate Tern LIFE…
My breath of fresh air
Michael manages Stanley Moss Nature Reserve; he loves the serenity of the area and the different wildlife that he can see. The area was once used for coal mining, and was drained and planted with…
My fascination
Hi, I am Arun, a volunteer and marine champion for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. Since I was 11, I have been completing Shoresearch surveys with the Trust to monitor the species…
My office
Gary is the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme (BEVS) Project Manager for Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. He is injecting badgers to protect them against bovine tuberculosis (bTB) to help curb the…
Carrageen
This small reddish-purple seaweed grows in small branching fans on rocky shores. It is widely used in the food industry - and might have been used to produce your ice cream, beer or even jelly!…
Melancholy thistle
As its name suggests, the Melancholy thistle was once used to treat 'melancholia' (depression). Today, it can be found in upland hay meadows showing off its single, purple, thistle-like…
Pyramidal orchid
The pyramidal orchid lives up to its name - look for a bright pinky-purple, densely packed pyramid of flowers atop a green stem. It likes chalk grassland, sand dunes, roadside verges and quarries…
Spear thistle
A common plant of disturbed ground like roadside verges and field edges, the spear thistle has purple, fluffy flower heads that appear in summer. Its flowers attract insects and its seeds feed…
Starling
The starling is a familiar garden visitor that has a beautiful purple-and-green sheen to its black feathers. It is famous for its wintry aerial displays - massive flocks can be seen wheeling over…
My passion
Chris is the Southern Reserves Manager at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and leads a team of staff, wardens and volunteers in caring for our nature reserves in the South of Nottinghamshire. This…