British wildlife

Shrubs, climbers and small trees provide important food and shelter for insects, birds and other animals.

Discover what these rodents get up to - what they eat, where they sleep and why they keep digging holes in your garden.

Meet some of the birds you're likely to spot in your garden during the colder months of the year.

Fungi expert Mark Spencer reveals striking examples of fungi that flourish in towns and cities.

Get the facts on this garden favourite.

This simple DIY insect hotel is perfect for ladybirds looking for somewhere to hibernate in winter.

Increasing urbanisation is putting pressure on many birds. Here are 11 top tips for helping your local feathered friends.

Dark, dramatic and dead set on decomposition, soil is alive. Find out the dirt on soil’s drama. 

Can creativity carve out more space for nature in our towns and cities?

Discover the unexpected wildlife living the high life in cities and towns and the positive difference green roofs can make to an area.

Ponds are crucial habitat for a great diversity of wildlife.

It's not just foxes, rats and pigeons in the concrete jungle.

Some of the UK’s most recognisable birds are vanishing before our eyes.

Almost half of marine mammals around the UK are being poisoned by banned chemicals.

Help local wildlife, see more stars and get better rest - just a few compelling reasons to join the dark side.

Seaweeds are vital for the health of our planet, but we are unaware of just how threatened they might be. 

Wildlife in the UK has declined on average by 19% since monitoring began in 1970.

Rising temperatures and habitat loss could spell an uncertain future for bumblebees in Europe.

Cuckoos are being forced into riskier migrations to get ahead of the competition. 

Most of the declining species are farmland birds.

Of the almost 3,500 British plant species, non-native plants now outnumber native species by 51% to 49%.

While more butterflies are being threatened, the report finds they can recover with our help.

The UK's insect population has fallen sharply as the invertebrates are affected by rising temperatures and fragmented habitats.

Up to three quarters of all of Britain's rural hedgehogs have been lost in the past 20 years.

An unlikely alliance between a nature charity and a railway has created a haven for birdlife in Essex.

The largest urban rewilding project in the UK is happening on an old golf course.

For the first time in 100 years, Atlantic salmon are once again spawning in the upper waters of the River Derwent. 

The fishing of sandeels in the UK’s portion of the North Sea will be banned from April.

The National Education Nature Park will create a network of green spaces right across the country.

When we live alongside nature, we end up happier and healthier. We might even end up rewilding ourselves. 

A new report offers a path to recover England's woodlands, one that could increase the country's biodiversity from the mid-2040s onwards.

22 rewilding schemes will share £850,000 to help bring back nature in the UK's capital city.

While conservationists have welcomed the announcement, they've also raised concerns that the proposals aren't enough to protect vulnerable marine habitats.

As light pollution continues to increase around the world, the stars above Ynys Enlli remain much as our ancestors would have seen them.

For the first time the records of ancient British birds have been formally incorporated into the British List.

As parts of the UK experience one of the worst droughts in a century, a little patch in the southeast of England is babbling with life.

A new report lays out how we can prioritise the best selection of habitats to give the UK's 24 species of bumblebee a boost.

The bittern, whose call is as loud as a jet taking off, is returning to areas of the country it hasn't been seen in for centuries. 

Find out what eDNA is and how it can be used for conservation. 

How people power is saving plants from local extinction in North West England.

Birds need access to water year-round. Help them out by building a simple garden bird bath. 

Follow our simple instructions to prepare pressed flowers for craft projects or create your own plant herbarium.

Give solitary bees a home by making this simple, DIY bee hotel.

Growing native wildflowers helps provide the right food for pollinating insects, making life better for your local wildlife.

Pond dipping is a wonderful way to look at the creatures that live in and around pond water. 

A garden pond is one of the best ways you can help Britain's wildlife. You can create one in even the tiniest of gardens.

Put on a butterfly buffet and watch these intriguing insects feeding.

Making Sun prints is a fun activity that can turn leaves and flowers into simple but distinctive artworks.

Putting up a nesting box could be a big help to your local birds. Our simple design is ideal for small songbirds and sparrows.

Want to find out what small creatures are crawling around your garden? Follow our steps to set up a simple pitfall trap.

Follow our simple guide to building a bird feeder for your garden from a reused plastic bottle.

Find out how to help urban nature and attract more wildlife to your garden.

Have you ever wondered what wildlife wanders through your garden when you're not watching?

What nocturnal insects will you find where you live?

Dive into wildlife photography and discover how to take show-stopping images with only your phone camera. 

Frogs and toads are often spotted in UK gardens, but some are struggling. Find out how you can help.

Follow our instructions to make a simple hedgehog home. 

Filling your garden with insects will make your flowerbeds beautiful and support biodiversity. Ecologist Larissa Cooper explains how.

Keeping a nature journal is a great way to record any nature you see.

A log pile can give home and shelter to some of the smaller inhabitants of your garden.

The beetle usually lives on the warm Mediterranean coast.

Scientists at the Museum urge anyone who knows more about it or its location to get in touch.

The brown marmorated stink bug is a new invasive species in the UK.

A Museum expert explains how this invasive species could cause big problems for beekeepers in Britain.

Scale parasite flies, of a new fly family for Britain, have been found in the Museum's Wildlife Garden.

The Forestry Commission issues annual alerts about toxic oak processionary moth caterpillars in London.

Scientists believe that the arrival of just one more ash dieback spore could kill off Europe's remaining ash trees.

The arrival of a tiny moth in the Wildlife Garden sparked a scientific search of London.

An invasive species of European beetle has been found preying on pear trees in Kent orchards.

A bee species more commonly found in continental Europe has been spotted in Britain for the first time.

Scientists ask the public to look out for a new alien pest after the first sightings in Britain.

A tiny rust fungus could save the UK millions by halting the spread of the Himalayan balsam.

A walrus has been spotted taking a rest on the coast of north-eastern England. 

Experts think it is likely that the beluga came from the direction of Svalbard off Norway. 

A new British bee has turned out to be an overlooked, long-time resident.

A chemist who collects insects as a pastime has spotted what generations of British entomologists have missed: a native British beetle, living in ancient Scottish pine forests.

Find out if you're an above-average insect spotter with this quiz.

London is a particular stronghold of these magnificent, rare beetles. Discover why, where else they live and how you can help protect them.

They look like bees and pollinate flowers, but these fluffy flies have a gruesome teenage stage that makes them one of the most fascinating species in your local park or garden.

Check out these flamboyant flyers who are challenging moths' drab reputation with style.

With their pincers, horns and armour, these minibeasts might look terrifying, but luckily for us they are tiny and harmless.

Who's hitting the high notes in the insect orchestra? Despite their small size, they sure know how to make themselves heard.

Get the facts on when and why ants grow wings and swarm.

Discover some standout British beetles, including a particularly vibrant ladybird and a rare rainbow-coloured leaf beetle.

Wasps and humans may have a rocky relationship. But should these insects be revered rather than feared?

Most social wasps aren't fussy when it comes to finding a spot to settle down.

Museum scientist and champion of earthworms Emma Sherlock shares her passion for these vital invertebrates.

Pollination is not just the work of honeybees. Meet some of the buzzing, bold and beautiful insects carrying out this critical task.

It has a hairy body, orange fan-like antennae and eats roots. Watch the video to find out more.

Every autumn there are reports of false widow spiders becoming uninvited eight-legged houseguests across the UK.

Explore seven common styles of spider web and discover the arachnids that make them.

Drowsy caterpillars are transforming into moths with a cunning skill - producing their own cyanide. 

Otters are sprainting the town red (well, black) and are being spotted in city rivers across the UK.

The best places to hang out with bats and how to take them under your wing.

Get the facts on this garden favourite.

The first official red list for British mammals has been produced.

Discover what happened to a rare bat that found itself in a high street shop.

Find out what makes Britain's towns and cities so appealing to red foxes and if they deserve the bad rap they receive.

Join us on a 360° loch-side walk in Knapdale to look for signs of beavers and learn more about these ecosystem engineers.

More grey seal pups are being born on British coastlines than ever.

Experts think it is likely that the beluga came from the direction of Svalbard off Norway. 

Find out how these arboreal rodents use their whiskers to navigate at night.

The rodents are being reintroduced in the hope of starting a new colony.

Museum scientist Rebecca Lyal shares her experiences studying whale and dolphin strandings along the British coast.

Increasing urbanisation is putting pressure on many birds. Here are 11 top tips for helping your local feathered friends.

From fiery red to electric blue, birds in the UK are a riot of colour. 

The simple act of watching birds opens a window onto a whole other world right on your doorstep. 

Name that tune! Learn how to recognise the songs and calls of the UK's most common park and garden birds.

Can you match these songs and calls to nine common British garden birds?

Peregrine falcons have adapted to urban living, but what's the best way to see the fastest bird in town?

Ring-necked parakeets are a spectacle to see and hear, but are they causing problems for native UK wildlife?

Find out about this ghostly silent, night-time hunter.

Find out about some of the birds you're likely to see and hear in parks and gardens. 

Meet some of the birds you're likely to spot in your garden during the colder months of the year.

Find out facts about this sociable bird.

Explore facts about this red-breasted festive icon.

Get tips on urban birdwatching and discover what you could see - including birds of prey and parakeets.

Flocks of starlings form ever-changing, mesmerising aerial displays in autumn and winter. 

Follow our simple guide to building a bird feeder for your garden from a reused plastic bottle.

Help your local wild birds to survive winter by putting out these nutritious fat balls. 

Birds need access to water year-round. Help them out by building a simple garden bird bath. 

Putting up a nesting box could be a big help to your local birds. Our simple design is ideal for small songbirds and sparrows.

Spring is a great time to hop over to a local pond or stream to witness the wonderful life cycle of frogs.

If you see a snake blink at you, it's not a snake.

Frogs and toads are often spotted in UK gardens, but some are struggling. Find out how you can help.

Explore facts about this huge shark - which can open its mouth up to a metre wide - including where you might see one in the UK.

With armoured bodies, curly tails and limited swimming ability, seahorses are a group of fish quite unlike any other.

Although most sharks give birth to live young, a few lay oddly shaped eggs that occasionally wash up on beaches.

Microplastics are having an enormous impact.

Discover the most common trees in Britain's towns and cities and what helps them to thrive in an urban environment.

Follow our simple instructions to prepare pressed flowers for craft projects or create your own plant herbarium.

Shrubs, climbers and small trees provide important food and shelter for insects, birds and other animals.

Find out which plants will encourage colourful visitors to your garden.

Keep an eye out in spring and you may spot the delicate pink and white blooms of a cherry tree.

Of the almost 3,500 British plant species, non-native plants now outnumber native species by 51% to 49%.

Dr Mark Spencer explains why it's important to find out.

Scientists believe that the arrival of just one more ash dieback spore could kill off Europe's remaining ash trees.

Discover the flowers that go to extraordinary lengths to attract insect pollinators.

You don’t have to go to exotic locations to see weird and wonderful wildlife.

A tiny rust fungus could save the UK millions by halting the spread of the Himalayan balsam.

Climate change could bring an end to algae and seaweed.

Professor Juliet Brodie explains why seaweed forests are so important to coastlines all over the world.

Beachgoers are being asked to become scientists to help gather important data about British seaweeds.

The common British seaweed Irish moss displays a blue shine using unique structures that bend light, according to a new study.

Like small signposts, lichens can tell us a lot about the air we are breathing. 

Fungi expert Mark Spencer reveals striking examples of fungi that flourish in towns and cities.

Scientists believe that the arrival of just one more ash dieback spore could kill off Europe's remaining ash trees.

A tiny rust fungus could save the UK millions by halting the spread of the Himalayan balsam.

Have you ever noticed the small mounds of sand on a beach at low tide? These are lugworm poos, and they hold a secret.

Want to explore the life lurking in seashore rock pools? Find out what you need and what you might see.

Explore facts about this huge shark - which can open its mouth up to a metre wide - including where you might see one in the UK.

Climate change could be behind the increase.

A walrus has been spotted taking a rest on the coast of north-eastern England. 

More grey seal pups are being born on British coastlines than ever.