How to attract moths and bats to your garden
Plant flowers that release their scent in the evening to attract moths and, ultimately, bats looking for an insect-meal into your garden.
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Chwilio
Lesser black-backed gull
The lesser-black backed gull can be spotted around the coast in summer, with the biggest colony on Walney Island, Cumbria. Look for it over fields, landfill sites and reservoirs during winter.
Wood sage
Despite having the familiar sage-green leaves, Wood sage has very little scent, so is not a good cooking herb. It can be found on acidic soils on sand dunes, heaths and cliffs, and along woodland…
Comma
The comma has distinctively ragged wing edges, which help to camouflage it - at rest, it looks just like a dead leaf! It prefers woodland edges, but can be spotted feeding on fallen fruit in…
Surprise discovery at Magor Marsh
On 22nd June, towards the end of a brief hot spell that already feels like a distant memory, I spent an evening moth trapping at Magor Marsh with Seb Buckton from Gloucestershire. Seb had endured…
Wyeswood Common
Set within the picturesque Wye Valley, this former dairy farm is being transformed into an intricate mosaic of habitats, rich in nature.
Yew
The yew is a well-known tree of churchyards, but also grows wild on chalky soils. Yew trees can live for hundreds of years, turning into a maze of hollow wood and fallen trunks beneath dense…
The Wern
From sweeping views over the Monnow Valley to microcosms of plants and minibeasts living on the dry stone walls, there’s a lot to discover at this reserve.
Margaret's Wood
Sprawling oaks and towering beech trees form a beautiful mature woodland on the lower slopes of Whitebrook Valley, full of plants and woodland birds.
Henllys Bog
A small but perfectly formed valley mire, full of rare and interesting plants. Encircled by alder and beech trees, this reserve has a wonderful feeling of seclusion and tranquillity.
Alder fly
The alder fly is a blackish invertebrate, with delicately veined wings that it folds over its body like a tent. It can be found near ponds and slow-flowing rivers; the larvae living in the silt at…
Wild Isles
Wild Isles is a landmark natural history series showcasing the beauty and global significance of UK nature, presented by Sir David Attenborough and broadcast on BBC One from Sunday 12th March 2023. The five part series will remain available on BBC iPlayer.