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Trees woods and wildlife

Weasel

Relentless and always hungry. What they lack in size, weasels make up for in appetite, eating a third of their own body weight daily. From birds to bank voles, the small creatures of the forest floor must be ever wary of this energetic hunter.

Visiting woods

Nature's Calendar

Help monitor the effects of climate change on wildlife near you. Your records contribute to a growing body of evidence on global warming.

Trees woods and wildlife

Centipedes and millipedes

Centipedes and millipedes are many-legged recycling machines, often thriving on the woodland floor.

Video

Vital shelter for island football pitch

Free trees are providing valuable protection from the elements for a local football club on the Isle of Lewis.

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Journal

Wood Wise - evidence for action

This issue of Wood Wise delves deeper into some of the issues highlighted in our landmark State of the UK’s Woods and Trees 2021 report.

PDF  (6.94 MB)

Video

First-hand experience for further education students

See how students at Vision West Notts College, Mansfield, linked practical planting skills with written work for their qualifications.

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Video

New hedge enhances Refugee Forum garden

A free hedge pack has contributed to a grassroots garden project that brings refugees, asylum seekers and local volunteers together as they create a peaceful space and learn about nature in Nottingham.

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Trees woods and wildlife

Harvestman

Spindly, gangly, with small, rounded bodies. These oddly proportioned spider relatives escape predators by losing their limbs. Look for them in damp woodland environments.

Video

Hedging shelters outdoor gym

Community interest company Inspire2tri planted 60 free trees to provide useful shelter for a disability and older adult activity area in Rutland.

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Video

Hedge maze offers social and therapeutic horticulture

Silver Birch Scotland has planted an incredible maze which helps support clients in East Dunbartonshire to gain skills, confidence and health benefits through horticulture.

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Video

A legacy for future generations

The Ukrainian Youth Association in Great Britain planted 420 free trees in Derbyshire to have a lasting impact for its community.

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Blog

Hairy caterpillar identification: 16 common UK species

Spotted a furry caterpillar undulating across the path in front of you or munching leaves in your garden? Learn to tell your tussocks from your tigers with our quick guide to some common UK species.

Amy Lewis  •  10 Jun 2021

Blog

When do hedgehogs hibernate? And other animals that hibernate

As temperatures start to fall, wildlife turns its attentions to surviving the winter. But where do hedgehogs and other species go in the worst weather?

Charlie Mellor  •  18 Sep 2020

Blog

Do worms have eyes? And other worm facts

They're unassuming, but worms make the world go round. Find out if they have eyes, mouths and brains. Plus discover what they eat and how they move with our fascinating worm facts.

Rachel Hoskins  •  25 Apr 2019

Trees woods and wildlife

Glow-worm

Emitting an eerie yellow-green glow at night, female glow-worms use bioluminescence to attract mates. Not worms at all, they are actually beetles that lurk in lowland Britain.

Blog

Woodland wildlife Olympics quiz

Test your nature knowledge as we pit fur against feather in an imaginary woodland Olympics. Some of the results might surprise you!

Charlie Mellor  •  10 Jul 2024

Blog

Elephant hawk-moth: caterpillar, lifecycle and is it poisonous?

Elephant hawk-moths are big, bright and very, very beautiful. But what do elephant hawk-moth caterpillars look like, where does their name come from, and are they poisonous?

Charlotte Varela  •  08 Jul 2024

Blog

House mouse or field mouse? Easy guide to types of UK mice, voles, rats and shrews

Are you curious about what mouse or vole you saw in your garden or out on a walk? Or did your cat bring one in and you wondered what it was? Here's a quick guide to the more common mice, voles, rats and shrews of the UK.

Helen Keating  •  28 Mar 2022

Trees woods and wildlife

Flat-backed millipede

Many-legged leaf eaters that live a secretive life hidden among the forest floor.

Blog

10 easy butterfly crafts for kids

Discover 10 colourful butterfly crafts for kids, from simple symmetry paintings to fun mosaic art.

Danielle Wesley  •  03 Jul 2023

Trees woods and wildlife

Poplar leaf beetle

A bright-coloured, picky eater. The poplar leaf beetle spends its time munching on the leaves of willows and, you guessed it, poplars.

Trees woods and wildlife

Jelly ear

Velvety and a little disconcerting, the jelly ear looks just like an ear growing off decaying branches.

Protecting trees and woods

Report a threat

Have you found a possible threat from development to an ancient wood or tree? Your ear to the ground could be the difference between survival and destruction. Let us know - we could help.

Trees woods and wildlife

Forest bug

A living woodland crest, the forest bug is a shieldbug that loves nothing more than the sap of oak trees. Look for them on woodland edges in the summer.

Blog

Swifts, swallows and martins: easy ID guide

When swifts, swallows and martins appear you know spring has arrived too! Find how to tell them apart and when to see them with our top identification tips.

Fritha West  •  05 May 2022

Blog

Hawk-moth caterpillar identification: eight UK species

Hawk-moth caterpillars have one thing in common: they're pretty impressive. Usually large, distinctively marked and with a characteristic horn at the tail end, they're a good group to get to grips with when learning who's who.

Amy Lewis  •  21 Jul 2021

Contact us

Feedback and complaints

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Trees woods and wildlife

Devil’s coach horse beetle

Jet-black with an even darker reputation. The devil’s coach horse has long been associated with sinister forces. In reality, it is only other invertebrates that have cause to fear this voracious predator.

Trees woods and wildlife

King Alfred’s cakes

Tiny fungi with an embarrassing story, King Alfred’s cakes are named after the king’s poor baking skills.

Blog

British dragonflies: larvae, wings and lifecycle 

Charismatic and brightly coloured dragonflies capture our imaginations every summer. Learn more about this iconic insect and which ones you can spot near woodland.

Joe Bates  •  25 Jul 2018

Blog

Stoat or weasel? How to tell the difference

Did you see a stoat on your last woodland walk? Or perhaps it was a weasel? Our guide will help you to tell these pint-sized predators apart. We also take a look at some of the other related species found here in the UK.

James Martin  •  01 Feb 2019

Trees woods and wildlife

Cockchafer beetle

Cute and clumsy. The charming, but alarmingly large, cockchafer spends late spring sensing for the perfect mate with its fanned antennae. Spot them in woodland clearings or bumping into lit windows in late spring.

Trees woods and wildlife

Common wasp

These picnic ruiners might not be the UK's most popular invertebrate, but they are efficient pollinators.

Trees woods and wildlife

Buzzing spider

Keep a keen ear out for this leaf-lover with real rhythm. Look for the buzzing spider on leaves and stems of deciduous trees and shrubs in woods and parks.

Trees woods and wildlife

Red squirrel

Bouncing bundles of bushy-tailed energy. The flash of a red squirrel leaping from branch to branch is an unforgettable, but increasingly rare sight in the UK’s woods. These charismatic creatures depend on woodland to survive.

Trees woods and wildlife

Velvet shank

A burst of sunshine in wintry woods, the bright orange of velvet shank fungus is a treat for the eyes on a dark day. Not only are they a cheery sight but they are also edible.

Trees woods and wildlife

Little owl

Small and stern, the little owl was first introduced to the UK in the 1800s. Look out for them in trees overlooking grassland from where they swoop to catch small prey with their sharp talons.

Trees woods and wildlife

Slow worm

Legless lizards which are often mistaken for snakes. These sleek and subtle creatures are a common sight in UK woodland.