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Trees woods and wildlife
Purple emperor
Despite its exotic appearance, the purple emperor is as typical of UK woodland as the mighty oak. It’s elusive and beautiful, but has quite the unsavoury appetite.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Hawfinch
This big-billed heavyweight can easily crush a cherry stone, but the UK’s largest finch is shy and hard to spot, spending most of its time in the canopy.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Crab apple
A symbol of fertility and a forager's delight. Crab apple trees are associated with love and marriage and its small, hard fruits make an exquisite, jewel-coloured jelly.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Hard fern
An evergreen beauty with not one, but two types of frond. Its medicinal qualities have helped treat ailments for centuries, while its leaves have been used to subdue hunger and thirst.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Ringlet
With chocolate brown velvety wings and a delicate trim, the ringlet is an understated yet attractive butterfly. Look out for its trademark bobbing flight as it travels through woodland glades.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Peacock
Big. Bold. Beautiful. This stunning showstopper is instantly recognisable, with its captivating azure ‘eyes’ and orange-brown wings. Widespread and common throughout the UK, it is one of our most-loved butterflies.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Dog rose
A familiar, scrambling beauty that adorns hedgerows with its pale pink flowers. Dog rose clasps on to other shrubs with curved spines to grow.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Purple hairstreak
Small yet stunning, the purple hairstreak is rarely seen as it spends much of its time fluttering high up in the tree canopy. Reliant on oak woodland, this little butterfly is never far from oak trees.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Willow, bay
Small but pretty, the bay willow is named after its smell and misleading appearance. It’s a lover of damp conditions, and feeder of pollinators and caterpillars.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Gatekeeper
Named for its rigorous patrol of hedges and woodland rides, the gatekeeper butterfly is a prime pollinator. Look for them sipping nectar on sunny days in the summer.