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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Common wasp
These picnic ruiners might not be the UK's most popular invertebrate, but they are efficient pollinators.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.