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Trees woods and wildlife
Bees, wasps and ants
Bees, wasps and ants all form part of the insect order Hymenoptera, a large and diverse group made up of 'membrane-winged' insects.
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Blog
Why are bees important? And how you can help them
Bees are important for wildlife, for woods and trees, and even for our own lives. Find out why, discover why bees are in trouble and learn how you can help them.
Charlotte Varela • 26 Apr 2023
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Blog
Wildflowers for bees: how to attract bees to your garden
Wild bees and other pollinators are in decline. But there are things you can do in your garden to help reverse this trend including increasing food and habitat. Includes our top nine bee-friendly wildflowers to plant in your garden.
Helen Keating • 18 Mar 2019
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Blog
Where do bees go in winter?
Ever wondered where bees go in winter? Find out where different species of bee go when the weather gets cold, and when to spot them emerging.
Charlotte Varela • 18 Nov 2022
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Woodland Trust Wood
Beeslack Wood
Penicuik
13.31 ha (32.89 acres)
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National Trust Wood
Manifold Valley - Beeston Tor
Staffordshire
3.44 ha (8.50 acres)
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Trees woods and wildlife
Woodland wildlife
The UK's native woods and trees support a great diversity of living organisms. Our species guides explore the wildlife that depends on woodland, from plants and fungi to mammals, birds, bees and beetles.
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Leeds City Council Wood
Beeston Royd
West Yorkshire
4.86 ha (12.01 acres)
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Blog
Types of bee in the UK: how to tell the difference
From fluffy bumblebees to pint-sized mining bees, we take a look at the key characteristics of some of our most common species.
Charlotte Varela • 31 Jul 2023
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Trees woods and wildlife
Tree bumblebee
A new arrival and a welcome addition to the UK's bumblebees. This enterprising bee has quickly set up home across Britain and happily takes to nest boxes provided by kindly gardeners.
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Blog
How to build a bee hotel
Help bees by building them a bee hotel to lay their eggs. Read our step-by-step guide.
Hannah Vickers • 17 Apr 2020
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Blog
First signs of autumn
Discover when autumn starts and the signs of the season – look for leaves changing colour, autumn fruits and seeds, migrating birds, ivy flowering and incredible fungi.
Danielle Wesley • 31 Aug 2019
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Blog
7 blossom crafts and activities for kids
Discover fun blossom crafts and activities to enjoy with your children this spring.
Danielle Wesley • 11 Mar 2022
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Trees woods and wildlife
Plum, cherry
Street tree, early spring flowerer and ancestor of the domestic plum. Cherry plum is one of the first trees to blossom in the UK.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Box, common
A native evergreen that’s at home in your garden. Box is so special it’s got a hill named after it. Box Hill in Surrey takes its name from the ancient box woodland on its steep chalk slopes.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Southern wood ant
Acid-spraying insects with a soft side. Southern wood ants roam our woods in huge gangs and have a surprising approach to finding their favourite food.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Foxglove
Beautiful but deadly. This familiar flower has the power to cure and kill.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Alder buckthorn
A reputation for causing a bang. Alder buckthorn is used to make gunpowder, pigments and dyes. It’s a beloved plant of the brimstone butterfly.
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Woodland Trust Wood
Owlet
Blyton
50.41 ha (124.56 acres)
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Salford Metropolitan Borough Council Wood
Worsley Woods
Greater Manchester
34.80 ha (85.99 acres)
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Trees woods and wildlife
Willow, goat
Also known as the pussy willow, the male catkins of the goat willow look like a cat’s paws. It supports lots of wildlife, including the elusive and regal purple emperor butterfly.
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Blog
How to build a bug hotel
Help insects and other minibeasts by building a bug hotel in your garden or outside space. You’ll need some old plant pots, sticks and pine cones.
Danielle Wesley • 05 Sep 2019
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Blog
Is ivy poisonous?
Discover whether ivy is poisonous and learn more about where it grows, how to take care of it in your garden and why it’s a great plant for wildlife.
Kate Lewthwaite • 17 Aug 2021
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Blog
What do buzzards eat? And more buzzard facts
Did you know the UK’s buzzard population had quadrupled since the 1970s? These majestic birds of prey are thriving, but what do they eat?
James Martin • 21 Jun 2019
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Press centre
Center Parcs ancient woodland plans are not warranted
Read our president Clive Anderson's view on Center Parcs' proposals to turn precious ancient woodland into a new holiday resort in Sussex.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Lime, common
At home on a country estate or deep in the wild, this lime is common in name only. It’s a hybrid between the small-leaved and large-leaved lime, and is a particular favourite of aphids and their many predators.
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Blog
6 rare moths that depend on UK trees
The UK is home to a number of moths that depend on trees. Explore moth species that you'd be lucky to encounter on a woodland walk.
Julia Lock • 12 Jul 2022
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Trees woods and wildlife
Hazel
Catkins resembling lambs tails, and late-summer nuts. Hazel is one of the most useful trees for its bendy stems and as a conservation saviour. And its nuts are loved by people, squirrels and hazel dormice.
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Blog
12 uncommon and rare woodland flowers
Woodland is home to some of the UK's rarest flowering plants. Some are weird. Some are mysterious. And all have fascinating stories to tell. You'll be lucky to track down some of these beauties, but they're worth it if you do.
Amy Lewis • 26 Jan 2018
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Blog
Woodland Walks podcast with Adam Shaw - Priory Grove, Monmouth
Discover the fascinating ancient art of coppicing as we visit Priory Grove in the Wye Valley, where the technique is still practised to benefit people and wildlife.
Adam Shaw • 25 Aug 2023