
Grass snakes are excellent swimmers and feed mainly on amphibians. Being cold blooded, they are most commonly seen basking in the sun on areas of bare ground.
Grass snakes are excellent swimmers and feed mainly on amphibians. Being cold blooded, they are most commonly seen basking in the sun on areas of bare ground.
Although rarely seen, field voles are quite common and are the favourite food of barn owls and kestrel. They feed mainly on grasses and can be found all year in areas of grassland.
More of a chestnut colour than a field vole with a longer tail.
Largest of Britains bats. Often roosts in woodpecker holes.
Smallest and most common British bat.
Shrews have a venom gland to help them immobilise their prey and are able to use echolocation to hunt. Shrews do not hibernate but instead are able to enter periods of torpor where they shrink their bodies by up to
Shrews have an exceptionally hig metabolic rate and, as such, have to consume 125% of their body weight in insects everyday. They are active during the day and night.
Moles spend most of their time underground in a complex network of tunnels, some of which may be used by multiple generations.
A highly adaptable species that has been able to colonise most habitats, including towns and cities.
A highly adaptable species that has been able to colonise most habitats, including towns and cities.
This small deer was introduced in 1894 and since then has spread across most of southern england. During the day it hides in dense bramble patches and the males have very sharp tusks which can be used in defence and
Distinguishable from a weasel by its black tipped tail, stoats are fearsome predators for their size, regularly killing prey much bigger than themselves.
Weasels are slightly smaller than a stoat with no black tip on their tail. They feed mainly on small mammals such as mice and voles and their slender shape allows them to fit into their prey’s burrows.
Rabbits were introduced by the Normans in the 1200’s for food and their ability to breed very quickly has allowed them colonise most of Britain. They live in large communal burrows known as warrens.
Metallic
Eat aphids
Its range has been steadily expanding north due to the warmer summers associated with climate change.
Particularly attracted to yellow.
Are able to reproduce without mating, producing clones of themselves.
Common blue butterflies tend to live in grassy habitats and are most active in the summer. Only the males are blue with the females being a dull brown colour.
Large skipper butterflies are active during the summer months and can be found mainly in grassy areas.
Skylarks are present all year round but are mainly seen in the spring and summer when they perform their distinctive song flights to defend their breeding territory. They nest in grassland and feed mainly on insects and seeds.
Climbing plants with pea-like flowers.
Climbing plants with pea-like flowers. Hairy.
Climbing plants with pea-like flowers. Hairy.
Thistle-like flowers.
Pea-like flowers
Orchid most commonly seen
Easy to distinguish by single red flower in centre of each cluster.
Very spiky flower heads are the favourite food of goldfinches who use their slender bills to pick out the seeds. Flowers appear to bloom in a wave.
Used to be used to stuff mattresses as the smell of the dried flowers supposedly repelled fleas.
Name derives from shape of flower.
Hairy plant, name derives from shape of seed head.
A creeping plant with whorls of leaves and flowers at intervals along stem.
Thick hairy stems.
Square stems.
Similar to stinging nettle but doesn’t sting.
Member of the pea family. Has black, hairy seed pods. Often grows amongst grasses.
Similar to a dandelion but more slender and delicate.
A large daisy.
So-called because produces black seed heads.
Very tiny blue flowers.
Sprawling, creeping plant.
Square, hairy stem.
Also known as jack-go-to-bed-at-noon because flowers usually close up in the afternoon. Has large, round, fluffy seed heads and slender, pointed flower buds.