Guy Freeman – Hoopoe – A blog by nhbs

Author interview with David M Wilkinson: Microworlds

The latest addition to the New Naturalist Library casts light on a hidden side to soils and freshwaters, inviting readers into the alien world of life at the microscopic level. In Microworlds, David M. Wilkinson introduces the bewildering array of organisms in these vast, near-invisible communities, and shares the extraordinary strategies they have developed to survive the challenges of micro-life.

Ahead of publication, David kindly spoke to us about the story behind the book and the fascination of microscopic life in general.

Firstly, for those unfamiliar with life at the microscopic level, could you give us a taste of the diversity of organisms covered in the book?

This book is number 151 in the New Naturalist series, and yet it covers more biological diversity than most of the other books added together. This is because almost all of biodiversity today is microbial, and for most of the history of the planet all life was microbial. As I wrote in the book’s foreword; ‘A realistic TV documentary on ‘Life on Earth’ would be totally dominated by microbes’. If the New Naturalist series mirrored this diversity almost all of the first 150 volumes would have been on microbes, and number 151 might well have been the first book on animals! To constrain this diversity to something manageable, the book concentrates on the free-living microbes in soils and freshwaters – so excluding parasitic microbes. It mainly describes eukaryotic microbes (i.e. those with the same cell structure as animals, plants and fungi) – that is the organisms sometimes called protozoa and algae. So most bacteria are excluded, except for photosynthetic cyanobacteria which are included because they are ecologically similar to eukaryotic algae, hence their old name of ‘blue green algae’.

The common plasmodial slime mould?Fuligo?septica. David M. Wilkinson

What first drew you to study microscopic life and how has your interest developed over the years?

I became interested in microbial ecology while an undergraduate at Coventry Polytechnic in the early 1980s – doing a final year research project on testate amoebae biogeography supervised by Humphrey Smith (who was an expert on Antarctic protozoa). Testate amoebae seemed to me an ideal group for an ecologist interested in microbes. They could be identified and counted relatively straightforwardly with fairly basic microscopes (DNA based molecular methods barely existed in microbial ecology at that time), and also their shells can preserve in peat and lake sediment cores allowing you to use them to reconstruct environmental changes over time. Diatoms also share these features, and both testates and diatoms feature prominently in the book. Since the 1980s I have maintained an interest in microbial ecology in general, and especially in testate amoebae, alongside research on many other topics. Much of my research on testates has been on large scale patterns in their diversity, and also more recently in their role in ecosystem function. For example, I am currently one of an international group of around 70 people working on a major analysis of global testate amoebae diversity. The idea that there would be 70+ scientists actively interested in testates would have seemed most unlikely when I was a student in the 1980s.

And when and how did the idea for Microworlds first emerge?

A volume on microbes has been an obvious gap in the New Naturalist series for many years, a gap that the editors have struggled to find an author to fill. My previous New Naturalist, Ecology and Natural History (2021), had a chapter on microbial ecology, however I think it was the article on testate amoebae that I wrote for British Wildlife in 2022 that convinced some of the editors that I might be the person to try and fill the gap.

How much attention have these lifeforms attracted over the years? Did you have much historical research to draw on when writing the book?

By definition you need a microscope to see microorganisms. Microscopes are a 17th century invention, and had to wait for the first half of the 19th century before their quality really started to improve. Once good microscopes became available a whole new world opened up, for amateurs as well as professionals. Indeed microscopes seem much more common in late 19th and early 20th century natural history than they are today. However, on occasions when they gather together in mass, microbes become visible to the field naturalist even without the aid of a microscope. For example, algal blooms turning water bodies green, spheres and sheets of the cyanobacteria Nostoc (Gilbert White saw these in his garden and wasn’t sure what to make of them), or amoebae gathering together as slime moulds. I have given such examples particular emphasis in the book as they can be seen by a general naturalist, who has no more than, at most, a hand lens to magnify them. Indeed, something that sounds very like the common yellow slime mould Fuligo septica was described from China in a Tang Dynasty medical text from 739.

Algal bloom in Trafalgar square. David M. Wilkinson

What tips would you give someone looking to start exploring the world of microscopic organisms for themselves?

Look down, not up. If you already have an interest in mosses or lichens you are already looking in some of the right places. A hand lens helps (e.g. with slime moulds), and a low power stereo microscope of the type many naturalists have, if they are into smaller organisms, magnifies enough to see borderline microscopic animals (such as tardigrades or Hydra) or true microbes such as the larger testate amoebae. With a basic compound microscope able to magnify at least 200 times many more things start to come into view. The books appendix is a brief guide to how to start to find things if you have access to a microscope – using the sort of ‘lab’ equipment found in a kitchen, or, at most, simple cheap equipment, such as disposable pipettes or petri dishes, which can be found on the NHBS website.

Amoeba proteus?- from Joseph Leidy’s beautifully illustrated1879 monograph on the North America amoebae. David M. Wilkinson

Perhaps a tricky question to finish, but could you share a favourite example of the remarkable and bizarre lifestyles some of these organisms lead?

So much of our understanding of life is based on a few groups of atypical organisms, such as mammals and birds. Microbial natural history forces us to rethink the basics. For example, how do you define death? Many microbes can sit out hostile conditions for many years in an inactive state with no measurable metabolism. In the case of some bacteria they seem able to survive in such a state for millions of years. We normally associated ‘no metabolism’ with death, but for these microbes (and some lichens and mosses too) just add water and they are living again! Have they come back from the dead? Questions like this have caused several philosophers to start to take an interest in microbial natural history in recent years. Microbes challenge our mammal–centric thinking on life and death, competition and cooperation, or sex and sexuality.

Author interview with Sophie Pavelle: To Have or To Hold

In To Have or To Hold, Sophie Pavelle dives into the dazzling world of symbiotic relationships – the good, the grotesque, and the downright bizarre. Through eight chapters, the book celebrates some of the UK’s lesser known species and the remarkable ways in which they have come to support, or exploit, their fellow organisms. Engaging and entertaining throughout, To Have or To Hold is a masterpiece in communicating complex scientific concepts in a personable, accessible manner.

Ahead of the paperback release in late July, we were delighted to talk to Sophie about the process behind the book, its key messages, and the intrigue of symbiosis itself.

Firstly, could you tell us about what drew you to the subject of symbiosis?

During my second year studying Zoology at the University of Bristol, a deceptively simple module titled ‘Parasites’ changed everything. Taught by leading experts, I became enthralled by the way parasites stitch the living world together; binding species, ecosystems and evolutionary histories in intricate, often astonishing symbioses. To Have or To Hold emerged at a moment when ‘nature connectedness’ and Britain’s fragile relationship with the living world were making headlines. As I delved into nature’s hidden alliances, I felt something rare: excitement, and genuine hope. Symbiosis, to me, reveals Earth in its truest form: complex, authentic and endlessly at work.

One significant figure in the book is the late Lynn Margulis, evolutionary biologist. Could you tell our readers a bit about her contributions to the understanding of symbiosis?

Lynn was my guiding light throughout the creation of To Have or To Hold. A remarkable American evolutionary biologist who came of age in the 1950s, she possessed a rare blend of intellectual ferocity and deep tenderness; as formidable as wildfire, yet endlessly curious about the secrets of the small. For decades, her insights into symbiosis lay obscured beneath Darwin’s towering emphasis on competition. At 28 – the same age I was while writing this book – she published her groundbreaking 1967 paper, ‘On the Origin of Mitosing Cells’, proposing that complex life could arise through the merging of species’ lives. Her legacy now underpins modern evolutionary biology, illuminating how life truly comes together.

You’ve ended up with an amazingly varied rollcall of subjects, from parasitic barnacles to lungwort lichens. How did you whittle down potential candidates to get your final list?

I set a few clear criteria to guide my choices which proved essential. Because once you start viewing the world through the lens of symbiosis, its abundance becomes overwhelming! I wanted species that would lead me across a range of British habitats, showcasing how varied and singular our archipelago is in supporting life and assemblages of species found nowhere else. Accessibility mattered too. Each location needed to be reachable by public transport, so readers might feel encouraged to follow these journeys themselves.

I also prioritised species whose relationships were supported by solid, peer?reviewed research, allowing each chapter to rest on firm scientific ground. Some organisms were so under?studied that a rigorous 12,000?word chapter simply wasn’t possible. Finally, I wanted to weave in climate research and represent a broad sweep of taxonomic groups, reflecting the full complexity of nature’s interconnectedness; from micro to macro in scale.

To Have or To Hold is refreshing for presenting and celebrating biodiversity in its entirety, not just the ‘nice’ parts. Did writing and researching the book change your outlook on parasites and other groups that get a bad rap?

I came to this book already biased toward parasites. I love the challenge of using story, science and language to shift a reader’s view of a species they might find ugly, violent or simply dreadful – to turn revulsion or apathy into curiosity and awe. As I descended into the hidden worlds of the Sacculina barnacle, the hairworm, even the early spider orchid, their sophistication astonished me. Each one responds to the universal urgency of survival with extraordinary precision. Far from diminishing them, these strategies only deepened my fascination and respect for their place in the living world.

Each chapter centres on your journeys around the country seeking out the various symbiotic relationships you describe. How important was it for you to go out and try and experience these firsthand?

Travelling to the habitats these species occupy was essential, just as it was when writing Forget Me Not. I’m a keen cyclist, and whenever the weather allowed, I rode. There’s something about pushing yourself through a landscape – heart racing, mind clearing, meeting the elements head?on – that deepens my connection to the species I’m writing about. If I can experience even a fraction of the challenges they endure, I hope I can bring them to life more vividly on the page.

And because this book weaves in the climate story, it felt important to witness the changing conditions myself. Over a year marked by named storms, marine heatwaves and drought, I travelled through the same extremes reshaping these relationships. It grounded the writing and reminded me that I’m not just observing these shifts, but living through them too.

Finally, what do you think symbiosis can teach us about our relationship with the planet and tackling the crises affecting the natural world?

That relationships are not always pretty. They require graft, ingenuity, give and take. They are complex, shapeshifting and spectacularly beneficial. Collaborations offer wildly more prosperous and exciting outcomes, and it’s in our DNA to gather and assemble – especially when there are problems to solve and decisions to make.

Author interview with Lin Baldock, Charlotte Bolton and Iain Dixon: Marine Crustaceans of Britain and Ireland

The Seasearch Guides have helped to revolutionise marine recording. Focused firmly on identification in the field, the books use top-quality photography, diagrams and clear text to highlight the things to look for in a typical encounter underwater or on the shore – i.e. the features that are most useful to recreational divers and rockpoolers. Having previously tackled seaweeds, fishes and sea anemones, among other groups, the latest in the series shines a light on the crustaceans, a diverse and fascinating group whose members are ubiquitous in marine environments.

Ahead of publication of Marine Crustaceans of Britain and Ireland, we had the pleasure of talking to the authors, Lin Baldock, Charlotte Bolton and Iain Dixon, about the inspiration for the book and their hopes for how it will contribute to recording efforts.

This is the latest instalment in the popular series of Seasearch photographic guides to marine life. Could you tell us a bit more about the series and its aims?

Charlotte says: As with so much about the community-based Seasearch project, the series emerged organically from the perceived need to support volunteer recorders and to ensure that the data produced was as accurate as possible. The series of guides follow on from the original UCS mini-prints (remember having to stick in the photos yourself?). Chris Wood (the first National Seasearch Coordinator from 2003 to 2016) was responsible for either authoring guides or persuading people to write one on their specialist subject – all done on a voluntary basis. They had pride of place on my bookshelf when I first started carrying out Seasearch surveying and recording and I particularly wanted to expand and update the range during my tenure as National Coordinator. Retirement has given me more ‘spare time’ to dedicate to this. Concentrating on in situ pictures to emphasise visual recognition and remove the need for sampling, with the images sourced from the recording community as well as the authors, the guides are both accessible and inclusive. Early editions were published by the Marine Conservation Society, then Wild Nature Press (bringing Julie Dando’s exquisite design eye and Marc Dando’s wonderful linework) took over, and now Princeton University Press (PUP) since their acquisition of Wild Nature Press. Without the support of these publishers the guides simply would not exist – it’s a very niche market!

And how did crustaceans come to feature in the series? Can you share the origins of this guide?

Charlotte says: Crustaceans were an obvious candidate for the Seasearch guide treatment, but we needed to find authors willing to write the book! Robert Kirk (head of Princeton Nature at PUP) was always keen to see a crustaceans guide and is a big fan of the series. Lin Baldock stepped up to the challenge (in the process revealing her familial connection to the group), Iain Dixon earned his PhD studying amphipods so was an obvious choice for that group and I came on board (as author, upgraded from series editor) to provide the interface between the experts and the book audience – it was a steep learning curve and an unexpectedly immense amount of work.

Crustaceans are amazingly varied, ranging from planktonic copepods through the Britain’s biggest arthropod, the European Lobster. How did you decide which species to cover when dealing with such a diverse group?

Lin says: It was a real challenge selecting the species we might include and the list was growing right up until the press proofs were delivered. The criteria we used to narrow the list were as follows:

Is it likely to be encountered by divers, snorkelers and beach walkers in the intertidal and shallow waters (<30m) around Britain and Ireland? (This excludes extremely rare species)
Can the species be accurately identified in the field without the need to resort to collection and microscopic examination?
Is the animal large enough for the critical features for accurate identification to be captured in field photographs?

The minute planktonic species so vital to pelagic marine ecosystems and the plethora of highly specialised parasitic crustaceans are mentioned and users pointed to freely available ID resources on the internet. We felt it was important that wherever possible we should provide pointers to articles that are freely available through open access.

Charlotte says: We wanted to cover ‘everything’ and in fact sneaked in pycnogonids as a bonus group bearing a resemblance to spindly spider crabs despite not being crustaceans… Obviously this was wildly ambitious and constrained by the page count available as well as the availability of images and the likelihood of being observed and recorded. The initial plan evolved and the book actually ended up being about 40% larger than originally anticipated.

How did you set about the task of gathering photos? Did you have to make dedicated field trips for some images?

Iain says: Photos were gathered from the authors’ collections, but most came from a wide circle of friends and contacts in the wider Seasearch community. Obtaining images from as wide a variety of people as possible is important as a means of ensuring buy-in, spreading the word and gaining feedback for improvements. On the whole this gave us most of what was needed and, because of the serendipitous nature of wildlife spotting and photography, dedicated field trips were generally unlikely to yield the specific results that might have been required.

Lin says: I had always been fascinated by crustaceans so I had built up an extensive image library of the larger crustaceans found around British and Irish coasts over the years. Our main source of images, however were contributions from members of the Seasearch community who themselves have been collecting images from all around our coasts for decades. We are hugely grateful to those many individuals who freely provided their images for us to use, without this invaluable library of pictures to hand we would have struggled to get hold of all the images we needed.

There was one group for which we did make a focused effort to collect images specially for the guide: the hermit crabs. The classic guides to this group of charismatic crabs require the animal to be sampled and reduced to a series of body parts resembling an Airfix kit while focusing on microscopic detail of the mouthparts or other inconspicuous appendages in order to name the species. Contributions of detailed macro photographs from a number of enthusiastic Seasearchers proved that the eight species of hermit crab likely to be found in shallow British and Irish waters can be reliably identified using the colour of live animals specially their legs, antennae and antennules. In fact a review of images submitted by Seasearchers showed that some species of hermit crab are much more common in habitats such as Scottish sea lochs than the records available on national databases would suggest.

We hear a lot about shifting marine communities, with the spread of warm-water species and arrival of invasives. Are we seeing changes in our crustaceans too?

Lin says: Yes, indeed the crustaceans as a group are not immune to changes in distribution. Changes in distribution are always hard to pin down but my impression (being based in Dorset) is that there are a number of native species which we have included in the guide which are now rare or no longer occur along the south coast of England despite the fact that the type locality for the species was located there. I call these ‘climate change losers’ which are retreating north or into deeper, cooler waters.

Non-native species are of course an ever present threat: examples are the Chinese Mitten Crab with its highly destructive behaviour of burrowing into muddy river banks seriously threatening the integrity of our flood defences in some parts of the country, or the replacement of our native Green Shore Crab by the invasive Brush-clawed Shore Crab in the estuaries of eastern England. Records of changing distributions raise the semantic puzzle of whether the species is an introduced non-native crustacean or simply a native species extending its geographical range northwards as climatic conditions change to suit its requirements. Just before the guide went to press we were alerted to a first record of a non-native crab species from the Solent highlighting the fact that we should constantly be on the lookout for the new and exotic.

Iain says: Yes, range changes over time are apparent in crustaceans as in all groups; certain species once thought to be mainly southern in distribution are now being observed further north and new species from warmer parts of Europe are appearing on the south coast. At the same time, species familiar in more northern waters are disappearing as our waters become warmer.

Finally, what do you hope this guide will do for interest in, and recording of, crustaceans?

Charlotte says: Hopefully it will persuade people to look more closely at what they are seeing on the shore or underwater – it has certainly opened my eyes. It should also highlight how much information can be gleaned from images taken with modern compact cameras – it’s not necessary to spend thousands of pounds nor to sacrifice animals in search of a label. One mark of success will be if the range descriptions and distribution maps rapidly become outdated because people have been encouraged to go out and see what they can find (and record it!).

Iain says: We very much hope that this guide shows that it is possible to identify species by direct observation and from photographs, and that species collection, dissection and microscopic examination is not always absolutely necessary. We hope that this guide sheds light for many and encourages closer examination, particularly of those groups which might formerly have been thought of as being ‘too difficult’. The more examination and recording that goes on, the more guides like this will improve and develop.

Lin says: We hope the guide will stimulate people’s interest in the group and provide an introduction to the huge diversity encompassed by the crustaceans. With my Seasearch recording hat on I anticipate a flood of species sightings helping us to build up a better picture of our crustacean fauna and future changes in distribution driven by shifts in climate or the introduction of non-natives. I am also hopeful that we may find better, more reliable ways to identify species in the field, thus teasing out some of the uncertainties which still exist in distinguishing species in some groups, particularly the spider crabs for example.

Author Interview with Paul Stancliffe and Jeff Baker: The Collins British Bird Identifier

The Collins British Bird Identifier offers a fresh and inventive take on the challenge of bird identification, highlighting the five features that can be used to definitively identify every bird species in Britain. With beautiful new artwork and clear labelling, the guide aims to simplify the process of bird ID and make it accessible and enjoyable for everyone, from beginner to expert.

Collins British Bird Identifier was developed by a team from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), comprising Paul Stancliffe, who developed the BTO’s bird identification courses, and Jeff Baker, field guide illustrator and former BTO Marketing Director. We recently had the pleasure of talking to Paul and Jeff about the concept behind the guide and the process of bringing it to life.

Firstly, how did the two of you come to work together on this project?

Jeff says: Paul worked with me at the BTO for many years. I project managed a couple of Paul’s books – Collins BTO Guide to British Birds and Collins BTO Guide to Rare British Birds. Having worked on these he came up with an idea that perhaps all British species could be identified using just five features.

Paul says: I have kept notes on the identification of tricky species for many years and have often thought that I could share them more widely. Having worked successfully with Collins before they were the obvious publisher to approach once I had checked and double checked that the five features concept worked. I have always liked Jeff’s artwork and for me the choice for him to illustrate this book was an easy one.

The guide gives a novel but very effective take on the challenge of bird identification. How did the idea of the ‘five features’ approach come about?

Paul says: It has taken a lot of time and thought but I think the process began for me with my first ‘proper’ birding notebook over fifty years ago where I noted features that would help me identify birds that I saw if, and when, I saw them again. For some species only one or two but for others more. This approach has served me well and around a decade ago I began looking at how many features were needed to identify a species of bird beyond doubt – five seemed to be the answer and I then began testing this around Europe and the Middle East and during a trip to North America. It worked very well.

Was it difficult to whittle ID features down to five for some species?

Paul says: Identifying the five features needed took me over a decade of research, mostly in the field though many were already in my notebooks. There are a small number of species where one or two more features may help. Even with those, if the five features given in the book are seen, you can be confident you have the right bird, though that’s not always easy in the field, particularly with secretive and flighty birds.

A bonus of this guide is the inclusion of all birds recorded in Britain, meaning it doubles as a beautifully illustrated checklist of British birds. Were there any challenges in expanding the scope to cover rarer visitors?

Jeff says: Yes, the very rare species, and even scarce species I have not seen, posed more of a challenge when it came to illustrating them. Fortunately, the reference material available today, especially given the vast wealth of photographic libraries as well as identification articles, papers and books, made the task much easier than it would have been say even ten years ago.

Creating the illustrations, showing not just all species but all distinctive plumages, must have been a monumental task. Can you tell us a bit about the process and timeline?

Jeff says: The actual timeline from starting the illustrations for this book to finishing it was about four years. However, this is a bit misleading since a lot of detailed research on non-passerines birds was undertaken at the Tring Natural History Museum over several years to look for ageing and sexing methods using their vast collection of cabinet specimens. This work resulted in a guide to the Identification of European Non-Passerines (BTO Guide). This extensive piece of research work proved crucial for many of the non-passerine illustrations in this book. Also, as a bird ringer for over 55 years, I’ve been privileged to get up close and personal to hundreds of species and thousands of birds handled over the years. It all helps to build up a picture in your head!

Finally, what are your hopes for this guide in terms of how it will help to improve the identification process for birders, new or experienced?

Paul says: I hope it will give beginners a new approach to bird identification and provide experts with a handy memory jogger, but above all, I hope it will make bird identification less daunting for those just starting out, or thinking of taking up this wonderful hobby. It is not often that the opportunity to share a lifetime of watching and learning about birds with others is given.

Author interview with Peter Sutton: Field Guide to the Grasshoppers and Allies of Great Britain and Ireland

The Bloomsbury Wildlife Guides series has consistently set the standard for invertebrate identification, combining practical, readable text with meticulous illustrations by Richard Lewington. The latest instalment tackles the grasshoppers and relatives, a diverse and fascinating group undergoing rapid change in Britain. With flawless production quality and clever features such as QR links to audio recordings, this book provides a complete picture of the identification and dynamic lives of these fascinating insects.

We recently had the pleasure of speaking to author Peter Sutton about the story behind the book, changes in the British fauna, and what readers can expect from the new guide.

How long have you been studying these insects and what first led you to take an interest in them?

I have been studying this group of insects since I began to catch grasshoppers half a century ago at the age of seven, on a dry grass verge that ran alongside a railway line in West Sussex. I was drawn to them by their song, their amazing ability to jump and fly, and the bright orange-red abdomen of the males. This led, in a bramble thicket at the same site, to my first sighting of bush-crickets, and then on to learning about all of the British species when I found Dr David Ragge’s Grasshoppers, Crickets and Cockroaches of the British Isles at Crawley Town library. It was this authoritative and fascinating text that informed all future journeys to the New Forest, the Isle of Purbeck, Chesil Beach, and anywhere else that was likely to reveal the orthopteran riches of these islands.

How did the new field guide come about?

I first had conversations with Andrew Branson who floated the idea of a field guide almost 20 years ago. At the time, this potential project was put on hold because there was a lot of activity by other writers who were working on publications about the Orthoptera. However, it soon became clear that there was a genuine requirement for a publication that covered all of the orthopteroid insects including the earwigs, stick-insects, cockroaches and mantids. Björn Beckmann and I were busy working on an updated distribution atlas when we got the call from Bloomsbury saying that Richard Lewington had agreed to illustrate a field guide for this group of insects. With a bit of further negotiation, we arranged for the field guide to include distribution maps for all of the native species, as well as naturalised species that had established viable outdoor colonies, and with this agreed format, the project went ahead.

Can you give us a taste of what’s covered within the species accounts and elsewhere in the guide?

The 65 species accounts have the following format: a detailed Description of adults highlighting key identification features; Measurements (total length, wing length, ovipositor/cerci length, eggs/ootheca size); Variation (colour and pattern forms/wing length; Similar species; Lifecycle and habits including colour-coded phenology charts; a description of Song including a visual representation (sonogram) and a QR code that allows the reader to hear the song when scanned using mobile phone technology; Habitat and distribution (including, the 48 for native and outdoor naturalised species, a small generalised map in the account and a detailed 10km square map in the appendix); Conservation (for species that have IUCN threat status); and details of How to find this species. These accounts also include illustrations of male and female adults and where useful, nymphs, as well as additional photographs of adults, nymphs, and varieties.

A comprehensive and well-illustrated Introduction (over 300 photographs have been used to illustrate this field guide) is followed by chapters on Studying and recording orthopteroid insects, and a Regional guides section written by county and regional recorders, which provides an assessment of species that are likely to be found in Great Britain and Ireland, including the Channel Islands, Isles of Scilly, and the Isle of Man.

An illustrated ‘At-a-glance’ guide and key to the orders provide a helpful starting point to begin the process of identification, followed by detailed identification keys in the introduction to each order of insects, which include many useful labelled diagrams and photographs.

At the end of the book is an assessment of Potential new orthopteroid species, a comprehensive Checklist, a list of Useful resources, and a Glossary of terms, followed by the detailed Distribution maps.

One of the many standout features of this guide is the beautiful artwork by Richard Lewington. With such a varied group of insects, how did you decide what to include in the illustrations?

Richard, as with all of the field guides that he has worked on, has done a spectacular job of illustrating this group of insects and the field guide contains more than 180 artworks. As a rule, adult males and females are illustrated for each species profile, unless they are all but indistinguishable e.g. American Cockroach, or parthenogenetic e.g. stick-insects and Surinam Cockroach.

Other significant colour forms (notably brown forms of otherwise green bush-crickets) have been included, and key features, such as the dorsal view of the head and pronotum of grasshoppers, and the cerci of earwigs, have been provided in colour. Key identification features also appear in the species profiles and illustrated keys as monochrome labelled diagrams.

This is the first book since Marshall & Haes’ 1988 Grasshoppers and Allied Insects of Great Britain and Ireland to cover all orthopteroid insects in Britain and Ireland. What’s changed for these insects in the 30+ intervening years?

In a relatively short period of time, we have moved from what was an essentially stable fauna, where new species were recorded as a result of more rigorous field work e.g. Heath Grasshopper, and taxonomic inspection e.g. Cepero’s Groundhopper, to a more dynamic situation where new species have, and are likely to continue to become, naturalised through climate induced migration e.g. Large Cone-head, and human-assisted introduction e.g. the Garden and Variable cockroaches. In all, ten new species have become successfully naturalised in Britain since the first species, the Southern Oak Bush-cricket, arrived in England in 2002, and three new species have been added to the Irish list, representing significant increases to the British and Irish fauna.

Another remarkable change, which had already shown signs of beginning when Marshall & Haes was published, has been the spectacular climate-linked spread of certain species (e.g. Roesel’s Bush-cricket, Long-winged Cone-head, Slender Groundhopper) across England, Wales, and for the Short-winged Cone-head, Scotland, and possibly Ireland. Conversely, there is tangible evidence to show that the Common Green Grasshopper, and possibly the Common Groundhopper, have experienced range contractions as drier conditions no longer cater for the hygrophilous requirements of their eggs.

There are many other points of interest. Many of the species that were introduced in imported food, such as the Cuban Cockroach, are no longer seen as biosecurity measures have improved, whereas the less regulated horticultural trade appears to continue to import alien species with worrying regularity, and has undoubtedly been the source of the recently naturalised Garden Cockroach and Variable Cockroach populations that are now well-established at sites across England. Improvements in pest control, together with more efficient heating systems, have also successfully eradicated once familiar species like the Oriental Cockroach, and of particular note has been the disappearance of the House-cricket, whose populations have additionally been lost through its susceptibility to the Cricket Paralysis Virus (CPV).

From your experience as the lead on the recording scheme for Orthoptera and allied insects, how has interest in these insects developed over the years and how do you hope the book will contribute in the future?

There is no doubt that the rise of the internet has played a major role in popularising the orthopteroid insects. It has facilitated the establishment of recording groups and allowed them to communicate rapidly with each other to share details of their finds, such as the important evidence of breeding for the Praying Mantis in the New Forest and the Isle of Wight this year. It also allows knowledgeable members of the group to rapidly confirm the identification of species. Record submission to the Recording Scheme is now easier, notably through iRecord, and the development of the mobile phone Grasshopper App means that species can be identified more easily in the field using illustrations of key identification features and song recordings.

In this context, the main contribution of this field guide is to provide information that will allow species that were previously not found in Britain and Ireland to be correctly identified. This is particularly the case for species like the two sickle-bearing bush-crickets and the newly naturalised cockroaches, for which there was previously very little information to work with.

As to role that this field guide will play in the future, as per the reasons provided in the Introduction, there is no better time to study the grasshoppers and allies. It is hoped that this comprehensive, technically useful, and aesthetically pleasing guide will inspire a new generation of enthusiasts to study this remarkable and often spectacular group of insects.

Author interview with Steven J Falk: A Photographic Guide to Flies of Britain & Ireland

Over recent decades various ‘difficult’ insect groups have gradually been brought within reach of the non-specialist thanks to developments in field guides. Flies, however, have remained something of a final frontier, and it’s easy to see why – with more than 7,000 species in Britain alone, creating an accessible and user-friendly guide to this group is a daunting task.

Now, however, a team of expert field entomologists have stepped up to the challenge and produced A Photographic Guide to Flies of Britain and Ireland – the first guide to ever tackle this amazingly diverse insect order as a whole. With beautiful photography and clean, concise text, this book is set to put flies on par with bees and other more ‘popular’ insect relatives, and bring them their due share of attention in the interests of general naturalists.

Ahead of publication, we had the pleasure of talking to lead author Steven Falk about the book’s development and the rewards of fly-recording.

Firstly, how did the book come about?

The idea for the book initially came from Peter Creed, the Creative Director (and Designer) at NatureBureau, which owns Pisces Publications. He wanted a book resembling A comprehensive guide to Insects of Britain & Ireland by Paul Brock, published by Pisces in 2014 (with a 2019 second edition) but concentrating purely on Diptera. He approached Gail Ashton who was helping to man the Dipterists Forum stand at one of the Amateur Entomology Society autumn fairs to discuss the possibility of doing such as book in conjunction with the Forum. Gail eventually agreed to help write it and asked Rory Dimond to assist. I become involved about one-third of the way through the project when it was clear that the book would need several hundred of my images to make it viable (we needed at least 1,500 accurately identified fly photos for the book), and my role later expanded into that of primary author. The internet has patchy information on Diptera, and what does exist can be misleading or out of context with the British fauna, so you need lots of first-hand experience to avoid creating misleading text. Even taking information from trusted literature can be challenging when it needs it be distilled down to short, snappy species accounts. Gail and Rory helped ensure that the text was not overly technical, though inevitably a book on flies ends up more technically worded and microscope-based than a book on butterflies or dragonflies. But we provide good diagrams and a large Glossary to help readers negotiate this. The proof-reading and creative discussions by the members of the team have been very important, making for a much better publication. It helps that all four of us share a passion for breaking down barriers in entomology and enthusing general naturalists about flies rather than just serving the converted. We were also keen to produce a more visually exciting and enticing book than much of the more technical fly literature and online resources available for flies. But we have still signposted those other resources for readers who want to develop a deeper understanding of flies and take things further by providing a good Bibliography. This covers all the key identification literature relevant to a British or Irish audience, both printed and that which is freely downloadable from the internet.

Let’s talk about flies themselves. What makes them so important, and what can recording flies tell us about the state of the natural world?

There are currently about 7,300 species of fly on the Britain and Ireland list, with the possibility of over 10,000 species being present, as we find dozens of new ones each year and DNA is revealing lots of cryptic species. So, if you are passionate about biodiversity and serious about its conservation, you cannot ignore flies. They are typically the most speciose eukaryotic group at a wildlife site and are also incredibly diverse ecologically. I regularly record over 500 fly species at a good wildlife site, and the Windsor Forest and Great Park list stands at almost 2,000 species. Those massive fly assemblages including predators, parasites, saprophages, herbivores, fungivores, pollinators, and so on. What is more, fly assemblages can be found from the intertidal zones of the coast to the tops of our highest mountains. Having some idea of what all those flies are and what they need in terms of breeding sites and adult feeding, makes you view habitats, sites and landscapes in a very different way to a botanist or general ecologist. You notice and value microhabitats and other features that others miss or under-value, such as sap runs or water-filled rot holes in old trees, different sorts of dung, different sorts of ‘wet’, different sorts of ‘decay’, different sorts of ‘bare ground’ and so on. Flies also make you think much harder about aspects such as habitat combinations and mosaics (bearing in mind that fly larvae and adults often have very different needs), habitat connectivity, habitat condition, site history, microclimate, seasonality and climate change. Dipterists are often pretty good botanists and habitat ecologists, but adding flies and other insects to the equation provides a much bigger ‘vocabulary’ when you are trying to understand and interpret the environment. That was particularly important a few years ago when several professional entomologists including myself were assessing the emerging Biodiversity Net Gain metrics. We were able to articulate some powerful feedback to Defra and Natural England concerning the over-simplistic metrics that were emerging, and the serious impact that might have for protecting invertebrate (as well as general) biodiversity. Flies are also really important in ecosystem services (e.g. crop pollination, pest control, sewage treatment). There is strong evidence that they may be more important than bees for the pollination of certain crops, and for general wildflower pollination in habitats like montane grassland and saltmarsh. The role of flies in ecosystems and food webs is something that comes through strongly in the book.

Faced with such a huge group, how did you go about deciding which species to include?

Being a photo-based book, the choice of what species to include is heavily based on what photos are available. But many fly photos on the internet are inaccurately identified, so we had to make sure that such images were either avoided, or (if we could tell what they actually were), used correctly. So, if a species lacked a decent photograph, it could not be subject of a typical species account, though we have name-checked many species without accompanying images within the Similar Species section at the end of many species accounts. For some smaller, iconic families, such as robber flies, horseflies, soldierflies and bee-flies, every published British and Irish species is included. For hoverflies, it is closer to about two-thirds of the fauna, and for groups like parasite flies and the housefly family, it is about half the fauna. In these instances, we tried to include representatives from most if not all the genera in a family and tried to ensure most of the more distinctive-looking or ecologically interesting species were covered. For some of the more obscure or difficult families, only brief coverage is provided. But all 108 fly families present in Britain and Ireland get some level of coverage in the book, which is quite an achievement.

Can you tell us a bit about the book’s approach – what can readers expect from the species accounts?

The book is arranged taxonomically following the sequence of the 2025 Checklist of Diptera of the British Isles which is hosted (and regularly updated) on the Dipterists Forum website. The individual species accounts mostly have a consistent format. It starts with an indication of the size of a fly, either using wing length or body length, then a basic description of the species, often carefully worded to highlight differences from other similar species. We then describe Habitat, Distribution, Season, and (for parasitic or herbivorous species) Hosts. The species accounts are accompanied by a map and photograph or, indeed, two or more photos for species with strong sexual dimorphism or several colour forms. A section on Similar Species is also used in many cases, namechecking other flies that might be confused with the main subject. These extra species are also sometimes provided with a map and photo. It means that about 1,300 species of fly get namechecked by the book (about 1,100 of these with standard species accounts). But it often came down to what space was available on each page spread as to what got covered. Suffice to say we used a flexible and opportunistic approach to ensure we made the most of each double-page spread.

The guide is beautifully laid out and packed with outstanding imagery. Was it a challenge gathering photos for all the flies you wanted to feature?

About 40% of the photos come from me and were already featured on my Flickr site. That made image selection for some families much easier and meant that Peter Creed could quickly download any of my images, and if I disagreed with an image choice, I could quickly send him hyperlinks to the image I preferred. Peter, who is also a keen insect photographer (and always thinking of the next potential Pisces book), provided about 20% of the images. We also turned to reliable British insect photographers such as Paul Brock, Simon Knott, Kevin McGee and Ian Andrews, and approached other photographers if we spotted images of further species on the internet (or better images of a species than we had to hand). The result is that we’ve ended up with over 1,500 images of over 1,100 species and have used images from 186 photographers. Suffice to say, we are immensely grateful to everyone who provided images.

For the general naturalist who has yet to become a fly convert, what can you say about the rewards of studying these insects?

Flies have huge intrinsic interest in terms of interesting appearances (including mimicry, loss of wings, bizarre wing markings and strange body modifications), interesting lifecycles, interesting behaviours, and their importance in ecosystem services. They are great fun to photograph (with cameras like the Olympus TG series making it easier than ever), and it is relatively easy to identify some from photos, either using this book, or by posting images on the various Facebook groups that cover flies (where others can provide feedback on what they think your photo is). Flies also provide an incredibly powerful framework or lens for interpreting and understanding habitats and landscapes better, as explained above. I think that aspect (using flies to view understand the environment more critically) is truly exciting and very rewarding.

What tips would you give for someone looking to take a deeper interest in flies and find a greater range of species?

Buying a stereo zoom microscope makes a big difference as it allows you to identify flies with much greater confidence and appreciate the beauty in the details of their morphology. While we are aware that many users of the book will not want to go down the road of collecting and killing flies for the purpose of identifying them critically, that is the approach that is generally needed to develop long and accurate species lists for a site. There is a limit to what can be achieved through photography. But going down the collecting route also means buying an insect net, tubes and pooters, insect pins and storage boxes for pinned specimens, plus obtaining some of the key literature listed in the book’s extensive bibliography, such as British Hoverflies (Stubbs & Falk 2002), published by the British Entomological and Natural History Society. I would also strongly recommend joining the Dipterists Forum. This is the national society for the study of flies and is very friendly and well-organised. It publishes a regular newsletter (Bulletin of the Dipterists Forum) and journal (Dipterists Digest) and organises regular indoor and outdoor events. It has a great website that can be used by non-members but has extra resources for logged-in members. The Forum acts as an umbrella for almost 30 family recording schemes or study groups, some of which have their own Facebook groups or satellite websites. Nowhere outside of Britain and Ireland comes to close to matching that offer.

Finally, what do you hope the book will do for interest in flies and fly recording?

We are hoping it has a major impact, not only by making general naturalists more aware of, and sympathetic towards flies but also by encouraging more naturalists to take up formal recording of flies as outlined in the previous response. Many parts of Britain have few (if any) resident fly recorders, and it would be especially good to promote recording in those areas, even if it is just the recording of easier groups such as hoverflies. Climate change is having a profound impact on insect life, and the more data we get, the more we understand that impact and formulate strategies to counter it through improved habitat management and other land use decisions. We hope that this book will support constructive dialogue – ecologists, farmers, planners all a little bit more familiar with flies, able to be enthusiastic about them and their conservation.

Acoustics for surveying dormice and other small mammals

a small mouse resting on a bush branch — Image by Frank Vassen via Flickr

This is an updated version of a blog first published in 2020.

As static bat detectors continue to be more widely used and the technology improves, there are now many thousands of hours’ worth of nocturnal recordings captured each year from a vast spread of locations. This level of coverage has not only improved our ability to monitor bat populations, but also offers the potential to gather information on other animals that communicate at the same ultrasonic frequencies as bats. The calls of bush-crickets, for example, are commonly picked up as ‘by-catch’ during bat surveys, which has allowed the development of software that automatically recognises any cricket calls in a recording and assigns them to individual species.

Back in December 2020,?British Wildlife published an article by Stuart Newson, Neil Middleton and Huma Pearce exploring the potential – relatively untapped at that time – of acoustics for the survey of small terrestrial mammals (rats, mice, voles, dormice and shrews). Small mammals use their calls for a variety of purposes, including courtship, aggressive encounters with rivals and communication between parents and offspring. To the human ear, the high-pitched squeaks of different species sound much alike, but closer examination reveals them to be highly complex, extending beyond the range of our hearing into the ultrasonic and showing great variation in structure.

Mammal terrariums used for holding individuals overnight in the recording ‘studio’.

To answer the question of whether it’s possible to distinguish the calls of different species, the authors went through the time-consuming task of building a call library by taking recordings of all Britain’ native (and some non-native) small mammals. Call-analysis software was then used to examine the recordings and look for consistent differences between species, with some fascinating results – the calls of shrews, for example, can be readily separated from those of rodents by their warbling/twittering quality, while the house mouse typically calls at a higher frequency than any other species. Remarkably, it appears overall that the vocalisations of most species have their own diagnostic features, and that, with care, it should be possible to identify a high proportion of calls to species level. .

Recorded calls of (a) Brown & (b) Black Rats

Small mammals are unobtrusive and hard to observe, which means that even the more familiar species, such as the Brown Rat, are severely under-recorded. Given how critically important small mammals are within the food chain, this lack of knowledge is a problem – one that is gaining increasing attention, including through the creation of a Small Mammal Research Working Group by the Mammal Society.

In the mission to improve understanding of small mammal populations, the ability to detect and identify species by their calls therefore offers great potential as a survey tool. Analysis of calls collected by static detectors – whether specifically set to target small mammals or deployed as part of a bat survey – is already providing a rich source of data and helping to complement traditional methods, such as the use of Longworth traps or footprint tunnels.

Furthermore, this method also shows promise for monitoring some of our most threatened small-mammal species. In Winter 2023, an article in Conservation Land Management described a novel trial in which static-acoustic detectors were used to monitor the protected Hazel Dormouse (you can read the article in full here), with positive results. Two years on, we spoke to Stuart Newson, coauthor of both articles and the pioneering Sound Identification of Terrestrial Mammals of Britain & Ireland, about more recent developments in this exciting field of ecological survey.

Stuart writes, “Since the publication of our article in Conservation Land Management, our understanding of Hazel Dormouse acoustic identification has continued to advance, alongside major improvements in the BTO Acoustic Pipeline’s ‘bat’ classifiers, for automatically detecting and identifying the calls of this species.

As with bats, potential identifications still require verification by visually inspecting spectrograms and listening to recordings. However, this process can now be carried out relatively routinely alongside bat sound identification.

As a proof of concept, Hazel Dormouse recordings from Great Britain (2021–2024) that were shared by users of the BTO Acoustic Pipeline were manually verified. This work has produced what we believe may be the first national-scale map of a small terrestrial mammal generated using acoustic data – and it just represents the beginning.

Over the next six months, and through a collaboration with APHA and funded by Defra, I, with the BTO will manually verify small terrestrial mammal detections (from .wav files) that have been identified as ‘by-catch’ within bat acoustic data submitted and shared by users of the BTO Acoustic Pipeline across the UK and Ireland.

The total number of verified identifications for Great Britain and Ireland is still to be determined. However, between 2021 and 2025, the wider (predominantly European) dataset already includes an incredible 1,177,597 small mammal identifications.

Hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) by Frank Vassen, via flickr. — Frank Vassen, via flickr.

This planned project offers a unique opportunity to demonstrate the power of acoustic monitoring for identifying small terrestrial mammals at an unprecedented spatial scale. It will also create a large, novel dataset that has the potential to transform our understanding of these species – including insights into their seasonal and nightly vocal activity patterns across the UK and Ireland.”

To read about the key identification features of small-mammal calls, see the December 2020 issue of British Wildlife or, for all mammals, pick up a copy of Sound Identification of Terrestrial Mammals of Britain & Ireland. For more information and to contribute to the BTO Acoustic Pipeline visit the project’s webpage.

Supplier interview with Ria Painter-Coates: Founder and illustrator at Button and Squirt

NHBS is excited to be working with Button and Squirt – a company with a strong focus and commitment to environmental education for children. Specialising in creating nature-themed educational games, Button and Squirt has a wide range of unique and engaging fact cards, activity books and other products.

Ria is the founder and illustrator at Button and Squirt and designs all the illustrations for the Amazing Animals range. We recently had the opportunity to speak to her about the company, product range and her plans for the future.

You can browse our range of Button and Squirt books, journals and games here.

Firstly, can you tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to create Button and Squirt?

Throughout my life, I have loved two things: art and nature. During my childhood, I was never without a sketchbook and would always be found drawing or painting, and I was obsessed with the natural world, with a particular love for the ocean or, rather, the creatures that live in it. At school, I had wanted to pursue a nature-based career, but I was told that wasn’t possible and that I should focus on graphics instead. I lost contact with nature for a while, but then when I had my first child, Dexter, I was naturally drawn back to it and wanted to share my love of the natural world with him. It became clear, as soon as he could show interest in something, that his passion was nature; he loved being outside, and he was mesmerised by animals. I had the idea for the first set of cards one day while we were playing. He would always be telling us about animals he had heard of and asking me to draw pictures and tell him more about them, and I saw how he learnt best through fun and interactive activities. Card games were always a winner, so I brought all of that together to create Amazing Animals Fact Cards Set One – it was the perfect way to combine the things I loved.

You have a wide range of educational products on offer, from animal fact cards to activity books. Why do you think it is important to teach children about the natural environment?

Sadly, the planet is in a bad place right now, and we need as many people as possible fighting for it and for every creature that calls Earth home. I really believe that conservation cannot succeed without children being a part of it, and there is no way they are going to care about something they don’t know about. It is so incredibly important to introduce them to the amazing animals that we share the planet with, teach them about why they are important and help them to fall in love with nature so they will want to do their part to protect it for the future. I have always tried to have a focus on unusual animals and used fun facts as a way of getting kids interested. It’s amazing the impact that a really crazy fact can have on a kid. You will see on my products the words ‘learn, love, protect’, and that’s exactly what I hope my range can help kids to do: learn about nature, fall in love with it, and protect it for the future.

One thing that struck me when looking at your range was how you manage to ensure that your illustrations are anatomically correct, while remaining charming and characterful. Do you have a favourite animal to portray?

This is really kind, thank you so much. The balance of cute with identifiable is something I have really worked hard on for my illustrations. I always knew that I needed the animals to be cute to have the right appeal, but that I also wanted them to be able to identify the animal from my illustration – there’s not much point teaching them about an animal but showing them an abstract image which then means they wouldn’t be able to ID it in real life. As for a favourite animal to draw, even though I moan about feathers a lot, it’s going to have to be some of my favourite feathered friends, the vultures – I always absolutely love drawing them! I always have a soft spot for the less loved animals, and there’s something about drawing vultures and focusing in on how beautiful they actually are that really brings me joy. However, I will also say that when I have been drawing lots of furry and feathered creatures, there’s also a lot of joy to be had in doing something like a shark – nice and smooth and a lovely break from all those feathers.

I saw that 5% from every sale is donated to various wildlife and conservation charities. Why do you feel this is important, and which charities do you support?

Since I first started this, I knew I wanted to be able to donate to wildlife charities in some way from my work. I want to be able to show kids that I am not just talking about them doing their bit, I am doing my bit too. So, I donate 5% from all sales on my website to various different charities via work for good. So far, I have supported the Cheetah Conservation Fund, Whale and Dolphin Conservation and Rewilding Britain. It is such an amazing feeling to know that something I created is helping in a tiny way to support these amazing organisations.

Do you have any new products on the horizon that you can tell us about?

I am always drawing new animals and working on new collections. Recently I have been focusing a lot on native wildlife, and trying to shine a light on the amazing animals we have living right here in the UK. As part of that I have been expanding the British range, and I am hoping to add a wetlands collection soon, with a set of ID cards, and matching colouring book in the same style as the bug and coastline cards, as well as an amphibian fact and activity book and a nature journal. It is proving to be a really fun range to work on, and I can’t wait to bring it all to life.

The NHBS Guide to UK Wasps

Often seen as mere picnic nuisances, the UK is home to a surprising variety of wasps, including both social and solitary species. While many of us will be familiar with the iconic black and yellow social wasps, numerous solitary species display incredible diversity in both form and behaviour. Distinguishing them can seem daunting, but key features like body shape, coloration, and reproductive behaviour can offer valuable clues.

Here, we’ll explore a selection of common wasp species, and some wasp families found across the UK, detailing their identifying characteristics and the typical habitats they can be found in.

**Common European Yellowjacket (*Vespa vulgaris***)

Common wasp DSC_5493_edited-1 by Clifton Beard, via flickr.

Identification: Between 11-19mm in length with striking black and yellow stripes. These social wasps have six abdominal sections, each with one stripe, and there is a very distinguished waist between the thorax and the abdomen, which has black dots and rings. The species has a conspicuous face on a triangular shaped head with a black anchor or dagger shaped mark towards the base, and a pair of long, robust antennae. They have yellow cheeks and yellow legs.

Distribution: Widespread throughout the UK. Common Social Wasps can be found in almost all habitats, particularly grassland, heathland and woodland from mid-March to November.

**Red Wasp (*Vespula rufa***)

Rote Wespe (Vespula rufa) by Frank Vassen, via flickr.

Identification: Growing up to 20mm in length, Red Wasps can easily be distinguished from V. vulgaris by reddish-brown markings on their upper back segments.

Distribution: Widespread, and frequently found in open woodland, moorland and hedge banks from the end of March until September.

**Hornet (*Vespa crabro***)

Identification: Hornets are Britain’s largest social wasp species. Around 15-35mm in size. The abdomen is yellow and unbanded, with brown markings on the upper parts, while the thorax is black and reddish-brown. Their legs are a reddish brown – a characteristic that can distinguish them from Asian Hornets – and antennae are yellow or brown in colour.

Distribution: Widespread distribution and commonly found throughout England and Wales. Hornets can be found in many lowland habitats and are known to associate with ancient woodland, wood pasture and can be found in parks and gardens in more urban areas. Queens emerge from overwintering in early April, while workers can typically be seen from late June to November.

**Asian Yellow-legged Hornet (*Vespa velutina***)

Asian hornet by Gilles San Martin, via flickr.

Identification: Typically smaller than native hornets, this invasive species can grow up to 3cm in length. Their abdomen is dark in colour with fine yellow stripes, and the fourth segment towards the base of the hornet is distinctly yellow orange in colour, while the thorax is entirely black or dark brown and appears velvety in texture. From the front, the head appears orange and the legs have yellow tips.

Distribution: Asian Yellow-legged Hornets were first recorded in England around 2016, after they were accidentally introduced from Asia. They have mostly been recorded in the south of England, particularly the South-east.

Please note: this is an invasive species and any potential sightings should be reported to the National Bee Unit.

Wasp Families

The diversity of wasp families in the UK is vast and presents a significant identification challenge. In this blog, we have chosen to focus on a number of wasp families to demonstrate the wonderful diversity of this group.

Ichneumon Wasps

Sabre Wasp – Rhyssa persuasoria by Nature Spot. Ichneumon wasp by nutmeg66, via flickr. Barylypa propugnator by Nature Spot.

There are around 2,500 species of Ichneumon wasp in the UK. These small insects can vary in size but generally reach up to 1 ½ inches in length. They exhibit a wide range of colours and patterns, some with brightly coloured bands, and others with more subtle markings. Ichneumon Wasps can be distinguished by a slender sickle-shaped abdomen and a pair of long antennae, each with at least 16 segments. They have a narrow waist, long jointed legs and two pairs of wings. These parasitic wasps inhabit flower-rich meadows, gardens and woodland – they can often be seen around umbellifers or investigating vegetation and dead wood.

Gall Wasps

Oak Marble Gall by Nick Wood, via flickr.

The UK is estimated to have 86 Gall Wasps, a group of well-studied parasitic wasps. This group gets its name for a unique reproductive behaviour where adults lay eggs in the soft tissues of trees, flowers and other plants, creating a gall as the larva develop. Usually on the underside of leaves, branches and around acorns, these wasps produce conspicuous galls on their host plant – interestingly, they usually only infect a specific species of genus, for example, Citrus Gall Wasps will exclusively parasitise citrus trees. After overwintering, the larvae will emerge in spring and can be seen throughout summer. They are typically under 5mm in size, shiny, and are black or brown in colour with a humped thorax and wings.

Cuckoo Wasps

Crysis cf impressa close-cropped by Nigel Jones, via flickr. Chrysis fulgida by Ryszard, via flickr. Chrysis viridula by Tim Worfolk, via flickr.

Instantly recognisable by their brilliant metallic body colours in shades of blue, green, purple and red, these small chrysidids are also known as jewel or ruby tailed wasps. There are around 31 species of Cuckoo Wasp in the UK, which can be seen in sunny weather from April to October in a range of habitats; particularly in sandy soils around coastal areas, gardens and ancient woodlands. The group are often seen investigating the nests of other Hymenoptera species in order to reproduce – these parasitic species will enter the host nest and lay their own eggs in the host cells. Once hatched, Cuckoo wasp larvae will eat the eggs and larvae of the host species before restarting the cycle – hence the name ‘cuckoo’.

Volume 33 of British Wildlife

With publication of the August issue of British Wildlife, the magazine’s 33rd volume is complete. While we wait for the start of volume 34, in October, we have taken the opportunity to look back at some of the themes and topics covered during the past year, ranging from in-depth natural histories of species and places, to critiques and commentaries on key topics in environmental policy. The selection below offers just a small sample of recent subjects – for a full list of articles from volume 33 and further back in the magazine’s history, visit the British Wildlife website.

Species-focused articles have spanned the taxonomic spectrum, covering everything from fungi through to the (long-extinct) elephant species that roamed Britain through prehistory. Further mammalian subjects have included the Walrus and other Arctic vagrants and a long-term study of Greater Horseshoe Bats in south-west Wales, while, turning to the more ‘obscure’, we have seen pieces on the Narrow-headed Ant and Brilliant Emerald dragonfly, two rare insects with unusual split distributions in Britain, the remarkable biology of limpets and their influence on rocky-shore ecosystems, and the identification of British Stropharia fungi. Meanwhile, contributions on botany have explored the culture and ecology of Common Elder, and the place of Wild Leeks in Welsh history.

Places featured include the unique primeval floodplain forest of the Gearagh in south-west Ireland; the surprisingly diverse grasslands formed on toxic mine spoil and metal-rich rocks in northern Wales; the vibrant St Nicholas Fields, an urban Local Nature Reserve in the heart of York; the varied submerged and coastal habitats of Plymouth Sound, Britain’s first National Marine Park; and Beinn Eighe NNR in the western Highlands, which in 2021/22 is celebrating its 70th year as a National Nature Reserve.

Other articles have reviewed some of the most serious challenges for conservation, such as the disruption to invertebrate life-cycles caused by climate change, and the ecosystem-level impacts of overabundant carrion in the countryside. Meanwhile, on a practical level we have seen case studies on work to restore dynamism to Welsh sand dunes, the conservation of beach-nesting Ringed Plovers, the effects of grazing by cattle on the vegetation of lowland heathland, and techniques for finding and reviving ‘ghost ponds’ – old infilled farm ponds – for the benefit of aquatic species and other farmland wildlife.

In environmental policy, we started the volume with analysis of what to expect from the COP 26 climate-change summit (held in Glasgow in October/November 2021), while later issues saw scrutiny of the government’s response to the protected landscapes review and, most recently, a critique by Professor Sir Dieter Helm of the government’s proposed Nature Recovery Fund. Outside the main articles, the conservation news feature has continued to keep a finger on the pulse of the most important stories and developments, including guest contributions on the scandal surrounding release of sewage into rivers, the tragic and ongoing outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in wild bird populations, and analysis of potential threats to existing environmental-protection powers from the draft Levelling Up Bill.

On top of this, we have continued to explore the role of rewilding in UK conservation as part of our ‘Wilding for Conservation’ series. Recent articles have discussed the possible limitations of rewilding based on perspectives from landscape history, the importance of ‘wildwoods’ in mitigation of climate change, and observations from a long-term study of rewilding in ex-coppice woodland.

Looking ahead, readers can expect a similarly eclectic mix from volume 34, including contributions on the folklore of the alluring but highly poisonous plant Henbane, the creation, management and wildlife of the Gwent Levels, the history of the Black Rat in Britain, efforts to conserve Black-tailed Godwits in the fens of East Anglia, further articles in the Wilding for Conservation series, and much more.

British Wildlife is a subscription-only magazine published eight times per year: visit www.britishwildlife.com or email info@britishwildlife.com for more information. Individual subscriptions start from just £40 – you can subscribe online or by phone (01803 467166). Individual back issues of British Wildlife are available to purchase through the NHBS website.

Author: Guy Freeman