Producing one of the greatest wildflower shows on Earth, the bluebell has many fans. Indeed, it came as no surprise when the bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) was named Britain’s favourite flower in a 2002 poll that was part of Plantlife’s County Flowers project. The plant’s stupendously synchronous showing has been celebrated for a lot longer than a couple of decades, though – its blooms figure prominently in the poems of John Clare and Gerard Manley Hopkins, whose writings date back to Victorian times. And if the violet-blue haze created by a carpet of these nodding flowers isn’t enough to convert even the most reluctant of wordsmiths into a budding poet, then perhaps nothing is.
The show put on by this most recognisable of woodland flowers is also a uniquely British phenomenon. With the species unable to tolerate either the hard winters of northern and central Europe, or the hot, dry summers of southern Europe, our crowded islands probably hold more bluebells than the rest of the world put together. And like all the best spectacles, the ephemeral nature of the display will always leave you feeling a touch bereft when it finally fades from view.
It is, of course, the bluebells’ leaves that emerge first, well before the trees and shrubs above them have even broken bud (thereby ensuring an early sheet of dark green leaves before the main event a few weeks later).
Jump Around - Bagheera Kiplingi - The acrobatic spider with a predilection for veggie food
Spiders eat flies, right? everyone knows that the 45,000 or so spiders in the world are all obligate carnivores, more or less – eating other animals, mainly invertebrates. Nature, however, loves an exception, and one particular spider missed out on that ecological memo. It goes by the wonderful scientific name of Bagheera kiplingi, and its claim to fame is that its diet is – at least mostly – vegetarian.
Female of the Species - Zebras - A strong sisterhood is key to staying safe
Zebras are masters of confusion. Their collective noun is ‘a dazzle’, which is fitting since their bodies and behaviour have been surprising scientists for centuries.
See It, Save It? - Wildlife tourism can be a powerful ally in protecting nature - but it can also harm it. We weigh up the pros and cons.
The sums of wildlife travel aren’t as simple as more tourists equals happier nature. How much did my visit really contribute to the conservation of Lady Liuwa and her habitat – and was that outweighed by carbon emissions from my flights? Did my presence disturb the animals’ natural behaviour more than it reduced the threat of poaching or benefited local communities?The question of whether wildlife travel is, on balance, good for wildlife is a complex one – and there’s no simple answer.
Can Your Really Offset Emissions? - Planning an overseas wildlife-watching trip entails facing some inconvenient truths
Imagine (or maybe you don't need to) that you hanker after the safari trip of a lifetime in sub-Saharan Africa. A 17-day tour beginning at the iconic Victoria Falls, passing through Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania, taking in some of the continent’s most wildlife-rich national parks, and ending on the lush island of Zanzibar.
Metamorphosis: a life-changing event
WITH EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST JV CHAMARY
New series for BBC One: Asia
Settle in this autumn for a new natural-history extravaganza on BBC One and iPlayer: the longawaited Asia, presented by Sir David Attenborough.
Loss of Antarctic sea ice could impact seabird food supply
Albatrosses and petrels may be forced to fly further to feed
Tarsiers in trouble
Urgent action is needed to ensure survival of the Yoda-like primate
SNAP-CHAT
Chien Lee on shrew loos, rogue drones and being rained out of bed
VISIONS OF NATURE
The winners of the Wildlife Artist of the Year competition 2024, from David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
