Urban wildlife

Ponds are crucial habitat for a great diversity of wildlife.

Our top tips for how to see nocturnal animals as they go about their busy lives after dark. 

Flocks of starlings form ever-changing, mesmerising aerial displays in autumn and winter. 

Discover some standout British beetles, including a particularly vibrant ladybird and a rare rainbow-coloured leaf beetle.

Pollination is not just the work of honeybees. Meet some of the buzzing, bold and beautiful insects carrying out this critical task.

Name that tune! Learn how to recognise the songs and calls of the UK's most common park and garden birds.

Natural ponds come and go. They fill up when it's wet and empty when it's dry. Pond wildlife has learnt to live in these changeable worlds in remarkable ways. 

If you see a snake blink at you, it's not a snake.

Left alone over time, many graveyards have become secluded sanctuaries where plant and animal life can thrive.

In spring and summer, you might notice something looking like spit on a plant. 

Ring-necked parakeets are a spectacle to see and hear, but are they causing problems for native UK wildlife?

Get the facts on this garden favourite.

Spring is a great time to hop over to a local pond or stream to witness the wonderful life cycle of frogs.

Check out these flamboyant flyers who are challenging moths' drab reputation with style.

London is a particular stronghold of these magnificent, rare beetles. Discover why, where else they live and how you can help protect them.

But just when is daddy long legs season and how long does it last?

It's not just foxes, rats and pigeons in the concrete jungle.

Meet some of the birds you're likely to spot in your garden during the colder months of the year.

The best places to hang out with bats and how to take them under your wing.

Otters are sprainting the town red (well, black) and are being spotted in city rivers across the UK.

Fungi expert Mark Spencer reveals striking examples of fungi that flourish in towns and cities.

Wasps and humans may have a rocky relationship. But should these insects be revered rather than feared?

Join the team from BBC TV programme The British Garden: Life and Death on Your Lawn to uncover some of the hidden wildlife you could spot throughout the year.

They look like bees and pollinate flowers, but these fluffy flies have a gruesome teenage stage that makes them one of the most fascinating species in your local park or garden.

Museum scientist and champion of earthworms Emma Sherlock shares her passion for these vital invertebrates.

Spiders may seem scary, but most of them are just looking for love. Read some dating profiles of spiders searching for the perfect mate.

Water voles in Glasgow have left the riverbank behind in search of new homes.

Peregrine falcons have adapted to urban living, but what's the best way to see the fastest bird in town?

Find out what makes Britain's towns and cities so appealing to red foxes and if they deserve the bad rap they receive.

Find out facts about this sociable bird.

Get tips on urban birdwatching and discover what you could see - including birds of prey and parakeets.

They cover an enormous area of the UK and are home to many rare and declining wild plants, insects, amphibians and more.

Discover the most common trees in Britain's towns and cities and what helps them to thrive in an urban environment.

In autumn they seek somewhere to hibernate.

Would a pigeon in London sound the same as a pigeon in Birmingham?

Every autumn there are reports of false widow spiders becoming uninvited eight-legged houseguests across the UK.

One of Britain's most threatened mammals is being given a boost.

Wildlife Garden ecologist Sylvia Myers introduces some of our favourite finds and how we monitor the plants and animals present.

Wildlife photographer Sam Rowley shows us how desperate life can be for mice living in London's Underground tunnels.

Scale parasite flies, of a new fly family for Britain, have been found in the Museum's Wildlife Garden.

Follow our simple instructions to prepare pressed flowers for craft projects or create your own plant herbarium.

Want to find out what small creatures are crawling around your garden? Follow our steps to set up a simple pitfall trap.

Have you ever wondered what wildlife wanders through your garden when you're not watching?

Follow our simple guide to building a bird feeder for your garden from a reused plastic bottle.

Put on a butterfly buffet and watch these intriguing insects feeding.

What nocturnal insects will you find where you live?

Enthusiasm for beekeeping in the UK's major cities is threatening other local wildlife, according to a new report.

The nation's plants and animals are dwindling.

Rats and pigeons are thriving, but unique species are disappearing.

Discover the dangers of flushing your wet wipes.

Scientists found that smaller bee species with shorter flight seasons are especially at risk in human-dominated areas.

Microplastics are having an enormous impact.

Help local wildlife, see more stars and get better rest - just a few compelling reasons to join the dark side.

A garden pond is one of the best ways you can help Britain's wildlife. You can create one in even the tiniest of gardens.

Birds need access to water year-round. Help them out by building a simple garden bird bath. 

Follow our instructions to make a simple hedgehog home. 

This simple DIY insect hotel is perfect for ladybirds looking for somewhere to hibernate in winter.

Growing native wildflowers helps provide the right food for pollinating insects, making life better for your local wildlife.

Attract bees to your lawn with clover, grow a mini wildflower meadow, add areas of aromatic thyme and more ideas.

Give solitary bees a home by making this simple, DIY bee hotel.

Frogs and toads are often spotted in UK gardens, but some are struggling. Find out how you can help.

Find out how to help urban nature and attract more wildlife to your garden.

Find out which plants will encourage colourful visitors to your garden.

Follow our simple guide to building a bird feeder for your garden from a reused plastic bottle.

Help your local wild birds to survive winter by putting out these nutritious fat balls. 

Putting up a nesting box could be a big help to your local birds. Our simple design is ideal for small songbirds and sparrows.

A log pile can give home and shelter to some of the smaller inhabitants of your garden.

Help local wildlife, see more stars and get better rest - just a few compelling reasons to join the dark side.

Around the world sprawling towns and cities offer homes to millions of people, and while they may look like man-made spaces, there is nature in between the cracks.

This is only the second humpback whale in the Thames for over 100 years. 

Discover what happened to a rare bat that found itself in a high street shop.

Experts think it is likely that the beluga came from the direction of Svalbard off Norway.