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British Invertebrates - terrestrial and freshwater

Species 1 - 50 of 260 [ next ]

Acorn weevil (Curculio glandium)
The most striking feature of the acorn weevil is its elongated snout, known as a 'rostrum', which is longer in females than males... More	9 Images	3 Videos

Adonis blue (Lysandra bellargus)
Males are bright sky blue in colour with a fine black line to the edge of the wings and a white border. Females are brown in colour... More	13 Images	2 Videos

Alderfly (Sialis lutaria)
Alderflies are fairly primitive insects, and were the first insect group to develop a pupal stage. The robust body is brown or... More	5 Images	0 Videos

Argent and sable moth (Rheumaptera hastata)
The common name 'Argent and Sable' which was given to this species in 1778 refers to the colour of the moth. Argent is a... More	5 Images	0 Videos

Ashworth’s rustic (Xestia ashworthii)
Adult Ashworth’s Rustic moths have blue-grey forewings with variable blackish flecking. The hindwings are pale and silky in... More	4 Images	0 Videos

Aspen hoverfly (Hammerschmidtia ferruginea)
This hoverfly is dark in colour with an orange thorax... More	2 Images	0 Videos

Banded demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens)
The banded demoiselle has the same style of butterfly-like flitting flight as that of the beautiful demoiselle (C. virgo)... More	20 Images	0 Videos

Barberry carpet moth (Pareulype berberata)
Adult Barberry Carpet moths have greyish-white forewings with attractive brown patterning, and the hindwings are paler and more... More	4 Images	0 Videos

Barred tooth-striped moth (Trichopteryx polycommata)
The Barred Tooth-striped is a greyish coloured moth. The caterpillars are green with two white lines and a dark central line... More	2 Images	0 Videos

Basil-thyme case-bearer moth (Coleophora tricolor)
Adults of the endangered Basil-thyme Case bearer have dusky ochreous forewings with delicate silvery-white streaks. Both the fore-... More	4 Images	0 Videos

Bast bark beetle (Ernoporus tiliae)
This small, brown bark beetle has scales covering the wing cases (elytra), some of which are raised and form rows... More	2 Images	0 Videos

Belted beauty moth (Lycia zonaria britannica)
Male and female Belted Beauty moths are strikingly different in appearance; females have tiny, 2 mm long non-functional wings and... More	5 Images	0 Videos

Black bean aphid (Aphis fabae)
Although sometimes called ‘blackfly’, the black bean aphid is actually a true bug (a member of the order Hemiptera). All true bugs... More	5 Images	1 Video

Black bog ant (Formica candida)
This rare, medium-sized ant is black and shiny... More	4 Images	0 Videos

Black-backed meadow ant (Formica pratensis)
This is a large ‘wood ant’, and resembles the more common southern wood ant Formica rufa. The thorax shows some red... More	3 Images	0 Videos

Black-banded moth (Polymixis xanthomista statices)
Adult Black-banded moths have grey forewings with dense yellow, white and greenish flecking and a darker area towards the centre. ... More	7 Images	0 Videos

Black-veined moth (Siona lineata)
Adult Black-veined moths are white in colour with black veins that are more obvious on the underside of the wings. Females differ... More	8 Images	0 Videos

Bloody-nosed beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa)
The bloody-nosed beetle is a large, flightless species, which earns its common name from its peculiar form of defence; when... More	12 Images	1 Video

Blue ground beetle (Carabus intricatus)
This is a large and impressive beetle, with an attractive metallic purple or blue sheen to it. It does not possess wings, although... More	12 Images	1 Video

Bog hoverfly (Eristalis cryptarum)
The bog hoverfly is a bee mimic; it is very similar in general appearance to a bee. Like all members of the Eristalis genus... More	1 Image	1 Video

Bordered gothic moth (Heliophobus reticulata)
The Bordered Gothic moth has an attractive pale network-like patterning on the otherwise mottled grey-brown forewings. The... More	2 Images	0 Videos

Bright wave moth (Idaea ochrata cantiata)
Adult Bright Wave moths are ochreous brown to orange in colour with fine waved cross-lines on both the fore- and hind-wings. The... More	3 Images	0 Videos

Brighton wainscot moth (Oria musculosa)
This species was given the common name 'Brighton Wainscot' because one of the first British specimens was caught in Brighton in... More	4 Images	0 Videos

Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)
The brimstone is a common butterfly. The males are bright yellow in colour and it is widely held that the species was the... More	14 Images	3 Videos

Bronze Lundy cabbage flea beetle (Psylliodes luridipennis)
The bronze Lundy cabbage flea beetle is a dark bronze in colour, and often has yellow translucent wing cases (elytra)... More	8 Images	0 Videos

Brown hydra (Hydra oligactis)
Hydras are freshwater animals that belong to the same group as jellyfish, corals and sea anemones. The sac-shaped 'body' is topped... More	3 Images	3 Videos

Brown-banded carder bee (Bombus humilis)
The brown-banded carder bee B. humilis is one of the 24 species of bumblebee or cuckoo bee found in the UK. It is also one... More	3 Images	0 Videos

Buttoned snout moth (Hypena rostralis)
Female buttoned snout moths are more variable in their appearance than males; the males tend to have darker, more uniform forewings... More	5 Images	0 Videos

Cardinal click beetle (Ampedus rufipennis)
This click beetle has bright red wing cases (elytra), a shiny black thorax and a covering of fine black hairs. The larvae are... More	1 Image	0 Videos

Cardinal click beetle (Ampedus cardinalis)
This click beetle has russet-red wing cases (elytra), a shiny black thorax and a covering of fine orange hairs. The larvae are... More	2 Images	0 Videos

Chalk carpet moth (Scotopteryx bipunctaria cretata)
Adult Chalk Carpet moths are pale grey in colour with grey-brown markings, and have a darker central band with two black dots, one... More	3 Images	0 Videos

Chequered skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon)
As the name suggests, this small, fast-flying, chocolate-brown butterfly has a chequered patterning on both the hind- and forewings... More	6 Images	1 Video

Cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae)
The cinnabar moth is brightly coloured, with crimson hindwings bordered with dusky black. Its dark grey forewings have a red streak... More	9 Images	2 Videos

Clay fan-foot moth (Paracolax tristalis)
Adult Clay Fan-foot moths are pale ochreous brown in colour with darker brown cross-lines on both the fore- and hind-wings. When... More	1 Image	0 Videos

Click beetle (Lacon quercus)
This click beetle is generally brown in colour, with yellowish blotches and flecks, and a yellow band passing across the far end of... More	5 Images	0 Videos

Cliff tiger beetle (Cicindela germanica)
The cliff tiger beetle is the smallest tiger beetle in Britain. It is typically dull green in colour with a coppery sheen, but it... More	4 Images	1 Video

Comma (Polygonia c-album)
The comma is a beautiful, common butterfly. The wings have scalloped edges, and the undersides are strikingly similar in appearance... More	16 Images	0 Videos

Common blue (Polyommatus icarus)
The common blue is the most widespread of the blue butterflies in Britain, and as the name suggests, it is one of the most common... More	13 Images	3 Videos

Common blue damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
Dragonflies and damselflies can appear alarming to some people, and their old English country names of ‘horse-stingers’ and... More	13 Images	0 Videos

Common carder bumblebee (Bombus pascuorum)
The common carder bumblebee is the only common bumblebee to have a completely ginger thorax. Although the abdomen also tends to be... More	9 Images	0 Videos

Common cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha)
This common, large beetle often crashes into lighted windows at night during early summer. It is a familiar beetle that belongs to... More	12 Images	0 Videos

Common European earwig (Forficula auricularia)
The earwig is a very common insect, and one that often triggers repulsion due to the unfounded belief that they enter people's ears... More	11 Images	9 Videos

Common fan-foot moth (Pechipogo strigilata)
This species can be distinguished from other similar Fan-foot moths by its pale hindwings and ochreous grey forewings. The... More	3 Images	0 Videos

Common field grasshopper (Chorthippus brunneus)
This is probably the most frequently seen grasshopper; it is fairly large and occurs in a very wide range of colours including... More	15 Images	4 Videos

Common froghopper (Philaenus spumarius)
This small, common froghopper is variably patterned with brown, black and white. The wings are held like a tent over the body. It... More	8 Images	1 Video

Common garden slug (Arion distinctus)
Once included in the aggregate species Arion hortensis agg, the garden slug (Arion distinctus) is still confused with... More	2 Images	1 Video

Common pond skater (Gerris lacustris)
The common pond skater is the most widespread British bug. It is brownish-black in colour, with a narrow body. The forelegs are... More	6 Images	2 Videos

Common striped woodlouse (Philoscia muscorum)
Woodlice are not insects, but are crustaceans; more closely related to crabs and shrimps than insects. The body is divided into... More	6 Images	0 Videos

Common wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
The common wasp is a familiar and much feared social insect. They are quite large insects, with an obvious 'waist' between the... More	19 Images	8 Videos

Common woodlouse (Oniscus asellus)
The common woodlouse is one of the commonest and widely spread of the British woodlice. Woodlice are not insects, but are... More	8 Images	1 Video

Species 1 - 50 of 260 [ next ]

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