Wildlife Garden highlights

Dragonflies, moorhens, moths, butterflies, foxes, robins, marsh marigolds, primroses, lime, hornbeam, and even sheep are just some of the abundant species that live in and visit the garden.

Our Greyface Dartmoor sheep come to the Wildlife Garden in late summer to graze the meadows and trample the fallen plant seeds into the soil. They now play an important part in the ecology of the garden. They stay for about 6 weeks to 2 months in the Wildlife Garden and spend the rest of the year at the London Wetland Centre.

The six-belted clearwing moth, Bembecia ichneumoniformis, usually occupies chalky soils. This summer we were excited to find the clearwing moth on our chalk downland habitat here in the Wildlife Garden. This is an extremely unusual sighting in central London. The moth’s wingspan is between 15-21mm.

By mid-May bluebells dominate the woodland and their fragrance fills the air. Our native bluebell has a dainty, drooping, dark blue flower. The more robust, upright and paler blue flowers are Spanish bluebells. Can you spot the difference?

This unidentified mystery bug was discovered in the garden in 2007. It became the most common bug in the garden some months later. The tiny bug is almond-shaped with red and black colouring and about the size of a grain of rice. It likes to live on plane trees and appears to be harmless. Read our Mystery bug news story

The striking lime hawkmoth (Mimas tiliae) is thriving on the large lime tree in the centre of the Wildlife Garden. It can have a wingspan of 80 mm. The male varies in colour from pink to olive-green (as above). The female is light pink to red-brown. Lime hawkmoths rest during the day to avoid being spotted by birds.

Eight of the 20 or more British species of bumblebee can be found in the garden. All have an important role to play like this common buff-tailed bumblebee species. Some bumblebees are under threat and need all the help they can get.

Look for the bright yellow flowers of marsh marigolds around pond edges, ditches and marshy areas from March to May. They’re a good nectar source for insects and part of a vital wetland habitat.

The garden is full of small birds collecting nesting material – dead plant stalks, leaves, moss, feathers and sheep’s wool. Birds also weave pieces of string and plastic litter into their nests. Look out for blackbirds, robin, wrens, moorhens, finches and tits.

Azure and common blue damselflies appear from late May. Their larvae are pond-dwellers living on midge larvae and water lice. Look out for blue-tailed and large red damselflies, too.