Have you found a strange bug or a new plant in your garden, or stumbled across an intriguing animal bone or fossil while out on a country walk? Let us help you find out more about it.
Commercial enquiries
If your business requires advice or an identification of an object from the natural world (such as an insect, tooth, pest ID or CITES identification etc.) please contact our commercial service.
Common UK plants and animals - downloadable ID guides
Animals
Spiders in your home
Guides to some of the commonest spider species you will find in UK homes.
Common UK insect and other terrestrial invertebrate groups
A beginner's guide to the common groups of terrestrial invertebrates found in Britain. Covers insects and non-insect invertebrates separately.
Common insect pest species in homes
Guides on a number of common insect pest species that can be found in homes and cause damage to food, furniture, clothes and plants.
Common UK freshwater invertebrate groups
A beginner's guide to the common groups of freshwater invertebrates found in Britain. Covers insects and non-insect invertebrates separately.
Pocket bumblebee guide
A pocket-sized ID guide to the six main species of UK bumblebees.
Plants
Orchids
This guide introduces 29 native species of UK orchid, gives details of how to identify them and where they may be found.
Seaweeds
Find out about some of the seaweeds around the British coast, both native and non-native.
Download the Big Seaweed Search guide PDF (3.4MB)
Visit the Big Seaweed Search webpage to help us record how seaweeds may be being affected by climate change.
Rocks and bones
Beginner's guide to identifying UK rock types
A basic guide to common UK rock types, with background information on rock formation and a glossary.
British Mammal Bones
Identify twelve of the most prevalent wild and domestic mammals in the UK.
-
Specialist guides
Ichneumonids
A guide to 38 of Britain's most recognisable ichneumonid wasps.
Beginner's guide to identifying British ichneumonids PDF (7.8MB)
Vegetative guide to orchids
An aid to identifying 39 orchid species when they are not in flower.
Beginner's vegetative guide to orchids of the British Isles PDF (8.8MB)
British Tenthredo (sawflies)
A pictorial guide to the 30 species of Tenthredo sawfly found in Britain.
Beginner’s guide to identifying British Tenthredo PDF (156MB)
Beetle pinning guide
Advice on how to prepare beetle specimens.
British grasses
A multi-access key to the common families of British grasses, on the Tomorrow's Biodiversity website.
Getting help from our experts
The Museum's Identification and Advisory Service can answer your queries about insects, fossils, plants and other wildlife and natural history specimens found in the UK.
You can contact them by email, phone, post, or in person at our Museum in London. Please include as much detail as possible about the specimen, including:
- A detailed description
- Where and when you saw it
- Its approximate size (including a common object, such as a coin, in any photo is helpful)
Email your images and detailed descriptions to:
- For life sciences, such as bugs, bones, and plants: bug@nhm.ac.uk
- For earth sciences, such as meteorites, minerals, rocks and fossils: esid@nhm.ac.uk
Or visit the service's Facebook page.
For other ways to contact the ID team, please visit the Centre for UK Biodiversity's page.
Commercial enquiries
If your business has wildlife identification needs, please contact our commercial service.
ID help via Facebook
Found something interesting?
The Museum's Identification service has a Facebook group to help answer your queries on plants, animals, fossils, rocks and minerals found in the British Isles.
How-to video guides
-
British wildlifeNight life: how to spot insects in the dark
What nocturnal insects will you find where you live?
-
British wildlife
How to press flowers
Follow our simple instructions to prepare pressed flowers for craft projects or create your own plant herbarium.
-
British wildlife
How to make a pitfall trap to catch insects and other minibeasts
Want to find out what small creatures are crawling around your garden? Follow our steps to set up a simple pitfall trap.
-
British wildlife
How to go rockpooling
Want to explore the life lurking in seashore rock pools? Find out what you need and what you might see.
-
British wildlife
How to make a bird box
Putting up a nesting box could be a big help to your local birds. Our simple design is ideal for small songbirds and sparrows.
-
British wildlife
How to make and use a nature journal to record your wildlife observations
Keeping a nature journal is a great way to record any nature you see.
-
British wildlife
How to make a hedgehog house
Follow our instructions to make a simple hedgehog home.
-
British wildlife
How to make a footprint tunnel that reveals what wildlife visits your garden
Have you ever wondered what wildlife wanders through your garden when you're not watching?
Centre for UK Biodiversity
Develop your natural history skills and interests with the help of our staff, facilities and resources.
Community science projects
Contribute to our scientific research. Take part in a wildlife survey, collect samples and data, or help us from home with a digital project.
Do your bit for nature
Small actions can make a big difference.
Here's how you can help protect biodiversity.