SUMMER SPECIAL
June 2014 Volume 32 Number 7
Discover the most amazing
amphibians on the planet
FEATURING
CAN ZOO

CUBS SAVE

WILD TIGERS?
4
Build a pond
4
Dragonfly ID
4
Be a wildflower expert
4
Best cameras
BIG CAT CONSERVATION
FANTASTIC
FROGS
NEW
LOOK
LEAR’S
MACAW
Beautiful, blue and
back from the brink
STAG
PARTY
How YOU can help
UK’s biggest beetle

O
Extreme parenting
O
Ballistic tongues
O
Weird reproduction
O
Deadly toxins
O
Visible kidneys
CHRIS
PACKHAM
“Why I had to confront
Malta’s bird hunters”
CONTRIBUTOR
BBC Wildlife
June 2014
3
ON THE COVER: Red-eyed tree frog: Martin Van Lokven/
Minden/FLPA; tiger: Brian Jordan/ZSL London Zoo/Rex
Features; Chri s Pack ham: The Sun/News Syndication
We launched the Local Patch
Reporters project in our April
issue and it’s starting to grow
into something rather special.
Each week the photos, camera-
trap videos and discoveries
they make are giving us a really
exciting view into their wildlife

world. On p17 this month 11-year-old Jackson has
potentially discovered the haunt of a goshawk, while
Sally Huband, who lives on Shetland, stumbled
across the vertebra of what could be a long-finned
pilot whale. We are getting requests every month
from people who want to get involved in the project,
and this is your chance! Our new forum is the place
to share your wildlife experiences. You can post
photos, links to trailcam videos and updates to your
online nature journals. In the last hour someone has
just linked to a beautiful video of Italian badgers. And
from next issue we’ll be including the best forum
posts and blogs in print. You can find out more at
www.discoverwildlife.com/localpatchreporters.
Welcome
Matt Swaine Editor

AFRICAN PENGUINS HAVE SEEN
HUGE POPULATION DECLINES,
BUT A CENTRE IN SOUTH AFRICA
IS WORKING TO REHABILITATE
RESCUED SEABIRDS.
See p62
IN BBC WILDLIFE THIS MONTH
GET YOUR
DIGITAL COPY
ROSS PIPER
Ross is a zoologist, intrepid explorer and a
BBC TV presenter. “Many aspects of frogs’
lives are mind-boggling, particularly the

gastric-brooding frog,” he says. See p32
LOUISE GRAY
Louise is former environment correspondent
at the Daily Telegraph. “The feline I’d most like
to see in the wild would be a Scottish wildcat
or a lynx in the Highlands,” she says. See p78
KATE BRADBURY
Kate is a wildlife gardener who wants us to do
more to help the stag beetle. She says,“I’ve
always admired the species for its ability to
carve out an existence in the city.” See p86
TONY JUNIPER
Tony writes about the Lear’s macaw in
this issue. “Integrated conservation work
can reverse the fortunes of even the most
endangered species,” he says. See p44
CONTRIBUTOR
CONTRIBUTOR
CONTRIBUTOR
44,000
The number of
Maltese people
who asked for a
referendum to end
bird hunting
See p57
WELCOME
Buy a digital edition of BBC Wildlife
Magazine for iOS, Android, Kindle
Fire, PC or Mac. Visit iTunes, the

Google Play store, Amazon or
www.zinio.com to find out more.
LOL
Scientists have
discovered that rats
laugh when you
tickle them
See p76
WHAT
WE’VE
LEARNED
this issue
DID YOU
KNOW?
The depth a
Cuvier’s beaked
whale can dive,
staying submerged
for two hours See p26
Peng uin: Che ry l-Sa mant ha Owen/nat ure pl .co m; rat : ARCO/naturep l.com
3km
4
June 2014
BBC Wildlife
June 2014
CONTENTS
FREE ONE-
MONTH TRIAL
ON
BBC WILDLIFE


SEE P48
SPECIAL
OFFER
Features AgendaWild
32
19
06 Lemon sharks
Thriving in Bahamas Plus
Little grebe’s first meal and
mudskipper displays
12 Seven wild spectacles
See them in June: otters,
avocets, bitterns and stoats
14 Be a botanical expert
How to ID wildflowers Plus
Bumblebees and mobbing
17 Local Patch Reporters
Goshawk, badgers, pilot
whale vertebra and snails
Plus See glow-worms
19 Dragonfly ID guide
FREE Download online
20 Discover upland flora
Rare arctic–alpine plants
that you can see in the UK
32 Fantastic frogs
Meet the most incredible
amphibians on the planet
With Extreme parenting

t8FJSEXFBQPOTt%FBEMZ
UPYJOTt#BMMJTUJDUPOHVFT
42 Lear’s macaw
Once thought extinct, this
Brazilian parrot is back
62 Seabird rescue
The fight to rehabilitate
seabirds in South Africa
78 Big cat conservation
Can three cubs in London
Zoo help wild tigers?
86 Stag party
How you can help the
UK’s biggest beetle
51 Fighting bird crime
Scotland considers new
powers to protect raptors
52 Iberian lynx
How a rabbit disease
threatens these big cats
Plus Call to mitigate effects
of High Speed Rail scheme
53 Mark Carwardine
Chinese bear-bile farm
becomes a rescue centre
55 Plastic waste at sea
Understand the issues and
become part of the solution
56 Chris Packham
His mission to confront

Malta’s bird hunters
58 Yo ur Fe ed bac k
Tigers, zoo euthanasia,
school wildlife and foxes
Discover the weird
and wonderful
world of frogs
Your June challenge:
12 dragonflies to spot
22 Wildlife nightwalk

Use warm summer nights
to see more local wildlife
24 Best wildlife cameras
Five digital cameras tested
for wildlife bloggers
26 New discoveries
Latest scientific research
from around the world
Discover Reviews Regulars
OR GET IN TOUCH…
SUBSCRIPTIONS AND BACK ISSUES
Te l 0844 844 0251
Email
Post BBC Wildlife Magazine, FREEPOST
LON16059, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8DF
OTHER CONTACTS
App support immediateapps@
servicehelpline.co.uk
Advertising enquiries Laura Gibbs 0117

314 8760;
Syndication Emma Brunt 0117 314 8782;

Fro g: M Lu ndgren /Wil d Won ders o f Europe /NPL ; gann et: Ch er yl-S aman th a Owen/N PL ; tige rs:
London News Pictures/Rex; stag beetle: Leon Baas; macaw: João Marcos Rosa; dragonfly: Felicity Rose Cole; Chris: Ruth Peacey
EDITORIAL
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Email
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Media Company, 9th Floor, Tower House,
Fai rfax Street , Bris tol BS 1 3B N
62
42
86
56
71 Can saltwater crocodiles
survive out at sea?

Plus Glow-worms, bats and
do seabirds drink seawater?
74 Make a wildlife pond
Expert ‘how to’ guide
76 Do animals laugh?

Plus How to get closer
to freshwater fish
77 Camera-trap skills

93 G r e a t A n i m a l O r c h e s t r a
Musical world premiere

Plus Best of BBC iPlayer
94 B o o k r e v i e w s
“Best ornithological artist
alive” Plus Best kids’ books
96 T V a n d R a d i o
Bees and orphan animals
99 L o c a l w i l d l i f e e v e n t s
Essential events for June
29 Richard Mabey
A Brush with Nature
Does ‘reconnecting with
nature’ have any meaning?
31 Bill Oddie Wild at Heart
Getting kids into nature
48 Subscriptions
Don’t miss our latest offer
110 Crossword8JOBQSJ[F
with our brain-teaser
111 Next Month Get a sneak
peek at our July issue
112 You r Pho to s
See your photos in the
mag and on the new-look
www.discoverwildlife.com
114 Ta l e s F ro m t he Bu s h
Caring for orphaned
raccoons in Canada
5
BBC Wildlife
NEW WILDLIFE

FORUM
l
Share your wildlife
experiences
l
Get your wildlife
blog featured in print
l
Talk to
BBC Wildlife
www.discoverwildlife.
com/forum
p17
South African
seabird rescue in
our Photo Story
New tiger cubs in
London Zoo could
help wild big cats
Lear’s macaw:
beautiful, blue and
back from the brink
The incredible
world of the UK’s
biggest beetle
Chris
Packham
meets bird
hunters
78

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WILD JUNE
WILD JUNE
WHAT TO SEE O NATURALIST SKILLS O DISCOVERIES
Shark heaven
“You dive many places called Shark Reef and never see any
sharks,” says photographer Alex Mustard, who took this extreme
close-up of a lemon shark in the Bahamas. That’s because a
wholesale slaughter of sharks has taken place around the world
over the past two decades, largely to feed China’s insatiable
hunger for their fins. But the Bahamas are dierent, because
locals understand that living sharks mean money. “They banned
long-line fisheries in the 1990s,” he points out, “and now millions
of dollars flow into the economy each year as divers flock to see
them. Good news for wildlife lovers, the islands – and the sharks.”
Photograph by Alex Mustard/naturepl.com
4 LEMON SHARK
WILD JUNE
Small wonder
Apart from making loud whinnying calls in spring, the little grebe
keeps itself to itself, hiding near the lush bankside vegetation of
small pools, rivers and drainage channels, and diving in the
shallows. So when a pair took up residence on a friend’s pond,
photographer David Pattyn built a floating hide to document their
breeding attempt. “I was amazed that the parents kept oering
newts to their chicks, because the species normally eats much
smaller aquatic creatures such as mayfly larvae or water beetles,”

he says. “At first the stripy-headed youngsters couldn’t cope, and
the adults ended up swallowing the amphibians themselves. But
finally a 10-day-old chick managed to down its first newt. It was
a massive meal for such a young bird.”
Photograph by David Pattyn
4 LITTLE GREBE
,
WILD JUNE
Fish out of water
Just a stone’s throw from the crowded seafront bars of the town
Krabi in Thailand, blue-spotted mudskippers emerge from their
burrows on the shore to feed on algae and other titbits exposed
by the falling tide. These goggle-eyed fish prop themselves up
on their muscular pectoral fins, enabling them to crawl across
the mud and climb the tangled aerial roots of mangroves.
Photographer Daniel Trim was fascinated to see how the males
resolved disputes over territory. “Usually they settled squabbles
by raising their spiny dorsal fins in ritual displays. But sometimes
they came to blows, and the rivals would line up alongside each
other to launch biting attacks. Eventually the victor would be
decided and the loser would wriggle o across the tidal ooze.”
Photograph by Daniel Trim
4 MUDSKIPPER
WILD JUNE
TO SEE THIS MONTH
SEVEN
WILDLIFE
SPECTACLES
1. Simon Litten; 2. Laurie Campbell; 3. Eric Médard

Springwatch
Don’t miss
Monday to Thursday
until 12 June
2
OTTER S
Natural-history guides of the last century
list remote Scottish coasts as the most
reliable places to watch otters, and insist
on a crack-of-dawn expedition. But this is
changing – our most successfully resurgent
mammal is increasingly spotted in towns and
cities, even in daylight. Short nights boost
your chances further. Ask local advice, and
look for clues including tarry smears of poo,
fish remains and muddy slipways on banks.
BEST SPOT

Thet and Little Ouse rivers Norfolk
3
COMMON TERN T
Some 12,000 common terns breed across
Britain. Despite their old name ‘sea-swallow’ they
also breed inland, around flooded gravel pits. They
are distinguished from Arctic terns by a more
southerly breeding pattern, shorter tail streamers
and a larger, more orangey beak with a black tip.
BEST SPOT

RSPB Coquet Island Northumberland

1
MARSH HARRIER S
Our largest harriers are birds to get excited about
– and never more so than when newly hatched young
occupy their parents’ every waking minute. About 350
pairs breed around the Thames Estuary, East Anglia,
Morecambe Bay and the Somerset Levels. The male
hunts ceaselessly by day, quartering an area on wings
held in a characteristic shallow ‘v’. Prey is delivered to
the brooding female in a spectacular mid-air food pass.
BEST SPOT

RSPB Leighton Moss Lancashire
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
1
5
7
6
2
4
3
June 2014
13
BBC Wildlife
WILD JUNE
4. Mike Lane; 5. Chris Gomersall; 6 & 7. Steve Round
5
COMMON SEAL W
June sees the first common
seal pups of the year born on sandy

beaches or rocks around the coasts
of Scotland and eastern England.
The alternative name ‘habour seal’
reflects a preference for sheltered
waters. Most pups are born with a
sleek adult coat, having moulted
their baby fur in the womb, so they
are able to enter the water almost
immediately. They will be weaned and
independent at just four weeks old.
BEST SPOT

Chanonry Point Scotland
7
BITTERN X
For a bird whose plumage, form
and skulking behaviour are all about
concealment, when necessary the bittern
knows how to make its presence felt –
literally. Its ‘booming’ courtship call is
a sound so deep you feel it as much as
hear it, like the bass throb of dance music
outside a nightclub. Bitterns are herons,
feeding on small fish, frogs and large
insect prey, which they hunt by stealth.
BEST SPOT

RSPB Ham Wall Somerset
4
AVOCET T

Restored from national extinction in the late 1940s, the
avocet is the well-chosen emblem of the RSPB. If you look
at a French curve template used by designers, it seems that
this elegant bird includes all of its most pleasing shapes. Visit
breeding grounds on east-coast lagoons and wetlands to see
how beauty of form translates into functional perfection.
BEST SPOT

RSPB Minsmere Suolk
6
STOAT T
Common and widespread across most of Britain, this
quicksilver predator has the makings of a mythical creature: a
rich folklore; movement so fast it deceives the eye; a talent for
rabbit hypnosis; and, for some, a winter transformation into a
snow-white alter ego – the ermine. In high summer, however,
your best chance of seeing one is to visit where rabbits abound,
and rocky crevices perfect for breeding dens are plentiful.
BEST SPOT

Mount Grace Priory North Yorkshire
+
BE A LOCAL EXPERT
Share your best tips for
watching wildlife in your
local area on our forum at
www.discoverwildlife.com
June 2014
14 BBC Wildlife
naturalist

INSTANT
Buttercup: Neil Fletcher/dkimages.com; vetch: Ross Hoddinott/NPL; cow parsley:
Russell Cooper/NPL; violet: Edwin Giesbers/NPL; woundwort: WoodyStock/Alamy
Ben Hoare’s
6 Habitat Where is the plant growing?
7 Moisture Is the ground wet or well drained?
8Aspect Is the plant in shade, partial shade
or full sun? Is it sheltered or exposed?
9Soil In chalk and limestone areas, soil will
be alkaline, and in clay areas, neutral; in
other places, it’s likely to be acidic. Explore
geology at www.bgs.ac.uk/opengeoscience
10Time of year Plants flower at certain times,
though this varies with location and year.
MORE POINTERS
10 EASY STEPS
TO IDENTIFY WILDFLOWERS
B
otany is in decline in British
universities – botanists joke
that they’re more endangered
than the plants they study – and I’m
amazed at how many keen wildlife
watchers can name only a few dozen
common wildflowers. If that includes
you, you’re missing out: our flowers
are amazingly colourful and varied.
Plus they don’t run away, so you may
examine, sketch or photograph them
at your leisure. But the number of

species we have growing wild in the
UK (both native and introduced) can
feel daunting. Make things easier by
learning the key plant parts to help you
jot down a description, and try to note
as many features as you can – starting
with the 10 ID pointers shown here.
+ FIND OUT MORE
For more information about
UK plants and a handy ID guide,
visit www.plantlife .org.uk
5Is it round,
square or ridged?
Is it hollow? Are
there spines,
hairs or down?
1Is it symmetrical
or asymmetrical?
How are all the
petals arranged?
3Is it in one piece or divided
into smaller leaflets? Is it
smooth or hairy, and are the
edges serrated? Where are
the leaves on the plant?
4Is the plant tall,
short, creeping
or a climber?
2Are flowers single to a stem or
grouped in a flowerhead, spike

or spiral around the stem?
Peta l
Sepal
Stem
Flower
design
Leaf
Habit
Flower arrangement
Essential fieldcraft, skills and knowledge you need to discover the natural world.
Stamens
Hedge
woundwort
Tu f t e d v e t c h
Cow parsley
Dog violet
Bulbous
buttercup
Leaflets
June 2014
15
BBC Wildlife
Four wildlife highlights to enjoy on your home patch in June.
OElephant hawkmoths sip nectar from
honeysuckle, fuchsias and petunias –
check them after dark with a torch.
OJuvenile robins are everywhere now.
They’re spotty, but with the same perky
shape and big dark eyes as adult birds.
OFoxgloves have wide-lipped flowers

for bumblebees to land: watch their long
tongues reaching inside for the nectar.
GARDEN WATCH
Why are bumblebees fat and hairy?
To fly, they need an internal temperature
of 30°C – being hairy helps to retain heat
produced by the wing muscles. As the bees
brush past flowers their hairs also pick up
pollen, which they comb out and collect.
Do they live in colonies?
Yes, but there are just 50–400 workers
per nest, compared with up to 50,000 for
a honeybee hive, and most nests last only
a few months in spring and summer.
Where do they nest?
It varies by species: some use old rodent
burrows; others build bundles of dry grass
in the bottom of grassy tussocks. The
tree bumblebee (its bright white ‘tail’ is
a giveaway) likes to use bird nestboxes.
What will I spot at this time of year?
The big, bumbly queens of February to April
now stay in their nests, so you’ll mostly see
female workers with pollen on their hind legs.
But the early bumblebee has a short colony
lifespan, so may already be producing males
– look for small, fluy, yellow bees with red
tails, yellow moustaches and hairy legs.
How can I help bumblebees?
Plant flowers such as red clover, lavender,

snapdragons, runner beans, salvia, borage,
cosmos, lungwort and comfrey. And go on a
monthly bumblebee ramble, sending records
to the BeeWalk survey (http://bumblebee
conservation.org/get-involved).
60 SECOND EXPERT
Bumblebees
ORichard Comont works for Bumblebee
Conservation Trust. Read his blogs at www.
disco verwildlif e. c om/localpatchr eporter s
WILD JUNE
RICHARD COMONT
Mobbing: Erica Olsen/FLPA; bee & hawkmoth: David Whitaker;
robin: David Tipling; moth: Mark Hamblin; foxgloves: Dave Bevan
When birds have eggs or young to protect, you’ll
often see them harass a passing bird of prey or
heron. By diving at the intruder and calling, they
persuade it to fly elsewhere. Mobbing is triggered
by flight style and silhouette (for example, the
long, ‘fingered’ wings); cats are targeted, too.
OThe birds quickest to see red include crows,
gulls, terns and waders such as avocets (abo ve).
OSmall birds gang up to mob roosting owls.
KEY BEHAVIOUR
MOBBING
There’s
no such thing

as boring species. Take


flies – find a nice, fresh

cowpat and be amazed
by yellow dung flies!
OMagpie moths are among several
summer moths lured to light. They fly
until August, but are scarcer in the north.
Nine times out of ten,

we see common animals.

So
before claiming a

rarity, ask yourself:
was it a perfect view in

good light? Check a few

descriptions: do all of

the key features fit?
TOP TIPS
If there’s no home for nature
There will be no evening starling chatter,
Nor swifts left to soar.
There will be no hedgehogs nestled in your garden,
No woodlands to explore.
Spring will pass without a bluebell,
And June without a bee.

Butterflies will flounder without a flower,
And the birds without a tree.
If there’s no home for nature,
The wonders on our doorstep will disappear.
There will be no place to play,
No meadows. No moorlands. No wilderness. No adventure.
If there’s no home for nature,
There will be no nature.
For your FREE guide to give nature a home,
text ‘HOME’ to 84010 or visit rspb.org.uk/homes
The RSPB is a registered charity in England & Wales 207076, in Scotland SC037654
Photo: Eleanor Bentall
June 2014
17
BBC Wildlife
Our 20 Local Patch
Reporters are BBC
Wildlife readers
aged 10–64. Follow
their diaries at www.
discoverwildlife.com/
localpatchreporters
ALEX OXFORDSHIRE
“I’ve been filming my local badgers with a trailcam,
and the people at Badgerland (www.badgerland.
co.uk) sent me a badger-observation diary to fill in.
Now I can build up a picture of when the badgers
come out and maybe recognise some of them.”
JENNIFER HUNT DORSET
“At the allotment I lifted old

carpet we had been using to
suppress weeds, and the sun
shone on some huge snails.
I made a linocut of them.”
JACKSON HAMPSHIRE
“We came across what seemed to
be the haunt of a large predatory
bird. The expanse of about 50m
2

was littered with feathers and bones
of old bird and mammal carcasses.”
Breaking news: experts reckon this
could be a goshawk plucking site!
SALLY HUBAND SHETLAND
“During a scan of a small beach I spotted a
cetacean vertebra among the rocks. It’s larger
than the porpoise vertebra I found earlier this year.
A scientist I showed this to says it’s rather worn
but probably a juvenile long-finned pilot whale.”
JUNE
MOON
PHASES
13
FULL
MOON
27
NEW
MOON
NIGHTWATCH JUNE

GLOW�WORM DISPLAY
On warm nights in June and July,
female glow-worms (actually
beetles) light up like tiny LEDs to
attract flying males. Now scarce
and probably declining, these
bioluminescent insects are most
numerous on chalk and limestone
grasslands in the south, and on
brownfield sites. Your best bet for
seeing them is to join an evening
walk organised
by one of The Wildlife Trusts.
Adult glow-worms don’t feed; the
larvae prey on snails. “Snail-hunting
is remarkably common among
insects,” says Steven Falk of Buglife.
“Flesh flies, solitary bees and
numerous other beetles do it, too.
On warm chalk downland, you can
find 50 species of insect that eat
only snails and nothing else.”
LOOK OUT FOR the Summer Solstice,
which happens at 11.51am on 21 June
when the sun reaches its most northerly
point. Celebrate the shortest night by
investigating nocturnal wildlife (see p22).
Female glow-worms
light up for a few
hours at a time.

R
E
P
O
R
T
E
R
S
TEAM
WILDLIFE
5 JULY
FIRST
QUARTER
5
FIRST
QUARTER
19
THIRD
QUARTER
Robert Canis/FLPA
+
If you’re a wildlife blogger, visit www.discoverwildlife.com/forum
to share your updates – highlights will feature in BBC Wildlife.
WILD JUNE
BY APPOINTMENT TO
HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II
SWAROVSKI OPTIK
SUPPLIER OF BINOCULARS
CL FAMILY

BEING
THERE IS
WHAT COUNTS
Travelling to distant countries, a trip into the countryside or a challenging hike in the
mountains open up a world that is out of the ordinary, never ceasing to amaze you.
A good thing to have with you at such times is a compact, light pair of binoculars from
the CL family, which can be kept in any pocket and constantly impress with their
total viewing comfort. Get even greater enjoyment from both great and small discoveries
and make your encounters with nature even more exciting. After all, the world belongs
to those who can see beauty – with SWAROVSKI OPTIK.
SEE THE UNSEEN
WWW.SWAROVSKIOPTIK.COM
YOU CAN FIND OUR PRODUCTS
AT EXCLUSIVE SPECIALIST RETAILERS
AND ONLINE AT WWW.SWAROVSKIOPTIK.COM
June 2014
19
BBC Wildlife
WILD
Blue-tailed damselfly
ISCHNURA ELEGANS
31mm long. Male: striped thorax
and blue tail. Female: may have blue,
green, brown, violet or pink markings.
Dragonfly larva
A robust aquatic predator with large
eyes, short antennae and a mobile
hinged ‘jaw’ (shot out to catch prey).
Usually fatter than a damselfly larva.
Common blue damselfly

ENALLAGMA CYATHIG ERUM
32mm long. Male: pattern of blue
and black on thorax and abdomen.
Fem ale : b lue and kh aki form s ex ist.
Broad-bodied chaser
LIBELLULA DEPRESSA
39–48mm long. Blue-striped thorax
in both sexes; abdomen is blue in
males, golden-brown in females.
Four-spotted chaser
LIBELLULA QUADRIMACULATA
39–48mm long. Sexes similar, with
dark wingtips and spots halfway
along the front edge of each wing.
Large red damselfly
PYRRHOSOMA NYMPHULA
36mm long. Male: mostly dark red,
darkening to black on thorax. Female:
variable, often more black than red.
Dragonfly
larval exoskeleton
Look out for the exuvia, or dried
exoskeleton, attached to waterside
vegetation after the adult emerges.
Azure damselfly
AESHNA CAERULEA
62mm long. Male: bright blue panels
on thorax. Female: darker blue and
chestnut-brown forms exist.
Emperor dragonfly

ANAX IMPERATOR
78mm. Both sexes have apple-green
thorax; abdominal markings are blue
in male, green in female.
Damselfly larva
Typically more slender and tapering
than a dragonfly larva. The tip of its
abdomen bears three big, sail-like
appendages, actually external gills.
Banded demoiselle
cALOPTERYX SPLENDENS
45mm long. Blue-green male has a
‘fingerprint’ on wings; emerald female
has a bronze tail and iridescent wings.
Southern hawker
AESHNA CYANEA
70mm long. Male: green and pale
blue markings on black body. Female:
brown with bright green markings.
T
here’s a touch of fantasy
about the Odonata – the
group of insects that
includes dragon- and damselflies.
Glimpsed on a golden summer
evening they might almost be
fairies, and their iridescent eyes
and enamel-coloured bodies
gleam like jewels. If you don’t
have an insect guide to hand,

a photo snapped while the insect
rests will aid later identification:
all of our common species have
distinctive markings.
Like all insects, ‘dragons’ and
‘damsels’ have six legs and a body
divided into head, thorax and
abdomen. As a rule of thumb,
damselflies are mostly small and
slender, resting with their wings
folded along the body, while the
larger, more robust dragonflies
always hold their wings roughly
perpendicular to their body.
We’ve shown males here,
but describe the differences
in females. Visit www.british-
dragonflies.org.uk for more tips.
DRAGONS &
DAMSELS
challenge
NEXT MONTH’S
WILD CHALLENGE:
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Illustrations by Felicity Rose Cole (not to scale)
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Your
WILD JUNE
June 2014
20 BBC Wildlife
Now is the perfect time to look for arctic–alpine
plants in areas like Snowdonia’s Cwm Idwal.
L
ocated in the heart of
Snowdonia, Cwm Idwal is the
most southerly location for
arctic–alpine flora, which is at its
richest in June and July. “Its lime-
rich rock offers nutrients that host
a range of plants that you don’t find
elsewhere,” explains Plantlife’s Trevor
Dines. “And because the cwm faces
north, it’s cool and damp: perfect
conditions for arctic–alpine plants.

“Most of the lower slopes are
species-poor, acidic grasslands,
but as you climb you start to find
alpine plants such as starry saxifrage
and mountain sorrel. Continue
up to the scree where boulders are
carpeted with true alpines such as
moss campion, purple saxifrage and
roseroot. Higher, in the coldest part
of the cwm, you find the rare alpines:
alpine saxifrage and Snowdon lily.”
Sheep have been excluded from
the cwm, and results have been
promising. “Many plants, like mossy
saxifrage, are now thriving again,
while others, like bog orchid, have
appeared for the first time.”
Reserve areas
OTwo fenced-o areas set up 40 years
ago show what the cwm could look
like if low grazing continues. While the
regeneration of trees has been slower
than expected, the vegetation is very
dierent, with large hummocks of
shrubs such as heather and crowberry.
Snowdon lily
O First identified in 1696 by
Edward Llwyd, this arctic–
alpine clings to existence on
a few north-facing outcrops. It

can switch from hermaphrodite
to male in harsh years, which
doesn’t require the production
of ovules when resources are
hard to come by.
Starry saxifrage
OSaxifrage means ‘rock breaker’.
This flower grows 5–20cm tall
with five white petals, each with
two red or yellow spots near its
base. The plant has benefited
from the removal of sheep
from Cwm Idwal.
Darwin
O Charles Darwin
made a number of
visits to the cwm to
study geology, before
he set sail on HMS
Beagle in 1831. While
he was here he began
to realise how old the
planet was, which was
an important basis for
his theory of evolution.
DISCOVER
upland flora
June 2014
21
BBC Wildlife

BEST LOCATIONS
WILD JUNE
BREADALBANE
MOUNTAINS, SCOTLAND

Few places in Britain can rival the
unique range of arctic–alpine
species here. On Ben Lawers and
Ben Lui you can find alpine forget-
me-not, alpine gentian, mountain
willow and rock speedwell.
LAKE DISTRICT
A stronghold for arctic–alpines
such as purple saxifrage, moss
campion and alpine mouse-ear,
but they are restricted to the
highest coves and gullies.
CAIRNGORMS, SCOTLAND
The largest area of highland in the
UK: look for mountain avens and
alpine fleabane in Coire Garbhlach,
or globeflower and roseroot in
Coire an t-Sneachda.
DEEP DALE,
PEAK DISTRICT

A limestone dale where you
can find mountain pansy and
a number of butterfly species
including green hairstreak, dingy

skipper and dark green fritillary.
WIDDYBANK FELL,
TEESDALE

Spring gentian and bird’s-eye
primrose can be found in this
National Nature Reserve.
Looking across Llyn Idwal,
the most southerly location
to search for arctic–alpines.
Crosswort flowering in
Deep Dale, Derbyshire.
Plantlife has
identified over
150 Important
Plant Areas.
Here are the
best upland
locations…
Wild thyme
OThis species particularly
likes the well-drained
grasslands at the head of
Llyn Idwal. It is common
around Snowdonia and
a beautiful plant to spot.
Butterwort
O A carnivorous plant
that traps unwary insects
using the rosette of leaves

at the base of its stem to
supplement its nitrogen
intake. Its flowering
stem reaches a height
of anywhere between
5cm and 15cm.
Dwarf willow
OA tiny willow, growing to 6cm tall,
can be found on the neighbouring
Carneddau Mountains. It grows in
shallow stony soils exposed to the
full force of the wind. It is one of the
smallest woody plants in the world.
O Find more at www.plantlife.org.uk/
wild_plants/important_plant_areas
Main: Loop Images/Alamy; Deep Dale: P Wilson/FLPA; clockwise from top: A Teasdale/
Alamy; E Giesbers/WWE/NPL; J M Borrero/NPL; David Whitaker; Alamy; Photoshot
WILD JUNE
June 2014
22 BBC Wildlife
Get out after dark in a garden or local patch to see more wildlife.
Head out after dark and
you’ll be amazed how
many species you can
hear and, with the right
equipment, even see.
DO IT THIS MONTH
W
hile many people are tucked up in
bed asleep, the nocturnal landscape

comes alive. Venturing outside
during the summer months, especially beneath
clear skies and the light of a full moon (see
p17), can lead to extraordinary encounters with
wildlife. “Experiencing nature in the dark gives
you the chance to focus on the wildlife you
can see and hear,” says naturalist and BBC
producer Brett Westwood.
As early as dusk many creatures become
more active and emerge to forage, including
rabbits, hares, badgers and foxes. Later in
the evening, listening for the ‘twit-twoo’ of a
tawny owl can reveal where it hides during
the daytime, and by shining
a torch into a pond you may
be lucky enough to witness
displaying newts.
Using an LED light
and gazing up at trees
can expose fluttering
moths, ascending slugs
and scurrying beetles –
look out for the iridescent
caterpillar hunter best appreciated after dark.
“The night is full of surprises, and by sitting
quietly and immersing yourself in your
surroundings you can identify creatures
that are mythical by day,” says Brett.
Remember that even sitting out in your
back garden can be the start of an adventure

as you watch a hunting pipistrelle bat and
hear the snuffling of a hedgehog. But if you
visit a local park, reserve or woodland, you can
escape the streetlights to hear the crystal notes
of a nightingale, the bark of a roe deer, or to
find a glow-worm among vegetation (see p72).
When the sun goes down we pay far
more attention to our hearing, and our eyes
adjust to the lack of light.
This heightening of the
senses creates a thrilling
experience not to be
missed, and an exciting
tale to share at breakfast.
Nightwalking
“BY IMMERSING
YOURSELF IN YOUR
SURROUNDINGS YOU
CAN IDENTIFY
CREATURES THAT ARE
MYTHICAL BY DAY.”
Main: Stephen Shepherd/Alamy; head torch: Whitby & Co
NIGHTWALKING TIPS
Increase your chances of seeing
wildlife during a nightwalk.
OWear dark clothes to keep
hidden, layer up to keep warm
and wear good walking boots.
OLower-magnification binoculars
with large front lenses are great for

watching bats. A camera-trap can
be left in one location overnight.
OAvoid using artificial light.
Head torches with a red filter
(below) help retain night vision.
OFace the oncoming breeze
so your scent doesn’t scare the
wildlife you are waiting to see.
OGo soft-footed and silent to
see animals’ natural behaviour.
You can disguise your silhouette
by sitting against trees.
OStart very local – you don’t
have to go miles, even exploring
your back garden at night will
reveal an exciting world of new
and interesting wildlife.
OThe RSPB Big Wild Sleepout
takes place on 16–22 June. Visit
www.rspb.org.uk/sleepout
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FSC PINE
June 2014
24 BBC Wildlife
WILD JUNE
If you are creating your own wildlife blog or just out enjoying nature, a good camera is essential
Digital cameras
GEAR REVIEW
2
NIKON COOLPIX
AW120 PRICE £330
Water-, shock- and
freeze-proof, Nikon’s
camera is incredibly
robust and can be used
underwater. Its zoom is
naturally less impressive
than the larger cameras,
but the macro mode
delivered some great
plant shots and the
24mm lens allowed for
wide-angle landscapes.
Coupled with the HD
video this proved to
be the best of the
compact cameras.
Why buy it? Rugged,

compact and can be
used underwater.
www . europe-nikon. c om
1
CANON
POWERSHOT
SX50 HS PRICE £349
Garden insects were our
first photo project with
this camera. The macro
mode was intuitive and
the images pleasing. Its
biggest selling point is
the huge 50x zoom,
which delivered great
shots of garden birds
though the auto focus
struggled in woodland
foliage. The excellent HD
video coupled with the
zoom lens makes this
a really good option.
Why buy it? HD video
and zoom make this
ideal for wildlife blogs.
www . c anon. co.uk
4
PENTAX Q7
PRICE £400
A really fun camera with

interchangeable lenses
and a very smart pop-up
flash. It automatically
selects the right mode
to shoot in whether
you’re taking a macro or
landscape shot. It came
with a standard zoom
that oered wide-angle
shots but wasn’t as
good for general wildlife.
Slightly fiddly to use, we
found the jutting-out
lens made it tricky to
carry in a coat pocket.
Why buy it? Fun with
lots of creative filters,
but not ideal for wildlife.
www .ric oh-imaging. co .uk
2
SONY G WX350
PRICE £230
This is the world’s
smallest camera with
a 20x zoom lens. It
delivered some
impressively bright
images on an early
morning woodland
birding trip, but clearly

didn’t oer the kind
of zoom you get with
more powerful ‘bridge’
cameras. It is easy to
carry, very intuitive and
automatically switches
to macro when shooting
bugs and plants.
Why buy it? Light with
a good zoom, but others
are better for wildlife.
www . sony. c o .uk
5
LUMIX DMC�
FZ200 PRICE £379
Like the Canon, this is
a ‘bridge camera’ that
makes DSLR quality
very accessible. We
loved the superb zoom,
specifically because the
faster f/2.8 lens could
deliver sharper shots
of moving wildlife in
lower light conditions.
The auto focus also
struggled in foliage, but
photos were great and
the video-stabilising
feature meant excellent

hand-held results.
Why buy it? Good video
and a fast zoom lens
made this our favourite.
www .p anasonic . com
1
3
4
5
thesecret s tudio .net
2
OUR
CHOICE