Green hairstreak
The green hairstreak is the UK's only green butterfly. Look out for the vibrant, metallic sheen of the undersides of its wings on grassland and moorland, and along woodland rides.
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Black hairstreak
The black hairstreak is a rare butterfly that is restricted to woodlands and hedgerows containing blackthorn - the foodplant of the caterpillar. It is both elusive and hard to tell apart from…
Brown hairstreak
The brown hairstreak is an elusive butterfly that spends much of its time in the treetops feeding on aphid honeydew.
Purple hairstreak
The purple hairstreak is an elusive butterfly with a brilliant purple sheen. It is entirely reliant on oak trees and can be spotted chasing around the treetops in woodlands and parks.
White-letter hairstreak
The white-letter hairstreak gets its name from the white lines that form a 'W' shape on its underside. It is an elusive butterfly, spending much of its time in the treetops.
Species in the spotlight - The Green Woodpecker
The Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis) is the largest of the three woodpeckers found in the UK.
Marine Week Species
Find out more about our six featured Marine Week species.
Adopt a Species
Give a gift to nature – and a loved one! Your generous support will help us protect and preserve our local wildlife.
Species of the month: Nightingale
Meet May's species of the month, the nightingale! Find out about the iconic songbird and how you can help monitor them in Essex.
Species in the spotlight - Common seals
The Common seal (Phoca vitulina), also known as the harbour seal is one of two seal species that can be found in the UK.
Protecting insect species in Essex
It was worrying to hear further news of insect decline earlier this year; it is reported that more than 40% of insect species are declining and a third are endangered.
Species in the spotlight - Fly Agaric
One of the most iconic fungi species; the Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) is the classic toadstool of fairy tales and a truly magical sight amongst the autumnal leaf litter.