Painted lady
A well-travelled migrant, the painted lady arrives here every summer from Europe and Africa. This beautiful orange-and-black butterfly regularly visits gardens.
Search
Search
Painted topshell
The beautiful pink and white bands of a Painted topshell make it easy to see where this little sea snail got its name!
Painted goby
This slim fish is usually found on gravelly parts of the seabed, close to shore, but can turn up in rockpools.
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.
Lady's bedstraw
In summer, the 'frothy' flowers of lady's bedstraw can carpet the grasses of meadows, heaths and coasts with yellow and fill the air with a sweet, honey-like scent.
Lady fern
One of the prettiest hardy ferns, the lady fern is delicate and lacy, with ladder-like foliage. It makes a good garden fern, providing attractive cover for wildlife.
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.
Species in the spotlight - The Adder
Adders (Vipera berus) are the UK’s only venomous snake. Usually appearing from hibernation during March, Adders were spotted in Essex as early as February this year, due to the unseasonably warm…