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design I know, but just humour me. If it is 1 cm along each side, it will have a body volume of 1 cubic centimetre (cm³) and a surface area of 6 square centimetres (cm²). A larger bird, 2 cm along each side, now has a volume 8 cm³, that's eight times

The loose bark on old logs is one of the most important hibernating sites for all manner of insects. Here they can remain sheltered from predators, and also from their main enemies during winter: frost and damp. This week they will be sorely tested

I used to see foxes all the time. Whenever I looked out of the window there was almost certainly one sniffing about in the garden or strolling nonchalantly down the street. Winter nights were alive with the unearthly yelps and screams of the males

are getting ready for the big planting session after half-term.There are precious few bugs about still. A small cloud of diaphanous winter gnats flutters above the shed but all else is quiet, until I pull up a small groundsel plant. There, wriggling

For anyone who thought the cold winter might have been a bit harsh for wildlife, I hope the recent heatwave has been an eye-opener. I’ve certainly never seen so much insect life in April before. The garden has been awash with orange-tips, holly

Spring has sprung. All at once. The guinea pig and his hutch are back outside. Shieldbugs, in their purple-brown winter colours, are sunbathing on the fence. The first bumblebee of the year, a queen buff-tailed, floated past and a male feather

are emerging to mate, but this was still foraging activity at full throttle. There was the same constant commuting I'd seen back in July. In some years I've found queens already gone into 'winter' hiding by the end of August.A nest still this active in mid

that within 10 days they will be back to their original rich emerald hue.The green shieldbug (Palomena prasina) is, of course, green, except that it isn't during winter. Nobody seems exactly sure what is going on, but they start to turn brownish purple

2007 will be remembered as a very good year for wasps. But before people start complaining about their vicious stings and bad tempers, I must point out that wasps are actually our friends. After birds and spiders, they are the most important insect

some previous owner has thoughtfully laid a path or hidden some building debris. If I get through the crushed brick, a further 10 cm down I meet solid London clay. With a frozen crust, I thought I'd have a task before me.The ground was not as hard as I