Our gardens and wild spaces are full of life, though we can’t always see it. Every day there are battles for survival as tiny hunters stalk their prey. Spiders wait to ambush unsuspecting flies, beetles wrestle with caterpillars and bugs use their straw-like mouths to suck the juices out of other insects, like tiny vampires. It’s wild out there!

Take a little time to look more closely and you’ll probably discover something you’ve never seen before. It might be a metallic beetle that shines in the sunlight, or a magical moth that blends in perfectly with the bark of a tree. You never know what’s hiding under a log or lurking behind a leaf. That’s what makes a bug safari so exciting!

Weather watching

You can find magnificent minibeasts in any weather, but it’s often easier on warm, sunny days. Many insects and other invertebrates tend to be more active when it’s warm, so you’re more likely to spot them moving or resting out in the open. You might find them sunbathing early in the day, resting on leaves, logs and other prominent places. Sunny days are perfect for seeing butterflies, day-flying moths and hoverflies. 

Discover deadwood

Dying trees and fallen logs are often crawling with wildlife. Baby beetles live inside the wood, spiders shelter under the bark and flies sunbathe on the surface. Spend a bit of time exploring a log pile or rotting trunk and you should find plenty of wild creatures.

Start by watching from a short distance away – minibeasts might try to hide if you get too close. Can you see anything moving, or resting on the surface? Some small creatures have excellent camouflage, making them very tricky to spot. If you see any fungi, there could be creatures nearby that like to feed on it. The brilliantly bizarre cramp-ball fungus weevil is often found around the fungus known as King Alfred’s cakes.

After scanning from a short distance, move closer and peer into any cracks and crevices. If you’re looking at a small log, you could lift it up to peek underneath. Be very gentle and move it slowly, to avoid damaging any of the creatures living on it. You might spot woodlice, ground beetles and centipedes in the soil beneath. Make sure you put the log back exactly where you found it, lowering it very slowly and carefully.

Flower fun

On a warm, sunny day it’s always worth checking flowers for wildlife. Pay particular attention to large, open flowers as they often attract a wider variety of species. Look for oxeye daisies, bramble flowers and umbellifers like cow parsley – be careful not to touch, as some umbellifers are toxic. 

There should be plenty of butterflies and bees buzzing around, but you should also see some less familiar faces. The metallic green swollen-thighed beetle usually stands out; the males have huge hind legs that look like massive muscles. Crab spiders can be much harder to spot, as they often match the colour of the flower they’re hiding on. This clever trick helps them pounce on passing insects. 

Pond life

Where there’s water, there’s wildlife. Damselflies and dragonflies zip through the air or rest on nearby plants. Peacock beetles, groundhoppers and other insects wander around the muddy margins. Pond skaters skim across the surface beside water boatmen and whirligig beetles. If you’re really lucky, you might spot a diving beetle coming up for air. They surface bum-first, trapping air beneath their wing cases like a scuba tank. Many Wildlife Trusts offer pond dipping sessions to discover the creatures that live beneath the water. 

These are just a few spots to search for our tiny wild neighbours. Look behind leaves, on tree trunks and on low-growing plants. Carefully scan nettles and thistles, avoiding their stings and spikes. Check wooden fences for spiders and springtails – so small you can barely see them. Explore any wild spot and you could discover your next new species!