Mullein moth caterpillars

The mullein moth is an unusual species, in that it is better known as its larva than an adult: while its final form is small and brown, the caterpillars are an attractive pale blue with striking black and yellow spots. In June they can be found in their dozens demolishing the leaves of mullein plants from which they get their name. Look out for them at grasslands like our Yoesden nature reserve near High Wycombe.

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Ruby-tailed wasps

Another tiny wild highlight that's really worth looking out for this month is the miniscule ruby-tailed wasp. We've already seen a few this year at our Warburg reserve near Henley - see our reserve officer Chris Trew's amazing photo above. Although less than a centimetre long, these are one of the UK's most beautiful insects with glittering emerald heads, azure thoraxes and ruby-coloured abdomens.

Froglets

One of our favourite wild highlights of summer is always froglets and toadlets: having spent the past two months as tadpoles, this is the time when they start to make their first furtive forays onto dry land! Look out for them popping out of the ponds at our CS Lewis reserve in Oxford, Kintbury newt ponds in Berkshire and the Upper Ray Meadows near Bicester.

Bacon-and-eggs

With its yolk-coloured petals and crimson buds, it's not hard to see why bird's-foot-trefoil has earned its breakfast-based nickname. Another of its evocative names is 'granny's toenails', which gives an instant impression of the claw-like seed pod! Look out for it at our Yoesden reserve near High Wycombe, which is a hive of activity at this time of year.

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Slow worms

The slow worm is neither a worm nor a snake, but a legless lizard - its identity is given away by its abilities to shed its tail and blink with its eyelids. Slow worms can be found in heathland and tussocky grassland where they hunt invertebrates and sunbathe. We found this beautiful specimen at our Snelsmore Common reserve near Newbury a couple of weeks ago:

Glow worms

Like the slow worm, the glow worm is not a worm at all - in fact, it's a beetle with a remarkable twist! On warm nights at this time of year, females will climb up plant stems and signal for males. We are very lucky to have a population at our Grangelands reserve near Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire.

Bats

June is a great month to look for bats. Did you know we have 16 species of these flying mammals in the UK? If you go outside at dusk on any warm evening you can have a good chance of spotting tiny pipistrelles, a brown long-eared or a Daubenton's flitting around and catching insects. Why not join our bat walk at Windsor Great Park on 7 June where we'll use a detector to discover more about bat and their world.

Nightjars

We are also hosting four nocturnal expeditions this month and next to spot the amazing nightjar: these magical migratory birds spend their winters Africa, but return to several BBOWT nature reserves in Berkshire to nest each summer. Males display to females by flying around, wing-clapping and making their distinctive 'churring' call. Some of our nightjar walks are already fully-booked, so reserve a place now if you'd like to join us:

Greenham Common, 8 July

Greenham Common, 28 July

Badger cubs

Having been born deep underground in the spring, this year's badger cubs are now starting to emerge. Mostly they will do this at night, but you might catch them at dawn or dusk if you are lucky. Did you know - a single badger can eat several hundred earthworms in one night!

Tiger moths

Among the most beautiful and dramatic UK moths are the scarlet tigers: at rest, their green velvet upper wings camouflage them perfectly against leaves, but when they take flight they flash their brilliant scarlet hind wings to dazzle and confuse predators. If you love insects, join our butterfly and moth walk at the Nature Discovery Centre on  Saturday, 10 June, or come along to our butterfly and dragonfly hunt at Snelsmore Common the next day.