The 10 spiders you’ll find in the houses and gardens of Britain
Creepy. But cool.
The true meaning of Dumbledore, Chiggypig, Hornywink and Lang lugs, and the other old English animal names all but lost to us
If you think Dumbledore is just a fictional Wizard, then this article from the summer is for you.
Curious Questions: Are cows actually super-intelligent?
Cows possess secrets of which we poor Sapiens are unaware,' writes John Lewis-Stempel. 'Except that, after 20 years of cow-keeping, a few mysteries of the bovine brain have been unveiled to me. And I have moos for you.'
Curious Questions: How do starlings murmurate?
As the light dims on an autumnal or winter’s evening, starlings will rise from their communal roosting site and wheel and swoop as if one body,' writes Martin Fone, in this mesmerising article. It's as if they are 'under the command of a great choreographer in the sky.'
13 truly staggering images from Close-up Photographer of the Year 2021
An astonishing image of butterflies underwater, other-worldly images of funghi and a candid snap of a cheeky rodent were among the winners and runners-up for the 2021 Close-up Photographer of the Year awards.
The terrible truth about the cuckoo, and the ‘monstrous outrages’ it perpetrates on its foster parents and siblings
This was first published in 2020, but has proven enduringly popular — and it's not hard to see why. This piece was eye-opening and grim, but utterly gripping from start to finish.
10 majestic pictures of the beautiful nature of Britain, in honour of World Wildlife Day
In this article from World Wildlife Day on March 3rd, we looked at a series of simply stunning photographs that will leave you in awe of our natural world.
The 10 things you can do to help save hedgehogs
From creating a wild corner in gardens to safeguarding ponds, Hedgehog Street shared their top 10 tips with us in this post on how we can look after these prickly creatures — and it’s still as relevant now as ever.
The 8 best birdsongs you’ll hear in Britain
Back in February we challenged David Tomlinson to pick his ‘Desert Island Discs’ of birdsong, and it’s in every way as peaceful and soothing as you’d expect.
Curious Questions: Why does the air smell so good after it’s been raining?
That wonderful scent in the air when the rain stops falling has entranced people since the dawn of time — but what causes it? Martin Fone investigates.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
Credit: OPOTY/Anya Burnell
Eight breathtaking photographs from the Outdoor Photographer of the Year award
12 breathtaking images to inspire you to enter the International Garden Photographer of the Year
The fascinating — and slightly creepy — winners of the first-ever Bug Photographer of the Year awards
James Fisher celebrates some of the finest images hailed by judges at the Luminar Bug Photography Awards.
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Hide from your hay fever in a larch-clad Passive House in Surrey designed by an award-winning architectHeron House might cost more than a pack of Piriteze, but it does come with three bedrooms and you'll save a fortune on bills.
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Pamela Anderson, jellyfish and Mary Poppins feature in Country Life's Quiz of the Day, August 5, 2025Tuesday's quiz asks how well you remember some very famous song lyrics and plumbs your knowledge of the actress.
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From Queen bees to Queen Camilla, how one woman built a multi-million pound beauty empire out of bee venomDeborah Mitchell's skincare range has generated quite a buzz among celebrities including HRH and Victoria Beckham.
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‘Though she be but little, she is fierce’: Everything you didn't know about sparrowhawksScourge of the bird feeder and a master of ‘shock and awe’ assassinations, the sparrowhawk pursues its quarry with such tenacity and unpredictability that it often blindsides its prey.
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An ode to Britain's wildflowers, from the London bloom which grew in the craters of the Blitz, to the weather-predicting scarlet pimpernelDecorating the land with their brilliant and varied hues, our native flora which operate as clocks, calendars and Nature’s medicine cabinet are blooming brilliant, says John Lewis-Stempel.
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Levison Wood: Trekking the Nile, near-death experiences and why nothing beats a cup of tea and a piece of toastThe adventurer, explorer, writer and film-maker Levison Wood joins James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast.
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Is there enough beauty and hope left in the natural world to counter the current state of global despair?Trees are dying, our food is covered in chemicals and we are stuck in a deteriorating international security situation.
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Roger Morgan-Grenville: We need to reset our children's connection to nature — and it starts at schoolOur schools can — and must — lead the way in teaching the next generation the incalculable value of the natural world.
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The white-tailed eagle is crafty, controversial and has wings the size of a barn doorA penchant for spring lamb saw the raptor species ruthlessly exterminated, but the beguiling white-tailed eagle — also known as the sea eagle — is now back on our shores.
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Insectageddon delayed for another year at least, as warm and wet spring leads to bumper crop of bugsA warm and wet spring has provided the perfect conditions for our insects, which is even better news for the bats and birds.
