These well-loved beetles are easy to recognise with their bright red wing cases and black spots, which is used to warn predators of their bitter taste. The most common species you might come across are the two-spot and seven-spot ladybirds, however there are about 40 other species found in the UK!

Sheildbugs live up to their name with their flat, triangular bodies with shield-like shapes on their backs. There are a number of shieldbug species, the hawthorn shieldbug being the UK’s largest and most commonly encountered species. Look out for its green ‘shield’ in the middle of its back, with red sides and pronotum (area behind the head).

The UK has 59 species of butterflies, two of those being regular migrants – the painted lady and clouded yellow. The most common butterfly in the UK is the small white, which has creamy white wings and small black tips with one or two wing spots. Some other species you might find fluttering about at this time of year are small tortoiseshell, peacock, red admiral, brimstone or holly blue.

Despite being overlooked, there are over 2,500 species of moth in Britain and they hold such a vital role in the ecosystem. Often dismissed as being brown and boring, there are many moths that are bright and colourful! They don’t just come out at night either, many of them fly during the day, especially on warm sunny days. The cinnabar moth is a moth you might see out during the day. Look out for its slate-black wings with two red spots and two pinkish-red stripes on the rounded forewings. Its hindwings are also pinkish-red and bordered with black.

Another one of our most-loved insects, the bumblebee. We have 24 species of bumblebee in the UK, but sadly they are in decline due to habitat loss. There are eight of these species that you are most commonly like to see including, the buff-tailed bee, white-tailed bee, garden bumblebee, heath bumblebee, tree bumblebee, common carder bee, early bumblebee and red-tailed bumblebee.

We’re heading into dragonfly season and soon we will be seeing these fascinating insects zooming across the water. There are over 50 species of dragonflies and damselflies in the UK. The easiest way to tell the difference between the two is that dragonflies rest with their wings open and damselflies rest with their wings closed! Look out for the common blue damselfly with its blue abdomen with black bands. And if it is a dragonfly you’re looking out for, one of the most common ones to find is the common darter, with its thick red abdomen and wings out at right angles.